External Links:

• Page Consulting
• APECS
• Coaching Supervision Academy

Coaching Supervision

with

Jill Fairbairns (BA MSc C Psychol AFBPsS)

Coaching supervision provides a coach with the opportunity to reflect deeply and clearly on their work. It involves “bringing the (anonymous) client into the room” and considering the coaching from many different angles. It is a formal process of professional support, which ensures continuing development of the coach and the effectiveness of their coaching practice.

It has three elements:

• Development of skills, knowledge, and self-awareness through such things as feedback, direct guidance, role modelling, use of new models or frames of reference
• Providing support when inevitable doubts and insecurities arise, and challenging the coach when their personal issues become evident in their work
• Giving a degree of protection to the person being coached by ensuring that the coach is working in ways that are competent and ethical.

Who is it for?

My coaching supervision is for external coaches and for people who are coaching in organisations as part of their work. They are working in the fields of executive, performance and career coaching.

What are the benefits of Coaching Supervision?

The main benefit to both coaches and their organisations is the development of coaching competence.

Supervision helps coaches to:

• Strengthen their coaching skills and knowledge, and deepen their self–awareness.
• Handle challenging coaching situations.
• Pay attention to the ethics of coaching.
• Understand the irrational ways of complex organisations.

How does it work?

We meet on a regular basis for an agreed period either face to face or on the phone.

We begin with a contracting conversation about the coach’s preferences for the content and style of supervision. In this way we lay the foundations for a personalised learning environment. This agreement is continually updated so that the supervision becomes more and more productive.

Supervision proceeds and the coach brings coaching issues to our meetings, e.g. – about the coachee, the context, the coach themselves. We reflect on them, talk through difficult situations, think ahead, and explore different approaches that will help both the coach and the different needs of their clients.

Why is coaching supervision necessary?

Coaching has a cost for any organisation, and ensuring that coaches are in regular supervision gives the organisation the chance to maximise its return on investment.

Many professional coaching bodies (e.g. APECS, the ICF, the Association for Coaching, the EMCC and CIPD) are now either insisting or advocating strongly that members receive regular supervision of their coaching practice. This is now a required part of their accreditation process for coaches.

Finally, clients of internal coaches are offered some protection by coaching supervision because of the reinforcement of ethical standards and lengthy discussion of boundary issues with a highly experienced coach.