Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/you-are-a-director-not-a-therapist/5021378/
VIGNETTE #1:You find an endless line of teachers coming into your office to discuss their personal lives. It seems like every supervision conference ends with a staff member looking for help with life at home. Employees continue to approach you with heavy personal issues; when they leave, you’re the one who feels weighted down.
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If any of this seems familiar, then you may very well be the director of an Early Care and Education program. Many of us entered the field as nurturing and kind professionals with an interest in helping others. Most of this behavior is offered to the children and families we serve. As well, there is certainly nothing wrong with behaving in a kind manner with the people who work for us. However, in this context, kindness should not be confused with trying to be a staff person’s primary support person. Most adults have built a supportive group for themselves, made up of friends, relatives, and acquaintances. In usual circumstances, those are the people who adults go to for support, empathy, and advice. This is a healthy approach. I am also aware that there are some on your staff who may not have a support group at this ...