Supervisor Competencies - what are the skills needed for supervision?
Coaching Supervision Competencies
The supervisor needs to show evidence that the following tasks, behaviours and attitudes underpinning their behaviours are present:
Prepares for the session, clearing any thoughts, ideas from previous work, and coming into quiet mind and body
- Contracting phase
- Clarifies parties to the contract and facilitates the design co-creatively.
- Builds effective working relationship
- Attends to appropriate boundaries concerning confidentiality
- Speaks confidently
- Listens and enquires appreciatively
- Process and flow of the session
- Is present to self and the client authentically
- Listens with their body, attending so that is aware of the energy field in the relationship
- Attends to the flow of the relationship, offering process comments where appropriate, especially where unconscious material may be present
- Pitches the work at the appropriate developmental stage of the coach
- Attends supportively to any concerns the coach may have about being in supervision per se.
- Supports and encourages open reflections on the work
- Holds the intention to see the coach as resourceful and creative and demonstrates this in their approach
- Offers feedback graciously
- Receives feedback graciously
- Willing to stretch and challenge the coach appropriately
- Able to adapt own learning style to that of the coach while encouraging a wider range of the coach
- Holds a systemic view of the whole process and able to switch to and from different parts of the system appropriately
- Reviews the learning at the close of the session
- Takes occasional ‘soundings’ as to the contract, open and willing to change it as and when required
- Use of knowledge
- Shares insights sparingly while encouraging the coach to reflect and gain their own.
- Suggests reading material and/or may teach new ideas that arise out of the material under discussion and that supports the development needs of the coach
This list represents basic guidelines. There are several levels to attend to in the work. Supervisors develop skill through experience, feedback and reflection in their own practice development meetings with their own supervisor and with their peers. Each of us will have our own unique style based upon who we are and how we have already developed as coaches.
The additional supervision piece takes you a few steps back from the action, allowing you to see the bigger picture. The coach then has a safe place to explore and see things in new ways.
Author: © Fiona Adamson, May 2008
Coaching Supervision Academy
www.coachingsupervisionacademy.com
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