IN many hospitality organisations, supervisors are promoted because they are dependable, hardworking and technically competent.
They understand the operation, know the procedures and are often the first people management turns to when something goes wrong.
During a busy shift, they check attendance, arrange duties, monitor service standards, handle guest complaints and step in whenever the team struggles.
At the end of the day, the operation may have been completed successfully, but the supervisor is often the most exhausted person in the department.
This raises an important question. Was the supervisor truly leading the team, or simply carrying the team through the shift?
There is a significant difference between the two. Coordination ensures that tasks are completed, but leadership develops the people responsible for completing them.
Hospitality organisations need supervisors who can do both.
Promoted for performance, but not always prepared
It is common for a strong employee to be promoted to a supervisory position.
An experienced waiter becomes a restaurant supervisor, a senior room attendant moves into housekeeping supervision, or a capable front office employee is placed in charge of the counter.
These promotions are understandable because the individuals have demonstrated commitment, technical knowledge and reliability.
However, the skills required to perform a job well are not always the same skills needed to lead others.
Before promotion, employees are responsible mainly for their own work.
After promotion, they become responsible for the performance, behaviour and development of an entire team.
They are suddenly expected to give clear instructions, manage different personalities, resolve conflicts, address poor performance, motivate employees and make decisions under pressure.
Many supervisors are given these responsibilities without sufficient preparation and are expected to learn through experience.
As a result, some continue behaving like senior employees rather than leaders. They remain focused on completing tasks personally instead of developing the people around them.
They coordinate the operation effectively, but they may struggle to build a capable and independent team.
When supervisors do everything themselves
One of the most common habits among new supervisors is stepping in whenever something goes wrong. If an employee struggles to answer a guest, the supervisor takes over.
If a service station is not prepared properly, the supervisor corrects it. If the team falls behind, the supervisor completes the unfinished work.
There are times when this response is necessary. Hospitality operations move quickly, guests are waiting and delays can affect the entire service experience.
The problem begins when taking over becomes the supervisor’s normal approach.
Employees gradually learn that when a situation becomes difficult, the supervisor will solve it.
Over time, they may become less confident in making decisions and more dependent on direction.
The supervisor then becomes frustrated because the team appears to lack initiative.
This creates a cycle. The more the supervisor takes over, the more dependent the team becomes.
The more dependent the team becomes, the more the supervisor believes that nothing can be delegated.
A supervisor who tries to solve every problem may appear committed, but this approach is not sustainable.
Supervisors should not be measured only by the number of problems they personally resolve.
They should also be measured by how many people become more capable because of their guidance.
Leadership happens during daily operations
Leadership is sometimes associated with meetings, presentations and major decisions.
In reality, supervisory leadership often happens during small, ordinary moments at work.
It happens when a supervisor notices that an employee is struggling and chooses to guide rather than embarrass the person.
It happens when instructions are explained clearly instead of being shouted across a busy work area.
It also happens when mistakes are corrected professionally and employees are given the opportunity to improve.
These moments influence how employees feel about their work, their supervisor and the organisation.
Employees may forget many of the instructions given during a shift, but they often remember how they were treated when they made a mistake or needed support.
This does not mean that supervisors should avoid discipline or difficult conversations.
Hospitality operations require standards, accountability and consistency.
Poor performance must be addressed, procedures must be followed and repeated mistakes cannot simply be ignored.
However, being firm does not require being disrespectful. Effective supervisors are able to correct behaviour while maintaining the dignity of the employee.
They explain what went wrong, clarify the expected standard and guide the employee on how to improve.
Developing supervisors beyond the classroom
Organisations often send supervisors for training in communication, delegation, coaching, decision-making and conflict resolution.
These programmes are valuable, but attending a two-day course does not automatically turn someone into an effective leader.
The real development begins when the supervisor returns to the workplace. The organisation must provide opportunities for the person to practise the new skills.
Managers should observe how supervisors communicate, assign responsibilities, respond to mistakes and develop their team members.
Supervisors also need feedback from their own managers. It is difficult to expect them to coach their teams when no one is coaching them.
Their development should therefore continue through workplace assignments, observation, mentoring and regular performance discussions.
Leadership development cannot end with a certificate. It requires practice, reflection and consistent support.
From coordinating work to developing people
Supervisors occupy one of the most demanding positions in hospitality. They stand between management expectations, employee concerns and guest demands.
They are expected to maintain standards while dealing with operational situations that rarely happen exactly as planned.
Despite this responsibility, they are sometimes one of the least prepared groups in the leadership structure.
Organisations cannot expect supervisors to develop people when no one has taken the time to develop them.
The operation will always require coordination. Rooms must be prepared, tables must be set, guests must be welcomed and services must be delivered on time.
But coordination alone keeps the operation moving only for the day.
Leadership prepares the team for what comes next.
A supervisor who solves every problem may appear indispensable. A supervisor who develops capable employees creates a team that can perform even when he or she is not standing beside them.
That is the difference between holding a supervisory position and truly leading.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
