Working with a Degree of Independence  

What is a conflict of interest?

This arises when the mentor/supervisor has multiple interests in a client when they are providing a role that should only focus on the professional interest as a mentor/supervisor. Examples are working with a person you are too close to; a friend, family member, or a person you have a romantic interest in. It can also occur in business relationships; mentoring your direct superior or subordinate could easily result in biased advice to promote your own interest.

The New Zealand Royal Commission on Abuse in Care  recommendation no 96 states this clearly:

All faith-based entities should ensure that all people in religious or pastoral ministry, including religious leaders, have professional supervision with a trained professional or pastoral supervisor who has a degree of independence from the institution within which the person is in ministry. 

A professional mentor or supervisor should have no direct responsibility or relationship with their client. They should be able to approach the client without personal bias or agenda. 

But why is this so essential?

Many wise and experienced leaders might tell themselves they can separate their feelings from their roles. Still, the truth is that dual relationships invariably risk the danger of concealment or collusion. For example, a bishop supervising a priest in their diocese may conceal the priest’s misbehaviour out of concern for the well-being of the church as a whole. This would allow the bad behaviour to continue, hurting the congregation and, though it may not be apparent immediately, hurting the church.

Another example would be mentoring a friend. You may subconsciously withhold honest advice that would be hard for them to hear out of fear of hurting their feelings. Of course, a mentor or supervisor should care for their clients and want the best for them, but a degree of independence will allow greater honesty and unbiased guidance. 

So, what is a degree of independence? How do we ensure this happens?

There are a few simple ways to achieve this: 

1. Don’t work with close friends or family. A loose acquaintance may be acceptable, but having a pre-existing relationship can lead to a conflict of interest. Proceed with caution when working with anyone you know, even in a limited capacity. 
2. Work outside of the chain of command and in-line management. If a person wants someone of the same denomination to mentor them, that’s okay. The best practice is not to professionally supervise someone who reports to you. (Appropriately, many in-line management roles include mentoring to develop workplace competencies. In this case the mentor holds in tension both the needs of the mentee and the organization.) 
3. Be aware of internal conflicts of interest as well. Motivations can be a conflict of interest. For example, If you are working with a client only because you want their money, you may avoid ending sessions when the time comes or recommending them to a better-suited professional. 

The big picture here is that a degree of independence from your clients will help you to avoid conflicts of interest and will neutralise harm and dangers to your mentees/supervisees, those around them and yourself. We should always know our lane and treat our work with care and integrity. 
What’s next: Do you need a confidential conversation with someone with a degree of independence from your institution? Get in contact with us.