Setting up for success

Supervision can be set up for success by supervisors:

• adopting a collaborative stance with supervisees
• using open, curious questions and reflection to better understand the supervisee
• practising good communication, such as deep listening and using strengths-based questions
• providing regular feedback and feedforward so it becomes the relational and cultural norm
• messaging that supervision is about the supervisee’s development and success
• discussing practice concerns early rather than letting them build
• ‘talking about the talking’ in relation to raising uncomfortable issues and surfacing conflict
• naming the dynamics – observed or perceived – and naming them as such
• discussing one another’s go-to conflict styles, such as using avoidance strategies
• having an awareness of the impacts of negative stress on brain functioning in terms of being able to listen and make decisions
• adopting a trauma- and violence-informed framework to contextualise a supervisee’s behaviour
• reflecting upon and challenging their own unconscious biases and opinions.

Supervision can be set up for success by supervisees:

• attending their own supervision training or induction which outlines the various supervision models and functions, the purpose and benefits of reflective supervision and their role during supervision
• understanding their role and responsibility as ‘principal explorers’ during reflection^[1]
• preparing material (such as deciding which case or issue they want to discuss) and preparing mentally for this
• taking ownership of their supervision needs
• adopting a partnership approach, where both parties are empowered to be active participants in supervision.^[2]

Discussing a supervision agreement further sets up supervisory relationships for success. This can include discussion about:

• expectations – to align views on the purpose and functions of supervision, including reflection
• comfort level – how each party would like to handle disagreements and potential conflict
• feedback/feedforward methods – how each party would like to receive feedback or feedforward
• supervisee wellbeing plans – which can be attached to the supervision agreement (see Appendix for an example).

When considering how to provide feedback or feedforward, supervisors need to attend to process as much as content.^[3] The supervisor seeking permission to be more challenging in any given scenario, can also be helpful.

Similarly, asking about the supervisee’s supervision history can promote engagement. Learning what they found useful or not in previous supervisory relationships signals a willingness to get to know the supervisee and their preferences. Past negative supervisory experiences can create anxiety and taint the current one, so exploring the impact of this is useful.