Supervision. Is it a trigger or a glimmer for you? For many, it will offer what I call a glimmer, something to look toward, perhaps something hopeful, with clarity. For others, it may be a trigger; supervision and the idea of being ‘supervised’ may for anyone who has worked in a hierarchical organisation take this as being ‘an approach to make sure you are doing the job correctly’.

Julie Hay - one of the founders of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, Transactional Analyst and author of ‘Reflective Practice and Supervision for Coaches’ argues just that; we need to be supervised from a meta-level, with someone who can notice what we are unaware of, to support us in evolving our level of self-awareness so that we build a ‘super-vision’ for our practice - our own meta-perspective. It’s not about the ‘what’ but more about the ‘why’ (our form as coaches) offering a more developmental experience, rather than assessing the  ‘what’ (our function as coaches). The latter is more the position for Mentor Coaching, which will be discussed in later articles.

So what is super-vision?

Coaching supervision refers to the process where coaches receive support and guidance from a more experienced and qualified coach-supervisor to enhance their professional development.

At Nova Terra, we refer to it as an opportunity to elevate your practice and awaken insightful growth. It goes beyond exploration of the self - in fact, we see it as an expression of being, bringing awareness to blindspots and offering opportunities to grow - where we welcome both humility and generosity in equal measure. In embracing super-vision, you can continue cultivating a deeper understanding of yourself to understand your clients better.

What does it mean for you?

Here are five key differences between coaches who receive supervision and those who don't:

Reflection and Self-awareness:

Coaches who receive supervision regularly engage in reflective practices, exploring their coaching sessions and professional interactions. They gain insights into their own strengths and areas for improvement.

Continuous Learning and Skill Development:

Coaches undergoing supervision benefit from ongoing learning and skill development. They receive feedback, discuss challenging cases, and explore new coaching techniques that comes from their ever deepening presence with their clients. They are contributing to their continuous professional growth.

Ethical Considerations:

Coaches under supervision have a platform to discuss ethical dilemmas, ensuring they adhere to ethical guidelines and professional standards. The supervisory relationship supports them to navigate complex situations while upholding ethical principles, dealing with issues such as transference, countertransference and parallel processes.

Burnout Prevention:

Supervision provides coaches with emotional support and strategies for managing stress and burnout. The supervisory relationship helps coaches process challenging situations and maintain their well-being. Supervision becomes a key re-source for the coach.

Quality of Coaching Relationships:

Coaches who receive supervision often build more robust coaching relationships. The insights gained from supervision can positively impact their ability to connect with clients, understand their needs, and adapt their coaching approach accordingly.

In summary, coaching supervision at its core provides a structured framework for ongoing professional development, self-reflection, and support, ultimately contributing to the effectiveness and well-being of coaches. Furthermore, whilst supervision keeps you - the coach - safe and sane, ‘super-vision’ offers you the opportunity to see and intuit beyond your previous limits, to trust where your new frontiers are forming and to create the safety for you as a coach so that your clients can meet you there, in that safe space.

At Nova Terra we provide supervision for coaches and organisations. Feryal Hassaine MCC (considered as a secured-based leadership coach by G. Kohlrieser from IMD) and an impactful trainer by her clients, is known to be both respectful and demanding. Combining professional expertise in multicultural leadership, within petrochemical and various other sectors, she has the ability to help coaches, leaders and teams to deploy their resources to achieve successful results on the ground while aligning with their company's vision and keeping their life in balance.