INCIDENT IN THE BARRACKS (Continued)
"Now let me make something clear to you. You could get a battalion--or
brigade--level punishment for what you did to Mendez. You could be relieved. I
will not tolerate a leader that does not treat his soldiers with basic human respect.
Right now, you are more of a problem than an asset, and your squad would be
better off without you. I am giving you one more chance. If you do not change the
way you treat, motivate, and talk to your soldiers, I will relieve you! Understand?"
"Yes, Sergeant."
"Do you want to be relieved?"
"No, Sergeant."
"Now, let me explain why I am not relieving you at this time. I see good
qualities in you. You are efficient. You are a technical expert in your job. You are
the best mechanic and maintenance supervisor we have except in the way you
treat people. You are conscientious. You work long hours. You work well with the
machines, and you know how to teach others your maintenance skills. The way
you communicate and treat people, however, nearly cancels out all your good
skills. Your problem is your understanding of human nature and your beliefs about
motivating people.
I don't want to relieve you; but I will, and I'll recommend that you lose a stripe if
you do not change the way you treat your people. I am going to teach you the way
I want you to communicate, counsel, and motivate your people. Understand?
"Yes, Sergeant."
"Now, I want to get one more thing straight. What you did to Mendez made me
angry, because I can't stand to see good soldiers abused in any way. On the other
hand, I know you did not mean to do the wrong thing or hurt Mendez's pride. You
honestly believed that was the way to motivate him and to teach him. Look, I want
you to succeed. I want to have a good relationship with you based on respect and
confidence. I don't want to have to lead you by threats. Right now, however, you
put me in a position where I have to let you know clearly the actions I will take if
your leadership behavior does not improve. You have a duty to lead in accordance
with my policies on motivation and punishment. You don't have to believe in them,
but you will obey them. Now go and think about what has happened and what I
said. I will see you at 1700 for our first lesson on human nature and how to
motivate soldiers."
What Staff Sergeant Butler gave Sergeant Boyer was a verbal reprimand, but it
was delivered to teach and counsel. Therefore, it was counseling. Anything that is
part of the process to get someone to change his beliefs and behavior is teaching
and counseling.
Figure 1-2. Incident in the barracks-counseling exercise (continued).
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