Once  you  determine  the  real  and  the  ideal, look  at  the  discrepancies  between  them.  Notice the problems that interrupt the smooth operation and productivity of some tasks. After finding the size of the gap between the real and ideal, decide whether you need to make changes to reduce the gap.  Any  changes  should  meet  four  criteria: 1. 2. 3. 4. Be  behaviorally  specific:  Specify  what action  to  take Be  measurable:  Specify  criteria  or  check- points  for  rating  accomplishment  of  the goal Be   realistic   but   challenging:   Test   your ability but have at least a 50 percent chance of  attainment Be time-phased: Show a time schedule or deadline^- for  reaching  the  goal Action Planning Action  planning  involves  four  steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Taking  action  steps Defining who will be taking the action Creating   a   time   schedule   with   dead- lines Listing  skills  needed attain the goal EQUAL  OPPORTUNITY to  accomplish  and Equal  opportunity  is  the  practice  of  fair personnel   management   and   development.   It allows individual achievement, limited only by a person’s   aspirations,   abilities,   and   talents.   It provides  for  equal  consideration  and  treatment within  the  laws  based  upon  a  person’s  merit, fitness,    and   capability,    without   additional influence  of  race,  color,  religion,  gender,  or national  origin. Navy  personnel  at  all  levels  in  the  chain  of command are responsible for carrying out equal opportunity. Navy policy directs that all military members  and  civilian  employees  will  receive  equal opportunity  and  treatment. You must support equal opportunity in all of your   day-to-day   supervisory   practices   and routines.  That  includes  the  areas  of  justice  and discipline,  training  and  advancement,  duty  assign- ments, communications, awards and recognition, and  evaluations  and  promotions. You  support  equal  opportunity  when  using  the five leadership skill groups. LEADERSHIP SKILLS Through  extensive  research,  the  U.S.  Navy identified a total of 16 leadership skills of superior performers. It then grouped these 16 skills under the  following  5  basic  areas  of  competence  required of  Navy  leaders.  To  become  an  effective  leader, you  must  recognize,  understand,  practice,  and evaluate  yourself  based  on  the  skills  in  each  of these skill groups: · Concern  for  efficiency  and  effectiveness · Supervision · Leadership · Advising  and  counseling · Applying  concepts  to  job  situations Concern for Efficiency and Effectiveness You   show   concern   for   efficiency   and   ef- fectiveness  by  performing  a  task  in  the  least wasteful  manner  (efficiency)  to  produce  the intended    results    (effectiveness).    Superior performers  use  this  skill  group  more  often,  in more situations, and with better results, than do average  performers. When you use the concern for efficiency and effectiveness skill group, learn to use the following skills: 1.  Set  goals  and  performance  standards. 2.  Take  initiative. Both  of  these  skills  affect  your  performance  as an  effective  leader. SET GOALS AND PERFORMANCE STAN- DARDS. —Set goals and performance standards by  taking  the  following  steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Establish  specific  work  goals. Express   concern   for   standards   of   task performance. Revise goals to make them realistic. Set  deadlines  for  task  accomplishments. 2-6