You are a great coach, you are conscientious, empathetic and professional.
Do you use supervision? Do you fully know what it involves and can do for a coach's development? I notice it's not talked about all that much. It's nowhere near as promoted as coaching is. Why?
'Supervision', Sounds a bit judgey?
Sure, the name itself conjures up all manner of images, including one of being watched and critiqued by some dusty old professor. Who would want that?
That perception is simply untrue.
What is Coaching Supervision then?
Supervision has helped me with a crippling inferiority complex, co-created a solution for uncomfortable matters relating to a client's mental health and has enabled me to be proud of the effective and unique coach I am today.
The following 5 reasons are for you, your practice and development to serve your current and future clients, enabling them to meet challenges with resilience and fortitude in this weird and wonderful world.
It's about you - Whether individual or group, it is time dedicated to you and your work. You can explore and celebrate what went well, you can review and consider would could change and you can play with what's possible. A supervisor will not judge you. They will stand with you and help you see holistically across the systems, cultures, environments and climates that impact and influence your clients and, as a result, your role in their world.
Deeper reflexivity - enhance reflective practice through multiple lenses, uncover limiting beliefs, assumptions and unconscious biases. Connect with your full mind - including the parts housed in your viscera and emotional centres to notice what may not be explicitly articulated. Then helps you turn realisations into actions.
Safety - It can help you unpick sticky client conundrums, ethical conflicts and boundary navigation. Ever feel like straying into mentoring or counselling - most coaches do, more often than we care to admit. Has it become habit? Your supervisor can work beside you to help you shift and be the coach you aspire to be.
Recognised accreditation. There are certain levels of coach accreditation that require you to have supervision. This is a benchmark, an action that says 'I take this seriously and I commit to ongoing growth and development'
Power up. Play with new methods and techniques, think through how they might work in different scenarios with someone willing to test and play devil's advocate to help you see from multiple perspectives.
To summarise, It may be wrapped in a blanket of unconditional positive regard and with the intent to see you flourish, you should expect challenge, maybe discomfort too. A supervisor is someone to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Together you pull on the elastic of your comfort zone and take a walk on the learning edge.
It's SUPERvision.
For more information - take a look and get in touch.