Super-Vision is an Opportunity....
“Supervision is an opportunity to bring someone home to their own mind, to show them how good they can be.”
One of the core privileges of my work is to train numerous supervisors in the art and craft of ‘Effective Support and Supervision’. (which is one of the titles of my courses). I’ve been designing and delivering different versions of supervision training for 20 years. Sometimes it is with monks and nuns who equally have to lead and manage their ‘staff’, sometimes it is with fellow executive coaches who are doing supervision. Most of the time - like todays course, it is about training all types of managers and leaders in the health and social care myriad of organisations that i work.
In todays course we developed with image of words which for me depicts many of the different dimensions of what supervision can be about. I particularly like the thread about supporting staff to be clearer about their role, via critical reflection, being guided and noticing underlying issues. This stands out for me because at this time, with all the economic and health changes that are facing our organisations there is a real and pressing need to invest in your staff and develop resilience.
Super-vision is also a form of ‘extra-vision’ because you develop an extra set of eyes on your workload and the purpose of your role. I’ve always been supervised externally as a consultant. Generally by someone higher up in the pecking order of experienced system-psycho-analytical coaches. For many years i worked with Derek Rafaelli who after 12 years of working together recommended me on Linkedin with the following words. ‘Duncan Wallace is a fine coach, organisational consultant and trainer. Reap the benefit of his intelligence, insight and skill! He has shown great diligence throughout his professional life in pursuing learning and his commitment to his values.’ I kind of view Derek as the seamstress in the Incredibles, but that is partly because i think super-visors are like Super-Villans, who craftily enable us to think around institutions and develop our super-powers..
What i like about the Incredibles as an image, is that the true story of their super-powers is in the systems theory embedded in the films. They are only as extra-ordinary because of their valuing of diversity. It is only in encouraging each other and developing as a bunch of individuals, that they become all that they can be.
In De Haan’s ‘Supervision in Action’ book 2012 he says ‘Hearing emotions in a case and how this can be felt is vital to restore thinking and generate perspective on what is going on. Including celebrating good emotions.’ He also says 'Its about paying quality attention - to the worker. The quality and curiosity of that attention - enables them to believe in their work and see it at a deeper level.’
So I write this blog to encourage the everyday practice of providing supervision spaces for each of us at work. It doesn’t take much, but it is a privilege to provide good quality supervision relationships. We all remember the line managers who have role modelled good practice and paid attention to us.
Right now I am keen to enable the paradigm shift that needs to happen in all organisations. The shift to organisational cultures that are oozing the values that so many espouse. We know that many humans are going to be straining at work in these new conditions, for all sorts of contextual reasons. It is our duty as employers not only to support and develop our main assets, our humans, but also to be and become more human in the process. We all grow from this and it is a pathway full of joy and also often full of abundance. There is also growing evidence that healthy/ diverse friendly organisations are more in line and likely to become truly sustainable in our 1 planet.
Lastly if you would like training or coaching as a supervisor, please get in touch.
“I could really do with this once a month... right now”
I’m also running workshops about avoiding burn out and finding your focus. The next one is Nov 5th 10am-12pm