Final answer:
The first-line supervisor must be considerably more proficient in management than in some specific functional specialty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true
A first-line supervisor is responsible for managing a team of employees and overseeing their work.
While having knowledge and skills in a specific functional specialty is important, such as sales or operations, the primary focus of a first-line supervisor is on managing people and ensuring that work is completed efficiently and effectively.
Here's an example to illustrate this: Let's say a first-line supervisor is responsible for managing a team of sales representatives in a fast-growing cosmetics company.
While the supervisor may have a background in sales, their main role is to oversee the sales team, provide guidance and support, set goals, and ensure that the team achieves its targets.
In this case, the supervisor needs to be proficient in management principles and practices to effectively lead and motivate the sales team.