Counseling.....How do you do it?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 08:53:27 -0500

http://www.themilitaryleader.com/12-tips-for-effectively-counseling-your-subordinates/

Interesting short read! Does counseling need to be written down every time? Do we need to schedule on a weekly, monthly, quarterly basis? Does just reviewing a situation with a subordinate constitute counseling?

For my take, every time we talk with our Subordinates, we are counseling them. We provide professional feedback on our expectations, our requirements, on their performance. As professionals, we should always be taking notes when our leaders talk to us.

For some reason the link is not showing up as usual, but click on it for a great, short read!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 8:57 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 08:57:01 -0500

Awesome article!!

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 17 at 2015 9:09 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 09:09:10 -0500

I used to carry a notebook. It let me keep track of the days events, whether it was the training schedule, taskers, or counselling (from above, or to below).

I like the "azimuth check" style of counseling for anything below quarterly. Keep it informal. Check in, make sure we're on the same page, and there are no surprises, and when we get to quarterly write things down. When we get to semi or annual, we have (hopefully) nice documentation that supports things. My notebook (and hopefully theirs) has little dates with good and bad with supporting facts.

Now, does every piece of counselling need to be written down? Yes. Our memories are flawed. The old saying "1 f$%^ is worth a thousand attaboys" is why. I'd hate to go into a counselling statement "only" remembering a recent failure when a troop has been doing an excellent job for the last 6-12 months. Having documentation helps prevent that. The reverse is also true. A recent stellar performance can't undo several months of mess-ups. It can show improvement, but it doesn't erase it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 9:24 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 09:24:54 -0500

Wall to Wall - just kidding. My Soldiers are good to go. 4856 on great or worse performance. Enforce squad leaders to counsel at least verbal every drill (monthly) and write it to paper ever quarter.

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Feb 17 at 2015 9:36 AM

SGT Jim Z. — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 09:36:11 -0500

Excellent article and although it is geared for the military a lot of what was said can be used in the civilian workplace as well. Just because you hang up your uniform and boots and put on civilian clothes if you are supervisor these will translate.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Feb 17 at 2015 9:50 AM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 09:50:23 -0500

Well, it all depends....

Counseling has nothing to do with paper. In fact, it is much better done informally without a "paper trail", as it will be easier to have an open dialogue. However, if the counseling fails and you want to take action, you'll need that paper trail.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 10:02 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 10:02:07 -0500

Good article. Formal written counseling may be a good idea to "start with a positive and end with a positive". The main drawback is if you do it every time a correction occurs when you give an "attaboy" the counseled waits for the negative or starts going throug the list of things they might have done wrong. The other thing to watch with this sandwich is there may be a focus on the bread and the meat never gets eaten. Agree it is a good read.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 6:29 PM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 18:29:07 -0400

I read this article a while back and printed it to keep as a reference in the office. The one thing I will definitely start implementing is to "get out of the office and find an alternate venue." I have seen this technique used in the past but never used it myself.