Supervision: nice to have or necessity?

Coaching supervisor Crystal Small brings a metaphorical and playful exploration to this question. She invites the supervision cynic or sceptic to accompany her through a three-act play which explores the benefits of supervision for coaches. And as with any good play, Crystal invites you, the audience, to make your mind up at the end. Read on for an innovative, theatrical take on why supervision matters.

Let me start with an outlandish declaration. This blog post is for the supervision cynic. It is for those who are unsure or unconvinced about the value of coaching supervision.

Perhaps you have had what felt like a poor experience in supervision, which put you off. Or maybe you are fatigued at the thought of yet another expense in the noisy world of selling another ‘thing’ to coaches. Or maybe you simply don’t buy the arguments about the benefits of supervision and have remained comfortably on the fence.

If any of those statements resonate with you, I get it. I understand. And if that’s your story, this blog invites you to a metaphorical night at the theatre to imagine crafting a new telling of supervision.

Being born into a family with a love of literature and the arts has greatly shaped my passions for both coaching and supervision. So it is natural for me to reimagine this conversation about the value of supervision as a play or film. One where the audience reserves judgment about whether the piece they are watching wins them over.

So allow me to take you through a theatrical, even cinematic, presentation of the case for supervision. A short story where you make up your mind at the end of the piece what you believe and if you are convinced.

First, I shall set the scene.

Imagine a purposeful walk of clicked heels on an echoey wooden courtroom floor before sharply turning to share an opening address with a jury of curious faces. You are that jury. There will be crescendos of turning points along the way (necessary for any great play and building intensity!) and intended to raise eyebrows and tilt heads. Finally, the resolution of our story will be up to you. What happens next? You decide.

Spoiler alert, we will begin and end with the same question: Supervision: nice to have or necessity?

Right, now you know what you’re getting, curtain up!

Act one: my opening address to you, the jury

Coaching is increasingly recognised as a sought-after, progressive intervention. You serve by facilitating catalytic conversations which potentially have impact on client insight, growth, confidence, clarity and awareness. You may continue to refine and harness your practice through CPD, attending conventions, watching Ted Talk-esque recordings and reading inspiring articles and books. Taking an educated and confident guess, I am going to assume you continue your journey to mastery through consumption of resources.

While all the psychodynamic models, somatic practices and psychological theories are tremendously valuable, supervision offers coaches the infrastructure of professional development as you work with your clients.

Yet ask the average coach whether they have a supervisor or attend group supervision, and the percentage is much lower than you might expect. The culture around coaching supervision still verges more on the optional than the essential. Even though qualified and accredited coaches are bound by codes of ethics, and provide a service that significantly impacts people, you risk leaving yourself vulnerable without adequate support.

So let me offer some thoughts to consider if you are a supervision cynic.

Once you have digested learning from your initial training, much of this slips into unconscious competence as you find your emerging coaching style. You no longer mirror, signal or manoeuvre your way through the conversation, but simply become familiar with the coaching vehicle and allow the client to drive as you partner with them.

Sometimes the client destinations venture into the unfamiliar, where unexpected terrain may become tricky to navigate. Perhaps you stumble into areas that are all too familiar, which activate an unforeseen response within you. It is in these moments that being able to verbally process your experience comes into its own.

My supervision sessions almost always begin with ‘How are you? What’s present for you?’ Or ‘What’s here?’ Then pause. It is in this pause we may begin to unmask and be present with the condition of our humanness. The pause that allows for the impact of your day to collide with perhaps unresolved conflicts, anxieties, stressors, celebrations or excitements.

There is room for mind traffic, emotion and meh-ness. All of this has, on some level, influenced how you show up as a coach.

The essence of who you are and what’s happening in your world directly shapes how you hold space for others. In supervision, all of you is welcome. The blending of the coach and client experience is made whole in the supervision space, to be reflected upon. You are no longer left in an echo chamber of your own thoughts when working through client cases.

Here you may be reassured of your approach or be introduced to alternative ones. There is an opportunity to shine a light on the layered systems at play. Tears have been cried, biases challenged, triumphs celebrated and milestones notably marked. It is a space of acceptance, and fertile soil for creativity and courage.

Now the stage has been set, we progress to act two of our play.

Act two: working with the here and now

‘All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.’ When coaching your clients, you are present with them as they reflect and share insights into their world. You partner with your client as they have greater understanding of the parts they play, noticing the entrances, exits, and their responses to where they are in life. It is truly poetry in motion and supervision is that silent partner that moves alongside the journey.

I often ask my supervisees what they experience, think or feel in relation to what their clients share. While coaching is often held up as a non-judgmental space, we are hardwired to make judgments. These are to be unearthed so they can truly be managed.

Notice I say ‘managed’ and not ‘eradicated’. I do not see it as my role to eliminate judgments, but simply to bring them into focus so the supervisee can assess whether they may be creating obstacles in their coaching. To deny biases is to deny we have a background of being shaped by the world and people around us. So how might we reposition or re-educate accordingly in attempts to keep the coaching space clean?

Supervision is the living, breathing outlet that expands the lungs of your practice by gifting you space to think and learn. It not only sharpens our skills but spurs growth in emotional intelligence and self-awareness – components that elevate not performance, but career satisfaction and client retention.

My favourite moments with my supervisees are those ‘ah-ha’ and ‘oh’ moments. This can mark the turning point in our play! On to act three.

Act three: keeping the space clean

Wellbeing is central for us as coaches. It is from a place of wellness where you can truly exercise emotional sobriety. As a supervisor, I too am supervised. I come with my blueprints of uncertainties and vulnerabilities. These parts sometimes want to come out to play, especially if I have tried unconsciously to cage them with no outlet. When you understand what you need, have a grip on your values, are confident in your coaching abilities and are clear in your contracting, the coaching space is less polluted.

Supervision can be a space where you can receive a health check, whether that be through highlighting potential blind spots or offering gentle challenge where you may have become complacent. This doesn’t mean the odd plot twist won’t occur. However, we are better equipped to expect the unexpected with greater acceptance. Investing in supervision therefore acts in the best interest of your clients, as you are willing to do your own continual work which is not left on the shelf in a textbook gathering dust!

In true book-to-theatre translation, with every session held, you now interact with client situations, thoughts, feelings and desires. You are in motion!

Final curtain

Before we leave the theatre, a moment for reflection. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is available in the foyer. I come back to the original question. Supervision: nice to have or a necessity? Where are you in relation to the fence now? Are you still a supervision cynic? Or has this metaphorical theatre piece shifted anything for you?

Your decision will inform where you take the story next.

Crystal Small is the founder of Intentional Steps Ltd, qualified in transformational and corporate coaching. Having trained at Animas and the International Centre for Coaching Supervision institutes, she is also a coaching supervisor and a trainer at Optimus Coach Academy. Crystal’s approach is predominately informed by transformative theory, positive psychology and psychodynamic concepts. Supporting individuals to identify a purpose, explore values, and bring into greater awareness of their beliefs and behaviours is the cornerstone of the work she enjoys with her clients.

Photo by Katrin Bolovtsova