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successful supervisor knows as much as possible
about each worker, concentrates on what the
worker is doing, and realizes how the worker is
doing it. The supervisor usually adopts a casual
manner to spare the worker embarrassment, but
there is nothing casual or careless about the
supervision the successful supervisor is exercising.
Avoid, if possible, the type of criticism that
merely condemns. Most workers mean to do their
jobs well most of the time. If you start with this
assumption, you will find that you have arranged
yourself on the side of the worker rather than
against the worker. If you take it for granted that
the worker means to do well and you can offer
help in doing better, there is no need for the
worker to fear you or feel antagonism toward you.
However, do not make the mistake of trying to
explain this to the worker. Just adopt a spirit of
helpfulness as your fundamental attitude and
make it a basis of your comments and actions.
When you see one of your members doing
something entirely wrong, your purpose is not
merely to stop the member, but also to start the
person doing the job right. So, instead of just
saying, “Don’t do it that way,” tell or show the
person how to do it correctly. Most people will
sense your attitude and respond to it.
When you have given criticism, you should
carry through to see that your directions are being
followed. Again, do not be too fussy or obvious
about it, but be sure that you do the necessary
checking. You should use a friendly manner in
following up criticism of subordinates’
performance. However, this attitude should be
underlaid by a firm purpose to get the work done
right. This will give you a “fair but firm” label
with your subordinates.
Do not be an absentee supervisor. This is a
particular problem when your area of supervision
includes more than one space, such as a group
of storerooms. If one of the spaces is run by a
capable petty officer, the tendency is to
concentrate attention on the other spaces to the
exclusion of the one space. To make sure good
working habits are maintained, you must spend
some time in each space and maintain direct
communications with all your supervisory
personnel.
TRAINING
Training in the Navy serves a “double-
barreled” purpose. It serves the Navy’s need by
providing personnel who have the knowledge and
skill necessary to perform their jobs. It also serves
the person’s need by enabling the person to gain
the prestige and higher pay that goes with
advancement in rate.
When you receive a new member in your
department or division, whether from an A, a C,
or a Shipboard Uniform Automated Data
Processing System (SUADPS) school, or another
ship, station, or department on your ship, the
member’s training and your learning should start.
If the member comes from an A, a C, or a
SUADPS school, you have some idea of the
member’s knowledge and some idea as to how you
can best use the member’s talents. If the member
comes from another ship or station, the service
record may provide some idea as to the member’s
experience and capabilities. Personnel transferred
to the supply department from any other de-
partment on your ship are usually without supply
experience and you must spend some additional
time with their individual training.
One highly effective method used to determine
the person’s capabilities is conversation. An hour
spent in a face-to-face talk over coffee and
doughnuts not only makes the person feel like a
welcome addition to your department or division
but also provides you the opportunity to learn
about the person. In this way you both benefit.
What if you are the new member? Well, a few
days spent listening and observing your new
division at work could and often does help you
when you set up your training schedule or
in making major job reassignments.
Once you have determined the training
requirements for your department, you must
implement a meaningful training program to
make sure each member in the department receives
the best available training. Several methods of
training will now be discussed.
Navy Schools
The Storekeeper courses offered by fleet
training commands should not be overlooked in
your training programs. These courses will vary
in length from the complete Storekeeper A school
of 8 weeks, down to 1- and 2-week package
courses. There is also training offered for various
types of Navy Enlisted Classifications (NECs),
such as the following:
l 2814 - SNAP II SFM SK
l 2815 - Independent SK Afloat
l 2820 - SNAP II SFM Functional Area
Supervisor
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