COUNSELING: Stage 4- The Follow-Up

Yesterday we hit the big part- the counseling session. But you won’t know if you were successful, nor will you know if more counseling is needed, without a deliberate assessment. Below is what ATP 6-22.1 says about follow-up. Think about it as an AAR of a counseling’s success.

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:

STAGE 4: FOLLOW-UP

Leader Responsibilities

Counseling process does not end with the initial counseling session.

Leaders must consistently support their subordinates in implementing the plan of action by:

Teaching

Coaching

Mentoring

providing additional time

referrals

other appropriate resources.

Additional measures may include

More focused follow-up counseling

Informing the chain of command

Taking more severe corrective measures

Assess the Plan of Action

Leader & subordinate jointly determine if the desired results happened.

The plan of action assessment provides useful information for future follow-up counseling sessions.

Diving deep in the doctrinal details:

STAGE 4: FOLLOW-UP

Leader Responsibilities

2-48. The counseling process does not end with the initial counseling session. It continues throughout the implementation of the plan of action consistent with the observed results. Sometimes the initial plan of action will require modification to meet the desired outcomes. Leaders must consistently support their subordinates in implementing the plan of action by teaching, coaching, mentoring, or providing additional time, referrals and other appropriate resources. Additional measures may include more focused follow-up counseling, informing the chain of command, or taking more severe corrective measures if appropriate.

Assess the Plan of Action

2-49. During assessment, the leader and the subordinate jointly determine if the desired results happened. They should determine the date for their initial assessment during the initial counseling session. The plan of action assessment provides useful information for future follow-up counseling sessions.

Follow-up on your DDOD reading: Take A Doctrine Deep Dive with a read of ATP 6-22.1