ABSTRACT
Competency is not the same as a job description, nor does it focus on work duties or activities. However, this chapter discusses the essential activities, skills, and competencies of a positive and influential supervisor. Skills and competencies have often been interchanged, but there are clear distinctions. Generally, a skill is described as a learned ability necessary to complete a specific task or activity. Competency refers to a set of requisite knowledge and skills to conduct activities to attain planned or desired results. The definition of competency is somewhat broader than skills. A supervisor's essential activity revolves around their daily responsibility to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of their teams. Directing the workforce requires supervisors to oversee the day-to-day activities of their teams. Research on supervision in recent years has focused on the roles, competencies, and work outputs of supervisors. Role, meaning the part played by an actor or actress, is a term borrowed from drama.
