COUNSELING: Event Counseling (Pt 1)

Most counseling, especially in the reserve components, is event-oriented. The painful fact is, quarterlies are hard to pack into a drill weekend. That said, it’s even more important to know the Army standard for such counseling. Here is what ATP 6-22.1 (Counseling) says about some common ones – and some of the ones we should probably ensure become more common.

There’s enough to chew on in these few paragraphs that we’re going to focus on event-oriented counseling all this week, and take on the other categories and the new counseling form next week.

As always, italics added for our emphasis, and […] indicates we cut out stuff we thought was fluff. And, as always: you’re smarter reading the pub yourself to be exactly sure.

The major takeaways:

Examples of event counseling include, but are not limited to:

• Specific instances of superior or substandard performance.

• Reception and integration counseling.

• Crisis counseling.

• Referral counseling.

• Promotion counseling.

• Transition counseling.

• Adverse separation counseling.

• Specific Instances of Superior or Substandard Performance

Successful counseling for specific performance occurs as close to the event as possible. Leaders should counsel subordinates for exceptional as well as substandard duty performance.

When counseling a subordinate for specific performance, leaders take the following actions:

• Explain the purpose of the counseling—what was expected and how the subordinate exceeded or failed to meet the standard.

• Remain neutral.

• Address and explain the specific behavior or action—do not address the subordinate’s character.

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

• Actively listen to the subordinate’s responses (see Chapter 2).

• If failing to meet the standard, teach the subordinate how to meet the standard and recognize patterns of behavior that may keep the subordinate from meeting the standard.

• Be prepared to conduct personal counseling, since a failure to meet the standard may be the result of an unresolved personal issue.

• Explain to the subordinate how developing an individual development plan will improve performance and identify specific responsibilities in implementing the plan.

• Continue to assess and follow up on the subordinate’s progress.

• Adjust the plan as necessary.

Diving deep in the doctrinal details:

Here are the basics on each form of maneuver. We will get deeper on each one this week.

EVENT COUNSELING

1-5. Event-oriented counseling involves a specific event or situation. It may precede events such as participating in promotion boards, attending training courses, and preparing for deployment or redeployment. It also addresses events such as noteworthy duty performance, an issue with performance or mission accomplishment, or a personal issue. Examples of event-oriented counseling include, but are not limited to:

• Specific instances of superior or substandard performance.

• Reception and integration counseling.

• Crisis counseling.

• Referral counseling.

• Promotion counseling.

• Transition counseling.

• Adverse separation counseling.

• Specific Instances of Superior or Substandard Performance

1-6. Often counseling is tied to specific instances of superior or substandard duty performance. The leader uses the counseling session to convey to the subordinate whether or not the performance met the standard and what the subordinate did right or wrong. Successful counseling for specific performance occurs as close to the event as possible. Leaders should counsel subordinates for exceptional as well as substandard duty performance.

1-7. Leaders should always counsel subordinates who do not meet the standard. If performance is unsatisfactory because of a lack of knowledge or ability, leader and subordinate can develop a plan for improvement. Corrective training helps ensure that the subordinate knows and consistently achieves the standard. When counseling a subordinate for specific performance, leaders take the following actions:

• Explain the purpose of the counseling—what was expected and how the subordinate exceeded or failed to meet the standard.

• Remain neutral.

• Address and explain the specific behavior or action—do not address the subordinate’s character.

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

• Actively listen to the subordinate’s responses (see Chapter 2).

• If failing to meet the standard, teach the subordinate how to meet the standard and recognize patterns of behavior that may keep the subordinate from meeting the standard.

• Be prepared to conduct personal counseling, since a failure to meet the standard may be the result of an unresolved personal issue.

• Explain to the subordinate how developing an individual development plan will improve performance and identify specific responsibilities in implementing the plan.

• Continue to assess and follow up on the subordinate’s progress.

• Adjust the plan as necessary.

Make your counseling more productive events? Take A Doctrine Deep Dive with a read of ATP 6-22.1