1-10 you with their problems. In other cases, you will have to recognize the existence of a problem and discover its nature on your own. You should be able to recognize changes in behavior that often signal problems. Some indicators  of  an  individual’s  need  for  help  may  be declining  job  performance,  changes  in  attitude,  or withdrawal  from  friends  and  associates.  Difficulty getting  to  work  on  time,  constant  demands  on  a supervisor’s time, and rebellion against authority or the system in general often indicate personal problems. Do you remember the old saying about 20 percent of the people causing 80 percent of the problems? You can expect  to  spend  80  percent  to  90 percent  of  your “personnel admin” time on 20 percent of the people. Your job as a supervisor is to get 100 percent team effort from your assigned workers. When counseling is necessary, no matter what the reason, you should first try to “set the stage.” What does that mean? If possible, wait until after normal work hours or at least until a lull occurs in the tempo of operations to talk with the individual. Try to find a quiet place where interruptions will not occur. You may have difficulty  finding  a  quiet  place  in  many  operating environments, but do the best you can. Your quiet place may be an office or a vacant corner of the hangar deck, but try to get as much privacy as circumstances allow. Nondirective counseling occurs when you allow your subordinates to determine the direction of sessions. Your primary task is to listen to what they are saying. Show you are actively listening by reacting to what is said. Occasionally restate what has been said. Try to develop a nonevaluative style of listening and responding. That will encourage individuals to open up and work out frustrations,   fears,   and   worries   without   fear   of embarrassment. Often, simply letting people talk out problems can help them find a solution. Use occasional, general questions to guide the  conversation.  Avoid questions that can be answered “yes” or “no.” Often your counseling efforts will consist of little more   than   providing   information,   pointing   out infractions, or pointing out failure to use common sense. How  you  counsel  will  depend  entirely  upon  your personality and the personality of the individual receiving the counseling. Use common sense in developing your approach. At other times you will have to work a little harder to get to the root of a problem and help find a solution. When an individual approaches you with a request  for  specific  information  or  your  opinion, provided it is of a professional nature and not a personal nature, guide them to a resolution. Exercise caution when expressing opinions, however, as they can become loaded guns if not carefully thought out and expressly worded. If the concern is of a personal nature, provide them with sources of help. The Navy has trained professionals for this sort of help. We all want to help our shipmates; however, caution should be exercised when providing assistance with personal matters. You, as a frontline supervisor, are the first link in spotting problems. You are in daily contact with the workers in your unit or division. Be sure you know how to spot problems and counsel your workers. If you can't solve a problem, pass it up the chain of command. If you ignore it, it may grow into a bigger problem. Don't be afraid to seek help when faced with an unfamiliar situation. Your chain of command, chaplain's office, legal officer, and personnel office often can help solve problems or offer advice. Be aware of the resources available to you. The morale and job performance of your people depend on your ability to manage human resources. Unless you make a conscious effort to develop that ability, your leadership will never reach its full potential. REVIEW 3 QUESTIONS Q1.    How can you train an unskilled subordinate while performing a task? Q2.    When you determine safety requirements for a task, what is a shelf-life requirement? Q3.    What documents can be used to determine the tools that are needed for a specific task? Q4.    In order to track your crew’s progress, what must it be measured against? Q5.    Task  performance  standards  consist  of  what factors? Q6.    When you give a status report to your supervisor, what is meant by the four B’s? Q7.    What  type  of  feedback  is  given  when  job performance standards are not being met?