Are your supervisees equipped to drive their own learning?

Best practice supervision isn’t just about ticking a box. It’s about creating the right conditions for growth, for both supervisors and supervisees.

This takes three things:

1. A workplace that’s truly supervision-ready — a psychologically safe environment, a learning culture, and solid supervision structures and training.

2. Skilled and committed supervisors — who are empowering, safe, and invested in growth (their own and their supervisees’).

3. Supervisees who are open and ready to learn — and know how to prepare for, participate in, and get the most from supervision.

It is critical that supervisees are clear about how to drive their own supervision and articulate their learning goals. They also need to understand what to expect from their supervisors and how to ask for what they need in supervision.

Nearly 200 people have completed my Best Practice Supervision - Supervisee Insights Survey since I launched it last year.

Just over a third of respondents during this time have indicated they have never been educated in how to use and prepare for supervision. However, at the same time, they also expressed a keen interest in learning how to take the lead and drive their own supervision experiences.

This data tells us many supervisees want to learn but that we may not be sufficiently equipping them with the tools to be able to do just that.

Supervisors and supervisees need an environment that supports them both to engage in best practice supervision. If both supervisors and supervisees are trained, engaged, and prepared, then supervision becomes far more meaningful. It is not just about the supervisor leading, supervisees need the skills to drive their learning too.

Do your supervisees know how to set their own Learning Goals?

Learning goals are the heartbeat of purposeful supervision - they provide structure, direction and ensure everyone knows what they are working towards. However, in the survey:

• Only 49% of supervisees set specific goals and even then, most review them only occasionally.

• Another third said their goals are vague and rarely reviewed.

That means many supervision sessions may be missing the opportunity to identify, discuss, review and support growth and learning opportunities. When supervisees are educated in how to set and track meaningful goals, supervision becomes more engaging, more productive and more rewarding for everyone.

What is happening in your workplace?

• Are your supervisees clear about their role in supervision?

• Do they know what to expect from their supervisor and how to ask for what they need?

As a leader, you have a vital role to play in setting your team up for meaningful, best-practice supervision. One powerful way to do that is by investing in training for your supervisees as well as your supervisors.

🎓 Upcoming training: Getting the Most Out of Supervision

My full-day training in August is designed specifically for supervisees in your workplace to help them step confidently into supervision and maximise their learning.

It is practical, engaging, and suitable for supervisees at any level of experience.

🕐 Early bird rates available until 23 June 2025

You can also explore my free Professional Supervision Insights Surveys to see how well your supervision practice aligns with best practice.

If you would like to make time for a virtual chat to discuss what value I can bring to your workplace, please don't hesitate to reach out

Upcoming public training programs

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