2. DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING
FM 6-22 Army Leadership

3. DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Action: 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

4. Types of Developmental Counseling
Event counseling
Performance counseling
Professional growth counseling

5. Event Counseling Reception and integration counseling
Instances of superior or substandard performance
Reception and integration counseling
Crisis counseling
Referral counseling
Promotion counseling
Separation counseling

6. Counseling for Specific Instances
Explain the purpose of the counseling
Address specific unacceptable behavior or action
Explain effects of behavior, action, or performance on the rest of the organization
Actively listen to subordinate's response
Remain neutral or unemotional

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

10. Referral Counseling
Helps subordinates work through a personal situation
May or may not follow crisis counseling
Aims 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

11. 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

12. 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 Para 2-4 and AR Para 1-16)‏

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. Qualities of the Counselor (Active Listening)‏
Active listening includes:
Eye contact
Body posture
Head nods
Facial expressions
Verbal expressions

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Adaptive Approaches to Counseling
Nondirective
Directive
Combined

24. Nondirective Approach
Advantage
Encourages maturity
Encourages open communication
Develops personal responsibility
Disadvantages
More time consuming
Requires greatest counselor skills

25. Directive Approach Advantage Disadvantage 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

26. Combined Approach Advantage Disadvantage Moderately quickly
Encourages maturity
Encourages open communication
Allows counselors to use their experience
Disadvantage
May take too much time for some situations

27. Counseling Techniques
Nondirective or combined approach:
Suggesting alternatives
Recommending
Persuading
Advising
Directive approach:
Corrective training
Commanding

28. Four-Stage Counseling Process
Identify the need for counseling
Prepare for counseling
Conduct counseling
Follow-up

29. Identify the Need for Counseling
Counseling associated with evaluations
Command directed
Developmental counseling

30. 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

31. Conduct Counseling Opening the Session Discussing the Issues
Developing a Plan of Action
Recording and Closing the Session

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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)‏

35. 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

36. Follow-up Leader Responsibilities Assess the Plan of Action
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

37. DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Action: 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

38. After Action Review What was supposed to happen? What did happen?
What were the strengths during this class?
What were the weaknesses (or what went wrong) during this class?
What can be done better next time to improve this training?
Reference: TC 25-20
When conducting an After Action Review you need to focus on the following:
What was supposed to happen? The answer should be “We were supposed to receive a class on ‘Enforce the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).’”
What did happen? Did the scheduled training actually occur?
What were the strengths during this class? The focus needs to be on what went well such as “The instructor was prepared and knowledgeable.”
What were the weaknesses (or what went wrong) during this class? This needs to focus on such as “Instructor not prepared for class” or “equipment didn’t work properly.” Keep in mind that some things listed as a weakness will be beyond your control such as not having a land navigation course or specific equipment. The point here is just to identify weaknesses, not find solutions (that is step 5).
What can be done better next time to improve this training? This is where the class suggests improvements.
Never settle for “3 Ups and 3 Downs,” everyone has an opinion. The more responses you get the better you will be at presenting training.