Coaching supervision versus mentor coaching

Coaching supervision involves a process of exploring through experience, reflection, inquiry and/or action, any personal, relational, professional and contextual issues arising from coaching practice (Geddes and Armstrong, 2009). As Geddes and Armstrong (2009) explain, supervision coaches’ professional self-awareness as well as their whole system appreciation of the coaching relationship.

Coaching supervision is different from mentor coaching. There are several key differences:

Mentor Coaching involves:

• Observation and feedback
• Extending capability
• Focus on what and how
• Focus on skills and tools
• Focus on doing better
• Focus on knowledge

On the other hand Coaching Supervision involves:

• Reflection
• Expanding capacity
• Focus on who
• Focus on perspectives and resources
• Focus on doing differently, or moreover, being different
• Focus on awareness

Click here for a short (3.5mins) video explaining the difference between mentor coaching and supervision. Via the same link, there is also a video with questions and answers about supervision, as well as excerpts from some public supervision sessions.

Written by Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC and Global ReciproCoach Coordinator