SAFE TO PRACTISE: a new tool for business coaching supervision

ABSTRACT

Supervision is an important component of coaching that can help practitioners work to the highest professional standards. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new conceptual tool for business coaching supervisors. SAFE TO PRACTISE is a framework that describes the functions of coaching supervision. Designed to provide a structure to assist supervisors in their own self-reflection, SAFE concerns the Systems in which the coaching is taking place, the Agenda of the coaching, the Frequency and duration of coaching, and to which Ethical guidelines the coach is working; TO concerns the Theoretical Orientation underpinning the coach’s work; and PRACTISE concerns Professionalism, Reflectivity, Actions, Challenge, Transparency, Insight, Support, and Empathic engagement. Using illustrative questions supervisors can ensure they are fully attentive to each of these components.

KEYWORDS:

• Supervision
• tool
• business coaching
• reflective practice
• ethics

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Anne Scoular and Meyler Campbell who sponsored the research and Charles Glass for his helpful advice.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

Stephen Joseph, PhD, is a professor in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham, a registered coaching psychologist with the British Psychological Society, and the editor of the handbook Positive psychology in practice: Promoting human flourishing in work, health, education, and everyday life.