Completed staff work is the study of a problem and provision of a solution by a staff in such form that all that remains to be done by the boss is to give approval or disapproval to the completed staff action.

The words “completed action” are emphasized because the more difficult the problem is, the more the tendency is of a staff to present it to the chief in piece-meal fashion. Completed action means it is the duty of the staff to work out the details of a problem or task. 

However, completed staff work does not preclude a “rough draft” – but drafts must not be half-baked, and must be complete in every respect except that the work just lacks a final polish. If a draft shifts the burden of action to the superior, it is not completed staff work.

If a staff member has completed his/her work, the final test is this – If you were the decision-maker, would you be willing to sign the paper you have prepared and stake your professional reputation on its being right?

Completed staff work may result in more work for the staff officer, but results in freedom for the chief, such that he or she is protected from half-baked ideas, extra paper work, or immature solutions. Conversely, the staff officer is enabled, and is learning and becoming more.

Here are the seven steps to do completed staff work. If you are a staff, you ought to follow these steps to produce excellent output. As a leader or manager, the steps are what you’ll need to coach and enable staff to effectively support your work.

Step 1: Define the Problem

Correctly defining the problem is crucial to making the correct final recommendation. When a problem is defined correctly, the staff will be able to follow all seven steps, resulting in a succinct and accurate recommendation that requires only a supervisor’s signature.

Step 2: Gather Information/Data

Information and data can come from a variety of resources. The more data collected, the more complete, reliable, and defensible the analysis that results in the recommendation to the manager.

Step 3: Organize Information/Data

Completed Staff Work is a process, resulting in a single recommendation, based on data, to your manager. If the information is not organized and summarized in a way that is meaningful to the manager, the recommendation may not be read or may be read, but not understood.

Step 4: Analyze the Data

An analyst must collect data and evaluate it against known criteria. Analyzing data allows a manager to see relationships within the data. This step is crucial because recommendations must be based on analysis that is repeatable and defensible.

Step 5: Generate Alternative Solutions

Try to find many alternative solutions to the problem. The successful analyst needs techniques and tools to generate alternative solutions. The best solution will only come from having multiple choices. It is not always easy to find creative alternatives because traditional research yields traditional results.

Step 6: Identify Recommended Solution or Preferred Alternative

The purpose of Completed Staff Work or the 7-Step Process is to recommend a single alternative/solution to the manager’s question or problem. Research and data analysis provide the foundation for choosing and delivering one preferred, defensible alternative.

Step 7: Write the Recommendation

All of the Completed Staff Work steps have built up to this written recommendation. Before the assignment can be adopted and implemented, the recommendation must be accepted by the manager. If the case is not convincing, then staff efforts have been in vain. The write-up and oral presentation must persuade the decision-maker.