No one likes to be micromanaged or surveilled. But supervisors need to know what’s going on: it’s part of the job!
Outside of client time, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) most valuable work is often ‘deep work’: time spent reading, learning, thinking, reflecting, and writing about things linked to the practice’s purpose, strategy, operations and/or clients without distraction.
Supervisors should not reward surface-level ‘busywork’, e.g. number of emails sent, or hours spent typing at a laptop. These are often low-value tasks.
To increase visibility on what matters most, supervisors should:
- ask SLPs to share their time-blocked calendars specifying what they plan to do at different times, e.g. sessions, focused work, emails/messages, training, and meetings, to synch schedules;
- run weekly supervision meetings with each SLP with clear agendas and accountabilities identifying next steps, responsibilities, and deadlines; and
- model deep work – periods of distraction free, focus on work that matters most to clients and the practice.
Key source: Eyal, N. (2023). Managers, Stop Distracting Your Employees, Harvard Business Review, January (online).
Related articles:
- For speech pathologists in private practice, professionalism has never been more important
- SLP mentors and supervisors – fight for your rights to avoid burnout
For more on supervision, check out our book “How to supervise speech pathologists properly in private practice“.
This infographic also appears in a recent issue of Banter Booster, our weekly round up of the best speech pathology ideas and practice tips for busy speech pathologists, speech pathology students, teachers and other interested readers.
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Hi there, I’m David Kinnane.
Principal Speech Pathologist, Banter Speech & Language
Our talented team of certified practising speech pathologists provide unhurried, personalised and evidence-based speech pathology care to children and adults in the Inner West of Sydney and beyond, both in our clinic and via telehealth.
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