Effective counseling is part of strong leadership.
Leadership skills and counseling go hand-in-hand in an effective workplace. A good manager should be able to recognize potential workplace and personal problems and effectively meet with employees face-to-face to discuss the issues involved.
Skills
Effective leadership counseling skills include the patience to listen, ability to empathize, and perceptiveness to allow individuals to determine the solutions to their own problems with guidance. Counseling is not a disciplinary measure and should not be treated as such. All meetings should be private and confidential.
Tips
In counseling an individual, maintain an open, friendly demeanor. Be sympathetic to his problems and avoid being judgmental. Follow up on all counseling sessions to make sure the issue(s) have been resolved and make yourself available for future sessions if needed.
Benefits
A leader with counseling skills will be more aware of the history of personal and employment problems in employees on a day-to-day basis and can become effective in deterring issues before they become destructive or undermining.
