Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex HCO POLICY LETTER OF 25 JANUARY 1971 | Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex HCO POLICY LETTER OF 25 JANUARY 1971 |
SQUIRREL ADMIN | SQUIRREL ADMIN |
When a squirrel is given a circular wheel he will run in it ’round and ’round and ’round. He gets nowhere. | When a squirrel is given a circular wheel he will run in it ’round and ’round and ’round. He gets nowhere. |
When persons in an organization do not know organizing or their org board or hats, they go ’round and ’round and ’round and get nowhere. | When persons in an organization do not know organizing or their org board or hats, they go ’round and ’round and ’round and get nowhere. |
There is no valuable production. There is no money. | There is no valuable production. There is no money. |
When you have an organization that has no valuable production you know that the people there go ’round and ’round and ’round and get nowhere. | When you have an organization that has no valuable production you know that the people there go ’round and ’round and ’round and get nowhere. |
They are squirrel administrators. | They are squirrel administrators. |
STANDARD ADMIN | STANDARD ADMIN |
There are right ways to handle a group. This is the single fact which most often escapes people attempting to handle groups. | There are right ways to handle a group. This is the single fact which most often escapes people attempting to handle groups. |
Also, for every correct solution there can be an infinity of wrong solutions. | Also, for every correct solution there can be an infinity of wrong solutions. |
The right way is a narrow trail but strong. The wrong ways are broad but all lead into a bog. | The right way is a narrow trail but strong. The wrong ways are broad but all lead into a bog. |
You could “fix” a radio by hitting it with a sledge hammer, putting a hand grenade in it or throwing it out of a 155th story window. The number of wrong ways you could “fix” it would be infinite. | You could “fix” a radio by hitting it with a sledge hammer, putting a hand grenade in it or throwing it out of a 155th story window. The number of wrong ways you could “fix” it would be infinite. |
Or you could find out what was wrong with it and replace the part or properly correct it. | Or you could find out what was wrong with it and replace the part or properly correct it. |
The difference between the wrong way and the right way is that the radio, wrongly “solved,” doesn’t work. The radio correctly solved works. | The difference between the wrong way and the right way is that the radio, wrongly “solved,” doesn’t work. The radio correctly solved works. |
So the test of the wrong way or the right way is whether or not the radio then worked. | So the test of the wrong way or the right way is whether or not the radio then worked. |
This is the basic test of all administrative solutions. DID THEY WORK? | This is the basic test of all administrative solutions. DID THEY WORK? |
When experienced persons, working from basic theory, have evolved a technique for handling a situation which routinely now handles that situation, we have now a STANDARD ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION. | When experienced persons, working from basic theory, have evolved a technique for handling a situation which routinely now handles that situation, we have now a STANDARD ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION. |
When that situation appears, we apply that solution and the matter gets handled. | When that situation appears, we apply that solution and the matter gets handled. |
The test is, did the solution work? | The test is, did the solution work? |
Solutions that work and are therefore routinely used to handle the situation to which they apply are then called STANDARD ADMIN. | Solutions that work and are therefore routinely used to handle the situation to which they apply are then called STANDARD ADMIN. |
A multitude of these correct solutions are used in STANDARD ORGANIZING. The org board, the hats, comm lines, comm centers, comm baskets, despatch forms, routing forms, inspection actions, promotion actions, central filing, customer or visitor handling, selling, collecting income, paying bills, inventorying, doing finance reports, | A multitude of these correct solutions are used in STANDARD ORGANIZING. The org board, the hats, comm lines, comm centers, comm baskets, despatch forms, routing forms, inspection actions, promotion actions, central filing, customer or visitor handling, selling, collecting income, paying bills, inventorying, doing finance reports, |
handling raw materials, training persons to handle and properly change materials, correcting or improving staff competence, correcting organizational form, inspecting reviewing and handling failed products, handling contacting and converting the publics, establishing and using field distributors and salesmen, providing public services, maintaining contact with the original and basic technology, handling rivals and opposition, and running the organization in general all have standard actions. | handling raw materials, training persons to handle and properly change materials, correcting or improving staff competence, correcting organizational form, inspecting reviewing and handling failed products, handling contacting and converting the publics, establishing and using field distributors and salesmen, providing public services, maintaining contact with the original and basic technology, handling rivals and opposition, and running the organization in general all have standard actions. |
Now, glancing over the above rough list, you see we have hit the high spots of a 21 department, 7 division org bd. | Now, glancing over the above rough list, you see we have hit the high spots of a 21 department, 7 division org bd. |
Each is a standard solution to continuing and recurring problems. | Each is a standard solution to continuing and recurring problems. |
Each contains numerous standard solutions to the recurring problems associated with them. | Each contains numerous standard solutions to the recurring problems associated with them. |
Underneath all this is basic theory and around it is survival and potential success. | Underneath all this is basic theory and around it is survival and potential success. |
USE OF STANDARD ACTIONS | USE OF STANDARD ACTIONS |
The difference between a successfully viable organization with cheerful and cared for staff and a limping scene is standard and squirrel administration. | The difference between a successfully viable organization with cheerful and cared for staff and a limping scene is standard and squirrel administration. |
If standard admin is successful then why is it sometimes not used? | If standard admin is successful then why is it sometimes not used? |
First the data has to exist, be available and known. | First the data has to exist, be available and known. |
Next the data has to be used. | Next the data has to be used. |
At first glance this may seem so clear-cut that it cannot go wrong. But one must look a bit further. | At first glance this may seem so clear-cut that it cannot go wrong. But one must look a bit further. |
One is dealing with a variable called Man. One is working in a world full of noise and conflict. | One is dealing with a variable called Man. One is working in a world full of noise and conflict. |
Certain personalities do not want the group or the organization to succeed (see HCOB 28 Nov 1970 Psychosis). This problem has been so great amongst men that every historical culture — each one an organization — has died. About ten to twenty percent of mankind, at a broad guess, fit into this category. | Certain personalities do not want the group or the organization to succeed (see HCOB 28 Nov 1970 Psychosis). This problem has been so great amongst men that every historical culture — each one an organization — has died. About ten to twenty percent of mankind, at a broad guess, fit into this category. |
In this universe it is easier to destroy than to construct. Yet the survival of life forms depends on construction. | In this universe it is easier to destroy than to construct. Yet the survival of life forms depends on construction. |
To overcome this Man has developed technology and the cooperative effort known as organization. | To overcome this Man has developed technology and the cooperative effort known as organization. |
The forces of the physical universe can be channeled and used only with technology. | The forces of the physical universe can be channeled and used only with technology. |
The forces inherent in life forms can succeed only when channeled and aligned with one another. | The forces inherent in life forms can succeed only when channeled and aligned with one another. |
Therefore, to succeed, a group must have the technology it uses available and known to it. And then use it. | Therefore, to succeed, a group must have the technology it uses available and known to it. And then use it. |
From this one obtains the agreement and alignment necessary to generate the group action and production which brings about success. | From this one obtains the agreement and alignment necessary to generate the group action and production which brings about success. |
NONCONFRONT | NONCONFRONT |
When a group member has the data, the bar to his using it would be his own disagreement with the group succeeding or, more frequently, his inability to confront things. | When a group member has the data, the bar to his using it would be his own disagreement with the group succeeding or, more frequently, his inability to confront things. |
EXAMPLE: Two group members are quarreling. A third group member seeks to handle it. Even though he knows the technique (third party law), his own inability to confront people makes him fail to use the correct solution and he backs off. | EXAMPLE: Two group members are quarreling. A third group member seeks to handle it. Even though he knows the technique (third party law), his own inability to confront people makes him fail to use the correct solution and he backs off. |
In backing off he thinks of some nonconfront nonstandard “solution” such as firing them. | In backing off he thinks of some nonconfront nonstandard “solution” such as firing them. |
He has become a squirrel administrator. | He has become a squirrel administrator. |
EXAMPLE: The plant machinery is in bad shape. It is deteriorating to such an extent that it soon will cease to run. The mechanics plead for money to repair. The plant manager unfortunately cannot confront machinery — he not only “doesn’t know about it” but it frightens him. He does not financially plan its full repair on a gradient back to an ideal scene. He simply dreams up the vague hope a new type will be invented. He does nothing. The machinery now costs more to run than it produces. The plant fails. The plant manager was a squirrel administrator. | EXAMPLE: The plant machinery is in bad shape. It is deteriorating to such an extent that it soon will cease to run. The mechanics plead for money to repair. The plant manager unfortunately cannot confront machinery — he not only “doesn’t know about it” but it frightens him. He does not financially plan its full repair on a gradient back to an ideal scene. He simply dreams up the vague hope a new type will be invented. He does nothing. The machinery now costs more to run than it produces. The plant fails. The plant manager was a squirrel administrator. |
So we have various causes of failure: | So we have various causes of failure: |
1. A secret desire to destroy. | 1. A secret desire to destroy. |
2. The nonexistence of technology. | 2. The nonexistence of technology. |
3. Nonavailability of the technology. | 3. Nonavailability of the technology. |
4. Ignorance of the technology even when available. | 4. Ignorance of the technology even when available. |
5. Failure to apply the technology even when available and known because the being cannot or does not confront the people or the portions of the physical universe concerned. | 5. Failure to apply the technology even when available and known because the being cannot or does not confront the people or the portions of the physical universe concerned. |
The existence of any of these things brings a group toward squirrel administration. | The existence of any of these things brings a group toward squirrel administration. |
Natural cataclysms or political or social catastrophes or upheavals are the other two points which can bring about a failure but even these can be planned for and to some degree handled. The future possiblity of these must also be confronted in order to be circumvented. | Natural cataclysms or political or social catastrophes or upheavals are the other two points which can bring about a failure but even these can be planned for and to some degree handled. The future possiblity of these must also be confronted in order to be circumvented. |
Any successful organization will be fought by the society’s fancied rulers or enemies. This is something which should be taken in stride. The ability to confront these discloses that standard administrative actions exist for these two. | Any successful organization will be fought by the society’s fancied rulers or enemies. This is something which should be taken in stride. The ability to confront these discloses that standard administrative actions exist for these two. |
DRILLS | DRILLS |
Thus an administrator or staff member, even when the group’s tech is available and known, must be able to confront and handle the confusions which can occur and which invite a turn away and a squirrel solution. | Thus an administrator or staff member, even when the group’s tech is available and known, must be able to confront and handle the confusions which can occur and which invite a turn away and a squirrel solution. |
Even this situation of the inabilities to confront and handle can be solved by third dynamic (group) drills and drills on the sixth dynamic (physical universe). | Even this situation of the inabilities to confront and handle can be solved by third dynamic (group) drills and drills on the sixth dynamic (physical universe). |
The drills would be practices in achieving general awareness and confronting and handling the noise and confusions which make one oblivious of or which drive one off and away from taking standard actions. | The drills would be practices in achieving general awareness and confronting and handling the noise and confusions which make one oblivious of or which drive one off and away from taking standard actions. |
COMPETENCE | COMPETENCE |
Competence is increased in the individual and the group by successes. | Competence is increased in the individual and the group by successes. |
Successes come from anticipating the situation and handling it. | Successes come from anticipating the situation and handling it. |
Standard admin is the key to competence and successes in an organization. | Standard admin is the key to competence and successes in an organization. |
Founder | Founder |