14th Flying Training Wing

14th Flying Training Wing Building the World’s Best Pilots, Leaders, and Warriors Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

Agenda (Day 2) • 0700 – 0800 PT • 0900 – 1100 Mentoring and Counseling • 1110 – 1210 EAF/Joint Ops/Total Force • 1210 – 1330 Lunch • 1330 – 1530 Discipline • 1530 – 1630 Senior Leadership Panel (Group CC’s)

NCO Professional Development Building the World’s Best Pilots, Leaders, and Warriors Mentoring & Counseling I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

Overview • Mentoring defined • Counseling defined • Steps in the Process • Scenarios • Comparing Mentoring/Counseling

Mentoring (Defined/Purpose ) • A trusted Counselor • Coaching - Specific tutoring for an event • Counseling - Exchanging opinions/ideas in order to reach a decision • Teaching learned wisdom “A mentor is defined as a “trusted counselor or guide.” Mentoring, therefore is a relationship in which a person with greater experience and wisdom guides another person to develop both personally and professionally.” AFI 36-3401

Mentoring Benefits • Mentoring is not a promotion enhancement program • Mentoring helps each individual reach their maximum potential • Mentoring covers a wide range of areas: • Career guidance • Technical and professional development • Leadership • AF history and heritage • Ethics, core values, • More.....

Mentor/Mentee Relationship • Air Force definition: (taken from AFI36-3401) • Immediate supervisor is your mentor • All of your subordinates are your mentees • Mentoring is an inherent responsibility of leadership • This does not preclude you from seeking other mentors--personal or professional • Supervisors must make themselves available to subordinates who seek career guidance and counsel

Mentor/Mentee Relationship (cont) • Supervisors must prepare themselves to be effective mentors! • Study the applicable AF specialty career path pyramid and career experience matrix • Supervisors must continually challenge their subordinates to improve • Mentors need to distinguish between individual goals, career aspirations, and realistic expectations

Mentoring the Mentor • NCOs are mentors to: • Jr NCOs • Airman • Civilians • Ample opportunities • Receive broader view of the Air Force • Stay abreast of latest changes • Role model on many levels • Pass on heritage as enlisted members

Steps in the Mentoring Process • What are the steps in the mentoring process? • Establish rapport • Help them establish goals • Help them implement goals • Give advice and be available when needed • Follow-up • Mentoring is an on-going relationship that continues on and off duty.

Counseling Defined • Feedback • Verbal • Documented “Counseling is a systematic two-way discussion between the supervisor and subordinate concerning duty performance as compared to established standards with the intention of informing the subordinate of his/her past duty performance and cooperatively developing a plan to improve performance.”

Why Do We Need Counseling? Counseling is to help the follower realize that an opportunity exists to change negative behavior and to reinforce positive behavior. • Help people make wise choices and decisions • Help people be better adjusted or promote their mental health (refer to professionals)

Goal Setting • Goal setting is important in personal and professional life--provides a measuring stick • Near-term goals • Mid-term goals • Long-term goals • Be careful not to set unattainable goals, and make sure your mentee doesn’t either • Be careful not to set goals which are easily attainable • Goals should provide a driving force • Celebrate after accomplishing goals

Performance Feedback • Performance feedback is essential to mentoring • Provide realistic assessment of performance • Measure performance against established criteria and goals • Point out strong suits • Point out weaknesses, and recommend ways to improve • Review goals to see if they need adjusting • Encourage open communication • Bottom line: A glowing feedback is easy to give, but will it help improve your people?

Recognition • Recognition comes in many forms • Amn/NCO of the Quarter • Volunteer Award • Technical (AFSC) Awards • Specialty (Honor Guard) Awards • Team Awards • Decorations • Etc. • You owe it to your people to write them up when they are deserving--SET THEM UP FOR AWARDS! • Mentees: don’t be shy about awards--let them know when you’re deserving! SET YOURSELF UP!

Counseling Situations • There are four major kinds of situations that require counseling: • Job Related • Interpersonal • Situational • Personal or Emotional

Counseling Challenges • Help someone make wise choices and decisions • Keeping counselee on the right track • Getting counselee to overcome fear of criticism • Ensuring counselee clearly understands expectations • Involving the counselee in developing solutions

Counseling Process • What are the steps in the counseling process? • Set the meeting • Establish a relationship • Help the counselee gain self-understanding of the area requiring change • Devise a plan to resolve problem and follow-up

Counseling Environment • What are some other things to consider when conducting a counseling session? • Private/Quiet, non-threatening place • Limit interruptions • Allocate plenty of time • Non-verbals • Confidentiality

Comparing Mentoring/Counseling • What are some of the similarities between mentoring and counseling? • The overall steps • Both help individuals to make decisions • Both are supervisor responsibilities

Comparing Mentoring/Counseling (cont) • What are some of the differences between mentoring and counseling? • Mentoring is Proactive and Counseling is Reactive • Mentoring ensures the needs of the protégé are met • Counseling ensures Air Force standards are met

Comparing Mentoring/Counseling (cont) • What other things do you need to take into consideration? • Home Station, TDY or Deployed Location • Understanding and appreciating the uniqueness of everyone involved

Scenario #1 • You are the NCOIC of the section. The commander has recently notified you that the squadron has been selected to support another deployment. This is the third time this year! They are asking for volunteers, but you know you will have to “twist arms” to fill out the team. Everyone is getting frustrated with the high Ops Tempo. Senior Airman Howell is one of the squadron’s best troops. He is the first to volunteer for these operations and rarely complains. Today is a different story however. SrA Howell tells you that he cannot volunteer for this deployment because his wife is threatening to leave him if he keeps going away for months at a time. • What are the issues? • Would you use counseling or mentoring? Why? • How would the outcome change if you had chosen the alternative?

Scenario #1 Answers • 1. What are the issues? • Professional - Need to fill the mission. • Personal - Need to take care of SrA Howell. • 2. Would you use counseling or mentoring? Why? • Counseling – for the marital problems –possible referral to professional • 3. How would the outcome change if you had chosen the alternative? • May be showing empathy but not curing the problem. • If mentoring happened earlier and a plan for SrA Howell’s career includes participating in 2-3 deployments a year, SrA Howell can share this with his spouse and this may prevent the problem.

Scenario #2 • You just received a phone call from the BX manager stating that A1C Jones has bounced two checks this week. You know that A1C Jones is supporting a family of four on one income. A1C Jones is an excellent worker and has had no other financial problems that you are aware of. • What are the issues? • Would you use counseling or mentoring? Why? • How would the outcome change if you had chosen the alternative?

Scenario #2 Answers • 1. What are the issues? • Financial problems – breaking law • Member with huge amount of stress due to having problems supporting their family • 2. Would you use counseling or mentoring? Why? • Counseling – severity of the problem. Airman is already in trouble and needs to change habits to meet AF standards. • 3. How would the outcome change if you had chosen the alternative? • If mentoring had been done prior to the offense, supervisor could have offered resources that possibly could have prevented the problem i.e. AF Aid Society, PFMP (Personal Financial Management Program) and WIC (Women, Infant, and Children).

Scenario #3 • SrA Gonzales works downstairs in the Commander’s Support Staff. She runs into you in the hallway and tells you that she is considering separating from the Air Force when her enlistment is up. She has asked her immediate supervisor for advice on several occasions, but her supervisor continually tells her they are too busy right now. You know that she is a good airman and has received numerous letters of appreciation during commander’s call. You also have seen her at the local community college where you both attend classes. You know she is a valuable member of the Air Force and want to help her make an educated decision about her future. • What are the issues? • Would you use counseling or mentoring? Why? • How would the outcome change if you had chosen the alternative?

Scenario #3 Answers • 1. What are the issues? • Poor supervision • Retention of a good Airman in question • 2. Would you use counseling or mentoring? Why? • Mentoring – Want to provide her with as much information as possible so SHE can make an educated decision. • She is in compliance with Air Force standards. • 3. How would the outcome change if you had chosen the alternative? • If the supervisor uses counseling and tries to make the decision for her, she could rebel and separate.

Summary • Mentoring defined • Counseling defined • Steps in the Process • Scenarios • Comparing Mentoring/Counseling

Questions?

LUNCH • Be back at ???

NCO Professional Development Building the World’s Best Pilots, Leaders, and Warriors Discipline I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

14th Flying Training Wing