Voice, identity and power in supervision

Abstract

In this extract from his forthcoming book, Effective Supervision for the Helping Professions, Michael Carroll uses the image of voice to represent the supervision conversation. Different types of conversations are explored and dialogue is presented as the ideal supervision conversation. The chapter follows the voice of the supervisee as he/she moves through the stages of finding their own voice and becoming more powerful within the supervision relationship. Five stages of voice are suggested: silenced voice, received voice, subjective voice, critical voice, and constructed voice. Dialogue is defined and described, along with hints and strategies of how to prepare for and engage in dialogue as an effective learning conversation.