Super-Vision for Coaches

What is coaching supervision?

The European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC) defines coaching supervision as:

The interaction that occurs when a coach brings their coaching work experiences to a supervisor in order to be supported and to engage in reflective dialogue and collaborative learning for the development and benefit of the coach, their clients, and their organizations.

According to the International Coach Federation, “Coaching Supervision focuses on the development of the coach’s capacity through offering a richer and broader opportunity for support and development. Coaching supervision creates a safe environment for the coach to share their successes and failures in becoming masterful in the way they work with their clients.”

Coaching supervision differs from coaching and mentoring. Coaching is designed to help clients achieve their objectives through self-awareness, goal setting, and action planning. Mentor Coaching for a coach credential is focused on developing the core competencies and skills required for coaching. Coaching supervision includes creating a safe space for the coach and supervisor to reflect on the overall system to support the coach’s growth and improved client outcomes.

Why supervision?

Benefits:

  • Improved client results through improving the quality and effectiveness of coaching.
  • Professional support for coach to develop coaching skills and improved coaching strategies for challenging client situations.
  • Competitive differentiation on corporate contracts to maintain and enhance coaching quality standards.
  • Continuing professional development (CPD) of the coach. Note that supervision is recognized by the ICF for core competency Continuing Coach Education (CCE) hours.

Who needs supervision?

  • Professional coaches in private practice.
  • Internal corporate coaches.
  • Coaches wishing to maintain a coaching credential with the EMCC.

How does supervision work?

Supervision can be done in a one-on-one setting or in groups. Coaching supervision is fundamentally a reflective process. Coaching supervisors create a confidential, safe space for coaches to explore their own thought processes and the dynamics present in client engagements. This often includes:

  • Analysis of coaching case studies to better understand options for coaching strategies to improve client outcomes.
  • Reflection on the coaches internal thought processes and assumptions.
  • Revealing blind spots.
  • Exploring ethical issues and contracting challenges.
  • Brainstorming solutions to complex and challenging client situations.
  • Appreciating and celebrating the accomplishments of the coach.
  • Providing accountability and a sounding board for ideas.

 

We draw upon industry-leading best practices for supervision leveraged from other helping professions including organization development, human development, systems theory, adult learning, transactional analysis, humanistic psychology, psychodynamic theory, psychological type, social psychology, and others.

We are experts in the use of the Seven-Eyed Model created by Peter Hawkins and Robin Shohet. This model examines the client-coach-supervisor system from seven different perspectives. These include: (1) the client’s context, (2) the coach’s interventions, (3) the relationship between the coach and the client, (4) the coach’s self-awareness, (5) the relationship between the coach and supervisor including parallel processes, (6) supervisor’s reactions and reflections, and (7) the wider context and system. Using the Seven-Eyed Model, the supervisor and supervisee engage in rich dialogue and reflection resulting in insights that can expose blind spots, deepen self-awareness, and open possibilities for new client interventions.

Our qualifications:

  • Coaching supervision requires a unique set of skills and ethical standards different from coaching and mentor coaching.
  • Our supervisors have been trained by Damian Goldvarg, PhD, MCC of The Goldvarg Consulting Group, Inc. in his Coaching Supervision Certification Program. This program is recognized by the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC) with their European Supervision Quality Award (ESQA), which is an independent quality award given to providers of coaching and mentoring supervision training, recognizing that their programs meet stringent, professional standards.