The best practice for Christian workplaces and their leaders includes a commitment to professional supervision.
This not only enhances a leader’s well-being and development but also makes it healthier and safer for the people they lead.
Supervision is transformative and develops resilience.
…. be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. Rom 21:2 TPT
Three core functions of professional supervision:
- Facilitates development through reflective practice.
- Provides support with a focus on well-being.
- Promotes standards through attending to workplace safety for the leader and their people.
Book a chat about how supervision can help you.
Supervision enhances self-awareness, relationship awareness and contextual awareness.
It takes us beyond the dangers of self-deception in private reflections where we hide the truth from ourselves by aiding the discovery of blind spots and building a more accurate picture of health and practice.
‘Professional Supervision is a broad space to talk about whatever is happening in ministry, sensitive to God’s voice and the spiritual…which affects transition and transformation, resulting in the minister having enhanced self-awareness, ministering competence, theological understanding and Christian commitment’ p9 Pohly, K. (2001). Transforming the Rough Places: the Ministry of Supervision. Franklin, TN: Providence House Publishers. Reference as footnote
“Supervision is a shower that cleans the grime of work” Noah (supervisee)
A distinctive aspect of supervision is the focus on the impact that issues/concerns have on the practice of a person’s ministry. It promotes ethical practice in the workplace.
It is not line management, but rather, works best where there is independence in relationships.
Royal Commission—Child Sexual Abuse:
https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/recommendations
Recommendation 16.45 of the Royal Commission’s Final Report states:
Consistent with Child Safe Standard 5, each religious institution 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.
Verve’s Professional Standards:
Providing Professional Supervisors who;
- Hold a Graduate Certificate in Professional Supervision
- Are themselves professionally supervised
- Are Members of a Professional Association—AAOS or CA
- Participate in regular professional development
How does supervision work:
Begins with a contracting process, providing clarity on; confidentiality, the handling of personal issues, expectations and needs. Also, consideration is given to short and long term goals of the supervision.
Proceeds with regular sessions where the supervisee brings matters to explore. Sessions are in person or on zoom. The best outcome is achieved with 8 sessions per year.
Concludes/Renews annually with a review.