RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKSHOP OFFICERS AND FOREMEN

This deals with the attributes of effective leadership in the workshop. A leader must lead by example to get the best out his team. The need for ongoing supervision at all levels has also been highlighted.

1. An officer must always be fully alive to his own responsibilities irrespective of whether specific instructions exist or not. He must do whatever is necessary to keep his jurisdiction in proper working order and he must take a pride in doing so. The mere scrutiny of his subordinates' diaries is not enough. While this, together with a scrutiny of inspection reports, records, etc. may serve a purpose, it cannot be an effective substitute for actual inspection. Everything cannot be laid down in Manuals & Codes. If an officer confines himself to, or goes only by the letter of what is laid down in Manuals or Codes, he is not a desirable type and if his superior supports him, it speaks poorly of the superior.

2. The starting point is to painstakingly cultivate individual respect for the prescribed routine. This is essential, because if we lose the habit of respecting the existing routine - maybe imperfect - we would not be able to respect even the most perfect routine. In fact it is only through an honest effort to follow a given routine that we come to know of its real drawbacks and begin to earnestly improve the same. In this effort OFFICERS' PERSONAL EXAMPLE WOULD COUNT FOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

3. The effect of Officers' example would be most powerful in their enthusiastic acceptance and practice of the following primary disciplines:

3.31 Officers’ personal example in faithfully accepting the discipline of accountability will go a long way in setting up better traditions. The experience in the industrially advanced countries proves that rational accountability, far from being restrictive, actually promotes understanding, harmony and initiative. On the whole, the number of “things going wrong” is greatly reduced and with it the necessity to explain lapses and the motivation to shift blame, which spoil the working climate.

3.32 The prerequisite of clear cut accountability, and therewith the basis of systematic routine and effective inspections, is the existence of precise working instructions for each individual, section, unit and the works as a whole.

EXPRESSION

At all times, and particularly in a changing climate, the staff takes their cue from what they hear from those above them. Not infrequently, the staff responds indifferently to administrative directives, because they come to believe that their Officers are themselves lukewarm to the directives. Accordingly, it is the duty of each officer to carefully weigh the effects of what he says on performance, and make an honest effort to ensure that the administrative policy does get a fair deal, even when he may have personal reservations about the same.

Perhaps the most important discipline for an Officer is that of propriety, which automatically includes the other disciplines and embraces the higher discipline of personal and professional integrity. It is tested in the Officer’s dealings with staff in matters such as recruitment, trade testing, confidential reporting, selection, promotions, transfer etc., and, in equal degree, in the submission of professional reports, proposals and schemes. Last, but not the least, this discipline is put to test in the presentation of facts and data by which the Officer’s own performance is to be judged.



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RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKSHOP OFFICERS AND FOREMEN M. L. Puri This deals with the attributes of effective leadership in the workshop. A leader must lead by example to get the best out his team. The need for ongoing supervision at all levels has also been highlighted. 1. An officer must always be fully alive to his own responsibilities irrespective of whether specific instructions exist or not. He must do whatever is necessary to keep his jurisdiction in proper working order and he must take a pride in doing so. The mere scrutiny of his subordinates' diaries is not enough. While this, together with a scrutiny of inspection reports, records, etc. may serve a purpose, it cannot be an effective substitute for actual inspection. Everything cannot be laid down in Manuals & Codes. If an officer confines himself to, or goes only by the letter of what is laid down in Manuals or Codes, he is not a desirable type and if his superior supports him, it speaks poorly of the superior. 2. The starting point is to painstakingly cultivate individual respect for the prescribed routine. This is essential, because if we lose the habit of respecting the existing routine - maybe imperfect - we would not be able to respect even the most perfect routine. In fact it is only through an honest effort to follow a given routine that we come to know of its real drawbacks and begin to earnestly improve the same. In this effort OFFICERS' PERSONAL EXAMPLE WOULD COUNT FOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. 3. The effect of Officers' example would be most powerful in their enthusiastic acceptance and practice of the following primary disciplines: TIME 3.11 It is difficult for an Officer to enforce punctually in his jurisdiction if his own timekeeping is not up to the mark: the most important element being the time of arrival at work in the morning. 3.12 Accordingly, Officers should make it a point to come to work on or before their appointed time. 3.13 When an Officer is not available during working hours, his movement should be known to his Branch. INSPECTION 3.21 In order to keep the routine “alive” and prevent it from degenerating into stereotype “procedural compliance”, it is essential that the inspections by Officers on the shop floor and the offices and institutions in their respective jurisdiction are regular and realistic, leading to step by step positive action. 3.22 Officers inspections should include periodical surprise checks at the start and close of working shifts and Lunch Hour breaks. Such checks should also be extended to periods of overtime working and Night Shift. 3.23 Each shop, office, institution and each section of these larger units should have an Inspection Book to be kept in the personal custody of the official in charge. In this book, observations made during an inspection as also important day to day instructions given at the spot, should be concisely recorded by the Officers concerned and in case of section Inspection Books, also by the Foreman and those in charge of Offices. Branch Officers should ensure that this is done in their respective jurisdiction and what is recorded in the Inspection Book is also followed up. ACCOUNTABILITY 3.31 Officers’ personal example in faithfully accepting the discipline of accountability will go a long way in setting up better traditions. The experience in the industrially advanced countries proves that rational accountability, far from being restrictive, actually promotes understanding, harmony and initiative. On the whole, the number of “things going wrong” is greatly reduced and with it the necessity to explain lapses and the motivation to shift blame, which spoil the working climate. 3.32 The prerequisite of clear cut accountability, and therewith the basis of systematic routine and effective inspections, is the existence of precise working instructions for each individual, section, unit and the works as a whole. EXPRESSION At all times, and particularly in a changing climate, the staff takes their cue from what they hear from those above them. Not infrequently, the staff responds indifferently to administrative directives, because they come to believe that their Officers are themselves lukewarm to the directives. Accordingly, it is the duty of each officer to carefully weigh the effects of what he says on performance, and make an honest effort to ensure that the administrative policy does get a fair deal, even when he may have personal reservations about the same. PROPRIETY Perhaps the most important discipline for an Officer is that of propriety, which automatically includes the other disciplines and embraces the higher discipline of personal and professional integrity. It is tested in the Officer’s dealings with staff in matters such as recruitment, trade testing, confidential reporting, selection, promotions, transfer etc., and, in equal degree, in the submission of professional reports, proposals and schemes. Last, but not the least, this discipline is put to test in the presentation of facts and data by which the Officer’s own performance is to be judged.
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