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Motivating personnel and managing tasks can be significant problems for any highly organized system of operation. This is true for the highly technical and automated functions of the submarine community. The continually increasing workload of submarine personnel, coupled with a severe manpower exodus from the community, has strained the effectiveness of this most vital element of our national defense. The need for competent leadership and management skills within the submarine force is obvious. Supervisors have implemented many techniques and theories, ranging from the highly autocratic Theory X of Douglas McGregor to the situational and generally democratic Path-Goal Theory of Robert J. House, with varying results. Two of them, Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation and Management by Objectives (MBO), have met with definite success in managing personnel and tasks on board a typical nuclear- powered fleet ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN).
This analysis is specific to motivation and management of the auxiliary (A) division (nonnuclear-trained machinist mates) during a typical 30-day in-port refit repair period before a two-and-one- half-month at-sea deployment. This particular study relates events that occurred in Guam, Marianas Islands, but the techniques used, the work conditions, and the personnel requirements are typical of the overall SSBN community.
The usual SSBN refit repair period is mentally and physically taxing. For approximately 30 days, interrupted only in the latter third by five days of sea trials, personnel must put forth an all-out effort to perform corrective and preventive maintenance on a myriad of systems within the boat. The A division was chosen for this study because it is responsible for more systems than any other division, thus magnifying the management problem. Typical refit tasks for A division during the analysis period include plumb- 'ng repairs, air and ballast control tests, hydraulics, air compressor maintenance, and steering and diving systems.
Successfully completing the required [Maintenance tasks so the boat can meet her deployment schedule—the first priority—while keeping the personnel satis- led, motivated, and in good spirits requires diligence, understanding, and Perseverance. The age and almost constant use of SSBNs contribute to a long tst of corrective maintenance. The sheer number of systems under the cognizance °t the A division generates many preven- j!Ve maintenance tasks as well. And the act that the A division usually is undermanned and inexperienced exacerbates an already difficult situation. In addition, a Personnel must stand periodic duty watches and participate in all-hands forking party evolutions, both of which urther reduce manpower availability for
maintenance.
Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor The- °ry of Motivation is an interesting blend 0 human need and action. Herzberg pro- P°ses that two sets of factors, hygiene and motivators, are required both to mo- lvate an individual and to keep the per- s°n satisfied with his job. Achievement, responsibility, recognition, and advancement fall into Herzberg’s list of motiva- 0rs or satisfiers. Extrinsic factors such as forking conditions, status, salary, fringe enefits, and quality of interpersonal re- ations are listed by Herzberg as hygiene actors or dissatisfiers.
Flerzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory vvas implemented to enhance personnel Performance under conditions that were 8r'm, at best. Motivators or satisfiers ^ere emphasized over hygiene factors.
he leaders gave each of the division’s 11 machinist’s mates responsibility based on experience, training, and desire for main- aining certain pieces of equipment. In udition, each man was assigned a spe- ofic physical area within the A division 'Vork spaces to maintain for material readiness and cleanliness. Although salary, working conditions, and fringe bene- Us were fairly fixed within the armed erces structure’s constraints, the leaders ”cred significant reward incentives, such as extended liberty, ship picnics, and intradivision advancement. Personnel understood the limits and were motivated by the rewards proffered. More- °Ver, worker-supervisor relations were enhanced through an open-door policy °r any grievances. The knowledge that each man’s individual work and the divi- jU°n s collective effort were vital to the °at s integrity and sub-safe condition u>lt motivation and self-worth.
In action, Herzberg’s motivation theory produced a contented, cohesive unit. Assigning each man personal responsibility for certain tasks created additional expertise within the division and proved very effective in meeting the goals assigned for the refit repair period. But individual special knowledge was not hoarded; cross-fertilization from one man to another occurred, especially during the intradivision training sessions.
The task management theory supported by (among others) Peter F. Drucker, known as Management by Objectives (MBO), was also intimately involved in the overall management of the refit period. In one of his many books on organizational behavior, George S. Odiome defines MBO as “a process whereby the superior and subordinate managers of an organization jointly identify its common goals, define each individual’s major areas of responsibility in terms of the results expected of him, and use these measures as guides for operating the unit and assessing the contribution of each of its members.”
MBO is a process of six steps interweaving planning, feedback, and accomplishment. These steps are
► diagnosis of needs
► planning
► objective setting
► intermediate review
► final review
► planning control for improved results. All too often, managers attempt MBO by starting at step three and forgetting the diagnosis and planning stages. Effective use of this system requires one to analyze the situation completely, starting with diagnosing needs and working through the planning phase. Success in managing a task, states the theory, can be achieved by carefully diagnosing the organization's needs and correlating these results with the personnel of the group to achieve a match of talent and task. Setting objectives and leaving room for enough feedback during the process enable one to manage many tasks successfully and to meet organizational and personnel goals.
The MBO process lent itself well to the needs of the boat and the A division personnel. The first two stages were accomplished when the crew first arrived in Guam. The commanding officer, department heads, and all division officers met, announced the boat’s schedule, and conducted a thorough study of the boat’s maintenance needs in the context of the assigned schedule. The A division received its refit jobs in a rough order of priority. Next, the division itself met to outline the overall goals of the refit period and to assign objectives to individuals. The leaders set up a scheduled and prioritized list of all divisional tasks in the work spaces so that all personnel would be aware of the daily status of the repairs. As the refit period progressed, intermediate reviews of the work status were held and some of the original objectives were modified. The CO and engineering officer stayed informed of the status of all repairs and goals. Finally, at the end of the refit, the division and then the command conducted a review to assess the results and plan future objectives.
The MBO program was very successful within A division. Ninety percent of the tasks were completed—quite a high rate considering the work load. Most importantly, the boat met all schedule commitments. In addition, the quality of workmanship was high and little rework was required.
Combining Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation with Management by Objectives proved to be an efficient method of managing personnel and tasks in a very difficult work environment. The results of this combination led to several conclusions:
► Workers are motivated both by personal responsibility and by gaining expertise from experience.
► Rewards and hygiene factors are needed to maintain morale and a congenial work environment.
► Clear and specific goals improve performance and productivity.
► People perform better when they aim to achieve difficult but realistic goals.
► Participative goal setting is more intrinsically satisfying to the average worker.
► Feedback within task management improves supervisor-subordinate communication and ultimately leads to better performance.
Used singly or together, the theories of Motivation-Hygiene and MBO will not solve all problems or be effective in all situations. But the autocratic armed forces organization seems to be one in which these theories can work. Combining the Navy’s highly structured authority and communication channels with the severe time and manpower constraints of the typical SSBN refit has proved to be a fertile environment for the joint use of Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory and Management by Objectives.
Recently, Mr. Gribble, Congregation of Holy Cross, completed studies for ordination in the Roman Catholic Church. He is now assisting at St. John Vianncy Parish in Goodyear, Arizona. He is a 1975 graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy and spent five years in the nuclear submarine force, three-and-a-half years attached to the USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610).