leadership counseling - ch4

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Planned Action

The new lieutenant wondered what he was goingto do about the man who, until last month, had beenhis best NCO. The sergeant had been in charge untilthe lieutenant arrived from the Officer Basic Course.The sergeant was an old pro who watched out forthe lieutenant and gave him sound advice while helearned the ropes. The unit really functioned smoothly,and the lieutenant owed the sergeant a debt of grati-tude for his helpful guidance. Then the sergeant beganslipping upfirst, on little things, then on moreimportant duties. There were definite signs that

alcohol was involvedthe troops could see it too. Whatwas the lieutenant to do, and how? The lieutenantthought for a while, made up his mind, and began toprepare for some counseling he wished he didnt haveto do.

Six months later, the unit had just completed anunannounced readiness test and received praise for itsexcellent state of preparedness and its overallperformance. Everyone carried his share of the load.The sergeant came up to the lieutenant and thankedhim for making that hard decision and for gettinginvolved six months before. The sergeant now knew

he had been headed for serious personal trouble andwould have let the unit down if it had not been forthe lieutenants watching out for him.

COUNSELING PROGRAMSAn effective counseling program is essential to devel-

oping a cohesive unit capable of accomplishing itsmission quickly and efficiently. A units counselingprogram can be viewed as an organizational communi-

cation system that strengthens the links in the chainof command. All soldiers, especially those in leadershippositions, need periodic counseling and coaching. In aproperly operating program, leaders all along the chainof command counsel their immediate subordinates. For

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example, company commanders expect to be counseledby their battalion commander just as privates arecounseled by their immediate NCO leader.

Counseling programs improve communication in aunit by building trust and confidence. The communica-tion must flow upward as well as downward. A leadersrespect for the dignity and well-being of subordinatesis reflected in the counseling he initiates. This helpscreate a positive command climate where soldiers ini-tiate upward communication. Soldiers seek out theirleaders to share information, ask for advice, and lookfor ass is tance wi th the i r problems. When these

exchanges benefit subordinates, open and improvedcommunications result. (More information about thecommunication process is in chapter 8, FM 22-100.)

A counseling program must be designed to meet theneeds of the unit. It can be established by a policyletter, the unit SOP, or the commanders directive. Inany situation, it must foster an open door attitude.All members of the chain of command must be acces-s ib le to the i r subordina tes . There must a l so bescheduled or periodic counseling and coaching. A

soldier must be told often how he is performing, notjust when an efficiency report is due.

A unit program should accomplish the following:

Strengthen the chain of command.

Clarify policies and procedures.Reinforce standards.

Prevent rumors.

Praise success.

Provide feedback on administrative actions.

Clarify priorities.Avoid Surprises.

Provide needed information.

Develop responsible subordinates.

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COUNSELING PROCESSPREPARE FOR COUNSELING

Preparation is the key to a successful counseling

session. Sometimes, however, planning for counselingis not possible. This is the case when a soldier asksfor immediate help or when the leader gives a pat onthe back or when he makes an on-the-spot correction.In such situations, however, leaders who know theirsoldiers and their duties are mentally prepared torespond to their needs. The leader can always provideeffective and timely guidance.

In preparing for scheduled counseling sessions, theleader should consider the following points:

Notify the soldier.

Schedule the best time.

Choose a suitable place.

Decide the right atmosphere.Plan the discussion.

N o t i f y t h e S o l d i e r . T h e so l d i e r wh o i s t o b ecounseled should be given advance notice. As aminimum, notification should tell the soldier wh y ,where, and when the counseling is to take place. Thisgives the soldier an oppor tuni ty to prepare histhoughts. Just as leaders need time to prepare, soldiers

being counseled need time to prepare and organizewhat they want to say. The soldier may have othercommitments that are more important or that need tobe rescheduled.

Notification too early, however, may disrupt somesoldiers. This is particularly true if a young soldier isnotified far in advance of a counseling session withan officer or senior noncommissioned officer. He maybe nervous about speaking to someone several levelsabove him in the chain of command and spend thetime worrying about the meeting.

Normally, counseling is conducted by the soldiersimmediate noncommissioned officer supervisor. Whencounseling is to be conducted by another more seniorleader, the chain of command should be used to notify

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the soldier. The leader may not choose to use the chainof command, however, when the topic of counseling is

personal. In this case, the chain of command shouldbe informed that the individual will be counseled on apersonal matter.

Schedule the Best Time. Ideally, a counseling sessionshould be shorter than half an hour, and always lessthan an hour. If a session will require more than halfan hour, scheduling two sessions may be best. Longersessions become unproductive and tend to get off thesubject. Counseling soldiers about very difficult issuesis tough. Such issues often are not resolved in a one-time shot. One meeting may be enough to define theproblem, but not enough to ensure success. Complexproblems needing more than an hour may indicate theneed for additional expertise. It is better to counselsoldiers during the duty day. Keeping a soldier afterduty hours may cause a negative exchange.

In deciding when to schedule the counseling session,the counselor should select a time flee from competitionwith other activities. Leaders should also consider whathas been planned after the counseling session. If some-thing highly important will take place, soldiers may

be distracted and unable to concentrate on the counsel-ing session.

Choose a Suitable Place. The place selected for acounseling session should be free from distractingsights and sounds. A location where the leader canlisten to the soldier without interruptions is best.Counseling is not restricted to an office; it may wellbe conducted in the field, motor pool, barracks, orwherever duties are being performed.

Dec ide the R ight Atmosphere . Having the r ightatmosphere promotes two-way communication betweenthe counselor and the soldier. A soldier at ease nor-mally discusses matters more openly. To establish arelaxed atmosphere, the leader may let the soldier sitor drink a cup of coffee during the discussion. The

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counselor may want to get out from behind the deskand sit in a chair facing the soldier. A desk can actas a barrier to free and open communication.

Sometimes, however, the situation makes an infor-mal atmosphere inappropriate. The setting is important;certain familiar areas may undermine the counseling.For instance, in discipline counseling the soldier isdirected to remain standing while the leader remainsseated behind a desk. This kind of atmosphere rein-forces the counselors rank, position in the chain ofcommand, and authority as a leader. This is normallyused to give specific guidance that the soldier mustfollow. The subordinate quickly learns that the leader

is demanding a certain manner of bearing, conduct,and soldierly response.

Plan the Discussion. Counselors should outline whatthey wish to talk about. It should guide the discussionbut allow flexibility to react to situations that developduring the counseling. The outline should include pointsto discuss and the order in which to mention them.The outline is a tool; it should not prevent discussingthe soldiers concerns.

Counselors must be certain they have the necessary

information, are familiar with it, and are sure of thefacts. This can be done by

Collecting information and data to better understandthe soldiers ideas and attitudes.

Summarizing and organizing the information to

describe strengths and weaknesses or advantages anddisadvantages. Interpreting the information as it pertains to meetingestablished standards as well as looking for certainconsistencies and patterns.

Identifying the problem from a leaders view and try-

ing to discover the cause. The leaders perspective ofthe problem may be different from the soldiers view.Hence, outlines must be flexible.

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Important to the plan is deciding what approach touse during the counseling session. For performance,

personal, and career counseling especially, the betterthe leader knows the soldiers, the easier it will be todecide what approach to use and to plan the discussion.(Information about ways to structure counseling is pro-vided in appendixes E and F.)

CONDUCT A COUNSELING SESSION

A counseling session can be divided into threephases: opening the session, discussion, and closing thesession.

Opening the Session. The manner used when open-ing the counseling session largely determines i tseffectiveness. The first objective is to establish rapportwith the soldier and to reduce any uncertainty. Sincenervousness and tension are easi ly detected, thecounselor must create an atmosphere that will notdisturb the soldier. When using the directive approachespecially, the leader must appear confident and incontrol of the situation. When using the nondirectiveapproach, the soldier must feel relaxed and free to

speak openly. Once the soldier has finished reportingin the proper manner, the leader begins to establishthe climate by either starting the discussion with thesoldier standing or by placing him at ease and offeringa chair. The leaders first actions and remarks helpestablish the desired atmosphere.

The second objective is to explain the reason and tooutline the conduct of the counseling session. Inperformance, discipline, or career counseling, the leadernormally explains the reason for the session and what

he hopes to accomplish. In cases where personalcounseling has been requested, the soldier should out-line what he hopes to obtain from the session. Also,leaders should establish the structure, set general timelimits, and discuss the degree of confidentiality at thestart of the session.

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D iscuss ion . During this phase, the leader shouldensure that effective, two-way communication is takingplace. Whatever the reason for counseling, both partiesmust have a clear understanding.

The steps taken depend upon the reason for coun-seling, the approach used, and the way the leader hasoutlined the discussion in preparing for the session. Ifusing a problem-solving process, the leader gathersinformation and then causes the soldier to define theproblem, develop courses of action, select the bestsolution, and implement it. Career counseling requiresdifferent steps. In the case of a first-term soldieruncertain about reenlistment, the leader might firstcause the soldier to explain his accomplishments and

strengths or where he is at. He then might have thesoldier explain in general terms what his future goalsare and what he wants to do next or where he isgoing. Finally, the leader can tell the soldier how tomatch his strengths and goals with specific careeropportunities or how he can get there.

In any situation, if misunderstanding arises, thecounselor must s top and clear up any confusion,perhaps by going back to a previous step. If, duringcounseling, the nature of a soldiers problem or needfor information seems to be beyond the ability and quali-fications of the leader, the leader should stop and referthe soldier to the appropriate support agency.

Clos ing the Sess ion. In c los ing the counsel ingsession, the leader must summarize what has beendiscussed. The counselor must ensure that both partiesunderstand what each is expected to do. One way is tohave the soldier review what he is going to do andwhat he expects the leader to do. Any additional ques-tions may be answered, but the closing is not the timeto bring up new information. Any future meetingsshould be scheduled, at least tentatively, before dis-missing the soldier.

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FOLLOW UP ON COUNSELING

The leaders duties have not been fully performedwhen the counseling session ends. After talking and

listening to a soldier, the leader should pause to assesshis own performance during the session. Then he musteither act on or follow up on what was discussed.Ensuring that the proper actions are being taken andthat the right things are happening contributes to aleaders credibility. The time taken to follow up helpsmake the counseling efforts productive and contributesto the units effectiveness.

Fol low-Up Measures . Follow-up is the key to getresults from counseling. A leaders follow-up measures

may include Letting the chain of command know the results of

counseling regarding the soldiers reaction or decision.Taking action or making referrals to outside agencies

as agreed upon during the session.

Continuing to evaluate the situation to ensure thatthe problem is being resolved or that the proper actionis being taken.

Recognizing any positive results, even simple things.

This can be done with a letter, a certificate, an award,

a good efficiency report, or even with a pat on the backand simple praise.Taking corrective measures for poor results. Another

counseling session may be necessary to determine ifthere has been any change. In some cases of failure torespond to performance counseling, a discipline counsel-ing session may be necessary.

Written Records. Keeping written records is importantin follow-up. This documentation is a ready referenceof a soldiers accomplishments, improvements, personal

preferences, or problems. A complete record of counsel-ing provides the leader a tool to aid in recommenda-tions for professional development, schools, promotions,and efficiency reports. DA Form 4856-R can be used torecord most counseling. (Examples of written record out-lines are in appendix D.)

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Specialist Johnson,I checked into

your applicationfor jump school andyou go in January.

Certain legal and administratlve actions requirewritten records of counseling. Many elimination actionsdo not succeed because the unit leadership failed todocument its counseling of the substandard soldier.These unsuccessful actions both aggravate the com-mander and undermine the morale of a unit. In thosecases where separation is a dist inct possibil i ty,emphasis must be placed on maintaining accuratecounseling records. The fact that the commander isdocumenting the soldiers substandard actions conveysa strong corrective message to the soldier.

When there is no locally required form or policy onrecords of counseling, the following items are recom-mended:

Date, time, and place of the counseling session.

Reason for counseling.

Individuals involved.

Items or problems discussed.

Soldier response.

Recommendations made or actions to be taken.

Required follow-up actions.

Counselors signature.

Any written records must be kept confidential anddestroyed when the soldier leaves the unit . Thismaintains the soldiers trust and confidence.

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R E A C T I O N S A N D P I T F A L L S

SOLDIER REACTIONS

Soldiers react to counseling in many ways. Theirreactions are influenced by the reason for counselingand by the way it is initiated. Most soldiers want tobe considered capable of performing their duties andwant to gain the approval of their leaders. However,there are also negative reactions to counseling. Thesenegative reactions can block improved performance andsoldier development. The reactions discussed hereinclude both positive and negative reactions as well assuggestions for dealing with them.

Nervousness. The soldier may appear nervous andoverly sensitive. This may be caused by the counselorsown nervousness or by his failure to put the soldier atease. The counselor should explain the purpose of thesession to eliminate any uncertainty. He may begin bydiscussing something the soldier has done well or bydiscussing a subject with which the soldier is familiar.Giving the soldier a chance to respond may help relievethe tension.

Cooperation. Most soldiers react positively to the

guidance and assistance of a competent leader. Mostare willing to participate and accept suggestions forimprovement. Some may be surprised at parts of thediscussion, but they will respond eagerly and may evenask for more constructive guidance to gain recognition.

Rational Disagreement. Soldiers may not always agreewith cri t icism or with evaluation, but disagree-ment can be rational and unemotional. Counselorsshould expect some disagreement based on differencesin information available, personality, and perception of

the situation. It could be helpful toward developing self-reliance in the soldier. Disagreement may come about,however, because the soldier has not understood whathas been said. Misunderstandings need to be clarified.Once the soldier understands, there may sti l l bedisagreement.

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TO O E a s y A g re e me n t . The soldier may agreecompletely and almost too easily. This may show that

the soldier does not understand or is indifferent. Thecounselor must ensure that the soldier is truly agreeing,rather than trying to avoid more criticism or trying toavoid confronting a problem. Rank may also influencethe soldier, causing him to feel intimidated or thatdisagreeing is wrong. The soldier must feel free tospeak honestly and openly.

Determinat ion to Argue . The soldier may seemdetermined to argue or disagree with any evaluation,opinions, or suggestions. This may indicate that the

problem is not what it appears to be. The soldier maybe scared or have some disorder that requires profes-sional help. The soldier must be encouraged to talkfreely while the counselor listens to determine what thereal problem is. The leader must calmly, and withoutarguing, ensure the soldier understands the leaderspoint of view. Referral through the chain of commandmay be necessary.

Attempts to Shift Blame. The soldier may seek toavoid blame by shifting the criticism to other soldiers,superiors, or even to official policy. The soldier mustbe allowed to explain fully while the counselor listensimpartially. The leader may need to guide the soldierthrough the discussion while the leader organizes theinformation and assists the soldier to provide specificinformation to substantiate each claim. The soldiermay retreat from any position that is unsupported byfacts. The leader must inform the soldier that all ofthe circumstances described will be verified. This mayrequire another counseling session to provide feedbackto the soldier. The soldier should be required to takeresponsibility for those matters which are his.

Loss of Temper. The soldier may lose his temper andbecome emotional, angry, or abusive. The counselorshould listen, not argue, and try to find what caused

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the loss of temper. The soldier may recover and coun-seling, can continue, or the counselor will restore order

and explain that such behavior will not be tolerated.Postponing the session until the soldier cools off maybe necessary.

Desire to Quit. The soldier may want to quit and turnaway from problems. The counselor can explain waysto overcome the problems and then convince the soldierto try. It may be necessary to end the counselingsession without a resolution and deal with the problemlater so that the soldier does not feel a solution hasbeen forced on him.

COUNSELING PITFALLS

A pitfall is a hidden or not easily recognized dangeror difficulty. Likes, dislikes, biases, and prejudices arepotential pitfalls that can interfere with the counselingrelationship. These are common pitfalls the leadershould avoid.

Personal Bias. Values are ideas about the worth orimportance of things, concepts, and people. They come

from a persons beliefs. Personal values influence per-sonal priorities or desirability of different alternatives.If differences between personal values are ignored,facts can become distorted and problems furthercomplicated.

Rash Judgments. This is the tendency to evaluate asoldier on the basis of appearance or of a specificbehavior trait. For example, some people will say of aneatly dressed soldier passing by, There goes a good

soldier! This statement is not always true because theevaluation is based on one characteristicneatness. Ahalo effect may come from a significant accomplish-ment or from a favorable first impression. It can alsoresult from one bad impression, from disciplinaryproblems, or from association with a group whose

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members are known to be troublemakers. After a rashjudgment is made, the leader tends to ignore significantinformation, thus failing to develop a complete oraccurate evaluation. To overcome this, the leader shouldalways keep the problem in mind and challenge thoseevaluations based on one factor or observation.

Stereo typ ing . This involves judging soldiers onpresumed group physical or behavior characteristics.Examples include the false judgment that all big sol-diers are slow, all thin soldiers are weak, or all soldierswith high foreheads are intelligent. These notions areseldom correct. Evaluations should be made only on a

soldiers demonstrated behavior or on his demonstratedability and not on presumed physical, racial, or othercharacteristics. Leaders should not stereotype soldiersnor should they let stereotyping affect an evaluationor recommendation.

Loss of Emotional Control . The advantage of self-control to a leader applies in his role as counselor. Ifthe counselor controls his emotions, the soldier is ledto do the same. If the counselor loses control, he losescontrol of the session and little is accomplished. Differ-ences of opinion are acceptable, but arguing, debating,or having a heated discussion is not. These actionstake time away from the counseling session, upset thesoldier, and weaken the ability to think clearly. Whilethere may be disagreement with a philosophy or atti-tude, it should not influence the evaluation of thesituation.

Inflexible Methods. This refers to using the same coun-seling methods with all soldiers. Soldiers will vary

according to their individual personalities, experiences,education, problems, situations, and surroundings. Thesame counseling approach or technique will not beeffective for all. Leaders must know each soldiersindividuality and adapt their approach accordingly.

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Amateur Character Analysis. Leaders must recog-nize and accept their limitations in counseling soldiers.

Simple problem solving, providing facts, and evaluatingduty performance and conduct are within the range ofmost leaders competence. The temptation to become anamateur psychologist or psychiatrist must be avoided.Leaders should not try to determine or to change deep-seated personality disorders that certain actions of thesoldier might indicate. Counselors must be able toidentify those situations which are clearly beyond theircapabilities and refer the soldier to the appropriatesupport agency for help.

Improper Follow-Up. To retain and strengthen thesoldiers confidence in his leaders, proper and completefollow-up is important. The soldier may request moreinformation at the close of a session. A brief outlineand confirmation of the information should be obtainedprior to the next meeting. Unkept promises to onesoldier will cause the loss of confidence and respect ofother soldiers. Follow-up is especially important whena soldier is referred to an agency for assistance.Because of his referral, the soldier may feel that the

leader no longer cares. Sometimes soldiers are intimi-dated by outside agencies and may require interventionby the leader.

Reluctance to Counsel. Young, inexperienced leadersoften hesitate to counsel subordinates on areas forimprovement. Some junior leaders may want to avoidthe unpleasant duty of discussing shortcomings for fearof becoming unpopular. Others may be reluctant tocounsel subordinates who have been in the unit orservice longer than they have. But without the coun-seling effort, problems will get worse. These youngleaders must realize that they have a responsibility tocounsel subordinates fairly and objectively and thattheir seniors will assist them in developing their coun-seling skills.

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SUMMARY

This chapter has explained the elements of effectivecounseling. Every counseling situation will be different;there is no one single plan or process for successfulcounseling. The elements of effective leadership coun-seling that were discussed are

Leaders must prepare for their counseling responsibili-ties by knowing their soldiers and their duties.

Leaders must mentally prepare to respond to soldiersneeds in critical situations or to provide on-the-spotpraise and guidance.

Counseling sessions must be planned and conducted

with specific goals in mind.The way the leader opens the discussion significantly

influences the soldiers behavior or reactions.Leaders must follow up on counseling to ensure that

all actions discussed are accomplished.Leaders must be alert for soldiers reactions during

counseling and respond appropriately.Knowledge of the common counseling pitfalls helps

leaders to avoid them.

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leadership counseling - ch4

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