The Art of Stirring the Supervision Pot: Why Exploration Matters

As a coach supervisor, I've learned a valuable lesson: oftentimes, the best way to support a coach isn't by rushing in with solutions. It's about leaning into the messy-ness of a situation and embarking on a journey of exploration together - a gentle stirring of the pot that can bring hidden insights to the surface.

Forget the pressure to fix things. My role here is to create a space where the supervisee, can tap into the vast well of knowledge they already possess. Often, they've observed much more than they realize, experiencing a wealth of nuances that haven't quite (yet) come into full focus.

This is where exploration comes in. Picture me as a curious guide, eager to discover what lies just beyond the edge of awareness. I'm not looking for solutions ?– the true magic happens in the wondering (and wandering!). We delve into the "what" and "how" of the coaching session, dissecting the subtlest details, the hesitations, the unspoken energy in the room.

It's a collaborative dance. I listen gently and intently, picking up on fleeting expressions or shifts in tone. My own experience and intuition come into play, offering a tapestry of potential paths we can explore. But ultimately, the supervisee sets the pace. They have the autonomy to choose which direction sparks their curiosity, which thread feels most relevant to pull on.

There's a sense of languid anticipation in this process. We're both hopeful, waiting to see what emerges from this gentle stirring. The supervisor isn't afraid of silence, of holding space for the unspoken to reveal itself. This can feel counterintuitive, like swimming against the current of our solution-oriented world. Working in this space requires a settled belief that the goal of supervision is not to create clarity?(yup you read that right), rather through supervision we become more comfortable with our not knowing. ?Indeed we might deliberately open up additional avenues that highlight even more complexity than we first saw. The difference though is that now, the supervisee is resourced to hold it, all of it.

What seems to happen is that as the supervisee explores, a sense of "resolution" emerges. The pot simmers, and new possibilities bubble up. They leave feeling lighter, more grounded – indeed with the courage to move forward with the ambiguity and paradox.

I wonder what parallels this has for coaching – next time you find yourself heading in a solution oriented direction, might you experiment with lowering the heat and just let the conversation simmer a while longer?

If you are interested in knowing about more of my ideas that sit alongside this one and which combine to create a Coaching Supervisor Mindset – then watch this space for more blogs in this series.? Or if you are happier for a longer read – here’s the link to the published article which explains the StEWARD model in full…. And with a more academic tone!

https://doi.org/10.24384/4W0C-KZ25