View source for Standard Admin (HCOPL 710604)

To approach the subject of '''Standard Administration''' realistically, one first must recognize that a right way to do things can exist.

Let us take an example like starting a car. There is a right way to do this. You see if it has gasoline, you see that it's out of gear and that the brake is on. You turn on the ignition key and make the starter make contact. You feed it some gas and it starts. Now if one varied the sequence or did something else, the car wouldn't start. Then one pushes it or finds a hill. It still doesn't start so a mechanic is sent for. The bulk of the time, the mechanic finds no gas or failure to turn on the ignition.

There are an infinity of ways not to start a car.

There is only one way to start a car.

So it is with any standard procedure.

There ''is'' a way to do something right. The right ways to do things are called '''Technical Procedures''' or '''Tech''' when it comes to auditing or scientific or mechanical processes.

There is a '''Tech''' of '''Admin'''. This would be the right ways to do administrative actions or organize something.

Administration is the subject of how to organize or establish or correct the spaces, terminals, flows, line duties, equipment, material, and so forth of a production group so as to establish optimum volume, quality and viability.

Activities, organizations, companies, governments and even Man's civilization depend upon having the Tech of Admin and the knowledge and '''Application''' of it.

This general subject is known as '''Administration''' or '''Admin''' for short.

There are correct ways to do things in '''Admin'''. For each correct procedure there can be an infinity of incorrect actions.

To be a good executive or staff member, one has to know the right way something is done and to be able to apply and get done what he knows and be able to correct outnesses so they go back to the correct procedures.

Because of the great number of separate actions that go to make up a large activity, the subject looks complex unless one learns to look at one procedure at a time and fit it into other procedures.

The subject of admin only appears difficult because those involved in it seldom learn the correct procedures. Instead they do other odd things that, taken as a whole, give a thoroughly confused scene.

The test of any body of procedures is whether or not they will, when done, result in a smooth-running organization which produces final valuable products in volume that have acceptable quality and maintain the organization's survival.

Our admin passes this test. When used exactly by the book and applied and corrected back to the book, they will produce high volume, quality and viability.

This has been tested over and over. By the book = prosperity. Offbeat use or ignorance or nonapplication = collapse.

By just getting „on-policy“ (knowing and using the procedures with no departures) an org has leaped from long-enduring poverty to high success. Then run by those ignorant of policy, it has in turn collapsed to the degree it went „off-policy.“

A continent has boomed when „on-policy,“ has decayed when it went „off-policy.“

This fact has been seen over and over and over again. „On-policy“ (knowing and applying our procedures) has been the common denominator of each boom. „Off-policy“ (not knowing, not applying our procedures) has been the common denominator of every org or continental area collapse.

There are enormous numbers of witnesses to this and it is backed up by mountains of statistics.

'''Standard Admin''' means the usual „on-policy“ procedure applied.

„Squirrel admin“ means the departure or alteration of standard admin. The use of the word „squirrel“ is long standing because squirrels in their little cages go 'round and 'round and get nowhere and they are also, a bad pun, „nutty,“ meaning a bit crazy.

The source of '''Standard Admin''' is an HCO Policy Letter.

The main source of „squirrel admin“ is simply ignorance of PL procedure or the neglect of reading and applying it—as simple as that.

So if an org's staff, ignorant or neglectful of policy and failing to apply it, is creating a mad scene daily, just realize they are trying to start a car by welding the trunk shut or polishing the tires!

The answer is invariably and always, find the policy, apply it and force out the „off-policy“ actions, and coolness and prosperity will reign.

So this is a simple subject. Complicated only by the inability of people to confront and do the actions called for by policy.

Following policy is better all around as it is an area of agreement.

New procedures can be developed, tested, piloted, used. '''But''' until they become policy they can drive an area mad.

So there is a right way to do it. And that is the way it should be done. And so doing it „on-policy“ will result in prosperity.

If one is not able to accept this fact, then one will not be able to run an activity prosperously.

So Standard Admin is rather simple after all.

== Document information ==

'''Document type:''' Hubbard Communication Office Policy Letter

'''Date:''' 4 June 1971

'''Author:''' L. Ron Hubbard

'''Place:''' Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex

'''Distribution:''' Remimeo

[[Category:HCOPL 1971]]
[[Category:Efficiency Course]]