COUNSELING: Professional Growth Counseling

So far we’ve hit two of the three categories of counseling from ATP 6-22.1. Last week was focused on Event Counseling. Yesterday we hit Performance Counseling – the stuff that builds to evaluation content. The last category is a bit of a catch-all: Professional Growth counseling.

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 publication yourself to be exactly sure.

The major takeaways:

• Professional growth counseling includes: planning for individual and professional goals.

• leader and subordinate and discuss the subordinate’s strengths and weaknesses and to create an individual development plan.

• That plan builds upon those strengths and compensates for (or eliminates) shortcomings.

• May include short- and long-term goals and objectives.

• Includes opportunities for:

  • civilian or military schooling

  • future duty assignments

  • special programs

  • training support resources

  • reenlistment options

  • promotion opportunities and considerations.

• Documentation of this discussion results in an individual development plan.

• Each individual development plan will vary as every person’s needs and interests are different.

Diving deep in the doctrinal details:

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH COUNSELING 1-20. Professional growth counseling includes planning for the accomplishment of individual and professional goals. During the counseling, leader and subordinate conduct a review to identify and discuss the subordinate’s strengths and weaknesses and to create an individual development plan that builds upon those strengths and compensates for (or eliminates) shortcomings. Leaders can assist subordinates in prioritizing development efforts based upon those perceived strengths and weaknesses.

1-21. As part of professional growth counseling, the leader and subordinate may choose to develop a pathway to success with short- and long-term goals and objectives. The discussion includes opportunities for civilian or military schooling, future duty assignments, special programs, available training support resources, reenlistment options, and promotion opportunities and considerations. Documentation of this discussion results in an individual development plan. Each individual development plan will vary as every person’s needs and interests are different.

Grow to be a professional at counseling: Take A Doctrine Deep Dive with a read of ATP 6-22.1