EFFECTIVE COUNSELLING Enabling Objectives Understand the OD processes of Sensitivity Training, Process Consultation, and Counselling.

ng. Analyse in detail, the counseling process. Understand the skills required for counseling.

Learning Objectives Appreciate the importance of counseling in Subordinate Development. Identify the situations demanding counseling.

Introduction 1. At sometime or the other we, inadvertently or with full knowledge have either counselled some one or have been counselled ourselves. Though not structured, it has been in the Defence Forces for a long time. Our perception of counselling, however, is coloured by the environments we have grown up in eg the word counselling generally carries a negative connotation in the defence services. This dichotomy is due to the difference between the popular understanding of the term and its technical and professional meaning. 2. Though counselling is as old as human civilization it is only in the last century that counselling has emerged as an American product. No documented evidence exists as to suggest the beginning of the practice of counselling. However, the first chronicled evidence of counselling can be traced to later part of the 19 th century when far reaching innovations in the field of psychology took place. Though it is of comparatively recent origin, in our country too we have a large number of counselling institutes, albeit at a nascent stage, be it for higher studies or for matrimonial problems or for physical or mental disorders. Counseling, Sensitivity Training and Process Consultation 3. The personalities of individuals differ and these differences lead individuals to interpret and react to other people and events in a variety of ways. Even though personality cannot be changed significantly in the short run, people can be helped to understand that their own perceptions of a situation are not necessarily the correct or the only possible ones. People can also be helped to understand that they should learn to tolerate differences in perception and to embrace and

accept human diversity. Counseling and sensitivity training are techniques that organisations can use to help individuals to understand the nature of their own and other peoples personalities to use that knowledge to improve their interactions with others. The highly motivated, driven boss, for example, must learn that his or her subordinates are not disloyal, lazy, or afflicted with personality problems because they are content to go home at 5 oclock and want unchallenging job assignments. Instead, they have their own set of work values, and they value their leisure time. Traditionally one of ODs main efforts has been to improve the quality of the work life of organisational members and increase their well-being and satisfaction with the organisation. 4. Organisational members who are perceived by their superiors or peers to have certain problems in appreciating the viewpoints of other or in dealing with cetin types of organisational members are counseled by trained professionals such as psychologists. Through counseling they learn how to more effectively manage their interactions with other people in the organisation. 5. Sensitivity training is an intense type of counseling. Organisational members who are perceived as having problems in dealing with others meet in a group with a trained facilitator to learn more about how they and the other group members view the world. Group members are encouraged to be forthright about how they view themselves and other group members, and through discussion they learn the degree to which others perceive them in similar or different ways. Through examining the source of differences in perception, members of the group may reach a better understanding of the way others perceive them and may learn how to deal more sensitively with others. 6. Participation in sensitivity training is a very intense experience because a persons innermost thoughts and feelings are brought to light and dissected in public. This process makes many people very uncomfortable, so certain ethical issues may be raised by an organisations decision to send difficult members for sensitivity training in the hope that they will learn more about themselves. 7. Is a manager too directive, too demanding, or too suspicious of subordinates? Does a manager deliberately deprive subordinates of information in order to keep them dependent? Process consultation provides answers to such questions. Process consultation bears a resemblance to both counseling and sensitivity training. A trained process consultant, or facilitator, works closely with a manager on the job to help the manager improve his or her interaction with other group members. The outside consultant acts as a sounding board so that the manager can gain a better idea about what is going on in the group setting and can discover the interpersonal dynamics that are determining the quality of work relationships within the group. 8. Process consultation, sensitivity training, and counseling are just three of the many OD techniques that have been developed to help individuals learn to change their attitudes and behaviour so that they can function effectively both as individuals and as organizational members. It is common for many large organisations to

provide their higher level managers with a yearly budget to be spent on individual development efforts such as these, or on more conventional knowledge-gaining events such as executive education programs. We shall now study the various nuances of Counselling. Definitions of Counselling 9. There are various definitions of counselling. Some of them are enumerated below:(a) Blocher (1966) explains it as helping an individual become aware of himself and the ways in which he is reacting to the behavioural influences of his environment. It further helps him to establish some personal meaning for this behaviour and to develop and clarify a set of goals and values for future behaviour. (b) According to Gustad (1953) Counselling is a learning oriented process carried on in a simple one to one social environment in which the counsellor, professionally competent in relevant psychological skills and knowledge, seeks to assist the client, by methods appropriate to the latters needs, within the content of the total personnel programme clearly perceived, realistically defined goals to the end that the client may become happier and more productive member of society. (c) As per S Narayan Rao Counselling is concerned with bringing about a voluntary change in the client. To this end the counsellor provides facilities to help achieve the desired change or make the suitable choice. The client alone is responsible for the decisions or the choices he makes, though the counsellor may assist in this process by his warmth and understanding relationship. 10. The last definition is most appropriate to our context from which it clearly emerges that counselling is a process which invites bringing about changes over a period of time leading to a set goal of making an individual a more effective part of society or organisation. These changes come about through a counsellor and counsellee relationship that is not casual, matter of fact and business like but that which is characterised by warmth, responsiveness and understanding. It is concerned with aiding normal people achieve better adjustment skills which manifest themselves in increased maturity, independence and responsibility. What Counselling is Not 11. There are a few misconceptions about counselling, and hence there is a need to clarify what counselling is not, as shown below:(a) (b) Identification of faults and prescription of remedial measures Giving advice, suggestions and sermons.

(c) (d) (e) (f)

Influencing counsellees with own values, attitudes and beliefs. Interviewing. Giving information. Psychiatric treatment.

Situations Demanding Counselling 12. Counselling aims at helping the counsellee to understand himself so that he is able to work towards realizing his potential and be an effective part of the society or the organisation he is associated with. Military leaders will experience several occasions when their subordinates, due to organisational work, domestic or social pressures may encounter difficulties of adjustments and hence may show signs of deviation from normal acceptable behaviour. Occasionally needs of the organisation may also necessitate counselling of subordinates. Situations, when counselling may need to be provided, arising out of personal or organisational reasons could be summarised as under:(a) Personal. For an individual who is:(i ) In financial debt, has taken to too much of drinking or has become apathetic to his job. (ii) Having discordant and strained relation with his wife or any other member of his family. (iii) Falling out with his group and perceives that he is suffering a kind of social boycott. (iv) Not showing any interest in the job or becomes increasingly critical of the organisation, may be as a fall out of the above. (v) Whose self concept is low and personality needs to be developed. (b) Organisational. For the purposes of:(i) Finding out career ambitions and plans of the personnel.

(ii) Determining the training and development needs of the subordinates based on his talent and potential. (iii) Explaining to a subordinate the constraints and compulsions of the organisation.

13. The above is only suggestive. There could be several other situations when counselling by a superior may be required.

Counselling Process 14. The aim of counselling process is to bring about a personality change in the counsellee in the desired direction. The counselling process is by and large same for all problems and for all individuals. For vocational and educational counselling the major emphasis is on collecting factual information and helping the counsellee in understanding this information in a proper perspective. In counselling of personal problems this information and planning in logical terms does not play a central role. The steps of counselling of personal problems are as follows:(a) Realising that there is a complaint, problem or a symptom that needs to be resolved. (c) Rapport building or establishing a sound counsellee-counsellor relationship. (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) Listening to feelings, concerns and the problems. Exploring feelings, emotions and personal resources. Help in problem identification. Diagnosis of the problem and generating several possible causes. Developing insight into remedial action plan.

(j) Help in decision making process. (Without offering solutions, but only enabling the counsellee to make decisions for himself). (k) Supporting the implementation of the action plan.

15. Essential Ingredients of Counselling. The success of counselling depends upon how the counselling is conducted. Some of the essential ingredients of counselling are as follows:(a) Physical Setting. The venue where counselling is rendered must be free from external disturbances. The best place is a neutral, quiet private office or room where one can have two chairs away from the desk, with perhaps a low table in front so that one can sit at forty five degree angle to the other person rather than facing each other with a desk in between.

(b) Privacy. The essence of counselling and good counsellor counsellee relationship depends upon not only on physical privacy but also on psychological privacy. The counsellee should be assured that whatever transpires between the counsellor and the counsellee is totally confidential between the two of them. Only under such an environment the counsellee will be mentally at ease to open his heart out to the counsellor. (c) Value Orientation. A counsellor must never endeavour to force his value system on the counsellee, for this is an unethical practice. However, when there are value conflicts, the counsellor should help to resolve them by clarifying the issue, overcoming the confusion of the counsellee. (d) Acceptance. The counselling relationship is also a kind of social relationship in which the counsellor and counsellee may approach each other with different degrees of acceptance. An ideal counselling relationship is one in which acceptance does not involve normative or judgemental attitudes, but is deeply concerned with resolving the problem of the person concerned. This acceptance is revealed by words, gestures, and a feeling of being unconditionally liked, respected and understood. In this sense acceptance is the essence of counselling. (e) Understanding. In a counselling situation, understanding has two connotations. First refers to the counsellees ability to understand himself, his situation and environment. Second refers to the counsellors ability to understand the counsellees problem, position, feelings emotions and his thought process. Counselling Skills 16. Rapport, empathy and attentiveness are the key essential skills a counseller must possess. Lack of these skills will otherwise inhibit the counselling process. These key essential skills are discussed below:(a) Rapport. Counselling is a helping relationship that is established through sound rapport between the counsellee and counsellor. Rapport is a warm, friendly and understanding condition that can be achieved through deep interest, responsiveness and sensitive emotional involvement. Rapport cannot be forced and cannot be one sided. Taking the counsellees needs, moods and conflicts into consideration the counsellor establishes rapport. For the establishment of good rapport, there is a need for counsellor to possess skills and ability such as humanness and versatility. (b) Empathy. Empathy means `feeling into and has a significant role in the counselling situation. Empathy is the ability to feel and describe the thoughts and feelings of others. It is the imaginative transposing of oneself into the thinking, feeling and acting of another and so structuring the world as he does. Empathy is not imitation nor is it sympathy, for sympathy is to feel

`with while empathy is to feel `into. Sympathy arouses compassion which has no place in the scientific process of counselling. Empathy is in fact the core skill of the counselling situation process. It is a term loaded with special behavioural implication. It means getting inside the other persons shoes and looking at the world through his frame of reference, getting a feel of his world and the problem, evaluating the situation from that view point and then communicating with him at his level, in a manner that one has the full grasp of the problem. An important aspect of empathy is that while the counsellor gets a feel of the counsellees problem and the related pain but he does not get swayed by it. After feeling it, he is also capable of weaning himself away from the pain and look at the problem dispassionately in an objective and pragmatic manner. He himself, must not psychologically or emotionally get involved with the pain or problem being experienced by the counsellee. (c) Attentiveness. This is perhaps the most important skill of the counsellor. To understand the essence of the problem of the counselee, a counsellor has to be completely (heart and soul) attentive to the messages conveyed by a counsellee verbally or through non verbal means. Essential ingredients of attentiveness are listening, and observing. In counselling, listening means more than what is commonly understood. Listening here implies listening with interest and understanding. A good counsellor makes a counsellee talk more and more while he listens patiently. It is human nature to reveal oneself completely to an attentive and real listener The counsellee will be no exception and this may even work better. The counsellor on his part sustains, extends and deepens his knowledge of counsellee by patient hearing and observing. This also helps him establish rapport and gain insight into the psychological world of the counsellee. Conclusion 17. Counselling is one of the most misunderstood terms in the services. It is not an advice giving or sermonizing interview but is a formalised interaction in an informal environment with a purpose to help a person to help himself in solving his problem. 18. Counselling is the moral responsibility of a superior. The skills of counselling can easily be acquired provided a superior is interested in his subordinate and is knowledgeable about the essentials of counselling process. This can be refined through practice and experience. 19. It should be remembered that effective counselling does not believe in making people despondent and dependent; it believes in making them confident and self reliant. Bibliography

1.

Management: People, Performance, Change, by Luis R Gomez-Mejia, et al, McGraw Hill, New York, 2005, ISBN 0-07-111131-X

2. 3. 4. 5.

Group Counselling by Ohlsen MM, Holt, New York 1970. How to Counsel People at work by Humphries, J Jaico, Mumbai. Perfect Counselling by Eggert M. Random House, London-1996. The Barefoot counseller by Currie: F.J., Asian Trading Corp., Bangalore 1978.

6.

The managers guide to counseling at work, by Reddy M; University Press, Hyderabad-1999.

7.

Theory and Practice of Group Counselling; by Corey G; Wadsworth, USA 5th Edition 1981.

8.

Counselling and Supporting; by Cowie H; Sharp S; SAGE, London, New Delhi 1998.

9. 10.

Counselling Psychology, by Patri VR., Author Press, Delhi 2001. Encyclopedia of guidance and counseling; by Lakshmi KS; Mittal publications, New Delhi 2003.

11.

The Counselling Process, by Patterson LE; Wadsworth, Australia 1999.

Questions 1. Explain briefly the processes of Sensitivity Training and Process Consultation. 2. What do you understand by Counselling? subordinate development? 3. What are the personal and organizational situations that demand counseling. 4. 5. What are the stages of Counselling? Describe the Feeling stage. Write short notes on the following skills for counselling:(a) Attending. What is its importance in

(b) (c) (d) (e)

Empathy. Listening. Feedback. Withdrawn Counsellee.