Avoiding the Righting Reflex in Clinical Supervision

Motivational Interviewing teaches that the natural helping instinct of jumping to problem solving is anything but helpful. Solving problems for others can take away autonomy, deplete another's sense of self efficacy and deprive an individual of lessons that can be learned through failures and successes alike. When a clinician solves a problem for a client, the solution imposed onto the client tends to be more generic and less of a good fit. The client is less likely to follow through with the solution. Even if the solution is carried through, the client will not get credit for it; if the solution works the client will credit the clinician, but if the solution fails the clinician is to blame. Fixing problems for clients damages the therapeutic alliance, violates a client's autonomy and does not promote healthy interdependance in a client. Problem solving often comes from a clinician's drive to help, but it can ultimately harm the client.

---

In my work as a supervisor, I have noticed that this same principal holds true with the supervisor - supervisee relationship. I have found that I have the tendency to want to provide answers, fix problems and provide an overwhelming number of directives to my staff. This drive to solve problems and provide solutions without getting staff buy-in comes from a good place. Typically in these situations I am seeking to help the staff work through a problem, or I am making sure that the consumer's needs are met. While one may argue that my intentions are good, jumping to problem solving shows a lack of intentionality, strategy and skill that can lead to disaster.

There are many problematic aspects to indulging the righting reflex with a supervisee, top among them is the relationship. Solving problems for staff leads to increased dependency on the supervisor (if it does not drive the staff away all together) which can manifest in an array of symptoms seen in the supervisee including:  incessant phone calls for increasingly trivial issues, lack of confidence in clinical approach, and a distanced and blaze attitude toward their job and their work. Solving problems for others takes away self efficacy, and as staff lose their self efficacy they are at risk of losing some of the qualities that are the most important in a staff member. Staff affected by the righting reflex can lose adaptability, critical thinking, creativity, passion, inspiration and commitment. A supervisor who does not allow for autonomy and tends towards the righting reflex and micro-managing creates staff who are not invested in their positions, and these staff are taught to function mechanically and dispassionately in the workspace. 

---

Traps 

The above clip was taken from the movie "Office Space" and illustrates a supervisor ineffectively managing a staff member using the righting reflex and ignoring a staff's autonomy. This supervisor wants Jennifer Aniston to be more committed, passionate and enthusiastic about her position at the restaurant. Qualities like enthusiasm are vital for any successful team member, and when a supervisor follows the righting reflex and uses an overly directive style these qualities are extinguished. The supervisor in this example presented a narrowly defined solution for the staff member that was not a good fit for this particular team member. He then explored options with Jennifer and alluded to Jennifer's choice and autonomy in the situation but fell short of actually allowing for genuine autonomy. In the end, the supervisor came across as micro-managing, passive aggressive, confusing and inauthentic. The staff is left confused and frustrated, her enthusiasm and passion for the job is unlikely to increase.

Problems With "Righting"

There are many traps that can contribute to a supervisor's propensity to over use the righting reflex. These traps can be set by the supervisor themselves (self deception), the agency (overwhelming bureaucracy) or the staff themselves (misconception of roles). But while the traps can be set because of a variety of reasons, it is up to the supervisor to avoid walking into the traps. Two common traps include the expert trap and the enforcer trap which are described in more detail below. 

One reason that supervisors may be susceptible to the overuse of problem solving with staff is that they see themselves as experts. There is often good reason for supervisors to see themselves as experts. They have often worked the position for which they are supervising and they were promoted because they were good at those positions. Staff often ask supervisors for their expert opinions and knowledge. While supervisors may have a lot of experience at their companies and in their fields, supervisors are not experts in what individual staff need, how broader concepts and directives fit into individual staff daily work processes, or how best to implement on-the-ground changes with consumers. 

Agency directives and deadlines can be another reason that supervisors may give for jumping to the use of the righting reflex. Often supervisors are called upon to act as an "enforcer" of new rules and policies. It can seem intuitive to just provide directives and solutions to staff without the use of MI strategies. I have noticed that generic directives work well in the short-term and can create immediate and efficient change in staff behaviors; in the long-term though it is likely that a staff member who is not invested in a new change will have increased burn out and a decreased sense of connection to the company and their position. 

Signs

When I hear myself wondering "is she writing this down?... Maybe I need to write all of this down in a list for her." I know to reflect on my supervision style. Often the need for a staff member to write a list of items can indicate that I am barking out orders and providing solutions. The fact that I am thinking the staff should write this down points not only to the overwhelming quantity of directives, but the staff may need to write these directives down because they are forgettable, not meaningful or trivial. Lists can be helpful in completing operational tasks, but when a staff member is diligently writing a list as I dictate orders in a conversation about clinical approach or professional development there is something awry and the supervisor must address this. It may feel as if I am dictating the use of flair to the staff member.

Every supervisor will have their own set of signs that they are overindulging in the righting reflex. Some other possible signs may be: the supervisor is talking much more than the staff, the staff is agreeing with everything, conversation is superficial and lacks meaning, etc. Upon reflection, supervisors may notice that they are using the righting reflex only with certain staff members or only in certain situations. It could be that supervisors tend to use a righting reflex when they themselves are feeling stressed or overwhelmed. In any case, it is important that supervisors have a good understanding of when, where and why they slip into the righting reflex.

While the aim of this article is not to get into the details of what to do in place of problem solving with staff, avoiding the righting reflex it a good first start. When a supervisor follows their righting reflex, it prevents a deeper conversation that increases a staff member's sense of autonomy, self efficacy and satisfaction. Taking a more guiding and less directive approach is a big step towards establishing a good relationship with staff based on respect and professionalism. Avoiding the righting reflex is not as easy as it may sound. Supervisors have long standing habits that can be hard to break, but we can all change our behaviors with some reflection, an open mind and practice.

---