COMPLETED STAFF WORK - Tom Watson Jr of IBM

When you have finished your “completed staff work” the final test is this:1. If you were the chief, would you be willing to sign the paper youhave presented, and stake your professional reputation on itsbeing right?2. If the answer is in the negative, take it back and work it over,because it is not yet “completed staff work”.

"Completed Staff 'Work" is the study of a problem and presentation of a solution, by a staff officer, in such form that all that remains to be done on the part of the head of the staff division, or the commander is to indicate his approval or disapproval of the completed action.

"Your views should be placed before him in finished form so that he can make them his views simply by signing his name. In most instances, completed staff work results in a single document prepared for the signature of the chief without accompanying comment. If the proper result is reached, the chief will usually recognize it at once. If he wants a... See more

The memo concludes with the following question:

The tendency, especially for the inexperienced, is to present problems to superiors in search of a solution to the problem, without necessarily bringing possible solutions.

The main idea of this memo is to encourage anyone in an organization to dig deep, research, read, write, and think about possible solutions to a problem before bringing it to superiors for solution. This should become a habit. A habit of becoming problem-solvers or at least a habit of putting together a detailed document stating the problem at hand... See more

Superiors or Chiefs need answers, not questions. Your jobis to study, write, restudy and rewrite until you have evolved a single proposed action -- the best one of all you have considered. Your chief merely approves and disapproves.