You’re My Anchor and My Sail: A Metaphor for a Successful Supervisor/Supervisee Relationship

Abstract

Traversing a doctorate can be perilous, a voyage of self-doubt and discovery. You become the captain of your own ship, yet, when setting sail, the ocean stretches to the horizon, the swell is high, and the way strewn with rocks. The lone sailor, buoyed by adrenalin and the excitement of embarking on this adventure, can become overwhelmed with loneliness and uncertainty. When becalmed by a blank page, or in the turbulent waters of too many data, to whom can sailors turn? Do they have an anchor and a sail? I use the metaphor of an anchor and sail to examine the relationship between supervisor and supervisee throughout a doctoral voyage. I work through the song, interpret the metaphor and examine literature pertaining to that stage. Each section closes with my reflection on my doctoral journey and how my supervisor enacted the principles of good supervision elicited from the literature.