Figure 4-3.-Steps to effective control. STEPS TO EFFECTIVE CONTROL The  steps  to  effective  control  closely  resemble planning  and  organizing  steps.  See  figure  4-3.  The following are the four basic steps to controlling: 1. 2. 3. 4. Set standards Define  Performance  monitoring  procedures Evaluate  Performance  against  standards Initiate  corrective  action Set Standards To  establish  control  over  a  process,  you  must  first decide what standards you will use for reference points. Standards  define  the  goals  of  your  efforts.  They  express recruiting targets, quality control goals, budget goals, or flight  schedules.  These  are  quantitative  standards:  14 recruits a month, zero defects, 10 percent spending reduction, or all aircraft full mission capable (FMC) for a  sortie.  Other  standards  involve  qualitative  goals: sharp  uniforms,  fair  selection  boards,  or  improved morale. Qualitative standards are much more difficult to define and control than quantitative standards. Define  Performance  Monitoring  Procedures The next step in achieving control is deciding how to  measure  performance,  what  information  to  require, and how to obtain it. Performance data maybe gathered from personal observation, written and oral reports, inspections,  and  automatic  data  processing  (ADP) products.  Keep  control  procedures  as  simple  and cost-effective as possible. Ensure, however, that they are adequate for the task at hand. Evaluate  Performance  Against  Standards Compare  performance  data  to  established standards. The results of this comparison indicate where you are in relation to your goals. If everything is on track, take a bow. If things are beginning to stray off course or come unraveled, decide whether or not to take corrective  action. Initiate Corrective action If performance standards are not being met, you should start corrective action. Examine your monitoring system;  is  it  accurate? Do performance standards accurately  reflect  mission  requirements?  Are  your standards  too  high  or  too  low?  If  your  monitoring methods  and  standards  are  adequate,  examine  the production methods and work force factors (morale, leadership,  and  so  forth).  Can  production  efficiency  and effectiveness be improved? Is training up to speed? Do leadership and supervisory ability meet your standards? How  about  morale  and  environmental  conditions. Another possibility is poor planning or organization. You must go to work and get things moving in the right direction again. After all, that is what managers do! EVALUATING  YOUR  CONTROLS · Most commands have four key areas of control: financial, inventory, quantity, and quality. Use the following criteria to evaluate your command’s controls: · Timeliness–Controls   must   provide   timely detection  and  correction  of  problems  to  minimize wasted  time  and  resources. · Accuracy–Accurate   monitoring   procedures allow  you  to  pinpoint  potential  problems  for correction. · Acceptability–Controls  must  be  reasonable. Unnecessarily stringent controls generate resistance within the work force. When workers feel there is no trust or fail to understand the need for controls, they may circumvent the system. You are no doubt familiar with the term  gundecking.  You  may  even  know  someone who has been guilty of gundecking. 4-14