Leadership, Supervision, and Team Management
What to know
Understand the difference between leadership and management, the levels of leadership (direct, organizational, strategic), and the competencies expected at each. Know the concepts of followership, mission command, and the role of feedback and counseling in supervision. Candidates should grasp the elements of a healthy team-trust, communication, accountability-and the tools for handling conflict, poor performance, and recognition. Know the importance of setting standards, documenting performance, and developing subordinates.
Traps
Questions often blur leadership (influence toward a goal) with management (process and resources), or assume a single leadership style fits all situations. Another trap is treating counseling as punishment rather than development. Watch for items that confuse the levels of leadership or that assume a leader must always direct rather than delegate.
Worked example
A supervisor facing a subordinate's recurring lateness should document the behavior, counsel the member, and set clear expectations before escalating to formal action. If a question asks the first step, the answer is counseling and documentation, not immediate punishment.
Rule of thumb
Document, counsel, set expectations, then escalate-in that order.