THE COUNSELING SYSTEM
CPL 0206
Individual Profile
 High
School Graduate
 Recruit Training Graduate
 School of Infantry
 MCT/MOS School
 Marine Barracks Washington
THE MARINE CORPS
ORDER FOR COUNSELING
MCO 1610.12
PURPOSE
The purpose of counseling is to ensure, by mutual
understanding, that the efforts of leaders and their
Marines are continuously directed toward increased
unit readiness and effective individual performance.
MARINE CORPS ORDER: provides the
policy for the counseling program.
POLICY
States that counseling is a vital and essential
tool for developing juniors, improving
individual performance, and enhancing unit
productivity.
POLICY
Maintain
as a part of traditional leadership
Develop skills through continuing education
Increase individual performance/productivity
Enhance ability to improve their performance
Counsel with a new senior/junior relationship
Conduct sessions on an individual basis (ranks)
FREQUENCY
Initial
counseling occurs within 30 days
L/Cpl’s and below receive follow-on
counseling every 30 days after ICS:
- what is expected
- brief session
- discuss strengths and weaknesses
FREQUENCY
Cpl’s through Col’s will receive follow-on
counseling approximately 90 days after the
ICS and subsequent sessions every 6 months.
NOTE: Follow-on counseling can occur more
frequently due to exceptional performance or
unaccepted behavior.
BENEFITS
 Senior’s
expectations are understood.
 Junior knows where he/she stands
regarding performance.
 Increase unit effectiveness and
readiness.
THE ELEMENTS OF
INITIAL AND FOLLOWON COUNSELING
Two occasions when counseling should occur:
1) INITIAL
2) FOLLOW-ON
There Are Common Elements To Both:



Both participants should prepare
Follows a predetermined agenda
Both should participate fully and actively
INITIAL COUNSELING SESSION (ICS)
 Occurs
whenever a new senior/junior
relationship is established
 Within
30 days after the start of the new
senior/junior relationship.
ICS Accomplishes Several Objectives:
 Make the senior’s expectations clear
Ensure junior understand those expectations
 Set goals or targets, make plans to meet them
 Help junior understand your leadership style
 Achieve highest level of future performance
 Understands the mission/status of unit:
- assign primary/collateral duties

FOLLOW-ON SESSION
The purpose of these follow-on sessions is to
ensure that your Marines are on track.
It Should Accomplish The Following:
Deal with both strengths and weaknesses
 Reinforce successes and correct deficiencies
 Identify/analyze past performance problems
 Identify a mutually agreed upon solution
 Review progress of targets in past sessions
 Modify or add new targets, as appropriate

THE TYPES OF COUNSELING SESSIONS
Counseling sessions can be
conducted in a variety of
ways. They can be very
formal, planned sessions,
such as the initial and
follow-on sessions. They
can also be informal which
are unplanned corrections
of minor problems.
THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF
COUNSELING SESSIONS:
1) DIRECTIVE:
- Senior centered
- Analyze situation/solution
- Inexperienced or immature
- Stressful / Non stressful
- Senior has total control
The Three Types of Counseling Sessions:
2) NONDIRECTIVE:
-
Junior centered
Owns problem/solution
Help the junior to mature
Attitude problem
Non-stressful situation
The Three Types of Counseling Sessions:
3) COLLABORATIVE:
- Draws on direct/non direct
- Offers senior great flexibility
- Succeed if senior is accepted
THE PARTS OF A
COUNSELING SESSION
The five parts of a counseling session apply to
all formal sessions, both the initial and the
follow-on counseling sessions.
The five parts are:
•
•
•
•
•
PREPARATION
OPENING
MAIN BODY
CLOSING
FOLLOW-UP
PREPARATION
 Review and evaluate performance:
- cover performance since last session
- cover both good and bad performance
 Define objectives:
- clear idea of what both want to accomplish
- analyze performance problems
- solutions to the problems
- targets for next performance period
PREPARATION
 Set the agenda:
- follow sequence agreed upon
- start with positive comments
- senior decides type of counseling approach
 Time and place:
- scheduled way in advance
- no interruptions
- 45 minutes to one hour
PREPARATION
 Setting:
- both parties are relaxed
- have a clear mind
- fresh air; room temperature
- seating arrangement
OPENING
 Relaxed
atmosphere
 Understand why they are holding the session:
- go over objectives and prepared agenda
- invite junior’s comments
MAIN BODY
 Guide
the discussion:
- ensure all objectives are met
- move around agenda if situation dictates
 Encourage
junior participation:
- concentrate on what is heard and seen
MAIN BODY
Agree
on targets / plans for improvements:
- both have ideas on what targets should be
- challenging; may add or drop some
- junior understands and agrees
- resources are available
CLOSING
Review and summarize items discussed
 Ensure junior understands results of session
 End on a positive, encouraging note

FOLLOW-UP
Documentation:
- MCO 1610.12 recommends documentation
- punitive action for wayward Marines
- prevents accusations of harassment/unfairness
- use small leader’s notebook
- use only by the senior and junior
MONITOR JUNIOR’S PERFORMANCE
 Refer to performance targets
 Encourage /reinforce good performance
THE
COUNSELING
TECHNIQUES
There are six techniques essential for an
effective counseling session:
•
•
•
•
•
•
SETTING TARGETS
PROBLEM SOLVING
QUESTIONING
ACTIVE LISTENING
GIVING FEEDBACK
PLANNING FOR IMPROVEMENT
SETTING TARGETS
Defines what the junior will be expected to do as
a result of the counseling session.
Stated as a result:
- to be achieved by a certain date
Measurable:
- gauge progress toward targets; use as a guide
- standards should be quantitative
Realistic:
- don’t try to shoot for the moon
SETTING TARGETS
Challenging:
- stretch
- doing the uncomfortable until it becomes
comfortable
 Must:
- stated as a must; must stay committed
 Limited in number:
- three to five

SETTING TARGETS
Set
by the senior and the junior:
- junior participation in setting targets
Revised:
- situation dictates
PROBLEM SOLVING
Analyzes the junior’s performance problems
and developing solutions to them. Senior’s
knowledge and experience helps to define
what the problem is , what is causing it, and
how to solve it.
PROBLEM SOLVING
 Compare actual performance versus targeted
performance.
 Determine if junior is part of the problem
 Obstacles impeding performance
QUESTIONING
Technique to draw the junior out or to clarify
what is said.
 Closed-end Questions:
- answered with a yes or no
 Open-end
Questions:
- usually begins with how and why
- involves junior more deeply into discussion
QUESTIONING
Probing Questions:
- follow-up questions
- requires the junior to explain a thought
Interpretive Questions:
- clarify or amplify what the junior has said
ACTIVE LISTENING
Interpreting what the junior is saying and
observing what is being done.

Listen for threads of meaning:
- mentally summarize points being made
ACTIVE LISTENING
Distinguish between facts and opinions:
- Listen for changes: (Verbal cues)
1) tone of voice; rate of speech; hesitations
- Nonverbal cues:
1) avoids eye contact; slumping in chair
2) scowling; clenched fists
GIVING FEEDBACK
Lets the junior know what you think about
performance or summarizing what the
senior understands to be going on in the
meeting.
• Deals with things that can be changed
• It is timely
• Satisfy the junior’s need, not yours
PLANNING FOR IMPROVEMENT
Developing a plan to build on the strengths of
the junior to overcome shortcomings.
• Junior should play a role in developing a plan
• Feels more committed