External supervisors work in a conflict-prone environment, and the very process of evaluation is an occasion for disagreement, where controversy may be the rule rather than the exception.37 Anxiety may be expected and is to some extent beneficial in evaluation, yet in our data we find signs of so-called excessive evaluation anxiety, including conflict, avoidance, resistance, shame and anger,17,18 which may all inhibit performance. While this is unpleasant for providers, such environment may also wear down evaluators in their aspirations for objective evaluations and respectful professional relations. Over time, objectivity and the supervisory relationship may begin to come apart.17