Towards Safe(R) Uncertainty: an Offering for Managers and Supervisors during a Pandemic

• Main Author: Jennifer McKinney
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Everything is Connected Press 2020-10-01
• Series: Murmurations
• Subjects: safe uncertainty; supervision; pandemic management; useful questions; COVID-19; systemic
• Online Access: http://murmurations.cloud/ojs/index.php/murmurations/article/view/90

In this paper I use Barry Mason’s safe uncertainty framework to assist supervisors and/or managers to enable staff to navigate their way through difficulties and dilemmas within the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. From a position that safety cannot be guaranteed, only worked towards, I use the idea of safe(R) uncertainty, R representing ideas such as reflexivity, resources, restraints and relational thinking to open up conversations within the supervisory process. Examples of supervision are provided to illustrate how the framework can provide a space for curiosity and the co-construction of possibilities for movement when staff come to an impasse. Examples of questions are provided that may help in the process. My intent is to free up some space for thinking about these processes rather than provide some type of prescriptive practice.