Best Practices in Supervision: Benefits, Challenges & Qualities

Introduction to Supervision

"[Supervision] leads to a mental and emotional education that can guide practical work, frees from fixed patterns of experience and behaviour and promotes the willingness as well as the ability to act suitably, carefully and courageously" (Koster, 2003, pp. 1–2).

In the words of Koster quoted above, supervision extends its meaning to quite a wide area. From time immemorial, there has been a misconception regarding the real meaning of supervision, and many scholars have defined and analyzed it in ways agreeable with their respective views. Gaining a better insight into the core meaning of supervision will, no doubt, settle the debate raised by diverse scholars, groups, and academics.

Supervision has its root in Latin — it is two words joined together. In Latin, super means "over" while vision means "to watch." In essence, supervision can be generally defined as watching over something or someone; in the professional context, it means watching over someone. In the view of Petes (1967: 170), a supervisor is someone contracted to oversee a job and to ensure that standardized work is done. Supervision is an administrative skill needed in the promotion and maintenance of good standards of work (Kadushin, 1992).

Proctor (1987) expanded the definition as an act of possessing a managerial and educational quality in lending support to those under one's command. Supervision also carries diverse definitions depending on the discipline. In the medical profession, it is defined as an approach that enables medical apprentices to acquire firsthand learning by watching their supervisors work (Schön, 1983; 1987). This process encourages creative work, though it may not always produce correct results (Bolton, 2001; King and Kitchener, 1994; Moon, 1999).

With regard to Koster's words above, it is clear that certain common themes recur across the various scholars who have contributed to defining supervision. They all align with Koster's framing of supervision as a practice that is simultaneously educational, managerial, and supportive.

Benefits of a Supervisor

A supervisor is someone charged with the responsibility of overseeing a work or project. Just as the law of demand and supply requires that demand precede supply, supervisors do not simply appear and begin overseeing a project — the need for a supervisor must first be identified. Lane and Corrie, both clinical psychologists, stated the following reasons why a supervisor is needed:

In addition to the list provided by Lane and Corrie, diverse views highlight further benefits of supervisors:

In situations where better quality of work is needed, supervision cannot be ruled out — and this need for quality is the catalyst that forms the basis for engaging a supervisor. When better coordination of people is needed to achieve a common aim, the role of a supervisor is paramount. To this effect, there are numerous documented facts that present supervisors and supervision in a positive light:

Despite the positive image accorded to supervision, some people remain resistant to it. In such situations, outcomes are often poor. Common objections include:

The list is extensive, as many employers and employees hold divergent views regarding the relevance of supervision in their projects. Nonetheless, the documented benefits remain compelling.

Dangers of Bad or Poor Supervision

There are times when supervision can be detrimental to a company. By "bad" or "poor" supervision, it does not necessarily mean that the supervisor lacks basic supervisory skills. It could equally mean that the supervisor lacks the managerial skill required of them. In both instances, supervision can be said to be poor or ineffective. The consequences of poor supervision are numerous:

It is worth noting that while there are unprofessional supervisors, there are also many skilled and effective ones. There are specific situations that can render even a skilled supervisor ineffective — for example, when there are too many supervisors in a single workplace, workers may begin to feel unnecessarily monitored and become hostile. As the saying goes, "too many cooks spoil the broth." The practice of supervision and management carries its own work hazards and challenges, just like any other profession.

Conclusion

Several scholars and researchers have offered positive opinions regarding supervision, reporting with evidence that it is a necessity with substantial inherent benefits. Although the practice of supervision carries its own challenges like any other profession, the scholarly consensus — including King and Kitchener (1994) and Proctor (1987) — affirms its value and recommends it for anyone who seeks quality outcomes in their professional endeavors.

References

Petes, D. E. (1967). Supervision in Social Work: A method of student training and staff development. London: George Allen & Unwin.

Kadushin, A. (1992). Supervision in Social Work (3rd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. (Revised 4th edition published 2002.)

Proctor, B. (1987). Supervision: A co-operative exercise in accountability. In M. Marken & M. Payne (Eds.), Enabling and Ensuring: Supervision in practice. Leicester: National Youth Bureau.

Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. London: Temple Smith.

Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Towards a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bolton, G. (2001). Reflective Practice. London: Paul Chapman.

Moon, J. (1999). Reflection in Learning and Professional Development. London: Kogan Page.

King, P., & Kitchener, K. S. (1994). Developing Reflective Judgment. San Francisco: Wiley.

Lane, D., & Corrie, S. (2006). Counselling psychology: Its influences and future. Counselling Psychology Review, 21(1), 12–24.