CHAPTER 1 TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATION

When you achieve the status of PETTY OFFICER, it becomes your most important advancement in the Navy. Sewing on your first chevron carries many responsibilities with it. Among these responsibilities is the commitment to become an effective supervisor/leader, instructor, and administrator in all military, technical, and safety areas of your rating.

As a petty officer, you will begin to develop your ability to manage the work that is done by your personnel as well as to supervise/lead them.

As you gain experience as a petty officer and increase your technical abilities as a Steelworker, your skill as leader becomes more and more important as you lead/supervise personnel assigned to you. At each rating level, you will be given more responsibility and will be expected to seek the responsibility associated with that particular rating level. The intent of this chapter is to help you understand the importance of leadership, to show you the practical aspects of applying leadership principles coupled with sound administrative practices, and to help you use and prepare the administrative "paperwork" that you will be involved with as a crew leader.

CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION

As your crew leader or supervisor experience grows, you begin to assume greater responsibility for the work of others. As this is occurring, you will also assume greater administrative duties. For this reason, you must understand that proper administration is the backbone of any project. You will have personnel assigned to your project who must be employed effectively and safely. Therefore, you not only have to meet production requirements and conduct training but also must know and apply the procedures required to process "paperwork" correctly, Administration is the mechanical means that a person or an organization uses to plan, organize, supervise, manage, and document activities. It provides a means of telling you such things as what has been planned, what is required, what has occured, what is completed, what personnel are assigned, and so on. Try keeping all that information in your head for even a small assignment/project. You will begin to understand the variety of methods used to administer the job. Administration ranges from just keeping a notebook in your back pocket to filling out a variety of reports and forms.

As a growing leader in the Navy, you must learn about and become effective in the use of administrative tools as well as the tools of your trade. Once you become comfortable with using these tools, you will then develop the skill of a successful administrator who can lead and direct people in getting the job done right and done well.

PLANNING PERSONNEL WORK ASSIGNMENTS

While planning for a small or large project, you must consider the abilities of your crew. Use PRCP data, which will be discussed later in the chapter. Next, consider any special tools and equipment you will need and arrange to have them at the jobsite when the work is started. Determine who will use these tools, and ensure the crew members assigned know how to use them Properly and safely.

To assure that the project is done properly and on time, you should consider the method of accomplishment as well as the skill level (PRCP level) of your crew. When there is more than one way of constructing a particular project, you must analyze the methods and choose the one best suited to the project conditions and the skill levels of your crew. Listen to suggestions from others. If you can simplify a method and save time and effort, by all means do it.

As the petty officer in charge of a crew, you are responsible for crew member time management as well as your own. You must plan constructive work for your crew. Always remember to PLAN AHEAD! A sure sign of poor planning is that of crew members standing idle each morning while you plan the events for the day. At the close of each day, you should confirm the plans for the next workday. In doing so, you will need answers on the availability y and use of manpower, equipment, and supplies. Keep the following questions in mind: