Leadership vs. supervision

摘要

Everyone in the fire service at some point has worked with an officer who made an impression on them, good or bad, but those who leave the best impressions are officers who practice good leadership and are not only supervisors. A leader is one who leads or guides; a supervisor is one who supervises. These actions may seem similar, but they are far apart. If you take the definitions at face value, just about anyone with good business sense can be a supervisor-make sure policy is followed and that staff is where they need to be, doing what they are told to do. Being a leader takes a bit more work, as leaders not only ensure that policy is followed, but they also explain and practice it themselves. A leader does not just tell someone to be there and do the work. He takes the time to guide the employee on what the job quality should be and provides the tools to complete the job with confidence.