Scheduled or formal supervision

‘When I started as a team leader a year ago, there was an opportunity to formalise supervision and make it a regular occurrence.

I took the opportunity to really think about how I could support each person. For example, if someone was having difficulty with a client and they didn't understand why they were being triggered by that person, bringing in formal supervision provided a space to unpack that so they could perform better. It also provided the opportunity to offer support around things like structural issues and oppression, workload, how the organisation works, and navigating uncertainty.

One of the most helpful things we did was draw up supervision agreements, which both the supervisor and supervisee sign. The agreement covers things like how the staff member likes to receive feedback, how they learn and how I can best support their learning, and the designated time we set aside for supervision to ensure we make time for it without interruptions.

Now that we've been working together for a while, it's got to the point where I can walk into the office and I can tell by the looks on people’s faces how they're travelling. Then how I respond to that depends on the individual and what might be culturally appropriate for each person.

In addition to formal supervision, I also have an open-door policy, so that my team can come and talk to me in moments when they are stuck rather than shutting it down until supervision. It is a helpful way to ensure the team can maintain work–life balance and put boundaries in place, so they don't take the burden home with them.’

— Kelly Gannon, Team Leader, Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, Health, Safety and Wellbeing seminar 1, February 2023