DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING

FM 6-22 Army Leadership

DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELINGTERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVEAction: Conduct Developmental

Counseling Conditions: As a leader in a

garrison environment given FM 6-22 Standard: Prepare for counseling

and conduct a subordinate-centered counseling session that produces a plan of action focusing the subordinate on individual and unit goal accomplishment

Types of Developmental Counseling

Event counselingPerformance counselingProfessional growth counseling

Event Counseling

Instances of superior or substandard performanceReception and integration counselingCrisis counselingReferral counselingPromotion counselingSeparation counseling

Counseling for Specific Instances

Explain the purpose of the counselingAddress specific unacceptable behavior or

actionExplain effects of behavior, action, or

performance on the rest of the organization

Actively listen to subordinate's responseRemain neutral or unemotional

Reception and Integration Counseling

Counsel all new team members when they join the organization

Serves two important purposes: Identifies and helps alleviate any problems or

concerns new members may have Familiarizes new team members with

organizational standards and how they fit into the team (sends message that chain of command cares)

Reception and Integration Counseling (continued)

Chain of Command Standards Security/Safety NCO support channel On/Off duty conduct Unit history,

structure, & mission Soldier programs

Off limit/danger areas Functions & location

of support activities On/Off post

recreational, educational, cultural, and historical opportunities

Crisis Counseling

Includes getting a Soldier through a period of shock after receiving negative news

Focuses on subordinate's immediate short-term needs

Leaders may assist by listening and providing appropriate assistance

Referrals are a part of assistance

Referral Counseling

Helps subordinates work through a personal situation

May or may not follow crisis counselingAims at preventing a problem from

becoming unmanageable Involves agencies such as Army

Community Services, Army Emergency Relief, a chaplain, or an alcohol and drug counselor

Promotion Counseling

Required for all specialists and sergeants who are eligible for advancement without waivers but not recommended for promotion to the next higher grade

Soldier receives initial (event-oriented) counseling when they attain full promotion eligibility and then periodic (performance/personal growth) thereafter

Adverse Separation Counseling

May involve informing Soldier of administrative actions available to the commander

May not apply when an individual has engaged in serious acts of misconduct

Considered when rehabilitative efforts fail Serves as final warning to Soldier to improve

performance or face discharge Ensure you include the “Magic Statement”

(AR 135-178 Para 2-4 and AR 635-200 Para 1-16)

Performance Counseling

Conduct a review of subordinate's duty performance over a certain period of time

Leader and subordinate jointly establish performance objectives and standards

Rather than dwelling on the past, focus on the future: strengths, areas of improvement, and potential

Required under the OER/NCOER evaluation process

Professional Growth Counseling

Planning for the accomplishment of individual and professional goals

Identify strengths and weaknesses to create an individual development plan

Use short and long term goals and objectives Include:

Military and civilian schooling Future duty assignments Reenlistment options

The Leader as a Counselor

Developmental counseling must be a shared effort

Leaders assist subordinates in identify strengths and weaknesses while creating a plan of action

Success = subordinates commitment to improve and candid in their own assessments and goal setting

The Leader as a Counselor (continued)

Caring and empathic leaders conduct counseling to help subordinates become better team members, maintain or improve performance, and prepare for the future by focusing on these key characteristics: Purpose Flexibility Respect Communication Support

Qualities of the Counselor

Qualities include: respect for subordinates, self-awareness and cultural awareness, empathy, and credibility

Ability to select proper approach to a specific situation

Consistently develop and improve own counseling abilities

General skills needed in almost every situation: active listening, responding, and questioning

Qualities of the Counselor (Active Listening)

Active listening includes: Eye contact Body posture Head nods Facial expressions Verbal expressions

Qualities of the Counselor(Responding)

A leader responds verbally and nonverbally to show understanding of the subordinate

Verbal: summarizing, interpreting, and clarifying subordinates message

Nonverbal: eye contact and occasional gestures such as a head nod

Qualities of the Counselor(Questioning)

Should be used with caution Too many can aggravate power differential

between leader and subordinate Too many could be an intrusion of privacy

causing subordinate to become defensive Ask questions to obtain additional information Should not lead to simple yes or no answers

Counseling Errors

Talking too much Giving unnecessary or inappropriate advice Not truly listening Projecting personal likes, dislikes, biases, and

prejudices Rash judgments Stereotyping Losing emotional control Improper follow-up

Accepting Limitations

Know you cannot help in every situation Seek outside assistance Respect individual's preference to contact an

agency on their own Some agencies to know: Red Cross, AER,

ACS, ASAP, Chaplain, Career Counselor, IG, EO, Education Office

Adaptive Approaches to Counseling

Nondirective Directive Combined

Nondirective Approach

Advantage Encourages maturity Encourages open

communication Develops personal

responsibility

Disadvantages More time

consuming Requires greatest

counselor skills

Directive Approach

Advantage Quickest method Good for people

who need clear, concise direction

Allows counselors to use their experience

Disadvantage Subordinates not

part of the solution Treats symptoms,

not problems Discourage

subordinates from talking freely

Solution is counselor's, not subordinate's

Combined Approach

Advantage Moderately quickly Encourages maturity Encourages open

communication Allows counselors to

use their experience

Disadvantage May take too much

time for some situations

Counseling Techniques

Nondirective or combined approach: Suggesting alternatives Recommending Persuading Advising

Directive approach: Corrective training Commanding

Four-Stage Counseling Process

Identify the need for counseling Prepare for counseling Conduct counseling Follow-up

Identify the Need for Counseling

Counseling associated with evaluations Command directed Developmental counseling

Prepare for Counseling

Select a suitable place Schedule the time Notify the subordinate well in advance Organize information Outline the counseling session components Plan the counseling strategy Establish the right atmosphere

Conduct Counseling

Opening the Session Discussing the Issues Developing a Plan of Action Recording and Closing the Session

Opening the Session

States purpose and establishes subordinate-centered setting

Invites subordinate to speak If applicable, starts by reviewing the status of

the current plan of action

Discuss the Issues

Attempt to develop mutual and clear understanding of counseling issues

Use active listening; invite subordinate to do most of the talking

Ask questions without dominating the conversation

If substandard performance leader must be clear why standards were not met

Leader must clearly establish what the subordinate must do to meet standard in future

Plan of Action

Identifies method of pathway for achieving a desired result

Specifies what subordinate must do to reach agreed-upon goals

Plan of action must be specific Include a tentative date for the assessment

session (this holds the leader accountable for follow-up to determine if the plan of action worked or needs to be modified)

Record and Close the Session

Leader benefit is to document main points of counseling session, even informal ones

Documentation serves as: Ready reference for plan of action Helps leader track subordinate

accomplishments, achievements, improvements, personal preferences, problems

Required for separations, bars to reenlistment, and overweight program

Follow-up

Leader Responsibilities Modify initial plan if necessary Teach, coach, mentor, or provide additional

time, referrals and other appropriate resources Assess the Plan of Action

Leader and subordinate jointly determine if desired results were achieved

Determine assessment date during initial counseling session

DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVEAction: Conduct Developmental

Counseling Conditions: As a leader in a

garrison environment given FM 6-22 Standard: Prepare for counseling

and conduct a subordinate-centered counseling session that produces a plan of action focusing the subordinate on individual and unit goal accomplishment

After Action Review

1. What was supposed to happen?

2. What did happen?

3. What were the strengths during this class?

4. What were the weaknesses (or what went wrong) during this class?

5. What can be done better next time to improve this training?

Reference: TC 25-20