Peer Supervision

In Short

Structured reflective practice between peers for professional growth
Best for: Peer coaching/supervision structures
Peer Supervision is a structured tool for coaching and facilitation. Structured reflective practice between peers for professional growth. It provides a repeatable framework that can be adapted to individual, team, and leadership development contexts.
Type of tool: Peer coaching/supervision structures
Expected outcomes:
- Improved ability to structured reflective practice between peers for professional growth
- A concrete action or development plan to take forward from the Peer Supervision process

In Detail

Peer Supervision is a professional development resource designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators structured reflective practice between peers for professional growth. It sits within the category of Peer coaching/supervision structures, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, Peer Supervision is delivered as a 8-step process. The process begins by a group of peers (4-8) meets regularly -- all are equal, no designated supervisor. The session closes by rotate for next presenter if time allows. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

Peer Supervision is most valuable when practitioners need a reliable, repeatable approach that can be adapted to different contexts without losing its core structure. It bridges the gap between conceptual understanding and practical application, making it a durable addition to any coaching or facilitation toolkit.

How to Use

1. A group of peers (4-8) meets regularly -- all are equal, no designated supervisor. 2. One person volunteers to bring a case or challenge. 3. They describe the situation without interpretation. 4. The group asks clarifying questions only -- no advice yet. 5. The group reflects on what the case might be holding systemically or emotionally. 6. The group offers observations and hypotheses. 7. The presenter responds: what landed, what surprised them, what they want to take away. 8. Rotate for next presenter if time allows.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Directly addresses the challenge of structured reflective practice between peers for professional growth through a structured, repeatable approach Adaptable to different seniority levels, team sizes, and organisational contexts Generates actionable insight that participants can apply immediately in their work	Effectiveness varies based on the facilitator's skill level and familiarity with the tool Requires adequate time for both the exercise and a meaningful debrief to realise full value May not be appropriate for all cultural contexts without adaptation

Created by Various (Hawkins & Shohet)

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context	Relevant
Individual Coaching
Team Coaching	✓
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop
Online / Virtual

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