Instructors and students sometimes get confused over the terms appropriate/inappropriate and effective, ineffective and most effective.  Leadership and management models almost always provide a “right way” to do something and then offer steps on how to apply the model effectively.   

For example:  Performance counseling is basically corrective or supportive.  We use corrective counseling when people fall below a standard and supportive counseling to reinforce behavior when people meet or exceed a standard.

If in a scenario, a member fails to meet a standard and the supervisor uses corrective counseling, you would ask students, "Is the supervisor's use of corrective counseling appropriate or inappropriate?  Students should say, "Appropriate."  Then you ask students to justify their answer by asking, "Why?"  Students should say, "Because in the performance counseling lesson we learned that corrective counseling is the correct method to use when one fails to meet standards."

Now, let's assume we're using a 7-step performance counseling model (there are several models in use today)

Step 1: Identify the Behavior Observed
Step 2: Explain impact on mission
Step 3: Tell member how you feel (I'm disappointed in you)
Step 4: Ask "What happened?"
Step 5: Help member accept responsibility for his or her actions
Step 6: Help member develop plan to correct behavior or resolve issue
Step 7: Restate your confidence in the member

Now let's assume in the above scenario the supervisor covered only five of the seven steps of performance counseling.   

You ask students, "Was the counseling session effective or ineffective?"  Students should respond with, "Effective."  Then you ask students to justify their answer by asking, "Why?"  Students respond, "Because in the performance counseling lesson we learned counseling sessions are most effective when all steps are used, but even when some steps are skipped, the counseling sessions can still be effective."

Note:  If you ask students, "Was the counseling session effective?" Implies the appropriate method of counseling was used.  On the other hand, asking, "Was the counseling session appropriate?" Does not imply the session was effective.  Using the correct method of counseling does not guarantee that an effective session occurred.

Here is another example:

If in a scenario the supervisor uses a delegating style of leadership with a worker who requires a high task style, it would be wrong to ask, "Is the supervisor's leadership style appropriate or inappropriate?"  Why?  Because leadership is situational so there is no absolute "right or wrong" use of styles...only effective, ineffective and most effective use of styles.  In this example, according to leadership lesson principles, using delegating would be ineffective. A more effective leadership style would be a coaching style and the most effective style would be a directive style (high task).