Prepare for Counseling

Successful counseling requires preparation. To prepare for counseling, do the following: 

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

Select a Suitable Place

Schedule counseling in a location where you won't be interrupted or distracted. Ensure that the location protects privacy and confidentiality.

Schedule the Time

When possible, counsel a Soldier during the duty day. Counseling after duty hours may be rushed or perceived as unfavorable. How much time you will need for the session depends on the issue you are discussing. Generally a counseling session should last less than an hour. If you need more time, schedule a second session. In addition, select a time when there aren't a lot of competing activities. Consider what is on the schedule after the counseling session. Important events can distract a Soldier from concentrating on the counseling.

Notify the Subordinate Well in Advance

The counseling session should be a two-person effort centered on the subordinate. For this to happen, you must give the Soldier time to prepare for it. The subordinate should know why, where, and when the counseling will take place. Counseling after a specific event should occur as close to the event as possible. For performance or professional development counseling, however, subordinates may need a week or more to prepare or review specific documents, such as support forms or counseling records.

Organize Information

For your counseling to be effective, you must be well prepared. Review all relevant information-including the purpose of the counseling; facts and observations about the subordinate; possible problems you have identified; and main points of discussion-and draft a plan of action. Focus on specific behavior that the Soldier must maintain or improve and create a plan of action with clear, realistic goals.

Outline the Counseling Session Components

Using the information you have obtained about the Soldier, decide what to discuss during the counseling session. Note what prompted the counseling and what you aim to achieve. Also, consider which approach to counseling you should use (Section 8) and/or what type of developmental counseling you should apply (discussed later in this section). Identify possible comments or questions to help you keep the counseling session focused on the subordinate and to help the subordinate progress through its stages. Although you never know what a Soldier will say or do during counseling, a written outline helps organize the session and increases the chance of positive results. Figure 9-2 is an example of a counseling outline a platoon leader has prepared for an initial non-commissioned officer evaluation report (NCOER) counseling session with a platoon sergeant.

Plan Your Counseling Strategy

Every leader has his or her own approach to counseling. Section 7 discussed the directive, nondirective, and combined approaches to counseling. Use a strategy that you are comfortable with and that suits your subordinate and the situation.

Establish the Right Atmosphere

The right atmosphere promotes two-way communication between a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed atmosphere, offer the Soldier a seat or a cup of coffee. You may want to sit in a chair facing the subordinate, since a desk can act as a barrier. Some situations, however, make an informal atmosphere inappropriate. For example, during counseling to correct substandard performance, you may want to direct the subordinate to remain standing while you remain seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere-normally used to give specific guidance-reinforces your rank, position in the chain of command, and authority.

 Conduct Counseling

Be flexible when conducting a counseling session. Good leaders take advantage of naturally occurring events to provide subordinates with feedback, but don't rely totally on those incidents as the complete counseling package. Remember, these points are a guide to effective counseling, rather than a mandated series of rigid steps. In general, however, a counseling session usually follows this agenda: 

• Open the session

• Discuss the issues

• Develop the plan of action

• Record and close the session

Ideally, a counseling session results in a Soldier's commitment to a plan of action. Assessing the plan of action (discussed below) becomes the starting point for follow-up counseling.

Open the Session

In the session opening, state the purpose of the session and establish a tone centered on the Soldier. For example, an appropriate purpose statement might be: "The purpose of this counseling session is to discuss your duty performance over the past month and to create a plan to improve your performance and meet your performance goals." If applicable, start the counseling session by reviewing the status of the previous plan of action. Establish the preferred tone early in the session by inviting the subordinate to speak.

Discuss the Issues

You and the Soldier should try to develop a mutual understanding of the issues. You can best develop this by letting the subordinate do most of the talking. Listen actively, respond, and question without dominating the conversation. Aim to help the subordinate better understand the subject of the session-for example, duty performance, a problem situation and its impact, or potential areas for growth. Both you and the subordinate should provide examples or cite specific observations to reduce any perception that either of you is unnecessarily biased or judgmental. When the issue is substandard performance, you should present clear examples of how the Soldier's performance did not meet the standard. The conversation, which should be a two-way discussion, should then address what the subordinate needs to do to meet the standard. It's important that you define the issue as substandard performance and not allow the subordinate to define the issue as an unreasonable standard-unless you consider the standard negotiable or are willing to change the conditions under which the Soldier must meet the standard.

Develop a Plan of Action

A plan of action identifies a way to achieve a desired result. It specifies what the Soldier must do to reach the goals set during the counseling session. The plan of action must be specific: It should show the subordinate how to modify or maintain his or her behavior. You should avoid vague intentions such as: "Next month I want you to improve your land navigation skills." The plan must use concrete and direct terms. For example, you might say:

"Next week you'll attend the map-reading class with 1st Platoon. After the class, SGT Dixon will coach you through the land navigation course. He will help you develop your compass skills. I will observe you going through the course with SGT Dixon, and then I will talk to you again and determine whether you still need additional training."

 A specific and achievable plan of action sets the stage for successful development.

Record and Close the Session

Although the requirements for recording counseling sessions vary, you always benefit from documenting the main points of a counseling session. A record of the session serves as a reference to the plan of action you both agreed to and to the Soldier's accomplishments, improvements, personal preferences, or problems. A complete record of counseling helps you make recommendations for professional development, schools, promotions, and evaluation reports. Additionally, Army regulations require written records of counseling for certain personnel actions, such as barring a Soldier from reenlisting, processing a Soldier for administrative separation, or placing a Soldier in the overweight program. When a Soldier faces involuntary separation, you must take special care to maintain accurate counseling records. When you keep a record of substandard actions, it conveys a strong corrective message to subordinates. When you're ready to close the counseling session, summarize its key points and ask the Soldier if he or she understands the plan of action. Invite the subordinate to review the plan of action and what it demands of both the subordinate and you, the leader. Working with the subordinate, plan any follow-up measures necessary to help implement the plan of action. These may include providing the Soldier with resources and time, periodically assessing the plan, and following through on referrals. Schedule any future meetings, at least tentatively, before you dismiss the subordinate.

Follow Up

The counseling process doesn't end with the counseling session. After you have counseled subordinates, provide support as they implement their plans of action. Support may include teaching, coaching, or providing time and resources. You must observe and assess this process and modify the plan as needed to meet its goals. Other appropriate measures you might take after the counseling session include giving follow-up counseling, making referrals, informing the chain of command, and taking corrective measures. The purpose of counseling is to develop subordinates who are better able to achieve personal, professional, and organizational goals. During your follow-up assessment, review the plan of action with the subordinate to determine if the desired results were achieved. You and the subordinate should determine the date for this assessment during the initial counseling session. Your assessment of the plan of action gives you useful information for future counseling sessions.

Types of Developmental Counseling

Most developmental counseling falls into one of two categories: event-oriented counseling and professional-growth counseling.

Event-Oriented Counseling

Event-oriented counseling involves a specific event or situation. It may precede events, such as a Soldier going to a promotion board or attending a school. It may also follow events, such as a Soldier's noteworthy duty performance, a problem with performance or mission accomplishment, or a personal problem. Examples of event-oriented counseling include, but are not limited to: 

• Specific instances of superior or substandard performance

• Crisis counseling

• Referral counseling

• Separation counseling

Counseling for Specific Instances

Sometimes counseling is tied to specific instances of superior or substandard duty performance. In such a session, you tell your subordinate whether performance met the standard and what the subordinate did right or wrong. The key to successful counseling for specific performance is to conduct it as close to the event as possible. Many leaders focus counseling for specific instances on poor performance and ignore excellent performance-or at least fail to acknowledge it. To measure your own performance and counseling emphasis, you can note how often you document counseling for superior versus substandard performance. If a Soldier's performance is unsatisfactory because of a lack of knowledge or ability, you and the Soldier should develop a plan to improve his or her skills. You may need to require corrective training at times to ensure the Soldier knows and achieves the standard. Once the subordinate can achieve the standard, you should end the corrective training.

When counseling a subordinate for a specific instance of unsatisfactory performance, take the following actions:

• Tell the subordinate the purpose of the counseling, what was expected, and how the subordinate failed to meet the standard 

• Address the specific unacceptable behavior or action, not the person's character 

• Explain the effect of the behavior, action, or performance on the rest of the organization 

• Actively listen to the subordinate's response 

• Remain unemotional 

• Teach the subordinate how to meet the standard 

• Be prepared to do some personal counseling, since failure to meet the standard may be related to or result from an unresolved personal problem 

• Explain to the subordinate what the two of you will do improve his or her performance (the plan of action). Continue to assess and follow up on the subordinate's progress. Adjust the plan of action as necessary

Crisis Counseling

Crisis counseling focuses on the Soldier's immediate, short-term needs. You may conduct crisis counseling to get a subordinate through the initial shock after receiving negative news, such as notification that a loved one has died. You may assist the subordinate by listening and providing appropriate assistance. Such assistance may include referring the Soldier to a support activity or coordinating support from an external agency.

 Referral Counseling

Referral counseling helps subordinates work through personal situations and may follow crisis counseling. Referral counseling may also act as preventive counseling before the situation becomes a problem. In such a situation, you usually assist the Soldier in identifying the problem and refer him or her to the appropriate resource, such as Army Community Services, a chaplain, or an alcohol and drug counselor.

 Adverse Separation Counseling

Adverse separation counseling may involve informing the Soldier of the administrative actions available to the commander in the event substandard performance continues and of those actions' consequences. Developmental counseling may not be appropriate when a Soldier has committed more serious misconduct. In those situations, you should refer the matter to the commander and the staff judge advocate. When your rehabilitative efforts fail, separation counseling meets a prerequisite to many administrative discharges. It also sends the Soldier a final warning to improve performance or face discharge. In many situations, it may be beneficial to involve the chain of command as soon as you determine that adverse separation counseling might be required.

Performance/Professional Growth Counseling

During performance counseling, you conduct a review of a subordinate's duty performance during a certain period. You and the subordinate jointly establish performance objectives and standards for the next period. Rather than dwelling on the past, you should focus the session on the subordinate's strengths, areas needing improvement, and potential. Mandatory, face-to-face performance counseling between the rater and the rated noncommissioned officer (NCO) is required under the noncommissioned officer evaluation reporting system (NCOERS). Counseling at the beginning of and during the evaluation period helps involve a Soldier in the evaluation process. As an Army leader, you must ensure you've tied your expectations to performance objectives and appropriate standards. If subordinates are to develop, you must establish standards that they can work toward, and you must teach them how to achieve those standards. Professional growth counseling includes planning so the Soldier can accomplish both individual and professional goals. This counseling isn't normally event-driven. The discussion may include opportunities for civilian or military schooling, future duty assignments, special programs, and reenlistment options.

Counseling requirements - This document goes over a lot of different counseling requirements.

How to fill out your DA 4856 - This is a very informative document that explains the correct procedure for filling out your DA 4856, and what you should cover during the counseling with the soldier.

Did you know that you need to give a copy of your completed 4856 to the soldier being counseled?

Not sure what advice to give a soldier about army regulations, need clarification, or just getting 50 answers from 10 diffrent people? Check the AR's