According to EO, the typical maximum number of people a leader can effectively manage is:

According to EO, the typical maximum number of people a leader can effectively manage is:

• A. 4 to 6
• B. 6 to 10
• C. 8 to 12
• D. 1 to 3

Answer: (B)

Span of control is about how many people a supervisor can oversee effectively. When the number sits in a middle range—roughly six to ten direct reports—the leader can keep communication clear, provide timely feedback, and coordinate tasks without spending all their time micromanaging. This balance helps ensure accountability and quick decision-making, which is especially important in structured, mission-focused environments. If the team is smaller, the leader can give more individualized attention, but the overall impact may be limited by scale. If the team grows beyond this range, communication can degrade, decisions can slow, and oversight can become less effective unless there are strong processes, supports, and delegation in place. So six to ten represents a practical sweet spot for effective supervision, making it the best fit among the options.

Span of control is about how many people a supervisor can oversee effectively. When the number sits in a middle range—roughly six to ten direct reports—the leader can keep communication clear, provide timely feedback, and coordinate tasks without spending all their time micromanaging. This balance helps ensure accountability and quick decision-making, which is especially important in structured, mission-focused environments.

If the team is smaller, the leader can give more individualized attention, but the overall impact may be limited by scale. If the team grows beyond this range, communication can degrade, decisions can slow, and oversight can become less effective unless there are strong processes, supports, and delegation in place. So six to ten represents a practical sweet spot for effective supervision, making it the best fit among the options.