Supervision FAQs
| How much supervision do I need? | It depends on several factors: · the level of coaching you are doing (i.e. whether it is for example, predominantly skills coaching or, say, behavioural coaching) – the more significant and complex the issues your client faces, the more supervision you need · how often you coach (at least once every 20 hours of coaching is typical) Greater experience as a coach doesn’t mean less supervision. In practice, the more experienced a coach is the more complex the issues they address with clients and the deeper they explore those issues – so they still need frequent supervision to remain grounded! |
| How long should a supervision session last? | Individual supervision tends to last between one and two hours. Group supervision between two and six hours, depending on size of group and frequency of meeting |
| How long should a supervisory relationship last? | Expect to change supervisors as your practice evolves and you develop new needs. Review the relationship every six months or so, to assess whether it’s time to move on. A sense of declining levels of challenge or personal insight is often a good indicator |
| How do I decide what to take to supervision? | · Prioritise anything that makes you feel anxious or have self-doubts · Try to bring a variety of issues. Recurrent themes will emerge naturally |
| Where do I go to find a list of qualified supervisors? | There is no credible centralised resource at present. However, the reputable organisations providing coach supervisor training will all provide lists of their graduates |
| Where can I read more about coach/ mentor supervision? | The most widely recommended texts in this area are: · Hay, J (2007) Reflective Practice and Supervision for Coaches, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead · Hawkins, P & Smith, N (2006) Coaching, Mentoring & Organizational Consultancy, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead Bachkirova, T, Clutterbuck, D & Jackson, P (2011) Perspectives on Supervision in Coaching, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead |
© David Clutterbuck, 2015
Prof David Clutterbuck
Coaching and Mentoring International Ltd
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