Page 104 - DMGT517_PERFORMANCE_MANAGEMENT_SYSTEM

Unit 9: Performance Counselling

Infl uencing Notes

Influencing would mean making an impact on the person in relationship. Such impact need not

necessarily be of restrictive type. Influencing in effective counselling would involve the following
three aspects.
1. Increasing Autonomy of the Person: Usually, influencing is understood in the only sense of

restricting the autonomy of the person and directing him into channels which are predetermined

by the person who is exerting influence. Positive influencing is the opposite of it; the

autonomy of the other person is increased and he has larger scope of making his own choice.
Even this is influencing. But this is a different kind of infl uencing.

2. Helping: Counselling is essentially helping. Helping involves several processes but the
following three are mainly important.
3. Concern and Empathy: Without manager’s concern for his employee, effective helping
cannot be provided in the counselling session. Such concern is shown when the counselor is
able to feel for his subordinate and is able to empathize with him. These would be refl ected
in the kinds of questions asked and the tone in which conversation takes place. Managers
may constantly ask themselves how much concern and genuine empathy they have for the
employees whom they are counselling. Without such genuine concern, counselling may
only degenerate into a ritual and cannot achieve its goals.

Key Points of Discussion in Counselling

The following table explains the points of discussion during the counselling process:
Personal Problems Professional Problems Resources Constraints
• Career • Absenteeism • Increased production cost
• Family • Tardiness • Increased employee turnover
• Financial • Drug Abuse • Interpersonal confl ict
• Legal • Interpersonal confl ict • Low morale
• Health • Poor job performance

Who should do the Counselling?

In most cases it is your responsibility as a manager to provide counselling to your staff in relation
to work performance and conduct. However, in circumstances where performance is affected by
factors outside the workplace, for example if a person has a problem with drugs or alcohol or

has difficulties in their private life, it may be appropriate, after an initial discussion, to refer the
person to a staff counsellor or counsellor from an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This does
not mean that you should back away from the problem, but you should focus on ways to improve
the person’s performance at work and not attempt to solve problems that may be occurring in the

individual’s private life. In most cases, managers are not qualified to take on such a role.
Apart from providing a counselling service for staff, EAPs can also help you as a manager. For
instance, if you are faced with having to give a person critical feedback about their performance
and you feel uncertain about your approach, you may wish to contact the EAP to obtain advice
on how to best frame the discussion. You may also wish to consult a more senior manager or
contact your human resources area for advice.
In some cases it may be appropriate to involve a professionally qualified counsellor outside your

agency, such as a medical practitioner. If you are considering an external referral you should not
put pressure on the person to seek outside counselling. A referral should be arranged only with
the person’s consent.

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