Supervision: a collaborative conversation that offers Reflection, Insight and Support to coaches.

Below are some guidelines that will help you to choose a Coach Supervisor. Ticking these boxes is important to ensure that you find a supervisor who will truly enhance your practice, but it is also very important that you feel comfortable with the supervisor - comfortable enough to have a conversation in which all areas of your work can be safely explored and in which you can develop, personally and professionally.

Coach Supervisor Requirements:

Significant training and experience in supervision

Being in touch with developments the field of coaching and with current coaching training

Knowledge of corporate life and organizational systems.

Significant level of psychological theory especially as it relates to professional life and relationships and to the ability to read organisations.

Sensitivity to the learner’s situation.

Ability to work across a range of coaching styles.

5 years practice as coach or coach mentor

Knowledge of a wide range of coaching skills

Highest ethical and professional standards

Own work has been professionally supervised over a number of years.

This additional information may support your choice:

Central Tasks of Supervision 

Supporting clear contracting – multi-party contracting where appropriate.

Establishing good boundaries where appropriate 

Enhancing reflective practice – working with content and process

Attending to the Coach’s Personal Development.

Creating the Working Alliance.

Deepening Coaching Presence.

Building the Internal Supervisor.

Offering new perspectives to the coach.

Teaching and developing meta-skills.

Increasing the coach’s interventions and tools.

Being sensitive to the coach’s Learning Style.

Teaching about Coaching Psychology.

Working with Parallel Process.

Giving constructive feedback.

Creating experiments through which the coach can learn.

Offering ‘educative and restorative support to the coach’ - (Myles Downey)

Working systemically – with coach, client and the wider field/organisation.

Ensuring that standards and ethics are maintained.

Opening up new areas of competence for the coach.