The Ingredients of Supervisor Failure

Abstract

Trainees all too often learn more about how not to conduct supervision than how to conduct supervision effectively. The purpose of this article is to present a conceptualization of the theoretical, empirical, and practical elements of supervisor failures. Specifically, the article attends to the following behaviors that may lead to supervisor failure: (a) denigrate the supervisory relationship; (b) demonstrate multicultural incompetence; (c) become an unethical supermodel; (d) use evaluation instruments that could not pass for an undergraduate thesis; (e) teach your trainee how to diagnose narcissism by example; (f) apply psychotherapy models in supervision as if there is a theoretical or empirical basis; (g) infantalize your trainee; (h) collude with your trainee; (i) make your trainee your surrogate psychotherapist; and (j) go on a date with your trainee. Recommendations for increasing supervisor success and limiting supervisor failure are provided.