#574: When People Are Having Off Days and Weeks, Learn How to Use the Counselling Approach to Re-connect, Re-inspire, and Re-fresh

Welcome to this course on Counselling Skills. Are you a manager, team leader, HR professional, or someone who wants to better support others? These counselling techniques will help you create meaningful conversations and positive change. You'll learn actionable ways to build genuine connections and guide others through challenges.

But before we begin, allow us a free promo first:

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Learning Objectives

1. Develop core counselling skills including active listening, effective questioning, and appropriate challenging
2. Apply counselling techniques to facilitate personal growth and positive change in workplace contexts
3. Confidently navigate difficult conversations while maintaining empathy and professional boundaries

01. The Counselling Approach

The counselling approach is different from giving advice. It's about creating a safe space. People can explore their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. Most individuals have the capacity to find their own solutions with the right support.

Counselling empowers people. You don't tell them what to do. Instead, you help them tap into their own resources. This creates lasting change because they own the solution. It builds their confidence to handle future challenges.

Using counselling skills at work doesn't mean becoming a therapist. It means bringing these helpful techniques into your conversations. You can support colleagues through difficulties, transitions, and growth opportunities more effectively.

Case Study: The Reluctant Team Member

Sarah noticed her team member Miguel was withdrawing from meetings and missing deadlines. Instead of jumping to performance issues, she created space for him to talk. Miguel revealed he was struggling with confidence after a recent setback on a project. Together they found small steps to rebuild his confidence. Sarah offered support rather than directives. Soon Miguel began regaining his engagement and performance as he worked through his challenges.

02. Awareness, Acceptance and Change

Awareness is where change begins. We need to see our patterns clearly before we can change them. You can help others build self-awareness through gentle questions and reflections. No judgment needed – just curiosity.

Acceptance means acknowledging where we are right now. It's not about giving up. It's about starting from an honest place. When we stop fighting reality, we free up energy for positive change.

Change happens when we build on awareness and acceptance. People need clear sight of their situation before moving forward. Your role? Provide support. Keep focus. Celebrate small wins along the way.

03. Personal Growth

Personal growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones. We need to try new approaches. Growth isn't a straight line – it's a journey with experiments and setbacks. That's normal and healthy.

For growth to last, it must connect to our values. Quick fixes don't work. Real change happens when new behaviors align with what matters to us. Help others identify these deeper values.

Be patient with the growth process. It takes time. Celebrate small wins. Treat setbacks as learning opportunities, not failures. Your supportive perspective creates a safe space for genuine development.

Case Study: Career Transition Support

David from HR helped Anya who felt stuck in her career. He noticed patterns in their talks – she lit up discussing project management but seemed flat when talking about her administrative work. David reflected these observations without pushing his own ideas. He asked questions that helped Anya connect her natural strengths to new possibilities. This led her to pursue project management training that truly excited her, rather than following standard career advice that didn't fit her unique situation.

04. The Dispositions of Counselling

Effective counselling starts with empathy. Can you see the world through another's eyes without judgment? When people feel truly understood, they open up. They become willing to explore difficult topics.

Genuineness builds trust. Be real in your interactions. Don't hide behind authority or professional distance. People quickly sense when someone is authentic versus just playing a role.

Unconditional positive regard means respecting the person no matter what. You don't need to approve of all behaviors. But you separate actions from the person's inherent worth. This creates safety for honest exploration.

05. The Counselling Interview

A good counselling conversation needs structure. Start by building rapport. Create comfort and trust before diving into challenges. Make sure the physical space feels safe. Privacy matters. Comfort matters. Freedom from interruptions matters.

Set clear expectations up front. Discuss time limits, confidentiality, and the purpose of your talk. In workplaces, be clear about what you can and cannot keep private. Clarify your role and boundaries.

End conversations well. Summarize key insights. Confirm next steps. Check on the person's feelings before closing. Every conversation needs proper closure before returning to normal workplace interactions.

Case Study: Conflict Resolution

Elena faced tension between two department heads that threatened an important project. She met with each person separately first. She listened without taking sides. When she brought them together, she set ground rules so each could speak without interruption. Elena modeled active listening and occasionally reflected the emotions behind their words. This helped the leaders see what truly mattered beneath their surface complaints. Their working relationship continued to improve even after Elena's involvement ended.

06. The Art of Listening

Real listening goes beyond hearing words. It includes tone, pace, emotions, and what's left unsaid. Set aside your own agenda. Focus completely on understanding the other person's experience from their perspective.

Your body language speaks volumes. Maintain appropriate eye contact. Keep an open posture. Nod to show you're following along. These non-verbal signals often say more about your attention than your words.

Try reflective listening techniques. Paraphrase what you've heard. Summarize key points. Notice and name feelings. This invites clarification and shows you're really trying to understand their reality.

07. Asking Questions

Questions can open doors or close them. Open questions that start with "what," "how," or "in what way" invite deeper thinking. They lead to rich responses. Closed questions that get yes/no answers can limit the conversation.

Timing your questions is crucial. Too many questions too quickly feels like an interrogation. Questions asked too soon can interrupt someone's natural flow. Be patient. Be sensitive to when the person is ready to explore new angles.

Check your intent before asking. Are you curious about their experience? Or are you trying to lead them to your preferred answer? Questions from genuine curiosity build trust. Leading questions create resistance.

Case Study: Performance Development

Priya noticed declining quality in Raj's work. Instead of criticizing, she used counselling techniques to understand why. Through attentive listening, she discovered Raj was struggling with conflicting demands from different stakeholders. He wasn't lacking motivation or ability. Priya helped him identify specific communication challenges and develop ways to clarify priorities. By addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms, she helped Raj make sustainable improvements rather than temporary fixes.

08. Challenging and Closing Down

Skilful challenging helps people spot blind spots in their thinking. Deliver challenges with warmth and respect, not judgment. The strength of your relationship affects how direct you can be without damaging trust.

Time your challenges carefully. Consider the person's emotional state and readiness. Challenging too soon can harm trust. Avoiding needed challenges prevents growth. Find the right balance.

Sometimes you need to redirect conversations. They may veer off track or time constraints require focus. Learn to guide gently but firmly. Maintain the person's dignity while keeping the conversation productive. Clear time boundaries help with these transitions.

09. Moving On

After exploring issues, people need clear next steps. Help translate insights into specific, doable actions. Make these concrete enough to provide direction but flexible enough to adapt as needed.

Find the right balance between independence and support. Too much independence can leave people feeling abandoned when obstacles arise. Too much oversight undermines ownership. Agree on check-in points that provide structure without creating dependency.

Celebrate progress, even small wins. We often focus on how far we still need to go. Your perspective can highlight growth that people might miss. This provides motivation to continue their development journey.

Case Study: Supporting Through Change

James helped his team through a company restructuring. He created space for genuine concerns rather than offering empty reassurances. He asked helpful questions like "What parts of this change feel hardest?" and "What strengths have helped you through past changes?" This prompted productive thinking. James listened without minimizing feelings or rushing to fix things. His team worked through their initial resistance. They adapted better to the new structure than departments where managers either avoided emotional discussions or dismissed feelings.

10. People Problems and Personalities

Counselling skills shine when handling difficult workplace dynamics. Approach conflicts with curiosity instead of judgment. This creates space to understand concerns that might be hidden behind conflict.

Different people need different approaches. Some need direct communication. Others need time to process thoughts before responding. Adapt your counselling style to fit individual needs. This shows respect and makes your conversations more effective.

Keep healthy boundaries. Counselling skills create meaningful connections. But don't take responsibility for others' problems or become emotionally drained. Professional distance helps you remain helpful while protecting your wellbeing.

Summary

Counselling skills transform workplace conversations. They create space for understanding before jumping to solutions. These skills help others discover their own insights rather than depending on your direction.

The foundation is psychological safety, empathy without judgment, and clear boundaries. These elements allow honest exploration while respecting individual autonomy and responsibility.

What Next?

If you have found this course valuable, you now have a great resource to add to your e-learning store.

And, with this as your starting point, you can now take things further.

With over 22,000 learning resources on our 6 websites, with 2 sites offering free downloads, you can now take charge of your own learning and create your own learning pathways to success.

Simply commit yourself to a daily snippet of learning and then practise it, reflect upon it, apply it, and review it, and in no time at all, you will have mastered the skill with confidence.

Thanks for reading this edition of the "People Skills" newsletter and good luck with your ongoing learning.

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