Social Innovation ForumJoin SIF for an interactive, full-day session designed for new supervisors. Across five modules, participants will reflect, build skills, and apply learnings with a network of peers.
Module 1: Building Trust as a Supervisor: Laying the foundation for strong working relationships
Trust is the cornerstone of effective supervision. Yet the inherent power differential between supervisors and staff can make trust-building challenging. Differences in race, culture, gender identity, and other lived experiences can further shape how trust is built, experienced, or disrupted in the workplace.
In this module, participants will:
- Explore what research tells us about the key elements of trust
- Reflect on their own patterns, habits, and assumptions in workplace relationships
- Identify concrete, values-aligned strategies for strengthening trust with direct reports
Module 2: Situational Supervision: A Pathway to Equity and Trust
Demonstrating a willingness to adapt our supervisory approach to meet the needs of each team member is a powerful way to build trust and support staff success. At the same time, many supervisors worry that treating people differently is unfair. This module challenges the myth of “one-size-fits-all” supervision and centers equity as meeting people where they are.
In this module, participants will:
- Identify their default or preferred supervision style
- Learn how to assess what different staff need in different situations
- Examine how prioritizing staff needs—over our own comfort—strengthens mutual trust and respect
- Develop a practical plan for applying situational supervision in their day-to-day work
Module 3: Building Trust Through Intentional Communication
Clear, direct, and thoughtful communication is essential to equitable supervision—yet many new (and experienced) supervisors hesitate to give feedback or address challenges directly. When feedback is uneven or avoided, staff with greater access, shared identities, or a stronger sense of belonging may benefit disproportionately.
This module focuses on building the skills and confidence needed to communicate in ways that support transparency, fairness, and growth for all team members.
In this module, participants will:
- Reflect on common barriers to clear and direct communication
- Explore why receiving feedback can be challenging—and how to navigate those challenges
- Plan and practice engaging in different types of feedback conversations
Module 4: Supervising in Practice: The nuts and bolts
Many nonprofit supervisors step into management roles “accidentally”—because they are strong individual contributors, long-time staff, or simply willing to step up when needed. Too often, they receive little guidance or support in navigating the practical responsibilities of supervision.
In this module, participants will:
- Clarify the core responsibilities and expectations of the supervisory role
- Identify personal strengths and areas for growth as a supervisor
- Learn how to leverage consistent one-on-one meetings to support accountability, connection, and trust
- Assess their current approach to supervision meetings and develop strategies to make them more effective
Module 5: Application and Collective Problem-Solving
Learning new strategies is only meaningful if we can apply them in real situations. In this final module, participants will focus on translating insight into action.
Together, we will:
- Identify individual goals and next steps for strengthening trust and respect with staff
- Engage in collective problem-solving around real supervisory challenges brought by participants
- Leave with concrete strategies, peer support, and a clearer path forward
Who should participate:
Nonprofit staff who are new to supervising in the past two years or so (or who still feel new and want a refresher), and those who anticipate becoming supervisors soon.
Facilitator:
Lyn Freundlich (she/her), M.S., C.P.C., has over 35 years of experience working in and with mission oriented nonprofit organizations. Always focused on justice - environmental, economic, racial - she is proud that she has remained in the nonprofit sector for her entire career. She has worked in large, international organizations and tiny, member-driven, local ones. She has served in Executive, Human Resources, Operations, and Director level roles. After decades of work with mission-passionate, charismatic leaders, Lyn grew interested in the scaffolding needed to support their success. In 2003 she joined nonprofit capacity builder TSNE, where she oversaw the internal operational and personnel aspects of the organization and also launched TSNE’s human resources training and consulting practice for small to mid-sized grassroots, social justice, and other mission-focused nonprofits. In 2021 Lyn launched her own consultancy, Change for Good Coaching and Consulting, where she trains and supports leaders at all levels and works with organizations to bring their values to life through internal systems and practices.