Of the multitude of strategies discussed this week for increasing work enjoyment for staff, what is your favorite/most preferred strategy discussed in this module? How will you integrate this strategy into your supervision practice in the future? What will it look like when you implement it with a supervisee/trainee? Are there any practices discussed that you will avoid in your supervision in the future, and why?

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

My Preferred Strategy: Fostering Autonomy and Mastery

Among the strategies discussed for increasing work enjoyment, my favorite and most preferred is fostering autonomy and mastery. This approach aligns with intrinsic motivation, which research consistently shows is more powerful and sustainable than extrinsic rewards.

  • Why I Prefer It:
    • It empowers individuals to take ownership of their work, leading to a greater sense of purpose and accomplishment.
    • It encourages continuous learning and skill development, which are essential for professional growth and job satisfaction.
    • It builds trust and collaboration, creating a positive and supportive work environment.

Integrating Autonomy and Mastery into My Supervision Practice:

In my future supervision practice, I will actively integrate this strategy by:

  • Delegating Meaningful Tasks:
    • Rather than micromanaging, I will delegate tasks that align with the supervisee’s interests and skill development goals.
    • I will provide clear expectations and resources, but allow the supervisee to determine how to approach and complete the task.
  • Encouraging Skill Development:
    • I will provide opportunities for supervisees to learn new skills and enhance their existing abilities.
    • This may involve providing access to training, workshops, or mentorship programs.
    • I will encourage them to set personal goals for skill development and provide feedback on their progress.

My Preferred Strategy: Fostering Autonomy and Mastery

Among the strategies discussed for increasing work enjoyment, my favorite and most preferred is fostering autonomy and mastery. This approach aligns with intrinsic motivation, which research consistently shows is more powerful and sustainable than extrinsic rewards.

  • Why I Prefer It:
    • It empowers individuals to take ownership of their work, leading to a greater sense of purpose and accomplishment.
    • It encourages continuous learning and skill development, which are essential for professional growth and job satisfaction.
    • It builds trust and collaboration, creating a positive and supportive work environment.

Integrating Autonomy and Mastery into My Supervision Practice:

In my future supervision practice, I will actively integrate this strategy by:

  • Delegating Meaningful Tasks:
    • Rather than micromanaging, I will delegate tasks that align with the supervisee’s interests and skill development goals.
    • I will provide clear expectations and resources, but allow the supervisee to determine how to approach and complete the task.
  • Encouraging Skill Development:
    • I will provide opportunities for supervisees to learn new skills and enhance their existing abilities.
    • This may involve providing access to training, workshops, or mentorship programs.
    • I will encourage them to set personal goals for skill development and provide feedback on their progress.
  • Providing Constructive Feedback:
    • I will provide regular, specific, and actionable feedback that focuses on growth and development.
    • I will emphasize progress and celebrate successes, while also providing guidance on areas for improvement.
    • I will encourage self reflection.
  • Creating a Supportive Environment:
    • I will cultivate a safe space where the supervisee feels comfortable to try new things, and make mistakes.
    • I will encourage open communication.

Implementation with a Supervisee/Trainee:

Here’s how this might look in practice:

  • Initial Meeting:
    • I would begin by discussing the supervisee’s interests, strengths, and development goals.
    • We would collaboratively identify tasks and projects that align with these goals.
  • Ongoing Supervision:
    • I would provide regular check-ins to monitor progress, offer support, and address any challenges.
    • I would encourage the supervisee to reflect on their work and identify areas for improvement.
    • I would give them projects that increase in difficulty as they master each step.
  • Feedback Sessions:
    • I would provide constructive feedback that focuses on the supervisee’s growth and development.
    • I would celebrate their successes and provide guidance on areas for improvement.

Practices to Avoid: Excessive Control and Lack of Recognition

I will avoid practices that undermine autonomy and mastery, such as:

  • Micromanagement:
    • Constantly monitoring and controlling every aspect of the supervisee’s work stifles creativity and initiative.
    • It also conveys a lack of trust, which can damage the supervisory relationship.
  • Lack of Recognition:
    • Failing to acknowledge and appreciate the supervisee’s contributions can lead to demotivation and disengagement.
    • Recognition should be genuine and specific, focusing on the supervisee’s efforts and accomplishments.
  • Ignoring Development Goals:
    • Supervisors must not ignore the development goals of the person being supervised. By ignoring these goals, the supervisor is showing that they do not care about the person being supervised.
  • Only focusing on the negative.
    • Only pointing out the negative aspects of a supervisee’s work will cause them to feel unappreciated, and cause them to not want to try new things.

By prioritizing autonomy and mastery, I aim to create a supervision experience that is both supportive and empowering, fostering professional growth and job satisfaction.

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