Re-Inventing Supervision: Bridging the
Divide Between New Professionals and
Supervisors
Roger “Mitch” Nasser Jr.
McKendree University
Daniel W. Calhoun, Ph.D.
Georgia Southern University
Brandin Howard
Penn State University
ACPA National Convention 2014
Outline
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Why Should we Discuss Supervision?
The Disconnect Between Supervision/New Professional
The 2012 Project in Review
Design of 2014 Project
Comparison of 2012 and 2014 data
Additional points from recent study
Implications, Conclusions and Possible Next Steps
Questions
Why Discuss Supervision?
• Reflecting on our own experiences
• Recruiting new professionals
• Have we lost our view of core responsibilities
• What we’ve seen/heard from colleagues in the
profession
• Are we ready?
• Are you ready?
• Results of previous studies (2010; 2012)
The Disconnect
• The interview process
• What makes a good candidate?
• How prepared are entry-level staff for jobs?
• What is the value of Academics?
• Personal and professional life conflicts
• Differing expectations regarding professional
development
• By new professionals
• By supervisors/seasoned professions
Developing Our Study (impact of 2012)
• What are new supervisees and supervisors of entry-level
professionals thoughts and experiences regarding the topic of
supervision?
• What causes shock for professionals in their first positions? How do
they resolve it?
• What are the biggest supervisory challenges?
• How are supervisors being prepared?
• What is the impact of advanced degrees?
Research Process
• Developed a short survey via SurveyMonkey
• Utilized snowball sampling – sent out survey to list-servs and
colleagues in hopes they would participate and pass along to others
• Allowed three-week turnaround (late February-early March)
• Each data set reviewed by multiple researchers
Snapshot
of Demographics
• 365 Total Participants
• 60.1% Female
• 59.5% Public 4-year
• 29.9% 1-3 years post Master’s
• 39.6% ACPA only
• 33% Residence Life (largest functional area represented)
• 32.8% Supervise Student Staff Members
The Data - Initial Thoughts
• How we sorted and broke down experience and supervision
• 71.5% indicated training not supplied by the institution. A
breakdown of other responses places this number slightly
higher
• 41.6% felt shock in transitioning to their first position
• Is there a difference in what makes a good supervisor?
• How we prepare ourselves. Do we limit those we supervise
by what we provide/don’t provide?
• How are professionals impacted by Graduate experiences?
Themes
• After our initial analysis, themes emerged in 6 major areas:
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Readiness for Supervisory Role (Repeated)
Challenges related to Supervision (Repeated)
What Makes a Good Supervisor (Repeated)
Working Through Transitional Shock (Repeated)
What Causes Shock
Value of Graduate Education
Emerging Themes:
Readiness for Supervisory Role
• How did you know you were ready to supervise new professionals?
• Self Aware: Prepared through reflection on experience, felt time had come,
realized need for new challenge.
• External: Convinced by colleagues and other external forces
• Leap of Faith: Not sure if ready, but give it a go. Take the chance.
• Position Dictated: A component of current or new position. No choice but to
be ready.
Self-Aware Quotes
• “I had been sought out by other colleagues for advice and mentoring
for several years prior to officially taking on supervisory
responsibility.” (2012)
• “I felt confident in my job and felt that I not only could learn from this
experience, but that I could help continue to develop the graduates
through their transition from student to staff” (2014)
• “I am a proven leader” (2014)
External Quotes
• “Having the support and encouragement from my supervisor to take
on new professionals was how I knew I was ready.” (2012)
• “I no longer saw new professionals as personal peers, but as
professional colleagues. My mentors and supervisors helped me
understand I was prepared to supervise” (2014)
Leap of Faith Quotes
• “Also, I don’t know if you really know that you’re ready
to supervise. I think it is something that you find out
while doing it. Naturally we all have skills or strengths
that might make us a better supervisor than one of our
colleagues, but with time everyone fine tunes their
tools.” (2012)
• “I didn't. I took the chance and help from a great
supervisor, made the leap.” (2014)
Position Dictated Quotes
• “I didn’t necessarily [know I was ready]. It came with
the job – as I was promoted I gained supervision duties.
I didn’t necessary learn the theory and research until
my Ph.D. training…” (2012)
• “Not sure I knew I was ready, but the responsibility was
added to my position through a promotion” (2014)
2012 Readiness for Supervisory Role Breakdown
Self Aware
External
Leap of Faith
Job Dictated
23%
54%
16%
7%
2014 Readiness for Supervisory Role Breakdown
Self Aware
External
Leap of Faith
Job Dictated
7%
21%
58%
14%
What that means –
confidence and preparation
• 58% felt they were ready for the next step and actively pursued it (felt confident
and prepared)
• 7% only became supervisors because it was a function of their job –most
indicated they were not ready (felt not confident and unprepared)
• 21% were not entirely sure they were ready, but felt it was worth the risk to do it
(felt unprepared and confident)
• 14% did not feel ready but pursued a position on the advice of trusted
colleagues and mentors (felt prepared and not confident)
• 79% internally ready/21% externally ready
Emerging Themes: Biggest Challenges in Supervision
• What is the biggest challenge in supervising new professionals?
• Politics and Ethics: Understanding the impact of decision making,
realizing place in an organization, putting in “time”.
• Professional Development: Employees not ready or prepared for the
next professional position.
• Skill Based: New professionals need specific training to build skill sets.
• Supervisor Development: I need to improve as a supervisor, provide
more time, and learn about needs.
Politics and Ethics Quotes
• “I think that those I've supervised have started off with a very black/white mindset,
and struggle to look at the different issues/factors at play. Relatedly, their sense of
ownership and comfortableness with making decisions is challenging. For example,
I've observed that it is easier for them to say "the department says this is the
policy" rather than that as the supervisor, this is their decision” (2012)
• “Getting them to prioritize work plus helping them understand campus politics.
Their biggest challenge is time management and taking direction” (2014)
Professional Development Quotes
• Helping new professionals to develop their professional identity as well as manage
their expectations of self and others. New professionals often come into the
position feeling that they have to prove themselves, which causes them to question
their competence. Helping new professionals balance this with the work they do
can be challenging. (2012)
• Adjusting to a mindset of being a worker rather than a student. I've found that
those who struggle most have trouble shifting from being the helped to the helper.
They sometimes advocate for student benefits for themselves, continue in the
mindset of a student rather than a full-time employee, or are jealous of the
attention and focus on students rather than on them. I think this is true of most
new graduates, but is especially prevalent or likely with live-in professionals, who
have all kinds of triggers around them that lead them to identifying more with
students than with live-out colleagues. (2014)
Skill Based Quotes
• “It is hit or miss if they know how to take initiative” (2012)
• “Teaching them to prioritize projects.” (2012)
• “Their biggest challenge is learning how to appropriately respond to
those rare, but highly critical cases.” (2014)
• “Their biggest challenge is performance related - being overwhelmed
with a new job and/or knowing when to "fake" it or when to ask
questions.” (2014)
Supervisor Development Quotes
• “Adjusting supervision styles to each person. Supervision is not taught, I had
to get books on supervising new professionals to ensure I was educated for
this role. This is something I think grad. programs need to educate on. “(2012)
• “My biggest challenge is that my professionals are new professionals - they
are mostly recent college grads so this is their first job. I have to spend time
teaching them to be professionals, and teach them how to do their jobs. I
think they would say that I don't have enough time to develop them in the
way that I want to.” (2014)
2012 Biggest Challenges Breakdown
Politics and Ethics
Professional Development
Skill Based
13%
44%
19%
24%
Supervisor Development
2014 Biggest Challenges Breakdown
Politics and Ethics
Professional Development
Skill Based
17%
35%
13%
35%
Supervisor Development
What does this mean?
• 35% viewed understanding and navigating politics and ethics as the
biggest challenge for new professionals
• 35% believed Professional Development was the biggest issue
• 13% felt skill based issues were most challenging
• 17% stated that supervisor development was the biggest issue
• Why the increase in supervisor responsibility?
• Professional Development & Ethics/Politics combined?
• Connection to preparation programs/”sheltering”?
Emerging Theme: Supervision Skills
• What Makes A Good Supervisor?
• Relational: Connection to supervisee, dedication to employees,
concern for the individual
• Skill Based: Learned or natural abilities, not specific to individual;
hard skills (nuts and bolts of position).
• Theoretical: Centralized in a belief system, may be loosely connected
to previous subsets.
Relational Skills Quotes
• Defines expectations that are attainable by the staff, set in conjunction with the staff to
allow ownership of the collective staff. Flexibility and the understanding that
accommodations must be made at times and are acceptable within reason. A personal
relationship (not romantic) that allows the staff to understand each other, their
experiences, and develop an understanding and appreciation for the holistic person.
Impeccable organization and communication skills. An ownership of the staff and
community that communicates that the supervisor is part of the staff and invested in the
success of the community. Supervisors should help the staff complete the stated goals
with the staff rather than dictating the goals to the staff to complete independently.
(2012)
• "Supervisors need to understand the goals of the area they manage. They need to
understand the strengths and weaknesses of their staff members. They also need to
allow staff members the opportunity to grow in ways they desire. It doesn't always have
to be for the organization itself. A good supervisor is able to give feedback to employees
and discuss behaviors when giving constructive feedback, not attack someone personally.
A good supervisor listens and works with staff as a team, not as a "director". The
supervisor also provides training, either him or herself or through appropriate vehicles.“
(2014)
Skill Based Quotes
• “Emotional stability, work/life balance, technical expertise and
general competence” (2012)
• “Organization, good communication skills, humor, concise in giving
out information, detail oriented, good writing skills, someone who
self-reflect, someone who sets deadlines” (2012)
• “Effective time management, organization, communication (verbal
and non-verbal), authenticity, proper human resource management”
(2014)
Theoretical Quotes
• “The primary ones to me are: balance of challenge and support,
critical thinking, authentic leadership, ability to embrace change, and
effective understanding of how to translate developmental theory to
practice.” (2012)
• “Flexibility, engaged in learning themselves, balance challenge &
support, understands complexity in issues, works to learn about my
role” (2014)
2012 Supervision Skills Breakdown
Relational
Skill Based
Theoretical
12%
29%
59%
2014 Supervision Skills Breakdown
Relational
Skill Based
Theoretical
7%
14%
79%
What it Means
• 79% felt that relationships were key to good supervision
• 14% stated hard skills and detailed knowledge were the most
important supervisory skill
• 7% stated that a broader theoretical approach was the best way to
supervise
• What is the impact of relational supervision?
• Do supervisors have the time?
What Makes a Good Supervisor?
To do it [supervision] properly and adequately requires broad
knowledge of the activities that are part of the functional area or
areas for which one has responsibility, a detailed knowledge of the
institution and both its formal and informal operational processes, a
caring attitude, and well developed interpersonal relationship skills.
(Winston & Creamer, 1997, p. 186)
Emerging Theme: Working Through Transitional Shock
• If you experienced shock, how did you work through the shock?
• Friends/Colleagues: main support from external sources not including
supervisor. The support structure may be at current institution or
outside.
• Self: trusted own abilities to stay the course, switched positions, or
used spirituality and reasoning.
• Supervisor: Utilized supervisor in any way through difficult times
• Other (2014): Used other method-often therapy or resignation
• Did Not (2014): Has not attempted or worked through shock
Utilizing Friends/Colleagues Quotes
• I had this feeling like I was way in over my head because I entered a role that was not very clearly defined,
with a supervisor that was not around often. I was running this scholarship/retention program all by
myself. I dealt with it by calling up my friends/colleagues from graduate school and working through tough
situations with them. I just had to remain confident that I knew what I was doing, and when I didn't know
what I was doing, I had to remind myself that I was just going off of all the information/experience I had at
that point, and things can be done differently next time if need-be. It was a really stressful time. Then,
about 8 months after I began in this position, I met someone with 20 years of Student Affairs experience
who turned out to be a great mentor for me. Now, I am able to bounce ideas off of her, ask for her advice,
and learn from her experience. (2012)
• “Talked about it with colleagues/friends from my graduate program. I made some great connections
there, and I often bounce things off my circle of friends in the field. It's invaluable to have this support
network - and my graduate program worked really hard to cultivate a culture so that these systems would
thrive.” (2014)
Reliance on Self Quotes
• “I knew the office I was entering was managed in a very hierarchical manner,
but it wasn't until I was in the office full-time that I knew just how much so. I've
never been in a Student Affairs office that conducted in such a top-down
approach. It can be disappointing at times, but I'm learning to work through it.
I never thought my first job would be my dream job, and I'm ok with that.”
(2012)
• “Adjusted to the lower expectations of the full time position; I felt shock
because I was given more support and people provided more experiences for
me as a grad than as a full time professional” (2012)
• “Yes. Really I've just gotten to understand my role better and that is really the
only way to get through it. There are a lot of opportunities to mess up and
understanding that as long as the job gets done without major issues, I can
overcome the little things.” (2014)
• “I took deep breaths, I asked lots of questions, and I kept reminding myself that
this is what I worked so hard over the last two years for; "I can do this".” (2014)
Supervisor Support Quotes
• “I talked a lot of my feelings, processes, and ideas out with my supervisor,
who was a great reflective listener. The listening really helped me to
process my own thoughts and come up with my own solutions probably
eight or nine times out of every ten issues I had.” (2012)
• ““I fortunately had a supervisor at the time who understood me and gave
me room for error. She definitely held me accountable as needed (thus the
shock at times), but she gave me the opportunity to learn from my
mistakes.” (2014)
Other Support Quotes
• “Intense training on research skills. It was exhausting and very difficult
emotionally to have such a steep learning curve.” (2014)
• “With a lot of difficulty and therapy, and very little support from my
supervisor” (2014)
Did Not Work Through Quotes
• “I guess I didn't - in the end I washed out of that profession…” (2014)
• “Left the job after one year” (2014)
• “I internalized a lot. However, I talked with many of my colleagues, friends
and family to work through the discomfort. Although, that didn't really
help. I eventually quit that position.” (2014)
2012 Working Through Transitional Shock
Breakdown
Supervisor
12%
Friends/Colleagues
31%
Self
57%
2014 Working Through Transitional Shock
Breakdown
Other
7%
No Score
9%
Self
28%
Did Not
8%
Supervisor
14%
Friends/Colleagues
34%
What it Means
• 34% involved friends or colleagues
• 28% relied on self
• 14% utilized supervisor
• 8% still in shock
• 7% other means
• More reliance on others than self
• Still little use of supervisor
Emerging Theme: What Caused Shock
• If you experienced shock, what do you feel caused the shock?
• Environment/Expectations: Campus culture, politics, expectations of
others.
• Not Prepared: Psychologically or specific skills.
• Leadership Void: Lack of vision, structure, organization
• Nature of Position: Student affairs positions can be unpredictable and
difficult to process.
Environment/Expectations Quotes
• “Being in a much larger professional office that doesn't explicitly use
student success or development theories as guiding principals” (2014)
• “…I felt isolated from others in the field. I came to a smaller town with a
small staff (our office having 6 people in it and being the entirety of Student
Life) and it was hard to make friends or to find a life outside of work.”
(2014)
Not Prepared Quotes
• “Everything I learned in my MA program didn't help me in everyday
professional life” (2014)
• “Lack of understanding about the field. Yes, I had experience as a graduate
student. Yes, I had taken coursework to prepare me. But, I still hadn’t lived
in as a full-time professional. I probably had unrealistic expectations about
what to expect.” (2014)
• “I was very unsure of myself and my capabilities and whether I really
belonged in the job that I had.” (2014)
Leadership Void Quotes
• “Poor organizational culture at my former employer, poor training program,
unclear expectations, but above all a major difference in an unstructured
GA position and a highly structured professional position.” (2014)
• “There were several factors that caused that shock. First, poor training and
support. Second, improper hiring practices. And last, a lack of clear vision,
purpose and a plan for the department. If the department had these
written out and understood then they would be able to hire people who
are a true fit for the institution. I was not the right fit for that school and
vice versa.” (2014)
Nature of Position Quotes
• “We can't always know what is going to happen. We can only purposefully
prepare ourselves and hope we thought of most everything.” (2014)
• “Everything was new and there was MUCH to learn with a need to learn it
quickly...I had 250 residents about to arrive 2 weeks after I began the job.”
(2014)
2014 What Caused Shock
What caused the Initial Shock
No Score
11%
Environ/Exp
36%
Not Prep
27%
Nature
11%
Leadership
15%
What it Means
• 36% shocked by environment/expectations
• 27% felt unprepared for position
• 15% suggested leadership contributed to shock
• 11% shocked by the nature of position
• How is this connected to supervisor challenges?
• Can a new professional truly be prepared?
Emerging Theme: Value of Graduate Education
• Do you have a graduate degree? Did it prepare you?
• Helpful: Overall comments suggested entirety of degree benefited
participant in first position.
• Unhelpful: Comments suggested the degree was not helpful or only
partially helpful.
• Assistantship: Comments suggested academic content was unhelpful
but assistantship/practicum/internship experience was helpful
• No Degree: Participant either did not have an advanced degree, was in
process, or began first position prior to attaining degree.
Helpful Quotes
• “Yes, I do. I think the degree helped prepare me. I approached the job
differently than my colleague who didn't have it. I think it helped me”
(2014)
• “Yes and YES. The Student Development in Higher Education Counseling
degree from X University is comprehensive--preparing professionals for
EVERY aspect of being a new student affairs professional. I am proud to
come from such a reputable, strong, and connected program as X
University.” (2014)
• “Yes, extremely! My masters degree taught me why. I already knew the
how, I just didn't understand the why. It also gave me a new lens to view
things with.” (2014)
Unhelpful Quotes
• “Yes. No, my program was taught by faculty who were never Student
Affairs practitioners so they did little in the way of professional
development. My internship and assistantship supervisors were hit or miss.
I did have one great supervisor who is still a mentor and now that I think
about it, has gotten me through not only that first position (at an institution
on a different coast) but has been a sounding board all along” (2014)
• “Yes I have a graduate degree. I thought I was prepared for the job. My
supervisor thought I was prepared for the job. Turns out we were both
wrong. I managed to get the training I needed and keep my job, although it
was touch and go for awhile.” (2014)
Assistantship Quotes
• “I believe my degree did prepare me for my job but my assistantships and
internships were my best tools for success. I am rarely asked to use theory,
do research for papers, or do group presentations. Everyday I am using my
precious hands-on experience from my assistantships and internships to
improve the programs we have here.” (2014)
• “Yes - I think my GA helped prepare me but the grad program did not help.”
(2014)
• “However, I was less prepared by the academic work I completed for my
degree and more prepared by the graduate assistantship where I worked 20
hours per week.” (2014)
No Degree Quotes
• “No graduate degree yet. However, what I have completed (1yr) has already
started to assist me in many ways especially in confidence that what and
how I operate is based on theories I never knew existed!” (2014)
• “I worked my first professional position in student affairs previous to
receiving my graduate degree. I would say my three years of work
experience (as an RD) prepared me for grad school.” (2014)
2014 Value of Graduate Education
Unhelpful
19%
No Degree
15%
Assistantship
11%
Helpful
55%
What it Means
• 55% degree is helpful
• 19% degree unhelpful
• 11% Assistantship/Internship more helpful
• 15% no degree at start of career
• Is the percentage of helpful acceptable?
• The impact of those without advanced degrees?
• Unhelpful?
• What is the role of academics?
Summary of Major Findings
• Roughly 79% of supervisors felt they were prepared for and had the
confidence to actively pursue a supervisory without evidence to support
the decision!
• Navigating political/ethical and professional development issues remain
the biggest challenges for supervisors/supervisees. Additional review
suggests new professionals and supervisors are in agreement based on
causes of shock.
• Relational, administrative, and theoretical skills remain the most important
attributes for strong supervision (same as described by Calhoun & Nasser
2013, Winston & Creamer 1997).
• 79% feel like relationships are most important aspect of supervision, yet
only 14% use their supervisors to work through transitions!
Thoughts for You…
• Who do you think should be responsible for assisting with the
development and preparation of future supervisors of entry-level
professionals?
• How do we overcome the disconnect between supervisee and
supervisor in expectations, communication, etc.?
• What processes have you seen or do you suggest?
Implications
• For graduate preparation programs
• For supervisees (new professionals)
• For supervisors (seasoned professionals)
• For employers (institutions who hire new professionals)
Questions/Recommendations/Next Steps
• Additional data breakdown and review
• Secondary survey methods
• Future discussions and review
Selected References
• Amey, M. J., & Reesor, L. M. (2002). Beginning your journey: A guide for new
professionals in student affairs. Washington, DC: National Association of Student
Personnel Administrators.
• Herdlein, R. J. (2004). Survey of chief student affairs officers regarding relevance of
graduate preparation of new professionals. NASPA Journal, 42(1), 51–71.
• Janosik, S. M., Creamer, D. G., Hirt, J. B., Winston, R. B., Jr., Saunders, S. A., & Cooper, D.
L. (2003). Supervising new professionals in student affairs: A guide for practitioners. New
York: Brunner Routledge.
• Kretovics, M. (2002). Entry level competencies: What student affairs administrators
consider when screening candidates. Journal of College Student Development, 43, 912–
920.
• Kretovics, M. (2011). Business practices in higher education: A guide for today’s
administrators. New York: Routledge.
• Magolda, P. M., & Carnaghi, J. E. (Eds.). (2004). Job one: Experiences of new professionals
in student affairs. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Selected References
• Renn, K. A., & Jessup-Anger, E. R. (2008). Preparing new professionals: Lessons for graduate
preparation programs from the National Study of New Professionals in Student Affairs. Journal of
College Student Development, 49 (4), 319-335.
• Renn, K. A., Jessup-Anger, E. R., & Doyle, S. J. (2008, Fall). Top ten tips for new professionals from
the National Study of New Professionals in Student Affairs. The Eighth Vector, newsletter of the
ACPA Standing Committee for Graduate Students and New Professionals.
• Renn, K. A., & Hodges, J. P. (2007). The first year on the job: Experiences of new professionals in
student affairs. NASPA Journal, 42 (2), 367-391.
• Reybold, L.E., Halx, M.D., & Jimenez, A.L. (2008). Professional integrity in higher education: A
study of administrative staff ethics in student affairs. Journal of College
Student
Development, 49, 110-124.
• Winston, R. B., Jr., & Creamer, D. G. (1997). Improving staffing practices in student affairs. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Tull, A. (2006). Synergistic supervision, job satisfaction, and intention to turnover of new
professionals in student affairs. Journal of College Student Development, 47, 465–477.