Of the following, the best measurement of a supervisor's ability to do his job is:

• A. the work output of his department
• B. a low accident rate
• C. the opinion of his fellow supervisors
• D. the opinion of the workers under him

Answer: (A)

The best way to judge a supervisor’s ability is by the results his team produces. Work output shows how effectively he plans, directs, and coordinates people and resources to meet goals, turning effort into tangible results. A low accident rate matters for safety but can be influenced by factors beyond his control, like equipment or luck. Opinions from fellow supervisors are subjective and can reflect biases or politics, not actual performance. Opinions from workers can be swayed by morale or morale-related issues that don’t strictly measure supervisory skill. So the department’s level of output provides the most direct, objective measure of how well the supervisor does his job.