Abstract:

This presentation will focus on the working alliance, regarded as the core of the supervision relationship. The supervision relationship varies and looks very different in Western cultures compared to some societies where substantial power distancing is the norm. Research by Hofstede (2010) suggests six dimensions of the teacher- student relationship that can be applicable to the supervision relationship. The presentation focuses on the power differences between Western and Eastern cultures and examines whether the traditional concept of working alliance is appropriate in cultures with large power difference. An integrative concept of working alliance will be introduced and considered, based on the four R model of Hargreaves (1994) with respect to their cultures. This concept includes Roles, Rules, Relationships and Responsibility. Suggestions are provided on ways to cultivate a more internationally appropriate perspective of the working alliance in supervision relationships. Practical implications will be given for ways to incorporate tools from the standard working alliance that can be adopted in large power difference cultures with regard for cultural awareness, norm diffusion by congruence building, and an application of ways to build in large power distance cultures effectively.

Keywords:

Working alliance, supervision relationship, multicultural counseling, multicultural issues, cultural awareness, power distancing.