As a PL I generally took a more structured approach that focused on doctrine and what ever the training event coming up was. I used the 8 Step Training model basically. As a company commander I still used the 8 Step Training Model, but also took the time to have a conversation with each PL during the training events. Listening to what your subordinate leaders have to say during organic/informal opportunities and then providing honest, direct, and specific verbal feedback seemed to work. Of course, you need to follow this up on paper within a short time period. Without this timely feedback, counseling can be less productive and ultimately, their evaluations might be surprising to them. This is obviously bad.

Also, there is a newly released field manual: FM 6-22 Leader Development. This FM “provides a viewpoint on individual change, sample plans for embedding development into routine unit actions, and descriptions of measurable skills that provide additional guidelines for development.”