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those who have an interest in those things, but lack the
“know how” to do them.
In a way, this manual is also a “how to” book but it
does have a slightly different approach. To begin with,
you already possess the “know how’’—everyone really
knows how to be courteous and helpful. When we don’t
do what we should, either we don’t care or just didn’t
stop to think how our actions might affect the other
person. The intent of this manual is to impress upon you
the importance of caring and the effect of your actions
and attitude toward others.
This manual first identities undesirable personal
traits of members that can make the Navy less than it
can be. It asks you to evaluate yourself so that you can
become aware of areas needing improvement. Then, by
showing the advantages of improvement to you and to
the Navy, it dares you to accept the challenge of
self-improvement.
We in the Navy have a real need to improve our
human relations. Human relations often are the deciding
factor as to whether a member likes the Navy or dislikes
it.
EXAMPLES WITHIN
Chapter 2 is a series of case studies, or examples, of
the type of service that is often encountered in the Navy.
Some of these examples are limited to specific ratings,
others are not. Some portray good service, others poor.
The purpose of these examples is to help you
evaluate your own attitudes and abilities. To say that
something is “better” really doesn’t say much unless you
go a step further by adding “than
.” That is
evaluation, and evaluation can be simply described as
the weighing of all known factors to determine a best
course of action. In team sports, each team is constantly
evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the other so
that it can plan its strategy.
Self-evaluation requires that you weigh your own
strengths and weaknesses—not an easy task. It’s much
easier to evaluate someone else’s strengths and
weaknesses because you are less likely to be distracted
by excuses and rationalization. The performances
described in the examples will help somewhat in this
respect since you can examine, and then compare, your
performance with those described.
REFERENCES TO EXAMPLES WITHIN
Chapters 3 and 4 examine the needs of Navy
members and, by referring to the examples in chapter 2,
identify the attitudes and skills necessary to meet those
needs,
Chapter 3 gives examples on the basis of the
individual—you. What attitudes and what skills do you
need? Why? How can you improve them? Why should
you even try?
Chapter 4 examines the team—all the people who
work at the contact point. It points out your respon-
sibilities to the team and the team’s responsibilities to
you. It demonstrates how team members can assist each
other in providing improved service.
ATTITUDE TOWARD
We have discussed the importance of a good attitude
as it relates to doing a job well. Attitude is also important
as you read this manual. As you read, ask yourself, What
does this example say to ME? Do I exhibit any of these
undesirable traits? If so, what difference would it make
if I didn’t? If you take this attitude, you are likely to find
some areas in which you can improve simply by being
aware of the need for improvement. However, if you
read it with a closed mind—that is, with the attitude that
everyone is out of step but you—your efforts will have
been futile.
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