Seeking Ethical Maturity Through Curiosity And Continuous Learning

ICF defines Coaching Supervision as follows:
Coaching Supervision is the interaction that occurs when a coach periodically brings his or her coaching work experiences to a coaching supervisor in order to engage in reflective dialogue and collaborative learning for the development and benefit of the coach and his or her clients.” The purpose of coach supervision is to support the coach’s (the “supervisee”) professional, personal and coaching practice’s health and wellbeing.  Indirectly it also ensures that the clients of the supervised coach are also well supported and receive the best possible coaching experience.  The coach supervision process supports the coach’s reflective practice and stimulates ongoing learning and development helping to maintain and raise quality standards across the profession. It is a ‘peer to peer’ relationship that provides a place for continual professional development.  Using the coach’s own experiences with clients as one method of reflecting on skills, competencies (including the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics) and behaviors and through this to supports the coach to develop their own ‘internal supervisor’.  Coach supervisors, although peers, are typically more experienced coaches and therefore can provide mentoring and training as part of supervision which is a way of supporting the supervisee to be continually developing themselves professionally.  Coach supervision provides a place to review and uncover potential ethical issues and therefore ensure the supervisee’s clients are well supported and served.  It also provides a safe and confidential space for the supervisee to explore their coaching and to uncover any unconscious behaviors or biases that may get in the way of being the best you can possibly be for your client.