Table 1.

Behaviors the group supervisor can engage in to maximize the benefits of group supervision, benefits of these behaviors, potential barriers for engaging in them, and solutions to those barriers

Recommended behaviors for group supervision leader
Specific supervisor behaviors	Benefits	Barriers	Solutions to barriers
Create schedule (e.g., 3- to 6-month plan)	Prompts supervisor to thoughtfully plan	Time commitment needed to plan far in advance	Create regular timing and structure (e.g., Wednesday from 1 pm to 2 pm) and repeat with each new supervisory group
	Observational learning	Supervision needs may change overtime	Consider dividing the group into smaller group or adjusting schedule based on changes that impact the majority
Give group assignments	Social networking	Difficulty matching group members according to skill sets	Consider dividing the group into smaller groups based on skill set
	Observational learning	Some activities may be better accomplished independently	Utilize individual supervision for tasks better accomplished 1:1
	Developing empathy	Supervisees may end supervision at different times, requiring changing of group assignments	Divide the group or add new members on consistent schedule
Established standard format	Provides structure	Time commitment to establish structure	Create a structure that is universal enough to apply to a wide range of skills and group members. Use it for all groups
	Gives supervisees opportunity to plan	Supervisee needs may change over time	Consider more individual supervision or other opportunities to give supervisees individualized experience
	Observational learning	Resource may get updated requiring deviation from standard format	Plan for regular updating of standardized format to keep up with changes, only make critical changes
Incorporate generalization opportunities	Increases feedback opportunities	Requires thoughtful planning	Create opportunities that are universal enough to apply to a wide range of supervisees and apply them as applicable
	Allows for direct observation of supervisee behavior in different environment and with different people	Supervisees may acquire skills in individual supervision at different paces, requiring individualized generalization opportunities for each group member	Generate enough generalization activities that you have a “bank” to pull from that will apply to a wide range of supervisees
	Allows supervisee to experience consequence from others	Limited control over group members responses so control consequences for supervisee behavior in this setting	Shape supervisee responding
	Allows supervisee to observe impact of behavior on more and diverse listeners	Certain skills may prove difficult to incorporate into group setting	Maximize individual supervision opportunities and tailor only opportunities that are most conducive to a group setting
	Peer Feedback
	Modeling and rehearsal
	Increased public speaking opportunities
Recommended behaviors for group supervision leader
Specific supervisor behaviors	Benefits	Barriers	Solutions to barriers
Incorporate case presentations	Peer feedback	Supervisees may have different responsibilities for cases (e.g., not directly supervising)	Create hypothetical cases supervisees can use and present
	Multiple listeners for same event	Caseloads may be small and may not be many opportunities to present on different cases
	Observational learning	Different skills sets in group may minimize variety in input provided
	Developing empathy
	Modeling and rehearsal
Prepare agendas	Observational learning	Requires time and planning ahead	Create standard agenda that can be used for future supervision groups
	Models planning and time management
Start and end on time	Models professional timeliness	Scheduling constraints	Organize your schedule so that you have extrat time before and after the meeting
	Observational learning	Unexpected schedule changes	Have all materials organized prior to the meeting start to minimize last minute need for getting materials or communicating critical information
Take notes	Supports organized approach to process	Time constraints	Assign a note taker
	Observational learning	Difficult to run meeting while taking detailed notes
Discourage distractions	Models professional behavior	Supervisees may need to respond to requests from outside parties and thus need access to email or phone	Incorporate a brief break into the session and let supervisees know they can check email and phone during this time
	Enhances engagement in group	Supervisees may rely on technology to engage in group	Ask them to go “offline” and/or turn off email notifications so they only use the technology needed (e.g., typing notes on a word document)
Send notes	Models professional timeliness	Time commitment to write and send notes	Designate a note taker
	Provides prompts for follow up behaviors	Supervisees may not read notes or use them as prompts	Give yourself 15 min after the meeting to focus on finalizing the notes and sending them out
			Request supervisees respond to your email with the notes confirming they’ve read them. Incorporate questions about the notes into future supervision meetings