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"Every Coach should have a Supervisor"

"EVERY COACH SHOULD HAVE A SUPERVISOR", was a poll Q in a group I participate in.

What provoked me is a statement by a colleague coach:
"... WHY behind supervision isn't clear yet ...", so "... until the vision/purpose for supervision becomes clearer, it's hard to make broad statements about every coach ... What problem would a requirement for supervision solve?"

So, first thing first:
✔️Yes, I regularly do self-reflection as a coach.
✔️Yes, I am involved in a regular reflective practice group.
✔️Yes, I am involved in peer supervision.
✔️and Yes, I go to my mum and besties to chit-chat about what messes my day ... but not coaching topics of my clients!!!

All ok with #selfreflection after each coaching session (like daily shower, a must for me), #peerpractice warmly welcome (like a look in the mirror before going out, checking the outfit, hairstyle, lipstick colour match ... ).

I am a trained, professionally accredited supervisor, but there are complex, deeper situations, where I as a coach need special care and attention and seek the support of a trained professional supervisor myself.

Yes, I start addressing them in self-reflection, maybe continue in peer discussion or in reflective practice. But I don't fix them alone. Not all the way through. Not as comprehensively, as with supervision support.

I am glad to get a SuperVision perspective through the discussion with my supervisors (and no, the plural is not a typo, I have more than one).

So, here are some of my "whys" for supervision:
✔️I have a problem biting and chewing coaching topics of my clients
(when I have a toothache, I go to a dentist, I don't fix it myself or let my friends do it 🤐 )
✔️when my coaching profession needs cutting edge on further professional development
(like I go to a hairdresser when my hair needs a new shape, tried to do it myself once ... you don't want to know the result 😂 luckily it was a covid lockdown and I stayed in)
✔️when my "gut feeling" about my or clients' roles, situations with stakeholders, sponsors ... just isn't right
(having digestion problems, I and you, we go and see a urologist to have a deeper gut check 🙄agree?)
✔️how to proceed with a client, coaching process, or system (like going to my personal GP, to feel my pulse, check the pressure, check my general health)
✔️when all my clients are similar, to see what I am not seeing
(see, like going to an ophthalmologist to check my vision and get new glasses)
✔️and so much more: there is transference, counter-transference, parallel process, systemic perspective ... and last but not least also to celebrate my coaching successes 🎉

Have just started to like these medical metaphors, what about you? Could enumerate for the whole clinic of reasons why supervision. Would like to hear your reasons and metaphors too 😎
Care to share them with me?

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