What is the best way for a new 2LT to counsel a platoon sergeant?

Awesome

I'm lost.

It's the discussion that matters! I'd say that the platoon sergeant has the majority role in the counseling...because I didn't know what I was doing as a platoon leader...I was made into a platoon leader by a great couple of SFC's and other NCO's.

LOLOL. Nice. That's a "technique."

Thank you, sir. I had a suspicion an officer would get a chuckle.

Funny... Unfortunately... that is not a good solution.

1SG(P) (Join to see), you are right on the money! The 1SG plays a HUGE role in the proper building of that PLT team. That's exatly what I expect from my 1SG's. They've done it before...multiple times. They have seen the good, the bad, and the fugly. A good 1SG is worth his weight in gold when it comes to counseling and building the future leaders of the Army.

Great advice for a young leader coming in, LT. I will admit that the last time I did counseling on a DA or DD form was when I was a LT, because I didn't know any other way. What I found was they were too limiting and that I couldn't get my intent across because I didn't have room to explain myself. The form is all about bullets and goals to meet those, which is fine if that structure is necessary to drive your thoughts, but I don't think that way. Since I was a CPT, I have used an MFR. I start typing and wherever I go is where I end up. Sometimes it's not about WHAT someone does, but HOW and WHY they do it, which is more important to me at this stage. I advise everyone to use the form like I do. I write, "See attached memo." all over the document. You have to use what works for you. I am sure you have reached a point where you had more to say, but ran out of room. Then you either go to an awkward continuation sheet or you just go...'That's good enough."

That's the way every counseling session should be approached, TSgt Ryan Chrzanowski

A much different situation, but akin to what is common in the active component. A challenge that you seemed to have met in the best way possible. Everyone has to survey the situation before taking action.

This (Army Reserve thread) Very much falls in line with My Active Duty Service as a Pershing Missile Crewmember, We did not have the typical officer structure because of our primary mission and the associated equipment. Our Platoon Leaders were Captains who most times had already Commanded a Conventional Artillery unit, Our Battery Commanders were Majors so our dynamic was quite different, 2nd Lt's and 1st Lt's were under the Platoon Leader in an assistance type role without any administrative responsibilities such as counseling.... Thus I was never counseled by a Lt at any point.... However I did encounter several Captains who had already Commanded a conventional unit who felt they had taken a step in reverse and were somewhat angry at this fact and very forgetful of how they had managed their 1sg while in Command and what their results were by doing so. I was fortunate enough to have progressed through a series of Positions that included Operations Sgt, Procedures and Maintenance Instructor (G3) on a 2 Star's Staff, before I became a Section Sgt and Finally Platoons Sgt. This made my first counseling as a Platoon Sgt very interesting, The Captain who was brand new to the Command and Pershing, Sat me down and proceeded to tell me She did not trust NCO's of my Rank (SSG) because she had been shafted while Commanding a Training unit stateside. Because I had several GREAT 1sg's as I was coming up the ranks, I simply maintained my decorum and professionalism, I welcomed Her to the Platoon and offered no resistance to her misguided view of both Me and our assigned mission that I knew she did not fully understand. Over the next 10 months I got to observe the following, The Battery Commander ordering Her to his office for a closed door meeting. The Battalion Commander telling her to stop talking and do more listening. The 1sg telling her that they needed to go speak with the Battery Commander behind closed doors. and last but not least the Battalion Command Sgt Maj advising Her that Her platoon should be Her focus and his Work Detail was not in need of Her to comment or Overseeing what was going on because He had 2 NCO's and a Lt that were responsible and already there onsite. When She wrote my NCO-ER the Battery Commander made Her redo it 3 times and each time it destroyed her, In spite of Her antics, I had guided the Platoon to multiple successes, We were Ranked #1 platoon in the Command (36 Platoons) based on the results of unannounced Mission Readiness inspections on the Missile Site, We were at #2 for Battalion Reenlistment goals and had lowest UCMJ actions in the Battalion, We were selected to do follow on Test firings at Cape Canaveral by USAREUR. In each of those instances the people looking in said Myself and my 1st Lt were doing a great job in spite of her distractions and lack of focus.... My bottom line is actually quite simple, after enduring this Captain, I was selected for E7 the first time I was considered, I was also later selected to be a Service School Instructor and following that Drill Sgt as well, For Personal reasons I left active duty for the National Guard at 14 years and completed 21 total.... She was passed over for Major once and left the Army shortly after that.