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SF Supervision Practices

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Abstract

Volumes of theory have been written about supervision, with substantial emphasis on supervisor development and little research evidence to support its significance in relation to either supervisor effectiveness or client outcome. Rudes et al. (1997) speak about the supervisor’s “conduct” (p. 204) and the dearth of literature about what supervisors actually do in supervision. Supervisory practices have not been studied using deductive methods because of what may be a common understanding: that supervisors stimulate change is unchallenged, but the techniques supervisors use to bring about change are as unique as snowflakes. My ambition for this section of the book is to articulate practices that originate with SF pioneers such as Insoo Kim Berg as well as methods from my own work and those of close associates. The result is not intended to be scientific or generalizable; instead, I hope to invigorate and inspire the supervisor toward experimentation. After all, SF approaches are built on “what works,” and what works in general may not translate to your context. As Bateson said (1979, p. 43), “the generic we can know, but the specific eludes us.”

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Miller (2012) for the internet link (URL).

  2. 2.

    Some of these are not questions, they are imperatives. Changing between the two linguistic forms is a way to minimize the possibility that the person being interviewed feels cross-examined (interrogatory [questioning] and interrogation have the same root).

  3. 3.

    See Hsu and Kuo (Sect. 7.4, this volume) for less-direct complimenting methods adjusted for cultural differences.

  4. 4.

    A more complete case transcription is included, with annotation, in Chapter 5 in this book. Used with permission from Jim Rudes.

  5. 5.

    Note the use of “might” in these last two sentences, used to hedge against disagreement, as I am not including all non-SF supervisors or all modernist supervisors. It also creates leeway for SF supervisors to educate and direct therapists when supervisors believe the context requires such action.

  6. 6.

    See the discussion on “metaphor, semaphore, two-by-four” later in this chapter; see Sects. 3.13.4, 4.5.2, and 4.7 plus Lane and Thomas (Sect. 7.5) for more on indirectness in supervision.

  7. 7.

    Current smartphone users have similar stories due to auto-correct blunders when texting.

  8. 8.

    Time limits differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. It is clear in the Texas Family Code, §261.101 (2012): “If a professional (this term includes mental health professionals, medical personnel, teachers, day-care employees, and many other licensed and certified people) has cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected or may be abused or neglected, or that a child is a victim of an offense … the professional shall make a report not later than the 48th hour after the hour the professional first suspects that the child has been or may be abused or neglected or is a victim of an offense…”

  9. 9.

    Any form or questionnaire should be used only with appropriate permissions.

  10. 10.

    One of my favorite sources is Barnard and Kuehl’s (1995) method of ongoing evaluation. Their questions are easily adapted to supervision, and their stance of increasing honesty through feedback, though not necessarily a primary SF stance, continues to inspire my personal quest to create transparent supervision relationships.

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    Frank N. Thomas

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Thomas, F.N. (2013). SF Supervision Practices. In: Solution-Focused Supervision. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6052-7_4

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