Coaching Supervision Competencies

The supervisor needs to show evidence that the following tasks, behaviours and attitudes underpinning their behaviours are present:

Prepares for the session, clearing any thoughts, ideas from previous work, and coming into quiet mind and body.

1. Contracting phase

• Clarifies parties to the contract and facilitates the design co-creatively.
• Builds effective working relationships
• Attends to appropriate boundaries concerning confidentiality
• Speaks confidently
• Listens and enquires appreciatively

2. Process and flow of the session

• Is present to self and the client authentically
• Listens with their body, attending so that they are aware of the energy field in the relationship
• Attends to the flow of the relationship, offering process comments where appropriate, especially where unconscious material may be present
  Pitches the work at the appropriate developmental stage of the coach
• Attends supportively to any concerns the coach may have about being in supervision per se.
• Supports and encourages open reflections on the work
• Holds the intention to see the coach as resourceful and creative and demonstrates this in their approach
• Offers feedback graciously
• Receives feedback graciously
• Willing to stretch and challenge the coach appropriately
• Able to adapt own learning style to that of the coach while encouraging a wider range of the coach
• Holds a systemic view of the whole process and able to switch to and from different parts of the system appropriately
• Reviews the learning at the close of the session
• Takes occasional ‘soundings’ as to the contract, open and willing to change it as and when required

3. Use of knowledge

• Shares insights sparingly while encouraging the coach to reflect and gain their own.
• Suggests reading material and/or may teach new ideas that arise out of the material under discussion and that supports the development needs of the coach

© Fiona Adamson CSA Team 2006