individuals should not be supervisors. To be a successful supervisor, you must be able to train and develop others. CONFIDENCE Good supervisors have a quiet confidence (not an arrogant   or   cocky   manner)   based   on   thorough knowledge of the job and belief in their own ability. Confidence begets confidence. It is amazing to see how people will follow individuals who are charged with confidence in themselves and an idea. Mousy, hesitant supervisors  who  lack  confidence  in  themselves  cannot inspire confidence in others. On the other hand, beware of  arrogance.  Some  supervisors  put  on  a  front  of aggressive confidence to hide a feeling of inferiority. They ridicule the opinions of others; they dominate conversations;  they  are  arrogant.  Such  individuals  are much less effective than they think they are. Supervisors  who  have  a  quiet  inner  confidence, which is expressed in their confident manner, their actions, and their words, are respected and followed. MAINTAINING  DISCIPLINE One of the major problems you may encounter as a new supervisor is that of maintaining discipline in your crew.  The  following  discussion  provides  some  pointers to help you achieve success in maintaining discipline. GIVING  ORDERS A good supervisor gives much thought to the art of giving orders. Notice we said “art,” for giving orders really is an art that you must practice. Proficiency in giving orders will reap you many benefits; and since most  disciplinary  problems  are  the  result  of  individuals not  carrying  out  orders,  this  subject  cannot  be overemphasized. There are three basic types of orders: 1. The command 2. The request 3. The suggestion You should always consider (1) the situation under which you will give the order and (2) the individual who is to carry out the order. In the following paragraphs, we discuss the three types of orders, based on each of these two   considerations. The Situation In a military formation, the direct command, or formal  type  of  order,  is  always  used.  The  direct command  is  also  used  when  there  is  immediate  danger, fire, an accident or other emergency, disobedience of safety rules, and so forth. The simple request is the best type of order to give for daily routine work. The request is used for most orders  given  by  good  supervisors. The  suggestion  is  excellent  when  you  wish individuals to proceed on their own when you do not know exactly how the job should be done. It is also excellent  for  building  initiative.  This  method  of  giving orders builds morale and shows your personnel that you have confidence in them. However, it is not clear cut, and you certainly would have no recourse if the job were not  done  properly. The  Individual The  direct  command  is  normally  used  to  direct careless,   lazy,   insubordinate,   or   thick-skinned individuals.  Except  in  the  unusual  situations  mentioned above, the direct command is normally reserved for those to whom we must speak firmly and positively. The request is by far the best type of order to use with the normal individual. With most people, a simple request in the form of a question has the full effect of a direct  order.  Moreover,  the  request  fosters  a  feeling  of cooperative  effort  and  teamwork. The suggestion is excellent for those to whom a suggestion  or  hint  is  sufficient.  People  with  real initiative like to work on their own. In dealing with a sensitive,  highly  intelligent  individual,  a  mere  hint  that something is desired is enough to get a project started. Toss this person an idea by saying something like, “Petty Officer Jones, I wonder if it would be a good idea to do this?” or “Seaman Smith, do you have any ideas on how this can be done?”    This makes the individual a key person   in   the   project   and   provides   a   feeling   of importance. It also shows that you have Cofidence in this individual and provides excellent training. The suggestion type of order stimulates people to show what can be done. Although  the  situation  and  the  individual  are  the prime considerations in giving orders, the attitude and tone of voice in which they are given are very important. Whenever you give orders, apply the five Cs–  Clearly, Completely,  Concisely,  Confidently,  and  Correctly. Also,  avoid  orders  that  are  unnecessary  and  unneeded. 3-6