COUNSELING: Week 2

Last week we hit event counseling hard. There are lots of specific events that can (and should) generate counseling. This week we’ll take a look at two other types: Performance Counseling and Professional Growth Counseling. Then we’ll look at some specific techniques for counseling. We’ll also look at the new DA4856 counseling form. Next week we’ll close out our series on counseling with a four-day breakdown of the 4-Stage Counseling process. Did you know there’s a 4-stage process? You will soon!

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:

• Performance counseling is the review of a subordinate’s duty performance during a specified period.

• Eestablish performance objectives and clear standards for the next counseling period.

• Focuses on the subordinate’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential.

• Provides specific examples.

• Providing guidance on how to improve.

• Performance counseling is required under the officer, noncommissioned officer, and Army Civilian evaluation reporting systems.

• Ensure that performance objectives and standards focus on the organization’s objectives and the individual’s professional development.

• They should also echo the objectives on their leader’s support form.

Diving deep in the doctrinal details:

PERFORMANCE COUNSELING

1-17. Performance counseling is the review of a subordinate’s duty performance during a specified period. The leader and the subordinate jointly establish performance objectives and clear standards for the next counseling period. The counseling focuses on the subordinate’s strengths, areas to improve, and potential. Effective counseling includes providing specific examples of strengths and areas needing improvement and providing guidance on how subordinates can improve their performance. Performance counseling is required under the officer, noncommissioned officer, and Army Civilian evaluation reporting systems (see AR 623-3 or AR 690-400 for specifics).

1-18. During performance counseling, leaders conduct a review of a subordinate’s duty performance over a certain period. Simultaneously, leader and subordinate jointly establish performance objectives and standards for the next period.

1-19. Counseling at the beginning of and during the evaluation period ensures the subordinate’s personal involvement in the evaluation process. Performance counseling communicates standards and is an opportunity for leaders to establish and clarify the expected values, attributes, and competencies. Army leaders ensure that performance objectives and standards focus on the organization’s objectives and the individual’s professional development. They should also echo the objectives on their leader’s support form as a team member’s performance contributes to mission accomplishment.

Make counseling excellence your objective: Take A Doctrine Deep Dive with a read of ATP 6-22.1