6.Triangle of Supervision

Preamble

I attended an extensive Advanced Course in Administration and Development at National Institute of Public Administration, Lahore, Pakistan (1974 – 1975). A research paper was also required to be written at the end of the course relating to one’s education and experience. I was given the topic “Public Administration and Management”. This paper, which included my study of real cases and their analysis spread over 10 years, comprised 200 pages and was submitted in March, 1975. Here I present a gist of the same.

The Triangle

In braced structures, no matter how complex and large, triangle is the most stable basic unit. Strength of the structure depends on the strength of the triangle and on how much importance has been given to the design of the three members of this basic triangle.

2. In the rapidly moving and changing organizational world, with its increasingly complex working and problems, supervision of personnel is at once the most challenging task of management. Communication, motivation and leadership constitute the basic unit – “Triangle of Supervision”, communication and motivation being the two sides and leadership being the base. These are the main factors of supervision in management which also play a major role in staff development and, as such, need careful study and increasing attention. I shall deal with these three major factors of supervision separately.

3. Definitions

Before going any further, it will be appropriate to define two words which will be commonly used in the talk.

3.1. Supervisor

He is head of an organization or factory, and if any section or sub-section of the organization / factory is under consideration then head of that section or sub-section is a supervisor.

3.2. Employee

He is any subordinate to the Supervisor

For Communication see page 6a

For Motivation see page 6b

For Leadership see page 6c