Supervision is one of the toughest jobs in the business. Managing the in-between is a huge challenge. Supervisors sit on that thin red line between managing up and managing down, usually to the very people they were a part of only a few months before.
The strange thing is, people often accept positions of supervision with little or no education in what it entails.
When we look at raw movement of money in organisations, much more is invested in the education for high level mangers than is invested in the education of supervisors. Indeed, most of what is learned by supervisors is by experience, trial and error. And, in some way is a thankless task with many regretting the choice.
Even though the payment for supervision roles like leading-hand, fore-person or supervisor is marginally higher pay, most of the margin is lost in tax. Many regret the role and ‘go back on the tools’.
In SPoR, we run a program called ‘Superviz’, that helps supervisors understand and, better manage their role. You can see the flyer for the program here: https://www.humandymensions.com/services-and-programs/supervisor-program/
The Superviz Program is conducted by Dr Long and Dr Ashhurst both with many years of experience in managing and supervisory roles.
The content for the Program is mapped as follows:
(These are slide pics from the program)
The program starts with knowing oneself, this is critical. Understanding one’s own biases, personality type, ethic and values are critical for managing others. This is where a reading of our book Following-Leading in Risk, A Humanising Dynamic (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/following-leading-risk/) is helpful.
Effective supervision starts not with those beings supervised but with oneself. Then one applies what is learned about oneself to others.
One of the most popular parts of the Superviz program is the next section on ‘People Skills’. It is amazing just how little energy and time is spent in organisations on People Skills. Indeed, the silly language of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ skills still dominates the language of organisations. The use of such metaphors creates a silly hierarchy of what skills are the most and least valuable.
The other section that is most popular is the focus on communication and here we find that most people think supervision is about telling, it is not! It is the opposite. The key skill in being an effective supervisor is listening and observing. The trouble is many have not been taught to do either and have no method to do so. Without a clear, positive and practical method for supervision, most just resort back to telling, ‘bossing’ and ‘policing’. These don’t work. In SPoR we use the iCue method to help supervisors become observers and listeners.
Supervision Program
Dr Ashhurst and Dr Long will be conducting the Supervisor Program, Managing The In-Between in March 2026.
If you want to register for this program of four on-line zoom sessions (incl. coaching, resources and video support) you can register here: admin@spor.com.au
The cost for the program will be $450 per person and will be conducted at 7.30pm (Canberra time) over the four weeks of March.
Prof. Robert Long
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