"What is 'coaching supervision' and how might it benefit you ?"
- BambooBeing
- Mar 19, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 8, 2024
This blog is intended for coaches and trainee coaches looking to deepen their capability and confidence in coaching.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Even though we may spend much of our days speaking with others, as coaches we are there for our clients' stories, agendas and challenges. This can be emotionally and cognitively taxing and the duty of confidentiality may have us feel alone in this emotional labour. Increasingly, coaching bodies and institutions are recognising the need for coaches to have safe spaces to discuss their client work.
All major coaching associations such as the ICF, EMCC, AC and Institute of Coaching recommend regular supervision for coaches and require it as part of the path to being accredited as a coach. The growing number of academic institutions offering coaching degrees or diplomas usually include it as part of the coursework. Many coach training schools and academic institutions also offer Coaching Supervision trainings. A growing number of institutions which hire coaches require regular supervision as a condition of coaches being included in the pool of coaches they deploy.
WHAT GETS IN THE WAY?
Starting out as coaches, you may not be getting many clients and so may not feel the need for a supervisor or may be unwilling to spend on supervision until you have built more of a practice.
Or you may be concerned about looking incompetent in front of a supervisor or a supervision group.
You may also be unsure of what supervision usually covers and what you can and cannot discuss.
When initially contracting with your clients it is a good idea to include a caveat to any confidentiality clause for anonymised discussions with your supervisor to be exceptions to your duty of confidentiality.