The term describing how many subordinates a supervisor can effectively manage is known as?

• A. Span of Control
• B. Referent Power
• C. Unity of Command
• D. Division of Labor

Answer: (A)

Span of control is the number of direct subordinates a supervisor can effectively manage. Keeping an appropriate span of control helps ensure supervision is practical, communications stay clear, and safety decisions can be made quickly. The ideal number isn’t fixed; it depends on factors like task complexity, risk level, training, and the availability of support systems. In many fire service contexts, a span of control around five is common, with a practical range roughly from three to seven.

Referent power refers to influence based on personal qualities and respect, not the number of people supervised. Unity of command is the principle that a subordinate reports to one supervisor, preventing conflicting instructions. Division of labor is about dividing work into specialized tasks to improve efficiency, not about how many subordinates a supervisor oversees.