Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation
From my personal practice at Bridgestone Aiken (BA), managers have always been concerned with developing various methodical ways and processes to reach organizational objectives in a systematic way, measuring metrics and other tools associated with achieving business goals. In my experience, effective managers should have good interpersonal skills, be effective communicators and motivators, plan forward and think strategically. Having a 13-year of experience in a leadership position and currently controlling 191 employees, the implementation of effective leadership skills is considered essential. Such skills as communication, motivation, delegation, creativity, commitment, and flexibility are expected to help leaders enhance their expertise and have a positive impact on workers in general. Fostering a positive environment in the workplace is the responsibility of a leader because employees need to be motivated by the fact that they are valued by their leader and are willing to share the vision inspired by him or her.
Theories and Principles/Abstract Conceptualization
In the organizational context, distinguishing between the concepts of management, supervision, and leadership is necessary not only from the theoretic perspective but also from the stance of experience since each concept assumes specific behaviors occurring in the workplace. The further breakdown of theoretical principles will present differentiation between concepts to promote the understanding of their manifestation in the organizational context.
Theory 1
The concept of management is the most commonly used in organizational contexts to denote a range of steps targeted at achieving business goals. Management is defined as the process of organizing, planning, directing, and coordinating business activities for reaching the defined objectives (Talloo, 2007). Managers allocate finite resources in organizations, such as human, financial, natural, and technological, and use them for achieving the goals of profitability, competitiveness, and other variables of success.
Theory 2
While the term ‘supervision’ has been used to denote management, it is important to note the difference between the concepts. Supervision refers to the process of overseeing and observing the actions implemented by other people. Principles of supervision are closely incorporated into both leadership and management as they are linked to the specific position of the superiority of an individual in the workplace (Kirkpatrick, 2009). Therefore, while supervision implies some aspects of management, it is also concerned with observation as an integral component of achieving business outcomes.
Theory 3
It is important to note that management and leadership are often confused with one another. Leadership is a concept that defines the range of actions of leading a group of people toward a mutual goal through inspiring, motivating, and encouraging others to share and act on the vision. As mentioned by Dwight D. Eisenhower, “leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want to be done because he wants to do it” (as cited in Whitehead, Dittman, & McNulty, 2017, p. 46). In my experience, this quote applies to the current situation in many organizations.
Summary
Thus, the person to whom others report about the accomplishments and failures has the position of a supervisor and thus oversees the relevant processes in an organization. Distinguishing between the concepts of management, supervision, and leadership is beneficial for company workers because of the need to divide responsibilities and set organizational objectives. In my experience, the differentiation of roles in the workplace enables the development of an effective team in which members fulfill distinct tasks and communicate on a collaborative basis.
Testing and Application/Active Experimentation
From my experience, good managers and leaders should have some qualities of supervisors; however, delegating this responsibility to another individual can be of benefit. However, leaders are expected to show top standards of quality in the management and supervision of their personnel, which is why I consider this skill an integral part of any organizational context. Through applying concepts of leadership, management, and supervision in my position, I have managed to develop a cohesive perception of how to address various issues in the workplace. The theories and concepts applied in practice allowed me to designate the most appropriate solutions to arising problems and use the skills interchangeably.
References
Kirkpatrick, D. (2009). Developing supervisors and team leaders. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Talloo, T. (2007). Business organization and management. New Delhi, India: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.
Whitehead, D., Dittman, P., & McNulty, D. (2017). Leadership and the advanced practice nurse: The future of a changing healthcare environment. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.