COMPLETED STAFF WORK

PLTCOL RUBEN DALIT PADUA JR

Lecturer
Academics Group, PNPA
Objectives of the lecture:

Participants will be able to:

• Understand the principle of Completed Staff Work;
and

• Apply the principles in their staff work at their

respective offices.
 PLTCOL RUBEN D PADUA, JR
C-97174/O-15473
Education
 Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology
 Bachelor of Science in Public Safety
 MBA
 PIOC Cl 35
 Southeast Asia Cash Bulk Smuggling Course-UNDOC, Semerang Indonesia
 Airport Investigation Course – UNDOC, New York City

Position/Designation
COP-Pasacao,Nabua, Ragay MPS
City COP- Masbate City Police
Intel Officer- CamsurPPO, AlbayPPO, Masbate PPO
Coy Comdr- Sorsogon PPSC
Opn Officer- AlbayPPO
PCR Officer- CamsurPPO
Invest Officer- CamsurPPO

Awards/Commendation
Civil Service Lingkod Bayan Awardee 2015
NAPOLCOM TOP ACHIEVER AWARDEE 2015
PRO5 Best Chief of Police Awardee
PNP Anniversary Best PCO in Illegal Drug Operation Awardee
■ Introduction
Maximizing your effectiveness in providing superiors with realistic
and actionable solutions to problems is one of the quickest ways to
enhance your value within an organization.

Understanding the principles of Completed Staff Work (CSW) will

help you to develop a comprehensive and systematic approach to
researching, documenting, and presenting your recommendations to
your superiors.

CSW is a doctrine originally developed in the U.S. military that

describes the standard of responsibility, thoroughness, detail,
professionalism, and accountability required when preparing material
for a superior.
■ 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.
Principles of CSW
Independence
Thoroughness
Clarity
Ownership
– Independence
Creating CSW is as much about process as
result. When you are tasked with finding solutions for
your superior, your job is to work without further input
or advice from your superior. Although certain matters
may need clarification during this process, all details
necessary to researching, documenting, analyzing, and
providing a solution are your responsibility.
– Thoroughness
Your research and analysis should be exhaustive,
considering all possible scenarios, alternatives, and
repercussions in determining the best recommended
course of action. This recommendation should include
thoughtful and detailed steps for implementation,
including contingencies for any foreseeable problems.
– Clarity
Once your research and analysis are complete, you
should prepare your final recommendations to your
superior in a short, concise format. Your presentation
should present a clear, unmistakable conclusion that
leaves no question unanswered.
– Ownership
CSW requires the individual presenting the material
to take a strong, clear position. Your final
recommendation should be one that you would be
willing to stake your career upon.
Roles and Objectives
■ Roles
 Role of the Staff  Role of the Boss
• Identify the problem; Timely and well-
• Workout the details; informed decision
• Coordinate with other
staff; and
• Propose solution.
■ Objectives
 CSW gives more work for the staff

 CSW gives more freedom for the boss

■ When to use CSW
 Preparing speeches;
 Preparing reports (written or verbal);
 Preparing press releases;
 Preparing messages;
 Initiating action on accounts;
 Developing programs and projects;
 Managing appointments;
 Out of office-engagements; and
 Any decision-making activity.
The following process presents a series of steps to follow
when performing CSW:
• Identifying the issue and establishing a work process;
• Collecting and analyzing the data;
• Developing and assessing recommendations and
drafting a report;
• Obtaining top management approval;
• Communicating the approved decision; and
• Monitoring.
 Steps
Know the problem
Do research and analysis
Perform CSW
Arrive at a decision
Communicate
Monitor
1. Know the problem
Define the problem (task) or scope
of issue
2. Do research and analysis
a. Gather information and data; and
b. Organize data and findings
a. Gather information and data
1) Basic facts (who, what, where, when, and why)
2) Relevant laws and issuances
3) History of the problem/issue
• Status;
• Pros and cons;
• Quad media exposure, if any; and
• Legal brief

4) Stakeholders/constituents affected/parties
involved/ interest groups

5) Available resources/budget/logistics/networks
3. Perform CSW
a. analyze information and data
• legality/constitutionality
• technical viability
• financial viability (cost, budget, support, and funding
alternatives
• consistency with priorities
• impact on stakeholders, previous/current engagements
b. generate alternative solutions and assess impacts
c. identify and recommend solutions
d. write the recommendations
4. Arrive at a decision

5. Communicate

6. Monitor
 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
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.
■ Redundancy
 Have a portable drive to save  Save files in the cloud
your files in case of power
interruption
 When preparing talking points  Have a printed copy
for the boss, send him a soft
copy through available means
■ Redundancy
 Always check your equipment  Have a backup equipment

 Prepare detailed program and  Conduct a walk-through

checklist requirements

 Prepare a plan of action  Prepare a contingency plan

• Final test of CSW:
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 NO, If YES,
take it back and congratulations!
work it over, You are part of
because it is not the solution.
yet completed
staff work.
Thank You
and
Good Day