ABSTRACT
The ability to communicate effectively is a requisite to being a successful supervisor. As tasks performed by the first-line supervisor become more complex, it is imperative that a supervisor develop excellent communication skills. Interpersonal communication exists at all levels of management. Effective communication involves transmission of a message, decoding the message and the recipient correctly interpreting and understanding the message. Elements of a realistic communication process include sender, encoding, channel, decoding, receiver, noise and feedback. Content and context are also important considerations in effective communication. There are always barriers to communication, which can be either physical or psychological. Supervisors must recognize that barriers do exist. They need to attempt to develop a supportive relationship with subordinates if they are going to be able to evaluate the situations that arise. An effective supervisor recognizes that body language is an important element in the communication process. Nonverbal communication can also be conveyed through paralanguage, which is voice volume, tone, pitch and/or inflection.
