Close your eyes and get an image of both your most and your least effective supervisor, whether in the context of service delivery or research. What comes to mind? While both types of experiences can be transformative, they are very different.
My positive supervisory relationships were associated with an enhanced sense of well-being, greater confidence in my work and increased competence; better outcomes of the work being supervised and a greater depth of connection with my supervisor. These powerful supervisory relationships were characterized by care and compassion, gentleness and patience, an appreciation of my strengths and a willingness to challenge me.
The problematic supervisory relationships I experienced often were hurtful to me. They made me feel insecure about myself and my work, made it more of a struggle to deliver quality services and scholarly products, and led me to experience the relationship as uncomfortable and not safe.
Many of us learned to supervise by following the lead of our positive supervisory role models and avoiding the attitudes and behaviors we found unhelpful in other supervisors. While role modeling is valuable, it is an insufficient way to develop supervisory competence. That requires extensive reading of the pertinent literature, formal preparation that has both didactic and experiential components, and the opportunity to obtain ongoing feedback from others, including our supervisees.
The time has come for psychologists to transform supervision from a practice driven by osmosis to a distinct professional competency. To respond to this need, a task force convened this year by APA's Board of Educational Affairs crafted supervisory guidelines for one type of psychological practice: health-service psychology. The competency-based Guidelines for Clinical Supervision in Health Service Psychology, endorsed by the APA Council of Representatives in August, offer an invaluable resource regarding optimal performance. These developmentally informed, strength-based guidelines focus on three goals: ensuring that supervisees acquire the requisite competence and professional development, prioritizing the delivery of quality care to the client/patient and protecting the public. The guidelines are organized around seven domains:
- Supervisor competence. Being competent in the practice of supervision, the services that one's supervisees are providing and the use of technology.
- Diversity. This includes infusing diversity into all aspects of supervision and professional practice; attending to the diversity characteristics of both parties; pursuing ongoing training to enhance diversity competence; and addressing the effects of bias, prejudice and stereotyping.
- Supervisory relationship. Forging respectful, collaborative relationships with supervisees; delineating roles, expectations and rights of both parties; and engaging in mutual review of the supervisee's progress and the supervisory relationship.
- Professionalism. Modeling professionalism; educating supervisees about knowledge, skills and attitudes associated with professionalism; and offering feedback about supervisees' attainment of developmentally expected levels of professionalism.
- Assessment/evaluation/feedback. Monitoring and providing input on supervisee performance; providing candid, timely feedback; being attuned to supervisees' responses to input and its impact on the supervisory dyad; incorporating into the evaluation the supervisee's self-assessment; and using input from supervisees to enhance one's own competence.
- Professional competence problems. Addressing problems of professional competence in one's supervisees directly; attending to these problems in a timely fashion to offer time to effect change; developing and implementing plans to remediate problems; and serving as gatekeepers when necessary.
- Ethics, legal and regulatory considerations. Modeling ethical practice and decision making; upholding one's primary ethical and legal responsibility to protect public welfare; and documenting appropriately supervisee performance.
Although these guidelines focus on health-service psychology, their tenets are informative for all endeavors that require supervision. For those of you being supervised, remember you have the responsibility to be a fully engaged participant in the supervisory process and the right to have effective supervisors who are dedicated to advancing your growth in a respectful and supportive way. We can all help ensure that the two-way street of competent supervision is associated with psychologists' optimal growth and development.
For more on the guidelines, see Fostering successful clinical supervision.