LEADERSHIP COUNSELING

1
LEADERSHIPCOUNSELING

• REFERENCES
• AR 600-20
• AR 635-105(OER)
• AR 635-205(NCOER)
• FM 22-100

2
WHO IN THE US ARMYIS REQUIRED TO RECEIVE
COUNSELING?
3
EVERYONE!
AR 600-20, PAGE 14 PARAGRAPH 2-3 STATES
Commanders will ensure that all members of their
command receive timely performance counseling.
Effective performance counseling of officer,
noncommissioned officer, enlisted soldiers, and
DA civilian employees helps to ensure that they
are prepared to efficiently carry out their
duties and accomplish the mission
GOING ON TO SAY.
Providing regular and EFFECTIVE performance to
all soldiers, not just those whose performance
fails to meet unit standards, is a command
function
4
WHAT ARE THE FOUR STAGES OF THE COUNSELING
PROCESS?
5
THE FOUR STAGES OF COUNSELING ARE 1.)
Identify the need for counseling. 2.)
Prepare for counseling. 3.) Conduct
counseling. 4.) FOLLOW UP!!!
6
IDENTIFY THE NEED FOR COUNSELING Identifying
the need for counseling is not just an
identification of a bad or good instance.
Proper counseling can and should be used in the
context of improving the tasks we perform on a
daily basis. This is not to say that you will
have time to formally counsel each individual
when conducting training, or that you will even
have the opportunity. But we should strive to do
this as much as possible. Remember, the
quality time you spend in the developmental phase
will pay off ten fold in two, five, even ten
years down the road.
7
PREPARE FOR COUNSELING 1.) Select a suitable
place. 2.) Schedule the time. 3.) Notify the
subordinate well in advance. 4.) Organize
information 5.) Outline the counseling session
components. 6.) Plan your counseling
strategy. 7.) Establish the right atmosphere.
8
PLANNING A COUNSELING STRATEGY
As many approaches to counseling exist as there
are leaders. We use directive, non-directive,
and combined approaches to fit our personal
leadership styles as well as the situation.
9
Establishing The Right Atmosphere The right
atmosphere promotes 2 way communication between
a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed
atmosphere, you may offer the subordinate a seat,
a cup of coffee or soda. You may want to sit in
a chair facing the subordinate, since a desk can
act as a barrier.
10
Some situations make an informal atmosphere
inappropriate. For example To correct sub-
standard performance you may want to have
the subordinate stand while you sit.
11
DEVELOP A PLAN OF ACTION
When a training weakness or other fault
requires counseling you must develop a plan of
action to resolve, improve, or overcome the
deficiency. You can be directive or work together
to come up with a plan, but the one constant,
the thing that MUST be maintained is to make the
plan specific and AVOID MAKING YOUR INTENTIONS
VAGUE.
12
EXAMPLE OF THIS IS Next month I want you to
improve your land navigation skills. Your plan
must be concrete, and in direct terms. Next week
you will go through the map reading class with
1st platoon. SGT Dixon will help you to develop
your land navigation skills, and determine at
that time if you require further training.
13
RECORD AND CLOSE THE SESSION
The different reasons for counseling dictate the
need or REQUIREMENT for the amount of detail in
which you record your counseling session. FOR
EXAMPLE If you are counseling someone in
reference to a possible admin separation,
regulation requires that you record certain
information much more accurately than what is
required for general counseling.
14
FOLLOW UP
The follow-up is in many ways the most important
part of counseling. Without an effective
follow-up, the rest of your counseling could be
ineffective and many ways incomplete. The
follow-up is the method we use to ensure that the
plan of action was being adhered to, or is even
attaining the desired effect. If it is not
meeting with the desired effect, changes need to
be made AND RECORDED.