According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of speech-language pathologists [SLP] is projected to grow 19 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.” It is clearly the hope of the SLP field to continue to expand in the number of qualified clinicians who can address the ever-increasing demand for services. While this may create a sense of job security for those of us already practicing, it is also a reminder of the importance of preparing for the new generation of clinicians who will be joining the workforce in the coming years.

Supervision has been a developing area of interest, particularly for ASHA. For Clinical Fellow and Speech Language Pathology Assistant preceptorship, an additional 2 hours of supervision-specific training is required for the CCC-SLP. Beyond this regulation, however, more resources have been created ranging from social media posts/accounts to formal research and webinars.

Gathering from this plethora of information, here is a list of simple supervision best practices.

Do: 

1. Take the time to build rapport.

2. Understand your supervisee’s learning style and feedback preferences.

3. Share processes for disagreements or conflicts.

4. Review formal scopes of practice, ethics codes, and licensure regulations.

5. Clearly outline supervisor and supervisee expectations.

6. Set up at least one formal weekly meeting; however, ensure you are available for questions and concerns outside of this dedicated time.

7. Create procedures for documentation of supervision hours.

8. Be open and honest in your communication.

9. Develop the skill of saying “no” clearly but kindly.

10. Ensure your supervisee knows how to access a variety of resources.

Don’t: 

1. Assume ability, level of knowledge, or previous experience.

2. Adopt a “do what I say, not what I do” mentality.

3. Set unrealistic expectations.

4. Micromanage.

5. Use vague or ambiguous language (e.g., “Please get that report to me sometime soon.”)

6. Let meetings run past designated time frames consistently.

7. Make executive decisions without consulting your supervisee on appropriate items.

8. Be afraid to delegate where appropriate.

9. Contact your supervisee after working hours unless an immediate response is needed.

10. Ignore signs of burnout or overwhelm.

Following these guidelines can help you navigate the world of supervision and give back to the field of speech pathology with more confidence!