Counseling.....How do you do it?

SFC (Join to see) Great point about the great performances....too often we counsel on the negatives and forget the positive things our Soldiers do. Thanks for sharing!

Anytime sir! The positive ones are the best because you can use them as bullets for awards or their NCOER. The best is to 4856 a Soldier on getting a 300 and giving them kudos while integrating them into helping the rest of the Squad/Section/Platoon. If they do that it, it can lead to a recommendation for award. (Guard Soldiers need that drive)

SFC (Join to see) Agreed....please feel free to share what has worked best for you, a senior NCOs experience is always appreciated.

MAJ Ober
What has worked for me is using an informal approach, in order to get the soldier to open up and have an open mindset to received and listening. This informal counseling section or under the Oaktree counseling has worked for me in an effective manner, to influenced soldiers to modify behavior and be successful soldiers and future leader. I record this informal counseling session in my notebook, and then use my notes of what we discussed in the next performance or professional growth counseling and recorded to make it official, so the next time we sit down to discuss his/her performance they now beforehand what we agreed upon, and most of the barriers that the soldiers display or may have during counseling are down and ease, then listening, reflexion and introspection come to place.

SFC (Join to see) So, the question because what is the difference between formal and informal? Is it the 4856? I would argue that counseling is counseling, neither formal or informal. The method you present it varies from SM to SM, but the end result is the same!

Yes Sir, I agreed. What was once described as a formal couseling, which in essence means that counseling should progress toward some type of conclusion. The two major categories are event oriented and performance oriented (professional) growth. both counseling category have to be recorded using DA For 4856 in order to make it official and on record. In my opinion regardless of the method we used to counsel and reach the soldiers, need to be recorded. For that reason, when I used the informal approach meaning no set environment or format to follow. I will record or makes notes in my notebook, and then use my notes on what we agreed during the our discussion or informal couseling, for the next professional growth counseling for record. And yes, the form in my opinion, is what it's make it official.