COMPLETED STAFF WORK

Objectives: 

At the end of the lecture, the Participants will be able to:

• Understand the principle of Completed Staff Work; and

• Apply the principles in their staff work at their respective
offices.
■ What is Completed Staff Work?
Defined:
Decision memorandum
Signature ready
■ What is Completed Staff Work?
Defined:
Study of a problem and presentation of its solution in
such form that only approval or disapproval of the
completed action is required.
■ How?
 Work out all details completely;
 Consult other staff officers;
 Study, write, restudy, rewrite;
 Present a single, coordinated proposed action. Do not
equivocate;
 Do not present long memoranda or explanations; and
 Advise the Chief what to do.
■ Work out all details completely.
 It is the duty of a staff officer to work out the details; and
 The staff should not consult with the boss in the determination of
these details, no matter perplexing they may be.
• Consult other staff officers.
 The staff may and should consult other staff officer. The product,
whether it involves the pronouncement of a new policy or affects
an established one, should be worked out in finished formed
before presentation to the boss for decision.
■ Study, write, restudy, rewrite.
 The staff’s job is to study, write, and rewrite until a
single proposed action evolves–the best one of all
considered. The boss merely approves or disapproves.
■ Present a single, coordinated proposed action. Do not
equivocate.
 Equivocate meaning to avoid giving a definite answer
or position
■ Do not present long memoranda or explanations.
 The boss should not be worried with long explanations
and memoranda. Writing a memorandum to the boss
does not constitute completed staff work, but writing a
memorandum for the boss to send to someone else does;
and
 The staff officer's views should be placed before the boss
in finished form so that the boss can make them his/her
views simply by signing the document.
• Advise the Chief what to do.
 The impulse to ask the boss what to do recurs more often
to an inexperienced staff officer when the problem is
difficult; and
 It is so easy to ask the boss what to do, and it appears so
easy for the boss to answer. This impulse must be resisted.
A staff officer will succumb to it only if he/she does not
know his/her job. It is the individual's job to advise the
boss what ought to be done, not to ask what ought to be
done. The boss needs answers not questions.
• In most instances completed staff work results in a single
document prepared for the signature of the boss, without
accompanying comment. If the proper result is achieved, the
boss will usually recognize it at once. If further comment or
explanation is needed, the boss will ask for it.
• Rough Draft
 The doctrine of completed staff work does not preclude a
rough draft, but the rough draft must not be a half baked
item;
 It must be complete in every respect that it lacks the
requisite number of copies and need not be a clean copy;
and
 A rough draft must not be used as an excuse for shifting
to the boss the burden of formulating the action.
• The completed staff work concept may result in more work
for the staff officer, but it results in more freedom for the
boss. Further, it accomplishes two things:
 The boss is protected from half-baked ideas, voluminous
memoranda, and immature oral presentments; and
 The staff officer who has a real idea to sell is enabled
more readily to find a market.
Completed Staff Work Process
• Like any process, “Completed Staff Work” consists of a series of
steps employees follow when researching an issue:
 identifying the issue and establishing a work process;
 collecting and analyzing the data;
 developing and assessing options;
 developing recommendations and drafting the report;
 obtaining decision maker approval;
 presenting to the approving body;
 implementing the approved decision; and
 follow-up.
• Identifying the issue and establishing a work process.
 Develop a clear statement of the issue;
 Identify decision makers;
 Clarify needs/expectations of the decision maker;
 Set the timetable; 
 Identify internal and external stakeholders; and 
 Identify the resources required.  
• Collecting and analyzing the data.
 Research data and information;
 Involve stakeholders (if applicable); and
 Analyze data.
• Developing and assessing options.
 Use criteria to develop a final recommendation;
 Develop cost options;
 Consider budget and policy impacts; and
 Consider public relations.
• Developing recommendations and drafting the report.
 Seek consensus of other staff on recommendations;
 Select the best option;
 Resolve conflicts; 
 Draft the report; and
 Circulate your draft report for feedback.
• Obtaining decision maker approval.
 Alert decision maker to potential unresolved conflicts;
and
 Obtain approval.
• Presenting to the approving body.
 Publish report; and
 Obtain Council decision.
• Implementing the approved decision.
 Determine implementation strategy; and
 Have it implemented down the line.
• Follow-up.
 Monitor implementation; and
 Evaluate implementation.
• When a staff person has finished the individual's completed
staff work, the final test is this:

If you were the boss, would you be willing to sign the

paper you have prepared and stake your professional
reputation on its being right?

If the answer is in the negative, take it back and work it

over, because it is not yet completed staff work.