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Umiker's Management Skills for the New Health

Care Supervisor, Fifth Edition

Charles McConnell

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Chapter 17

Counseling: Preventing Bigger Counseling: Preventing Bigger

ProblemsProblems

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Kinds of Counseling

Career counseling, which involves

the supervisor functioning as an

advisor or mentor;

Preventive or remedial counseling

(the primary topic of this chapter).

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Goal of Counseling

The goal of counseling is to correct

deviant performance or behavior or

prevent its occurrence while

preserving the self-esteem of the

individual employee.

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Reasons for Employee Counseling

Unsatisfactory productivity or diminishing quality

Poor or apparently deteriorating work habits

Violations of policies, rules, procedures, etc.

Inability to get along with others Chronic complaining Complaints from customers

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Employees Break Rules Because:

they never learned—or they forgot

—what was required of them;

they see rules and regulations as

meaningless, restrictive, or unfair;

they are aware that rules are rarely

enforced;

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Employees Break Rules Because:

they are influenced by other

workers;

they consider the rewards of

misbehavior to be greater than the

risks or the penalties; and

they are misfits or malcontents.

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Why Supervisors Fail to Counsel

they may not be aware of the problem.

they may simply ignore the problem--“If

I’m very quiet, maybe it will go away.”

they postpone action for a “more

convenient time”

they ascribe a the behavior to a “poor

attitude” and decide that little can be done

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Think Before Counseling:

What have you or others observed?

What have you documented?

Does this situation represent a

relapse?

What does a review of the

employee’s record reveal?

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Think Before Counseling:

What does the person’s most recent

evaluation reveal?

What rule or regulation or policy is

involved?

What patterns of behavior are

evident?

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Do Not Delay

Do not put off counseling; damage

could be taking place while you

hesitate.

And the more delay, the harder it

will be to convince the person of the

matter’s importance.

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Know Before You Begin

your exact opening remarks,

statements intended to boost the

employee’s confidence,

the solution you hope to reach, and

how you will respond to rebuttals,

defensive reactions, anger, tears, or

threats.

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The Counseling Interview

Initially, project helpfulness and caring

Determine whether the person is

aware of the problem

Explain the effects of the behavior

Encourage the person’s response

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The Counseling Interview

Get the person to admit that there is a

problem

Emphasize that the problem must be solved

and that it is up to the person to solve it

Summarize what is agreed upon

Document the agreement and the intended

follow-up

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Avoid Prescribing Solutions

A quick answer can make the person

feel inadequate.

If your solution fails, you appear

inadequate.

The person may feel obliged to take

your advice even though he or she may

have a better one

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Avoid Prescribing Solutions

An employee who owns the solution

will try harder to make it work.

An employee can become

dependent on you for all solutions.

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Documentation Must Include:

the date of the discussion,

a description of the problem,

the employee’s comments,

the agreed-upon resolution,

any warning you delivered, and

the deadline for resolution of the

problem.

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Employee Responses

In many instances you can expect

to receive defensive responses.

Remember that any behavior

displayed by employees during

counseling is behavior that the

person has probably found effective

at some time in the past.

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FOLLOW-UP

The counseling process does not

end with the interview.

Conscientious follow-up is essential.

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In a Repeat Counseling Session

let the employee know you are aware

of the continued problem,

inform the employee of the riskiness

of repeating the behavior, and

offer one more chance before you

take disciplinary action.

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For a Repeat Counseling Session

Review the agreements reached at the

previous session

State what you have observed or learned

that shows that the agreement has been

broached

Ask for an explanation

Insist on a new solution or a renewed effort

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For a Repeat Counseling Session

Describe the consequences of

continued noncompliance

Agree on the new action to be taken

and a new follow-up date

State your reluctance to give up on

the employee

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Successful Interventions

There can be several possible paths

leading to a successful intervention

via employee counseling, but they

all involve open and honest

communication and faithful follow-

up.