MRM Workbook, Student Material

Workload, page 1
Last amended: 22 August 2007

WORKLOAD
Training objectives:

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

-

Recognise the whole range of workloads:

- Underload
- Normal
- High
- Overload

Recognise the importance of pre-planning

State the problems at the start and during delegation

State how to delegate correctly.

Specific Behavioural Objectives:

The team leader shall:

1.

Pre-plan, anticipating too high or too low workload, taking corrective actions to
prevent their development.

2.

Use delegation to correct too high workload and too low workload.

3.

Set priorities to escape from an overload situation.

4.

Manage the total workload (including that of the pilot where relevant).

5.

Maintain workload at a reasonable level of activity avoiding a false feeling of

confidence and habitual thinking.

6.

Where relevant, reduce the pilots high workload by all means available.

7.

Use delegation as a method for training of subordinates.

The team member shall:

1.

Support the team leader in maintaining a reasonable workload, especially if the team
member tends to deviate towards high or too low workload.

2.

Maintain workload at a reasonable level of activity avoiding a false feeling of

confidence and habitual thinking.

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MRM Workbook, Student Material

Workload, page 2
Last amended: 22 August 2007

3.

Where relevant, reduce pilots high workload by all means available.

4.

Assist the team leader in pre-planning.

5.

Encourage delegation and assist the team leader at the start during delegation.

6.

When appropriate, delegate to other people correctly, but not lose responsibility for
important tasks normally under his/her control.

The pilot shall:

1.

Support the bridge team in maintaining a reasonable workload.

2.

Assist the bridge team at the start and during delegation.

3.

When appropriate, delegate to other officers correctly, but not lose responsibility for
important tasks normally under his/her control.

Extracts from the CBT:

Workload formula:

Tasks

Task value

*
Time

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MRM Workbook, Student Material

Workload, page 3
Last amended: 22 August 2007

Pre-planning:

Expected tasks:

Unexpected tasks:

Resources:

People skills:

Passage planning
Loading &
unloading
Supplies
Crew scheduling
Maintenance

Bad weather
Technical
malfunctions
Orders to deviate
Strikes
Suspended
pilotage
?????

Time
Financial
Manpower

Experience
Technical
skills
Attitude

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MRM Workbook, Student Material

Workload, page 4
Last amended: 22 August 2007

Directly under your control:

Indirectly under your control:

Management support
New technology
Company standing orders

Voyage planning
Briefings
Checklists
Training
Experience
Defining procedures

Hazardous thoughts of delegation:

If you want a job

done properly,
do it yourself.

By the time I showed

him I could have
done itmyself.
I like doing the job
and I do it well.

What if he
makes a mistake?

Ill lose control.

Quality:
Time:
Comfort:

If you want a job done properly do it yourself.

True - it takes time to learn a new job. But you had to learn.
By the time I showed him I could have done it twice.

Again, speed with quality won't come right away.

I like doing the job and I do it well.

But with practise you'll also get to like the job of delegation.

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MRM Workbook, Student Material

Workload, page 5
Last amended: 22 August 2007

Risk:

What if he makes a mistake?

Power:

But Ill lose control. What will be left for me to do?

Sometimes you need to let people make mistakes. Mistakes are not usually
critical.
You will actually increase your control because you can get more done in
the same time.

Delegation Checklist

Which tasks?

Start

To whom?
During

How?

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MRM Workbook, Student Material

Workload, page 6
Last amended: 22 August 2007

Team Discussion Questions:

1.

How do you recognise an overload situation?

2.

What can you do to increase workload during an underload situation?

3.

Do you have weekly planning meetings? If yes, which agenda items are there?

4.

Do you have any tips on delegation?

5.

Give some good and bad examples of delegation!

6.

Everyone agrees that delegation is a good idea, but few people do it and even fewer
people do it well. Why is that?

Copyright 1993-2007 The Swedish Club