Employers: Don’t Assume Supervisors Have Leadership Skills

A Gallup survey published in January 2026 revealed that only 30% of supervisors who responded were placed in their roles because of supervisory skills or experience. The survey also found that supervisors who received leadership education or training were 79% more likely to be engaged and 11% less likely to look for another job. The problem: Less than half of respondents had received such training in the past year.

These data points outline a long-standing challenge for many employers. That is, supervisors are often promoted because of skills and successes in areas other than leadership. Gaps in leadership skills can undermine interactions with team members and, in turn, negatively affect an organization’s financial performance.

5 key abilities

The most direct way to address the matter is to invest a reasonable amount of time and resources in carefully designed leadership training. In most cases, this involves enrolling supervisors in a series of externally provided courses or workshops that upskill their abilities to:

1. Define their style. There’s no one-size-fits-all template for being a good leader. Supervisors need to identify and develop a style that suits their distinctive personalities and strengths. Generally, leaders may be categorized as autocratic (giving orders and expecting specific results), delegative (allowing team members to work mostly independently) or participative (combining the previous two styles and soliciting feedback from the team).

2. Optimize time and priorities. Leadership quality tends to suffer when a supervisor is stretched too thin or chooses to focus on one aspect of the job more than others. For example, an organization might have a leader who’s tasked with both strategic planning and supervising employees. If that person spends 80% of the time developing operational strategies and only 20% on team building and supervision, those employees might feel largely ignored.

3. Manage team performance. Most employers, particularly larger ones, have a formal process for establishing expectations, setting goals, measuring performance and conducting reviews at least once annually. Along with doing all that, supervisors may also need to spend time directly coaching some employees or working with them on performance improvement plans. Performance management can be complex and rigorous, requiring highly skilled and patient leaders to carry it out.

4. Resolve conflicts. Conflict is an inevitable part of supervising employees. If mishandled or ignored, it can damage morale and productivity. Supervisors need to recognize potential conflicts early, resolve them proactively and follow established, legally compliant procedures — particularly when handling employee discipline or termination.

5. Interact with remote workers. The widespread use of remote work arrangements, which really took off during the pandemic, is still a relatively new leadership challenge for some employers. When employees work from home, leaders no longer have the “luxury” of seeing their team members face to face in meeting rooms and offices. So, they often need to make an extra effort to communicate and stay connected.

Make no assumptions

Internal promotions can be a great way to retain organizational knowledge, motivate staff, and save time and expense on an external hire. But excellence in other positions doesn’t automatically translate into effective leadership skills. When supervisors aren’t equipped to lead, your organization risks lower productivity, higher turnover and even legal exposure. We can help you evaluate the financial impact of leadership gaps and integrate targeted training into budgeting and workforce planning.

© 2026