Coaching Supervision: A vital component for coaches
Why is supervision essential for coaches?
Coaching is often a solo activity, and many coaching businesses are run by sole traders. Inside organisations, there are few forums where it is appropriate to discuss what happens in coaching relationships. The confidential relationship doesn’t normally allow for professional observation and feedback.
Coaches can be self-critical. However we notice in supervision, that the harsh ‘self-talk’ coaches often hold can inhibit awareness of what else is happening and is often focussed on just one aspect or perspective. It may be time to leave behind past opinions of ourselves or to reframe them in a new perspective. Feedback from clients is important but is only one part of the picture.
How you are thinking and feeling about your relationships and your work with your clients determines how you are in the relationship and how well you work together. It is so easy to become hooked by these emotions, and supervision offers a chance to regain professional distance and perspective. There are layers of awareness, that you can work through with your supervisor, to find the learning about your own behaviour and patterns, values and motivations, scripts and drivers, beliefs and philosophy.
There are professional standards and ethics to consider. Coaching is a broad profession, with a wealth of different ways of working. For these to be truly of great service to clients, diverse tools and approaches need to be used appropriately for context, with care, toward clear outcomes, within agreed boundaries. And coaches need to operate within the laws of the land, with adequate thought about the ethics of the way they operate.
Supervisors sometimes notice reluctance from coaches to enter supervision, perhaps fearing to reveal a lack of confidence, technique or underlying skill. In our supervisory space, there is no shame in not knowing or in imperfection, since it is an inclusive and developmental space where you can explore and discover without risk of humiliation. Here you can grow both curiosity and confidence, so your decision making as you work improves and you understand better your own intuition as a coach. Supervision offers a non-judgemental space to discuss these aspects of your work in safety, so you decide how to approach conversations, or other actions. Your supervisor is someone you can always turn to and rely on to support you as you develop your thinking about these aspects.
Finally, as the professional bodies have agreed that Supervision is essential, you will not be able to gain or maintain your individual accreditation as a coach without adequate hours of supervision. Through supervision you can:
Clarify your strengths, your approach and your practice
Build on your core approach over time to meet the challenges brought by clients
Develop blindspots as well as competences you knew were not previously strong
Feel more confident in the aspects of coaching you find difficult
Get restorative support especially through difficult times
Feel connected in your work, growing skills, enhancing your precision with tools
Decide how to turn your reflections and thinking into more effective practice
Think about ethics of coaching practice in context, come to useful conclusions
Integrate new tools, methods and develop your coaching philosophy over time.
Who is Coaching Supervision for?
External Executive Coaches
Internal Coach/Facilitators
Career Coaches whether independent or within an organisation
People who are learning and applying a coaching skillset to gain certification
Leaders using coaching to enhance development, empowerment and growth.
Join us at Coachange for your Coaching Supervision in one-to-ones or trio groups. We have availability for you to begin with us this season.
Starry Forest: credit Trifonov_Evgeniy from Getty