Professional supervision underpins the very essence of allied health, social work, psychology, and the business and human service arenas. It is the cornerstone of our work that enables professionals to debrief and strengthen every aspect of their role. When supervision is present, it assists a practitioner to refuel on a regular basis, cope with the many complexities that are present and use the supervisory conversation as a debriefing mechanism. Without it, rates of fatigue and burnout continue to increase throughout many professions (Tsui, 2005). In the UK, United States, Australia and other countries, many staff in professional or clinical roles have access to professional supervision; however, human resource, administration and operational support staff are often not afforded the same opportunities, despite it being important to maintain high performance in the workplace (Bogo & McKnight, 2006; Carroll, 2007b).

Professional supervision is crucial to make sound decisions on a daily basis, maintain good health and well-being in the workplace and ensure effective service outcomes are achieved for the clients and customers that our work focuses on. Supervision assists staff to reflect on what they are doing in their role, how they are doing it and why they approach things in the way they do. Professional supervision is one of the fundamental elements to maintaining professional standards, and it provides a quarantined time and space to stop on a regular basis to feel heard and valued without the noise and interruption of a busy workplace (Morrison & Wonnacott, 2010; Watkins & Milne, 2014).

This supervisor practice guide has been written with you as the new supervisor, coach or leader in mind. As a new supervisor, it is important that you are adequately supported as you start in your role, and having a book to guide you is one of the most effective ways to do this. This book has been written to support you as you navigate the many elements required to step into your new role. I hope this guide assists you to establish an effective supervision framework and process that will enable you to take on the supervisory role with confidence, enthusiasm and commitment.

Congratulations on your new role. Remember to ensure you receive effective and quality supervision yourself – you deserve it!