Awareness of self and other
Quality Assurances
Coaching has enjoyed significant growth over the last decade and with it the growing call to establish coaching as a recognised profession in its own right. There is an increased interest in the quality assurance and continued professional development of coaches, especially by buyers of coaching services. Although there is no consensus that coaching should be viewed as a profession, nor what this would look like, for those that support the notion that coaches need to be professional there is agreement that supervision of some form is required.
Chantal Dawtrey is a qualified COMENSA registered coach supervisor. She offers both individual, one on one supervision, as well as group supervision. One on one supervision offers a focused, safe space for the coach who needs greater flexibility or a deeper process. Sessions are one hour in length on a monthly or ad hoc basis.
Group supervision offers the same safe space with the added benefit of learning from others. It is place for interacting and networking in a profession that can be very lonely. Groups are between three and six participants in size. Sessions are 1.5 – 2 hours in length depending on the size of the group held monthly.
opening up new avenues
What is coaching supervision
Coaching supervision has emerged out of supervision for the helping professionals but in and of itself it is a comparatively new practice. There is much misunderstanding about coaching supervision. Many coaches think that it means that someone will check up on them, watch their coaching sessions and tell them what they are doing wrong. This is not correct at all.
Coaching supervision offers coaches a safe, reflective space to address the three functions of supervision i.e.:
- Qualitative: The coach as a professional – attending to the quality of the coach’s work, contracting, boundary management and ethics.
- Resourcing: The coach as a person – supporting the coach as an individual who has his or her own worries and concerns, blind spots, biases and habits that could impact the work being done.
- Developmental: The coach as a coach – supporting ongoing learning through reflective practice as well as attending to the larger system that the coach is working in.
Internationally coaching associations and bodies support the notion of supervision:
- Association for coaching
- ICF
- EMCC
- Special Group in Coaching Psychology of the British Psychological Society
- WABC (World Assoc of bus coaches)
- APECS (Association of Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision
- COMENSA (Coach and Mentors of South Africa)
These professional bodies view supervision as the primary medium for quality assurance, continued professional development and support for the coach. In order to be credentialed coach through COMENSA, supervision is now a mandatory requirement.
Buyers of coaching services are beginning to insist that the coaches they hire attend regular supervision.
To find out more or arrange a chemistry session, please contact us.