February 27, 2005
And already almost a month has passed.....
It's now almost a month since I started writing in my blog and I realise that to keep an online journal isn't straightforward. I'm often walking in the park rehearsing what I might enter here and then the moment passes.
So, what has been happening in the past couple of weeks?
Individual Supervision Sessions
I've had several really good supervision sessions with clients and we've concentrated on working within a 'tight' contract in terms of time boundaries, identifying the real issue that they want to explore, and comparing this with their experience when they coaching. I work with a variation of Clarkson's "Brief Supervision Evaluation Checklist" (1988) which means that we both review our session against the following criteria: was the key issue identified, safety of their client, was the contract met, development/learning for the supervisee, our relationship and any parallel process.
Action Learning Set
I've held the third of six sessions with my current Action Learning Set. This is an absolute delight for me. I see my role as facilitator and guide, and may offer some interventions and at the same time, 'holding the group'. The group comprises four individual consultants who were unknown to each other before we started. We contracted six sessions to work together with each person nominating a particular professional (or personal) project that they wanted to work on in the group. Each person then takes time at our meetings to reflect on their project and invites the others to offer observations, challenge, support to help them make some progress, become unstuck, identify new ways of working. There is huge richness in this process. The wealth of wisdom from each individual and the collective whole is marvellous and, I find, very exciting. I'm really enjoying the emerging development of the group from one session to the next, alongside each person's individual journey. So, I have the opportunity to share in these people's practice, their development, to share my own experience and to practise my skills in group facilitation.
Metanoia Training - Diploma in Supervision
I've almost completed the 'taught' part for my Diploma in Supervision at the Metanoia Institute. So, recently I've attended two workshops.
The first was when I spent a wonderful day with Charlotte Sills and Brigid Proctor (and 15 other therapists) working with Supervising Groups. We did some lovely 'exercises' using different methods of group interventions and exploring the complexity of the group leader's role in 'managing the group', taking into account three key areas: (1) group evolution - forming, storming, norming, performing and mourning (2) the Bionesque phenomena of flight, fight, basic assumption, (3) individual preoccupations with things like help vs harm, power vs submission, life vs death, sharing vs holding back.
The second workshop was with Maria Gilbert where we looked at the new supervisee and explored how to build the working alliance, creating the safe environment for personal reflection, disclosure and learning. And it was fun loking at how to help us both recognise and capitalise on the supervisee's personal learning styles, to make sure that our supervision practice meets supportive and developmental criteria.
Other supervision activities
I spent a wonderful morning with two colleagues last Friday exploring some of the issues that surround the tension about supervision that seems to exist in the world of coaching. For those who come particularly from organisational environments, there is often a 'fear' associated with historic experience of being monitored by managers, being checked up on and being criticised for making mistakes or not reaching targets. And at the same time, many independent coaches have significant experience and may feel as though supervision is for 'beginners'or for therapists. And who wouldn't think that when we choose the term 'supervision'. What seems difficult to communicate in this domain at present is the supportive nature of supervision and the 'adult - adult' relationship that can and does develop. So, the supervisee does not need to feel infantilised, but can acknowledge and value their own wisdom and have this recognised by the supervisor. So, our discussion last week was around how to create this hugely valuable and productive learning relationship. The discussion continues.
The growing importance of blogs!
I'm aware that I've now covered quite a lot of ground this morning and just one final observation: there have been several articles in the press this past week about the value and significance of the blog as a medium to communicate with our clients.
So, if anyone feels like responding to my reflections or has any suggestions for things that they would like to dialogue with me/us about, then please do add your comments. And if you think you know anyone who might be interested in joining in on the discussion, then by all means, let them have the details
I've decided not to contact everyone just electronically, so I'll be writing to people to let you know that my website and blog is now active and look forward to hearing from you at some time soon.
Posted by Alison at 12:27 PM | Comments (2)
February 07, 2005
Welcome to Alison's Blog - February 2005
Well, it's now early February 2005 and at last I'm ready to start working with my blog. Ever since New Year, I've often woken in the morning rehearsing how I might begin, and I guess the important thing to do is just to start writing, on the premise that 'there's no right way' to do this.
Why a Blog?
The way this blog came into being was when I was walking in Gunnersbury Park with Simon, my web designer and I was reflecting on some of my key learning during the past few years. I recalled how inspired and impressed I had been with the work of Roger Harrison in The Consultant's Journey (McGraw Hill 1995) when he discussed some of the client projects that didn't go so well and the learning that came out of it. So, it was okay to not know. Coupled with this and at the same time, was the experience I gained when doing my Masters degree in Change Agent Skills at Surrey when we kept a Learning Journal as a place to reflect on new insights, issues we were grappling with, what worked or didn't work in client projects, and how valuable I had found this process. And at that point, Simon suggested "the Blog".
One of the things that I really value these days is being able to celebrate and enjoy my own wisdom and at the same time delight in learning more and new things from clients, from other consultants, from suppliers, from friends and from my own experiences. So, there's something about finding a balance between knowing and not knowing, drawing on my experience and expertise and at the same time being curious. This prompts me to mention "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki (Weatherhill, 1996) in which the author looks at how to approach the world with a beginner's curiosity; with an open mind, the attitude that includes both doubt and possibility, the ability to see things as always fresh and new.
So, for me to develop, I have found that I am approaching my practice as a consultant, coach, facilitator and supervisor from a place of inquiry and interest. This is not always easy. Being a beginner can be frustrating, slow, and tap into feelings of ineptitude and incompetence. And as my tai ji teacher, Ad Brugman, would say: "And what's wrong with being a beginner?"
And here I am, on Day 1 in the life of working with my blog, wondering whether what I am writing is appropriate, 'good enough', inspiring, encouraging and appealing enough for you, the reader, to engage with me in this journey, this adventure.
Please do make contact. Let's share our learning, our wisdom, our adventures and who knows where it might lead us.
Posted by Alison at 05:42 PM | Comments (1)
