ATTP 5-0.1 Commander and Staff Officer Guide - Army Electronic ...

Chapter 2
staffs from relevant information. Effective knowledge management helps staffs identify the information the
commander and each staff section need, and its relative importance.
2-7. Information should reach recipients based on their need for it. Sending incomplete information
sooner is better than sending complete information too late. When forwarding information, senders
highlight key information for each recipient and clarify the commander’s intent. Senders may pass
information directly, include their own analysis, or add context to it. Common, distributed databases can
accelerate this function; however, they cannot replace the personal contact that adds perspective.
STAFF CHARACTERISTICS
2-8. In addition to the leader attributes and core competencies addressed in FM 6-22, a good staff officer
is competent, exercises initiative, applies critical and creative thinking, is adaptable, is flexible, has selfconfidence,
is cooperative, and communicates effectively.
2-9. Effective staff officers are competent in all aspects of their area of expertise. Not only experts in
doctrine and the processes and procedures associated with the operations process, they understand the
duties of other staff members enough to accomplish coordination both vertically and horizontally.
2-10. Staff officers exercise individual initiative. They anticipate requirements rather than waiting for
instructions. They anticipate what the commander needs to accomplish the mission and prepare answers to
those questions before they are asked.
2-11. Staffs apply critical and creative thinking throughout the operations process to assist commanders in
understanding and decisionmaking. As critical thinkers, staffs discern truth in situations where direct
observation is insufficient, impossible, or impractical. They determine whether adequate justification exists
to accept conclusions as true based on a given inference or argument. As creative thinkers, staffs look at
different options to solve problems. They use adaptive approaches (drawing from previous similar
circumstances) or innovative approaches (coming up with completely new ideas). In both instances, the
staff uses creative thinking to apply imagination and depart from the old way of doing things.
2-12. Effective staff officers are adaptive. They recognize and adjust to changing conditions in the
operational environment with appropriate, flexible, and timely actions. They rapidly adjust and
continuously assess plans, tactics, techniques, and procedures.
2-13. Staff officers are flexible. They avoid becoming overwhelmed or frustrated by changing requirements
and priorities. Commanders often change their minds or redirect the command after receiving additional
information or a new mission. They may not share with the staff the reason for such a change. Staff officers
remain flexible and adjust to any changes. They set priorities when there are more tasks to accomplish than
time allows. They learn to manage multiple commitments simultaneously.
2-14. Staff officers possess discipline and self-confidence. They understand that all staff work serves the
commander, even if the commander rejects the resulting recommendation. Staff officers do not give a “half
effort” even if they think the commander will disagree with their recommendations. Alternative and
possibly unpopular ideas or points of view assist commanders in making the best possible decisions.
2-15. Staff officers are team players. They cooperate with other staff members within and outside the
headquarters. This practice contributes to effective collaboration and coordination.
2-16. Staff officers communicate clearly and present information orally, in writing, and visually (with
charts, graphs, and figures). Staff officers routinely brief individuals and groups. They know and
understand briefing techniques that convey complex information in easily understood formats. They can
write clear and concise orders and plans, staff studies, staff summaries, and reports.
STAFF RELATIONSHIPS
2-17. Staff effectiveness depends in part on relationships of the staff with commanders and other staff. A
staff acts on behalf of and derives its authority from the commander. Although commanders are the
principal decisionmakers, individual staff officers make decisions within their authority based on broad
guidance and commander-approved standard operating procedures (SOPs). Commanders must insist on
2-2 ATTP 5-0.1 14 September 2011