Supervision is a bit difficult to understand so I am writing a short blog on it. But why? Because I offer it AND because I have recently received my (two-year-old) certificate that somehow went lost during COVID 19.

Where does the concept of Supervision come from?

Supervision comes from the idea of the Latin: super = over and vision = see, but not in the idea of a boss or as someone who has control, but as someone who sees outside of the regular situation, who can help you reflect on your professional work and on processes. It is someone who helps you see your (good and unhelpful) working and thinking patterns and helps you to move away from the unhelpful activities in your work and life.

A supervisor has your professional and personal development as part of the “job”. Supervision helps individuals, teams, groups and organizations reflect on their job-related actions and structures and thus supports and enhances development. Supervisors support the processing of job-related problems and tasks in order to promote solutions, changes and professionalization. Supervision helps individuals, teams, groups and organizations reflect on their job-related actions and structures and thus supports and enhances development. Supervisors support the processing of job-related problems and tasks in order to promote solutions, changes and professionalization.

Supervision originates from the tradition of social work and medical/psychological professions. It is also used in education, business and administration, service and politics.

Supervision combines theoretical foundations from psychology, sociology, social work, pedagogy, and communication sciences. Theories are borrowed from basic ideas of psychoanalysis, communication theory, transactional analysis, the systemic approach as well as behavior and gestalt therapy.

Concepts from group dynamics and organization theory are also included. Above anything else, Supervision is a developmental practice. It is a generative conversation of challenge, support, insight, and deep understanding.  A supervisor may be working with a leader over a period of 8 months to a year and it is a great responsibility to ensure that not only does the leader develop in confidence and competence, but that they are fully resourced in a number of ways: increasing self-awareness, viewing things from new perspectives, handling critical conversations in their work, becoming more skillful at ‘managing up’ and so on.

The supervisor’s own personal development is also an important aspect of supporting leadership reflection and growth. Therefore, I also have a supervisor and meet in peer group supervision meetings. Coaches and supervisors should, in general, have a supervisor that the regularly meet with.

What kinds of supervision are there?

There is general leadership supervision, supervision of teams, supervision in organizations, coaching supervision, supervision in the helping professions, and teaching supervision.

Leadership Supervision, what is it? And what does it do?

Leadership Supervision is designed to be collaborative, a conversation where the supervisor is fully present to the other. In this ‘crucible’, leaders are supported in all aspects of their work by an external unbiased supervisor.

Key elements in adult learning theory emphasize respect for the learner and the collaborative nature of the conversation.  Both are essential in the reflective practice of leadership supervision.  We are here to walk with leaders and enable them to enhance their leadership skills, emotional and social intelligence and key leadership behaviors.

Trained and certified supervisors are aware of how important it is to create a safe and trusting working alliance.

Confidential heart-to-heart conversation and awareness are key elements in successful supervision.

In leadership supervision, the critical relational work requires that leadership supervisors are self-aware, flexible, confident – capable of standing in the heat of the workplace!  When supporting and challenging leaders we need to be both open and robust! 

This kind of leadership reflection provides a conversation in which leaders can learn about themselves and others, in a safe and trusted environment. 

Psychology, sociology, pedagogy, energy work, and neuroscience all contribute to supervisory insight and support in this context.

A leader who has supervision with a properly qualified supervisor skilled in developing the leader’s reflective powers and emotional intelligence will quickly become much more aware personally and interpersonally – this capacity makes the difference between good and great leaders. It also supports the leader to remain authentic and maintain a high standard in their work.

What is Team Supervision?

Team supervision is a helping and consulting service, usually in the professional context. It is seen as an accompaniment to the developmental process of a team. The team is examined and “diagnosed” via the cooperation of its team members as characterized by occupational roles, communication strategies, and by the and attitudes of all those involved.

In addition to the open, conscious and outspoken facts about the team, supervision also considers the unconscious, action-guiding aspects of the team process, which are currently having an effect in stressful situations and crises at work. These difficulties complicate the implementation of joint work-assignments and affect the effectiveness of teamwork and job satisfaction among stakeholders.

A few examples of unconscious phenomena are: the result of a team repeatedly coming into conflict with other groups in the same organization despite clear descriptions of the field of work; or if a team does not achieve the expected quality of its work despite the high level of competence of the employees involved.

The particular problem of unconscious group phenomena is that while they are highly effective, they elude targeted, conscious problem identification. They form particularly stubborn obstacles in team development, complicating the communication of the team members with each other, but also of the team to the organization. This particularly affects the work results in a sustainable way. In addition, unconscious team processes contribute to a high level of employee (team) sickness and to high employee turnover.

Accordingly, the attention of the supervisor is especially focused on the effects of unconscious team dynamics. Above all, this can be identified in the supervision sessions on the basis of breaks in the team's communication. Also, special group process phenomena provide important clues to unconscious aspects of team conflicts. The handling of "difficult cases" in team tasks can be used to interpret unconscious group dynamics, as well.

The supervisor makes observations and gives her (his) perceptions to the team so they can reflect and become aware of their unconscious biases and activities. S/he initiates a process of change and development through which then unconscious teamwork actions and attitudes are jointly recognized and processed. A solution to work-related conflicts and problems that is dealt with in this way is particularly sustainable, since not only superficial, obvious problem areas are addressed, but also their subliminally effective causes are included.

What is group supervision?

Group supervision enables professionals who work for different employers - or are self-employed - in different fields of work to reflect together on their work situation. Participants in group supervision benefit from the multi-perspective view of the supervision group. In a supervision session, a participant presents a case or describes a work situation, which they present with their own questions.

The ideas and contributions of the group members enrich the viewpoint of the individual and thus enable a broadening of personal horizons.

Through the process of joint, free association, several perspectives of one and the same situation can be brought together, enriching the perceptions of an individual.

Psychoanalytical group supervision makes use of the phenomenon of the "group unconscious". Different group members often perceive different, initially unconscious aspects of the problem presented. When these aspects are discussed, they provide surprising insights into a relationship constellation or a problem that would otherwise remain hidden.

Role of Supervisor in an Organization:

Supervisor plays two important roles:

1. Role of Mediator or Linking Pin:

Supervisor plays the role of linking pin as he communicates the plans, policies, decisions and

strategies of management to subordinates and complaints, grievances and suggestions of

subordinates to management.

2. Role of a guide:

Whenever subordinates are in doubt and need help the supervisor guides them to come out from their problematic situations.

Importance of Supervision/Functions of Supervisor in Organizations: 

1. Ensures Issuing of Instructions:

The supervisor makes sure that all the instructions are communicated to each and every employee. The top level and middle level, plan out all the instructions but the instructions are issued only by supervisory level management.

2. Facilitates Control:

Control means match between actual and planned output. Whenever the workers are under constant supervision or monitoring then step by step check is kept and if they are deviating from plan then immediate instructions are issued by the supervisor. By this constant monitoring, the supervision function ensures strict control over the activities of subordinates.

3. Optimum Utilisation of Resources:

When the workers are constantly monitored or observed then they always use the resources in the best possible manner which leads to minimum wastage. But if there is no supervision or check on workers they may result in wastage of resources.

4. Discipline:

The strict supervision and guidance of supervisor encourages the employees and workers to be more disciplined in their activities. Under the guidance of supervisor the workers follow a fixed or strict time-table and execute the plans in right directions.

5. Feedback:

The supervisors are directly dealing with the subordinates. So they are the best persons to give feedbacks of subordinates. They give the report regarding the working of every worker which becomes the base for the performance appraisal for the employees. The supervisor gives the feedback regarding complaints, grievances and problems of subordinates to superiors.

6. Improves Communication:

Supervisors issue instructions and orders to all the subordinates and make sure that these instructions and orders are clear to all the members.

While playing the role of the linking pin or mediator the supervisor tries to remove the communication gap between the superiors and subordinates as he passes on the complaints and problems of subordinates to superiors and instructions of superiors to subordinates.

7. Improves Motivation:

The relationship with the supervisor is a very good incentive to improve the motivation level of the employees. While guiding the employees the supervisors encourage the subordinates to perform to their best capacity.

8. Maintain group unity:

Supervisor plays a key role in maintaining group unity among workers working under him he maintains harmony among workers by solving their disputes.