“If the supervisor has a genuine manager’s job; if he is adequately supported by his staff; if he has real authority; and if his unit is big enough–then his job will have become manageable again.”
Supervisors are the first level of management and they are often wasted. Not only are they required to manage, but they are also expected to function as super employees.
Drucker believed that supervisors should focus less on activities and more on objectives. They should plan, train, and guide teams toward management goals and delegate everything they do not have to do.
To make this happen executives should increase team size. This will force supervisors to set objectives and delegate work. Executives should also give supervisors more authority and status. This will force executives to pay attention to their needs.
If team size and supervisor authority increase, supervisor and employee focus will shift toward management goals and business results.
(The Practice of Management, chapter 25)