1. Domus Supervision & Communication
December 2014

2. Domus Supervision What does it look like? How often does it occur?
Do you document supervision?

3. What is supervision?
Process in which a manager works with team members to meet organizational, professional and personal objectives.
Focuses on competency, accountable performance, continuing education and personal support.
Personal objectives examples – time management, assertiveness

4. Management Supervisor Staff
Managements wants the work done well and without problems
Employees want a great work environment, consistent leadership.
Supervisors are in the middle. Supervisors are accountable for the work of their departments. Must ensure the work is done well and to the standards of the organization

5. Supervision Functions
Administrative
Educational
Supportive
Administrative – the promotion and maintenance of high standards of work. Correct, effective & appropriate implementation of agency policies & procedures. Ensure adherence to p&p. Provide the best services.
Managing service delivery
Case assignment
Intervention planning
Implementation of agency policies and procedures and within the structure of the agency – methods of business
Performance evaluation
Managing organizational resources and operations
Educational
Goal is to develop professional capacity
Knowledge and skill building
Supportive - Cultivation of esprit de corp. Morale & job satisfaction
Helping worker handle stress
Providing encouragement, reassurance and appropriate autonomy
Don’t provide therapy – focus on professional not personal
Addressing ethical issues

6. Professional Values & Ethics
Macro - Policy
Micro - Community
Organi-zation
Context
You cannot look at supervision as an isolated fragment. There is context to supervision.
Ecological Perspective – when you look at an organization you need to examine it within the network of relationships that it impacts and that impacts it. Social service organizations develop in transaction with multiple environments within which they are involved. Organizations are embedded in large, complex macro systems.
Organizationally
Environmentally
Professionally

7. Organizational Context
What is your mission?
What is your organizational structure?
What is your culture?
Structure – multi-service, multiple modalities
Culture?
Refers to an organizations shared body of
beliefs
behaviors
knowledge
sanctions
values
goals
How things are done but also includes why things are done in such a way and where things are done
What metaphors are used to describe the org
What are the buildings/physical environment like
What are the main norms (the dos and don’ts)
What are the ceremonies and rituals
What language is used
What rewards systems are in place
Who are the influential people
WHAT DEFINES YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE?
HOW DOES YOUR MISSION/STRUCTURE/CULTURE IMPACT SUPERVISION?

8. Environmental Context
Political Environment
Funding Environment
Community Environment
The environment wields power over organizations and, as Hillel wrote, determines their destiny.
External environment dependent on resources controlled by governmental agencies (funding, referrals, legitimation [serving on coalitions – homeless continuum of care]
Funding Stability
“He who pays the piper plays the tune” Bertha Capen Reynolds
Resource dependence
Policies that affect practice and supervision
Reimbursements
Recordkeeping
Legislation
Accreditation

9. Professional Context Social Work Values Education Values
Psychology Values
Religious Values
These values re-enforce your work.

10. Ethical Context Treat others with respect Provide adequate orientation
Monitor activities
Be able to work with alternative perspectives
Have appropriate boundaries
Respect confidentiality
Provide fair performance evaluations
Model behavior
Supervisor must…

11. Supervisory Relationship
Bond
Phase
Contract
Tasks
Goals
Three components
Bond – Interpersonal structure - issues of trust, acceptance, confidence, power, and participation. Are you similar in style? Very different? TALK ABOUT SOMEONE YOU HAVE SUPERVISED WHO YOU HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WITH.
Phase of the relationship
Contract (explicit & implicit)
tasks – behaviors for which each member accepts responsibility
goals – Mutually agreed upon outcomes that are the targets of intervention

12. Elements of Effective Supervision
Agency
Tasks & Assignments
Supervisory Skills
Supervision Meetings
Elements of supervision that contribute to satisfaction
Agency – Orientation, culture, mission, modus operandi
Tasks & Assignments – role clarity, clarifying expectations, work review, equity
Supervisory skills – encouraging open discussion, providing clear & consistent feedback, being supportive, respect
Supervision meetings – regularly scheduled, consistent, being available outside of meeting

13. Exercise
Learning Styles

14. Type I learner: Activist
You are primarily a "hands-on" learner. You tend to rely on intuition rather than logic. You like to rely on other people's analysis rather than your own. You enjoy applying your learning in real life situations.
Type II learner: Reflector
You like to look at things from many points of view. You would rather watch rather than take action. You like to gather information and create many categories for things. You like using your imagination in problem solving. You are very sensitive to feelings when learning.
Type III learner: Pragmatist
You like solving problems and finding practical solutions and uses for your learning. You shy away from social and interpersonal issues and prefer technical tasks.
Type IV Learner: Theorist
You are concise and logical. Abstract ideas and concepts are more important to you than people issues. Practicality is less important to you than a good logical explanation.

15. Cross Cultural Supervision
list five stereotypes associated with the following… social workers who are white women, gay men, very young adults, Muslims, women on welfare. How might those stereotypes affect your work?
“Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?” Beverly Daniel Tatum – look for affinity group
Cultural triad – supervisor, supervisee and client
We need to talk about race, ethnicity, religion
We need to understand each other better
Countertransference issues
Foundation of effective supervision is effective communication.
Accept the awkward moments
In supervision, there are three cultures in the room at most times – the client’s culture, the supervisee’s culture, and the supervisor’s culture.
They influence how a person sees the worlds and how they define and solve problems.

16. Culture
“Culture is located in the hearts and minds of men… A society’s culture consists of whatever it is one has to know or believe, in order to operate in a manner acceptable to its members.”
Cultural Qualities – gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, age, SES and disability
Difference between race and ethnicity
Ethnicity = is about tradition, learned cultural behavior and customs. Belonging to a social group. Where you are from. Ethnicity is learned. You can alter your ethnicity.
Race = Biological descent including skin color, skin tone, eye and hair color. Race is inherited. You cannot alter your race.
Acknowledging cultural differences – many supervisors avoid discussing culture differences and assume a “colorblind” rationale.

17. Positive Critical Incidents
Raising the topic of cultural differences
Being interested in supervisee’s culture
Felling respected
Getting support from supervisors
Supervisors must be prepared to discuss cultural issues

18. Negative Critical Incidents
Using offensive slang
Not understanding supervisee’s cultural pride
Being unaware of cultural specific norms
Not discussing cultural differences
When a supervisor and supervisee come from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, they bring with them culturally conditioned beliefs about each other’s cultural group.
Beliefs can be positive, negative and neutral.
When beliefs lead to misperceptions and negativity,, they can shut down the relationship.

19. 8 Step Model Acknowledge cultural differences. Know yourself.
Gain knowledge of other cultures.
Identify and value differences.
Identify and avoid stereotypes.
Empathize with persons from other cultures.
Adapt rather than adopt.
Acquire recovery skills.
Acknowledge cultural differences
Gain knowledge of the cultural qualities
Understand the power differential that exists in the relationship
Be open to initiating discussions regarding diversity

20. Cultural Questions to Consider
What are the group’s experiences with oppression? What are the markers of oppression?
What issues divide members of the same group?
What significance does race, skin color, and hair play within the group?
What are the dominant religions of the group?
What role does religion and spirituality play in life?
How is sexual orientation regarded?
What prejudices/stereotypes does this group have about itself? About other groups? What prejudices/stereotypes do other groups have about this group?

21. Cultural Questions cont.
How are gender roles defined?
How is social class defined?
What occupational roles are valued and devalued by the group?
What is the relationship between age and the values of the group?
How is family defined in the group?
How long has the family been in this country?
How is education viewed?
What are the ways in which pride/shame issues are manifested?

22. Exercise
Supervision Quiz – Small groups – talk about strengths and weaknesses of your supervision

23. Effective Communication
Communication is the key to supervision.
Agenda
Focus
Conflict is neither good nor bad. It just is. It can be handled well or poorly. You have control.
Examples of communication issues

24. Addressing Issues Avoid Diffuse Contain Confront/Address
Fight Flight Compromise
Avoid
Ignore the issue
Look the other way or leave the situation
Impose a solution – hierarchical
Diffuse – try to keep the conflict at bay
There are different ways of doing things
Postpone addressing situations
Contain
You talk about everything else but the real issue
Confront/Address
Uncover what is happening to find a solution
Problem solving
Negotiation
Power

25. Difficult Conversations
Prepare
Be honest, direct, specific and simple.
Focus on the issues not the person.
Document.
Why do you have difficult conversations
Prepare
For the conversation
Yourself and how you will behave
Preparation & Presence
What is the purpose of the conversation? What do you want to accomplish? What would be the ideal outcome?
Focus on how you are (centered, in chart of your energy and emotions, focused) and what you say.
Acknowledge emotions – yours and theirs
At difficult moments, return to your purpose.
Don’t take verbal attacks personally
Practice your conversation
The conversation. Be honest, direct, specific and simple.
“I’d like to talk with you about where we are as an agency right now and your work…”
“First I’d like to get your feelings and impressions”
“I think we have different perceptions. Let me tell you about mine…”
Talk about each person’s strengths and challenges.
If necessary, put together a corrective action plan.
Avoid always or never statements.
Remember – you want to be assertive but not aggressive.
Remain non-defensive. When things start wandering, bring it back to the focus of the conversation.
Listen actively and truly listen. Don’t say things like… I hear you but. Everything before the but is bullshit.
This isn’t a debate.
Be assertive not aggressive.

26. Two models
Problem Solving
Effective Feedback

27. Problem Solving Model Describe Express Specify Consequences
Describe – objectively the situation at hand. Focus on the facts/observables.
Express – your feelings and thoughts about the situation using “I message”
Specify – what you want the other person to do
Consequences – Realistic prediction of the outcome. Positive and negative.

28. Effective Feedback Situation Behavior Impact
People need feedback. Three Step Process for giving effective feedback – Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) Model. It helps keep your feedback focused and relevant. Allows you to be calm and prepared.
Situation
Capture the situation and describe where the observed behavior occurred.
“At yesterday morning’s staff meeting…”
The more specific you can be about the where and when, the better
Behavior
Help the individual understand exactly the behavior you’re talking about.
Describe what you saw – “You had a number of side conversations and at times were joking during my presentation.”
Avoid judgment – “You weren’t listening to me.”
Impact
Share the impact the behavior had on you and/or on others who were present.
Impact is what you or others experienced. You are making the internal experience known to the individual.
When you were talking while I was presenting, it was very disruptive to what I was trying to accomplish. I was frustrated and annoyed.

29. Attitude Issues Observe and document the behavior
Choose when you are going to address the person
Classify the attitude – don’t say you have a bad attitude
Careless
Complaining
Disruptive
Insensitive
Negative
Rude
Excessive socializing
Meet with the employee
Describe the issue.
Describe the behaviors you won’t tolerate
Tell them firmly that the behaviors must stop
Be constructive
Give the staff member chance to speak
Be prepared to fail. Some attitude problems won’t go away.
Document
Address the issue as a behavioral problem. Don’t just say the person has a negative attitude. It is not descriptive or helpful.
Observe and document the behavior
Write down specific verbal, nonverbal and physical behaviors and actions.
Nonverbal – rolling eyes, clenching fists, staring into space
Choose when you are going to address the person
Not in anger
Perspective & Distance
Classify the attitude – don’t say you have a bad attitude
Careless
Complaining
Disruptive or explosive
Inattentive
Insensitive
Insubordinate
Lazy
Negative
Rude/surly/inconsiderate talk
Excessive socializing
Meet with the employee
Deal directly and discreetly.
Describe the issue.
Ask for feedback.
Don’t assume… ask.
Your perception may be wrong.
Your communications are perceived as disruptive or disrespectful.
Your conversations contain excessive complaints and few positive suggestions.
You have a lot of power here. When you are in a good mood, those around you are happy. When you are in a bad mood, people walk around on eggshells.
Try to determine whether they have a reason for their behavior.
Do they have a grudge against you or against the company in general
If you can’t get to the root of the problem, don’t worry. You will still address the behavior.
Describe the behaviors you won’t tolerate
Don’t expect people to read your mind. Let them know that you are annoyed, disappointed or angry
Be straightforward, gracious and assertive.
The more matter-of-fact, the less you encourage game playing.
Tell them firmly that the behaviors must stop
Explain why the behavior must end
Explain how it is causing a problem
Be constructive
Focus on solutions.
Give the staff member chance to speak
You need to listen
Be prepared to fail. Some attitude problems won’t go away.
Documentation
Supervisory Notes
Corrective Action Plan

30. Documentation Risk management tool Content Timely Accurate & adequate
Clear, specific, unambiguous & precise
Professional & thorough
Timely
Risk management tool
Content of documentation
If you didn’t write it down, it didn’t happen.
A primary function is to serve and protect all parties
Not too much and not too little
Overdocumentation – write smarter not longer. Be succinct. Do not use excessive detail
Must be accurate and adequate – sufficient detail to facilitate the delivery of services
Language and terminology
Use clear, specific, unambiguous and precise wording
Credibility
Be professional and thorough
Document in a timely fashion
Access to records and documents

31. Role Plays

32. Role Play 1
Scenario: Marisa has been a family advocate for 3 years. She is excellent with families but comes in late, can snap at co-workers and is late with documentation.
Setting: Your office at a regular supervision session.
Goal: To talk with Marisa about your observations and come up with an plan.

33. Role Play 2
Scenario: Carl has been a residential staff member for five years and is beloved by clients and staff. Over the past 3 months, you have noticed a drastic change in his dress & hygiene.
Setting: Carl’s office
Goal: To make him aware of the situation, be supportive and give suggestions of how he can remedy the situation