COMPLETE STAFF WORK

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COMPLETE STAFF WORK
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Outline of the Presentation

• I. Introduction
• A. PMS Mission and Mandate
• B. Definitions and Characteristics of CSW
• II. Fundamentals of CSW
• A. Identification of Objective/ Purpose
• B. Clarity of Message
• C. Objectivity and Accuracy
• D. Presentation
• E. Timeliness
• III. Applying CSW in PMS Staffwork
• A. Basic Guidelines
• B. Samples of Actual CSW Output

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I. Introduction
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The Presidential Management Staff

• MANDATE
• ..shall be the primary government agency
  directly responsible to the Office of the
  President for providing staff assistance in the
  presidential exercise of overall management of
  the development process. It shall have such
  organization, powers and functions as prescribed
  by Law.
• Book III, Title III, Chapter 9, C, Administrative
  Code

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The Presidential Management Staff

• The PMS provides the Presidency with
  recommendations based on timely, reliable,
  accurate and comprehensive information and
  recommendations to ensure that the best possible
  decisions are made.

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Various Definitions of CSW

• A Complete Staff Work is a fully researched paper
  that recommends a clear decision or a complete
  message dispatched on time to the right
  addressee.
• Study of a problem or a situation and formulation
  of solutions or courses of action by a staff to
  enable his superior to make a sound and immediate
  decision

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Various Definitions of CSW

• Timely provision of all relevant decision inputs
  to the decision maker
• Study of a problem and the presentation of a
  solution, with alternatives, to the manager, so
  that all that remains to be done on the part of
  the manager is to indicate approval or
  disapproval of the completed action

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Coverage of CSW

• CSW covers all aspects of technical work
• Conceptualization
• Research
• Coordination
• Validation
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Communication
• Follow through

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II. Fundamentals of CSW
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II. Fundamentals of CSW

• A. Identification of Objective or Purpose
• B. Clarity of Message
• C. Objectivity and Accuracy
• D. Presentation
• E. Timeliness

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A. Identification of Objective or Purpose
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A. Identification of Objective or
Purpose

• Acknowledging
• Informing
• Endorsing
• Referring
• Seeking approval/disapproval
• Recommending a course of action or policy option

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B. Clarity of Message
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B. Clarity of Message
Six Principles of Effective Writing
1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and revise
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B. Clarity of Message
Six Principles of Effective Writing

• Nothing is more distracting than a misspelled
  word
• Misspelled words translate to haphazard output
• No excuse for misspelling

1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and then
revise
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B. Clarity of Message
Six Principles of Effective Writing

• Clarity and precision
• Use simple words
• Professional and simple vs. simplistic style

1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and then
revise
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B. Clarity of Message
Six Principles of Effective Writing

• Between 15 to 20 words long on the average
• Combination of simple and complex sentences
• One major idea per sentence
• Long sentences tend to end up with grammatical
  errors
• Concise paragraphs

1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and then
revise
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B. Clarity of Message
Six Principles of Effective Writing

• Sends a clearer message to the reader
• Passive voice is an invitation to
  misunderstanding

1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and then
revise
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It is recommended that the foreign debt stock be
reduced through creative, out of the box measures.
Passive Voice
Civil society groups and Philippine development
experts recommended that the foreign debt stock
be reduced through creative, out-of-the-box
measures.
Active Voice
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B. Clarity of Message
Six Principles of Effective Writing

• Most people talk than write better.
• Write in a way that comes naturally.
• Think about how you would explain it to your
  friend or colleague.

1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and then
revise
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B. Clarity of Message

• Revision -- the key to good written output
• Grammar-free outputs
• Logical flow
• Check substantive content

1. Spell things right 2. Use clear and familiar
words 3. Use short and simple sentences
4. Prefer active voice 5. Use conversational
style in writing 6. Revise, revise, and revise
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C. Objectivity and Accuracy
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C. Objectivity and Accuracy

• Check your
• 1. Assumptions
• 2. Statistics and data
• 3. Facts and other inputs

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C. Objectivity and Accuracy
WRONG
RIGHT
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C. Objectivity and Accuracy
WRONG
RIGHT
þ
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C. Objectivity and Accuracy
WRONG
RIGHT
þ
ý
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D. Presentation
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D. Presentation

• Presentation of Facts
• Format
• Packaging

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D. Presentation
WRONG
RIGHT
þ
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D. Presentation
WRONG
RIGHT
FORMAT
FORMAT
þ
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Common Mistakes in Written Communication

• INCORRECT

• CORRECT

• We are requesting for approval
• My attendance in
• This resulted to
• My participation to

• We are requesting approval
• My attendance to
• This resulted in
• My participation in

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Common Mistakes in Written Communication

• INCORRECT

• CORRECT

• Metro Manila is comprised of 17 LGUs
• In lieu of the following considerations
• DSWD corroborated with NAPC on

• Metro Manila comprises 17 LGUs
• Metro Manila is composed of 17 LGUs
• In view of the
• DSWD and NAPC collaborated on

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Common Mistakes in Writing Honorific Titles

• INCORRECT

• HONORABLE ESPERANZA I. CABRAL
• Secretary
• Department of Social Welfare and Development

• CORRECT

• Honorable ESPERANZA I. CABRAL
• Secretary
• Department of Social Welfare and Development

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Common Mistakes in Writing Honorific Titles

• INCORRECT

• DIR. JUAN DELA CRUZ
• OIC Asec. For Policy

• CORRECT

• Director JUAN DELA CRUZ
• Officer-in-Charge
• Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy

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Common Mistakes in Writing Honorific Titles

• INCORRECT

• Dear Sec. Andaya
• Dear Usec. Yangco

• CORRECT

• Dear Secretary Andaya
• Dear Undersecretary Yangco

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Common Mistakes in Writing Honorific Titles

• INCORRECT (Signature Line)

• SEC. PABLO A. CRUZ

• CORRECT (Signature Line)

• PABLO A. CRUZ
• Secretary

INCORRECT (Signature Line)

• HON. JUAN DELA CRUZ
• Chairman

CORRECT (Signature Line)

• JUAN DELA CRUZ
• Chairman

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D. Presentation
Suggested Content of a CSW

• Reference
• Cites the issue or request your boss needs to
  address
•  

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D. Presentation

•  2. Background
• Brief description of antecedent factors relevant
  to the issue at hand or chronological narration
  of events which led to the present situation
• Identification of key players and their positions
• Statement of the issue at hand and its parameters
• Status of actions taken by the agency or other
  agencies, if any

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D. Presentation

• 3. Comments and Analysis
• Analysis of an issue based on data and
  information gathered
• Impact of an issue to the general public or to
  your organizations mandate and objectives
• If applicable, proposes all feasible options for
  the executives consideration, including their
  advantages and disadvantages

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D. Presentation

• 4. Recommendation
•  
• Suggested course of action and policy option to
  be taken
• 5. Action Documents
• Action memoranda, letters, office orders or
  issuances to implement the boss decisions

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E. Timeliness
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E. Timeliness

• Avoid OBE.
• A perfect CSW is nothing if it
• does not reach the intended recipient on time.

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Characteristics of an Output after CSW

• Well-researched
• Properly coordinated and validated
• Thoroughly analyzed
• Provides options and recommendations
• Provides the proper action documents to implement
  decisions (e.g., memo, letter, E.O or A.O.)
• Simple and well-written,
  with ideas chronologically and
  logically sequenced
• Follow-up action such as monitoring and reporting
  to the superior

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III. Applying CSW in PMS Staffwork
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A. Basic Guidelines in Undertaking CSW in
the PMS

• Identification of the problem or issue at hand
• Coordination with relevant players to gather and
  validate required data/ information
• Extensive analysis of facts (including relevant
  policies and actions taken) and positions of
  stakeholders
• Evaluation of options based on the analysis
• Formulation of recommendation
• Preparation and submission of the MFP with the
  attached action document (e.g., E.O, A.O, Memo
  Circular)

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THANK YOU