EXTENSION SUPERVISION

The following “Tools of the True Leader”, (in the words of Rogers  and Olmsted) are suggestions for the practical application of the principles of  human relation of Extension supervision.

The Extension Supervision should strive to

1.Follow a fact finding approach to problems and to achieve an objective attitude toward the people under his supervision. By objectivity  is meant the viewing of problems of events as external to the personalities involved. (Fact finding approach does not mean  ignoring the feeling or sentiments of the people.)

2.Be constantly on guard against permitting his personal prejudice to influence his treatment of individuals under his supervision. The supervisor who know when to be the  lenient and when to be firm has mastered an important  characteristic of the “true” leader.

3.Have emotional control so that those feelings which are undesirable to the welfare of the group may be channeled to constructive ends.

4.Know that people are basically more alike than they are different. This knowledge helps him to understand the behaviour of those whom he supervises.

5.Recognized that each worker is different and has different ways of doing things. He should encourage all worker to be themselves. He should not try to impose work habits, style  or tempo on his subordinates. He must have a “feel “ for the behaviour of people.

6.Minimize authority. A true maximize responsibility and minimizes authority. Supervision consists much less of giving orders than of ceiling to secure agreement.

7.Give clear but general instructions. The closeness of supervision has an adverse effect on productivity and morale. The supervisor should tell subordinates clearly and concisely what is expected of them and then let them work out ht details. Too much supervision develops mediocrity among workers.

PRINCIPLES OF SUPERVISION APPLICABLE TO EXTENSION

1.The ultimate purpose of supervision is to promote the objectives  of the extension programme. The acid test of supervision is the extent to which co-operation in pushing the objectives of Extension is achieved. Extension has as a primary objective the education of people, not merely an increased agricultural production. It is concerned with human values as well as material values.

2.Supervision may contribute to the attainment of this objective, first, in improving the effectiveness of  personnel and, second, in providing a climate which makes co-ordination possible.

3.Supervision is an essential part of administration, integral to it but not identical with it.

4.Supervision is a co-operative activity..

5.Supervision is ordinarily concerned with the co-operative improvement of the setting in which learning takes place.

6.Planning is fundamental to supervision..

7.Supervision is creative, not prescriptive.

8.Supervision substitutes leadership for authority.