DOCTRINE OF COMPLETED STAFF WORK

Completed Staff Work is a principle of management which states that subordinates are
responsible for submitting written recommendations to superiors in such a manner that the
superior need do nothing further in the process than review the submitted document and indicate
approval or disapproval. It also entails the study problem, and presentation of a doable and
focused solution, by personnel. Thus, the staff are responsible for ensuring that the document or
report presented to the signatory is already complete, accurate and concise.

The words completed staff work are utilized because of the tendency to present a difficult
problem to the supervisor in piece-meal fashion. The duty of the subordinate is to work out the
details, and not consult the supervisor in the determination of those details, no matter how
perplexing they may be. Consultation may be done with other staff or other agencies, and a final,
and not rough, draft shall be presented to the supervisor.

Hence, in the execution of all official roles, responsibilities and tasks (i.e. preparation of
policy documents, invitation letters, and speeches) the staff are expected to do “completed staff
work”. This includes preparing to represent the management in meetings and other functions. It
protects signatories and supervisors from half-baked ideas, voluminous memoranda, and
immature old presentations, the burden of gathering the pertinent details and information and
working out solutions himself/herself.

The key is to take responsibility for doing the detailed analysis, procedure an easy to
understand recommendation based on well researched and analyzed o. information. Your boss
role is to make the decision, confident that you have done your work well.

Completed Staff Work Summary

1. Define the problem

2. List criteria
3. Form Assumption
4. Identity constraints
5. Develop Alternatives
6. Select Best Alternatives
7. Submit for approval

Source/s:

1. Development Academy of the Phil (dap.edu.ph)

2. Presidential Management Staff (pms.gov.ph)
3. Govleaders.org
4. George A. Rehm (28 Sept 2009) “The Doctrine of Completed Staff Work”
5. U.S. Army (Jan 1953) Army Information Digest