Think for a moment of a time when you felt you were 'shafted' on your Pro and Con marks.  Think about the time, and place in which you were counseled.   Consider the environment in which it occurred.  Was it spur of the moment?   Rushed?  Unclear?  Did you ask any questions?  Where you asked if you had any questions?  Were clear examples, good or bad, given?  Where actions that you thought had gone unnoticed brought up?  Were you told your weaknesses, but not your strengths?  Did the experience all together leave your brain-housing group like a blob of Concord grape jelly?

If you answered 'Yes' to any one of these questions, then you were not properly counseled.  "Wasn't that important," you say?  Well, that may be 'okay' for you, but not your Marines. 

Counseling is one of the single-most powerful instruments you have.  It is pivotal in order for you to complete your mission: Making Marines!   You must take it seriously.  After all, you EXPECT your superiors to take YOU seriously.    You expect, and rightfully deserve, proper counseling.  Well, Leatherneck's, "Counseling is paramount!"

Marine Corps Order

U.S. MARINE CORPS COUNSELING PROGRAM

Purpose

The purpose of counseling is to aide the development of your Marines - then some!  It is a "positive, forward-looking process that focuses on improving performance."

Initial Counseling Session (ICS)

Initial Counseling Session: This counseling session occurs whenever there is a change in senior/junior relationship.   In other words, whenever you gain a new Marine.  You utilize the first thirty days to evaluate your new Marine(s).  Consider their strengths, and weaknesses.   Learn about their personal life - without being an intruder.  "Get to know them."  Listed below, are the objectives of the ICS:

• Make your expectations clear.

• Ensure your Marine understands those expectations.

• Set goals, and targets, for the Marine.  Make plans for your Marine to meet those objectives.

• Convey your interest, and concern, in the Marine.

• Provide some insight into your leadership style.

• Motivate your Marine!

• Ensure that your Marine understands the unit's mission, and their primary and collateral duties.

As soon as your new Marine checks in schedule your ICS.  Select a time, and place that is relaxed, and without distraction.  Make sure you plan for this counseling session.  Write out the session's agenda, and follow it during the ICS.

Follow-On Session

The Follow-On session is just what it sounds like.  It is a follow-up to the Marine's last counseling session.   Which in this case, was his, or her, Initial Counseling Session. 

• Corporals and above:  Hold the Follow-On Session approximately 90 days after the ICS.  Subsequent sessions should be not longer than every 6 months.

• Lance Corporals and below:  These Marines should receive counseling   every 30 days.

The primary purpose of this session is to ensure that the junior is on track.  Talk about both strengths and weaknesses.   "It should reinforce the junior's successes, and attempt to correct the deficiencies."

Counseling for Lance Corporal's & Below

I once had a Corporal try to pawn-off regular counseling with a Marine that comprised all '10%' of 'shit birds' world-wide.  Primarily because he felt that if I were to counsel this Marine it would have greater impact.  Negahatchy.  We counseled alright - the Corporal, and me.   Lesson:  If you want to wear the stripes, you have to belly-up.   Juniors should be counseled by their immediate superiors.  Because your a corporal doesn't exclude you from all the responsibilities of an NCO - the contrary! 

Marine Lance Corporal's are the future NCO and SNCO leadership of the Corps.  Hard to believe sometimes, but remember we were among those ranks too.   It is our job as NCO's to make sure that our juniors are better than we are!

Precise, concrete, and specific targets for achievement should be given.  Always, always provide guidance on how to accomplish these goals.  Ask the Marine how he, or she, thinks they can achieve the task(s).  Then provide your input, and guidance on the matter.  Be careful not to shatter their recommendation for improvement though.  You may feel that their solution is off track; that's okay.  Guide them back on track - don't derail them!

These sessions should only last approximately 10 - 15 mikes.  They should be "blanket on the footlocker" sessions.  The junior's strength's and weaknesses should be discussed.  Guidance should be provided for improvement. 

This is also the time to discuss items such as:  LES's, pay problems, personal goals, answer questions, and to clarify upcoming activities. 

Types of Counseling

Formal counseling is what is used for all scheduled counseling sessions.  Formal counseling uses an agenda, and carves-in-stone goals, targets, and the like.  Be aware though, that formal doesn't mean that this counseling session is 'starched-up'.   

Informal covers everything in between.  Informal is more spur-of-the-moment in context.  It addresses 'current events', as they happen.  80% of all counseling sessions are informal.

How, When, Where, & What

How you counsel is imperative to the success of the counseling session.  The following are some tried, and true tips; do's and don'ts.

• A counseling session is not a performance evaluation!  The two are completely different.  However, they do compliment each other.  Performance evaluations deal with PAST performance.   Counseling sessions deal with FUTURE performance.

• Counseling sessions can be held at any time, for any reason.

• A counseling session isn't just for the bad!  It's for the good, and the plain-old "time-for-counseling".  Just as Page 11's can be good!

• Marine's have the right to request counseling.  Your Marine can ask to counsel with you in order to ascertain his position, or to reformulate the plans made to achieve his goal(s).  A Marine may have a personal issue that needs to be addressed.  Any reason, is reason enough.

• Find an aspect that can be improved upon, that is of 'little' importance to you.  Make sure it is valid, though!   Use this as a focal point for developing a Marine.  When they achieve this target - tell them!  Then tie it in with ongoing goals that have been set.  Marines are result-oriented, period.  'Give' them some positive results, and let it influence their other goals.

• Counseling is not single-sided!  It is an interaction between the Marine, and you.  Do not allow a Marine to not speak!  They must; it is absolutely one-half of a counseling session.  You must know what's going through their grape.

• Listen!  Listen to your Marines, because what they think is your very life-blood.  Good, or bad it is the information you need to complete your mission.  So, what they think is your concern.  And if you don't feel it is, you shouldn't be wearing the rank.

• You cannot solve every problem.  It's hard to fathom, I know.  When you don't know the answer - ask!  There are plenty of resources to utilize.  And if you don't know you take it up your chain of command.

I remember a time when a Marine came to me with a personal problem.  I had no real experience with the type of problem that he had.  However, being the hard-charger I shat the answer!  I provided the terms, conditions, and solutions.  That Marine lost his Fiance, his daughter, his home, and the Corps.  He was an alcoholic.

• Always carry a notebook, and pen (ink stick, crayon, chalk, whatever).  Take the time to notate the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Reserve a couple of page's for each one of your Marines.  "Joe Ragman is an almost constant source of motivation for the Fire team."  "LCpl Doe frequently disobeys orders.  Here are explicit examples of all known instances."  "Noman took initiative and provided X,Y, and Z.  Here's the details..."  This becomes imperative when writing-up awards, or negative Page 11's. 

• Counsel when the 'Tempo' is slow!   Not while waiting for a helo pickup, or riding in the back of a 5 -Ton.  There is always time to provide a great counseling session.  Nine times out of ten, Marines can drop what they are doing to sit down with you and talk.

• Treat the Marine sitting in front of you, as that:  A fellow Marine.  I am not saying be a pussycat.  What I am saying though, is that your Marines are not you!  For several years, I rarely, if ever, gave any real praise.  Never recommended a Marine for official recognition.   Why?  Because they never impressed me!  What they collectively could do, I could do myself.  I was better than any of them. 

I was sitting down one evening at a bar one evening - not drunk; and without the purpose of getting drunk, sir! - when I had the good fortune of meeting an ex-Special Forces Green Beret from Vietnam.  During our conversation, he asked, "You must have a great bunch of Marines.  You seem pretty locked-on."  To which I callously replied, "They're okay,  but not one of them can beat me!"  His cool reply...  "They are not supposed to.   They aren't you."  His name was Art Kooley.

Lesson:  You must reward Marines for their individual accomplishments.  It can only be based on their level of competency, and concurrent strides of improvement.  When a Marine UNQ's two years in a row, and then through hard work, and practice shoots marksman you recognize that!  That's the only way that they will ever reach your level of expertise - through your professionalism.

• Have your Training NCO order NAVMC 2795  USMC User's Guide to Counseling.  This isn't even a book, it's more like a concise pamphlet.  It isn't complicated, and it is very small; about 4" by 4", maybe 30 pages.  Get this pub, and read it through once.  Then right before your next formal counseling session just 'skim' through it.  After that, stow it.   And whenever it turns up again skim through it.  Trust me, once you've read it, you'll notice a helluva lot of positive changes among your Marines.