personnel management guide

8/4/2019 Personnel Management Guide

1/9


2/9

10Measure Your DelegationEffectiveness.

On July 4th measure your delegation effectiveness as chapter president Be candid and honeststatement should, obviously, be "yes". Work on those to which you had to answer "no".I provide my board members with complete Information on chapter policy and procedure as it relatesto their jobs before I give them an assignment "' .. '., ,., , .. " , .I define precisely the limits of a board member's responsibility before I let him go ahead on his ownWhen I delegate an assignment I don't then forget about It I follow up to see how it is done ....I explain the principles of decision-making to my people, but in matters that are their responsibilitiesI do not make the decisions for them ' .. , , , , "., , .. , , .I try to develop the initiative of my board members so that they wil l be able to cope with emergencySituations when they may have to act entirely on their own , , . , . , , , , , .. , , , .I do not cr iticize board members for mistakes they may have made In handling emergencies orunusual problems. I try to correct their errors through patient explanation "I am wil ling to l isten to a board member whOmust make a decision, but I do not try toteach by givinghim the answers. I endeavor to show board members how to find the answers on their own , ..... ,'.'Except in extreme emergencies, I do not reverse a board member's orders openly, for I don't want himto lose face When his decision must be reversed I tell him privately and let him make the necessary changeshimself , " .. , ,.,.""., " .A board member can count on my backing. I do not permit board members down the lineor members

to go over the head of the responsible board member to get a decision changed , .... , .. , ... , .... ,.I take the responsibility for all decisions made in my chapter. When a board member makes a mistake

he ISaccountable tome, and I am accountable to the membership. When something goes wrong I do not tryto excuse myself by laying the blame on other board members , , .. , ,.,.".,.",., ,

Working With People. Self Analysis Check List".

The answer to each(CIRCLE ONE)es

NoYes

NoYes

NoYes

NoYes

NoYes

NoYes

No

Yes

NoYes

No

Yes

No

One of the most important things about working with people ISthat you must excite the inpividual action of each man inyourchapterHow do you rate in this area? How successfully do you handle peopte? What particular traits make you effective, orwhatcharacteristics hold you back?The following isa check listwhich gives a simple way to analyze yourself. Take a lookat each item and think honestly aboutyourself. The answers are on pages 12 & 13.1. Do you know at least a litt le bit about the interests of each person in your chapter.off the job? " , ,", .. ,.,", .2. Are you generally cheerful? .3. Do you manage to keep calm and even-tempered under the unpreventablepressures and strains on the Job? .4. Do you make promises only when you know you can keep them? .5. Are you likely to violate a personal confidence? .6. Do you make an effort to be a good listener? .7. Do you give credit where credit is due? .8. Do you ignore complaints which appear insignificant to you? , .9. Are you stnct with some members and lenient with others? .10. Do you praise good work as well as criticize poor work? , .11. Do you cooperate and get along well with others? .12. Can you refuse an individual 's request Without making him feel angrytowards you? .13. Do you try to see the other fellow's point of view? .14. Are you effective when giving orders? .15. Do you ask individuals to do personal chores for you? , .16. Do you ever ask for members' opinions about program improvements? .17. Do you explain reasons for changes in policies and procedures? .18. Do you refrain from making sarcastic remarks? .19. Do your members respond when you talk to them about a better job? .20. Do you help each member feel that he counts as an indiVidual? .. , , ..21. Are members reluctant to come to you for help on their program related problems?22. Do you high-pressure your members into frantic eHorts? .

YES SOMETIMES NO


3/9

will never get your opponent's goodwill."24. No. A good leader is never guilty of this mistake.The person you correct in public is unnecessarily humiliated,his self-respect is damaged, resentment is stirred up, and thepublic "bawling out" tends tomake a martyr of him ifthere isanelement of injustice in your criticism.25. No. The greatest thief of time is putting things off.Not onlyis ita sign of weakness on your part,i t sets a very badexample for your members. Get your projects done on time. Ifa

member makes a request which requires some investigation,tell him so. Have your answer ready within the shortestpossible time.26. No. If i t is vital to make a quick decision, make ittothe best of your ability. Otherwise, take your time. Look at aquestion from all angles before making up your mind about it.27. Yes. Jumping to conclusions isn't the most effectiveway of handling problems. It may sometimes be hard to control

yourself, particularly when it isn't the first time a person hasbroken a rule or done a poor job. Ittakes patience, self-controland a will ingness to get the facts. That's the only way to save

Answers To HumanRelations Inventory.1. DA - Desire is important if we are to do our best, yetwe areeach limited byour aptitudes, potentials,abilities, health,

physical characteristics, etc.2. DA - Certain characteristics are the same - i.e.,desire for security, appreciation, happy family life, feeling ofachievement, etc. However, we differ in others as intelligence,attitudes, interests, emotional stability, personal problems, etc.,therefore, what motivates one may not affect another, so eachperson should be treated as an individual.

3. A - These aptitudes may be seen in such areas asmusic, sports, mechanics. We can develop these by training, experience and education. However, we are limited by thetalent or capacity with which we are born.

4. DA - Money interests them but so does recognitionand a challenging job.5. DA - A well-accepted definition of intelligence is"The capacity to learn". Question No.5 contains a good definition of "knowledge" but not "intelligence".6. A - We are all interested in self satisfaction.7. DA - Knowledge is not the only qualification of a

good teacher - other qualities include ability to communicate,patience, and a knowledge of teaching techniques.8. DA - These terms describe extreme personality

patterns. Most of us are "Ambiverts" which means that we aresomewhere in between.9. DA - Itrefers to things we inherit - "environment"refers to everything that has happened since we were born.

10. A -Everyone is frustrated at some time.11. A - This puts the burden on the teacher if thelearner is not interested to the point he will want to learn.12. A - Consider yourself when you don't want tomowthe lawn but if a friend calls and says let's play golf, your "lazi

ness" immediately turns to enthusiasm even though golf mayrequire more work.13. DA - An introvert likesto be byhimself - anextrovert likes to socialize and converse. Placing them together onajob probably will satisfy the extrovert because he has somebody to talk to but the introvert may become more upset bytheextrovert who continues to socialize. This situation results inmany so called "personality clashes".

14. DA - The word "always" makes this statement"DA". Ifthe statement said "the better we know an employee,the better we can predict his behavior in a given situation", theanswer would have been "A".

13yourself a lot of trouble in the long run.

28. Yes. Many people suffer from a feeling that whatthey are doing is not "important". They need to be toldthat thewhole organization depends on the proper execution of theireffort. It is because this kind of assurance is so seldom giventhat many people show an attitude of indifference whichreflects itself in the quality of their work.29. Yes. Train yourself to react favorably to criticismeven when it may seem unjust. Such ability commands therespect of others and enables you to pick out the points whichyou can use for your own development. Cooperate with othersin giving them the opportunity to straighten you out when you'reot! the track. You are trYing to develop your own members forfuture responsibility.

30. No. Don't blame all your troubles on peoples' personalities and attitudes. Many conflicts arise from misunderstandings about job responsibilities. Give a clear-cut explanation of each person's duties and responsibilities in yourchapter. Apply the basic rules of good management.

15. DA - Usually based on feelings and emotions - itis a rare person who withholds his attitudes until he has carefully studied all the pertinent facts.16. DA - Hemay be quite dissatisfied with the job andonly doing it so that he might advance to a higher level job,

please the boss, etc.17. DA - He likes to be alone.18. A - Remember definition of frustration: "A blocking of a wish or desire". They may be minor but we normal lyexperience them at home, on the way to work, on the job, etc.19. DA - That is one approach - two others are: a.Withdraw from it and not worry about it; b. Analyze itand try todevelop best approach for solving it. Answer "B" is normallybest.

20. DA - Positive attitudes will usually produce betterresults.21. DA - Purpose of this question is to emphasize theneed for matching a person to a job. Forexample, ifyou had alow level, menial task, a highly intelligent person would probably be bored. Other jobs might require a person whodoes/does not have an outgoing personality.22. DA - Answered in No. 21 - May not bechallenging.23. DA - Getting detailed facts is a basic principle ofproblem solving.24. DA - If the job controls the person, there is moreapt to be frustrat ion and discouragement than motivation.

Parkinson's law - "A person wil l f il l up whatever time isavailable to a job that needs to be done". A person must be able tohave a feeling of achievement and accomplishment before anew assignment is given.25. A - Usually, more alternatives can be developed.26. DA - Admitting mistakes usually tends to build re-spect.27. A - A knowledge of facts and personal ities ishelpful.28. DA - A characteristic of a good president is theability to delegate details so he has more time for major

problems and decisions.29. DA - Should research the problem and see whatcan be done - to recommend that a person quit should onlybe done as a last resort.30. DA - Ifyou don't know, it'sa good policy toadmit it,then find out the answer.31. DA - Normally he would gain respect - members

lose respect for their president if he thinks he has all theanswers and is never willing to get suggestions.


4/9

1432. DA - Research shows that 75 percent of mana

gers who fail do so because they lack the supervisory andmanagement ski lls to do the job.33. A - If we expect to understand people, we hadbetter start with ourselves.34. DA - This approach usually gains respect.35. DA - The better you know your members, thebetter you can predict what they willdo. Also the better you willbe able to assign him to proper jobs and motivate him.36. DA - Your actions wil l have more impact on yourmembers' attitudes and behavior than will your words.37. DA - Evenwith a good start, problems might arisethroughout the course of the job - also gives the president a

good chance to praise the member and show that he has apersonal interest.38. A - Only by doing this can you weigh the merits ofone against the other.39. A - If your members know you will listen, it will

probably show up through a better job being done. Also, ifyou have reputation tor being "too busy" to listen, you probablywill not have the advantage of hearing suggestions and ideasfor improvement.40. DA - Ifwe learn more about human relations, andhow it relates to effective management, our jobs will becomeeasier and we will have the time to learn more about the

technical aspects of the job.


5/9

1123. Do you argue? .24. Do you correct any of your local chairmen in the presence of others? .25. Do you keep postponing jobs or requests that come to you from your chairmen?26. Are you in the habit of making hasty decisions? .27. Do you get all the facts before you start placing the blame? .28. Have you explained to each officer, committee member, etc., why his work is

important and how it fits in with the purpose of your program? .29. Can you accept criticism directed at yourself? .30. Do you always blame human nature when things go wrong? .

Human Relations Inventory.This is a good exercise to give your Board of Directors of your membership. It is designed to help people understandthemselves better aswell as understanding other people. Just photocopy this page - let them fill itout - then discuss each statement. You should act as the discussion leader. Write A (agree) or DA (disagree). The answers follow.

1. Anyone is able to do almost any job ifhetrieshard enough.2. Peopleare basically the same andshould betreated pretty much alike.3. We are born with certain abil it ies, capacitiesand potentials and these tend to limit thethings we can do.4. The onlykind of recognition that means anything to a person is more money.5. Intelligence consists of what we've learnedsince we were born.6. Most persons are interested indoing work ofwhich they can be proud.7. If a chapter president knows all about the

work to be done, he is therefore qualified toteach others how to do it.8. Everyone is either an introvert or anextrovert.9. Heredity refers to everything that has happened to us since we were born.10. Frustration means that something isblocking

the wishes or desires of an individual.11. Teaching iscomplete only when the learnerhas learned.12. Lack of interest accounts for more "loafing"on the part of members than does laziness.13. Introverts and extroverts should be put onthesame committee, job, etc., where they canwork together.14. If we know a person well, we can always tellwhat he'l l do in a given situation.15. Attitudes are usually based on a carefulstudy of the facts.16. A person's abil ityto doa givenjob isalways asure sign that he is satisfied.17. An introvert likes to work with others and is

usually the life of the party.18. People are faced with frustrating situationsalmost every day.19. The best way to overcome frustrations is tofight vigorously.20. A member's attitude has little effect on his

work.21. In your chapter, the person with the highestintelligence, best personality, and mostexperience should always be selected for ajob.) 22. If a person is dissatisfied with a job at a lowlevel, he probably willalso bedissatisfied with

any job at a higher level.

) 23. A Jaycee President should be able to solvehis own problems without getting all thedetailed facts.

) 24. People will work faster and longer if theyalways have a little more work ahead ofthemthan they can possibly do.25. A group of people can usually find a bettersolution to a problem than one individual can.26. The President should never admit a mistaketo the members.

27. A knowledge of the personalities involvedhelps in solving problems.28. The more details the President handles byhimself, the better executive he is likely tobe.29. The best thing the President can do if he hasa trouble maker in his chapter is torecommend that he quit.

) 30. It'sa bad policy for a President to tell a member, "I don't know the answer to your quest ion, but I'll find out and let you know."31. A President would lose respect if he asks hismembers for suggestions.32. Most Presidents who fail doso because theydon't have the technical "know-how" for the

job.33. It is important to understand ourselvesbefore we can understand others.34. Consideration and friendliness are useless

in handling problem members.35. The President would be wasting histime talking with his members about their families,

interests and outside-the-chapter problems.) 36. As long as he gets the work done, a President does not have toset a good example byhis personal conduct.

) 37. Follow-up to see how a new member or officer isdoing isn't necessary ifhegot started inthe right way.) 38. Before deciding on the solution to a problem,a list of possible solutions should be madeand compared.39. The President should be will ing to listento almost anything the members want to tell him.40. Courses in human relations are of very lit tlevalue. We should be learning more about thetechnical aspects of our job.


6/9

12

Answers To "Working With People".When you have finished checking through theseanswers you become more aware of your ability to handleothers and can see where you need improvement. Note your

strong points Keep bUilding upon them Start a program todevelop the weak points which are probably standing in yourway.1. Yes. When you are aware of a man's personality,home conditions, and hobbies, you can take his peculiaritiesinto consideration in utilizing him.2 . Yes. Grouchiness and irritability reduce your effec

tiveness. A president who goes about his Jobwith a long faceand grouchy attitude dampens the spirit and enthusiasm ofeveryone with whom he comes in contact. Look for a ray ofhumor in difficult situations Itwill save many hard feelings andturn anger into cooperation.3 . Y es . A person who cannot control himself can hardlyhope to control others. Self control under all circumstancesgives you that poise and sureness which commands respectand loyalty.4. Yes. Promises should not be made lightly Theyshould always be made with a full understanding of whatevercircumstances arise that would make it Impossible to keepthem. Make those circumstances very clear to the person atthe time promises are made. A president who feels that hecanmake promises and not keep them is making a bad mistake.He cannot be a good leader unless he shows integrity ofthought and action and earns the confidence of his members,and their belief in his word. When you promise anything, doeverything you can to deliver.5. No. Violating a confidence has the same effect as abroken promise, except that the resentment is often moreintense. Your position makes you the logical counselor of yourmembers on many problems. The closer your relationship toyour members, the better you are able to help them and themore they will want to cooperate with you. But such a relationship is severly strained by a breach of confidence6 . Y es . Being a good listener is of particular importanceto you.When a person comes to you with a request or suggestion, do not jump to conclusions and assume that you knowwhat he isdriving at after hehas spoken the first sentence. Thishas a bad effect upon him, because he cant help but feel thatyou are not Interested enough to hearwhat hehas to say.Don'tbutt in With a word here and there. Don't frown or yawn. Thisshows lack of respect for his feelings and opinions. You get abetter understanding of what is on his mind, and will be in aposition to render much more intelligent judgement anddecision when you listen carefully and patiently.

7 . Yes. Don't hog all the credit. If you do, you will beresented by your chapter. They will hold back on their initiativeand cooperation. Give them the recognition they want. needand deserve

8. No. No complaint is "little" to the person who ismaking it. Even if the gripe is unjustified, there's no denying thefact that the person does not think so What you might considerunimportant looms very large in his eyes. He remains a problem even ifhiscomplaint istaken lightly.Itisyour job to ease IIItempers, not to aggravate them by inattention

9. No. Ifyou are, teamwork goes out the window. Avoidany possible criticism that you are playing favorites. When onemember is allowed to get by with something, while another isnot. eff iciency suffers Don't give special privi leges unless aspecial situation warrants it and everyone understands It.10. Yes. Every human being craves credit and praise. Apractice which is very aggravating to a person isalways to beblamed for making a mistake, but not to be praised when agood job is done Praise is an important psychological

incentive to better work, and adds much to a man's satisfaction.1 1. Y es . Share your thoughts and experience withotherofficers Talk to them about your problems as well as yoursuccessful methods and ideas. I


7/9

15Your Chapter Organization.

Handling Non-Performers.No One Accepts A Job With the Idea of Failing; Therefore, You Must:

Identify the problem.A. Ask yourself these questidns:1. Have I taken the time to understand him as a person?2. Have I been fairand honest inmy relationship with him?3. Have I given him my full support?4. Have I offered him encouragement?5. Have I fully explained his job responsibili ties?6. Have I explained what is expected of him?7. Have I explained how his job relates to the overall goalsof the chapter?8. Have Iexplained the benefits hecan gain from doing hisjob well?9. Have I worked with him in establishing goals?10. Do I allow him the opportunity of carrying out his jobwithout undue interference from others?11. Have I provided him the necessary assistance?12. Do Igive him credit for his accomplishments or do I takethe glory for his achievements?13. Do I praise in public and correct in private?B. Ask These Questions About Him:1. Is he overloaded?2. Are outside influences such as work, family, health, etc.

affecting his capability and fulfilling the Jaycee role?3. Does he understand his responsibilities?4. Does he understand how important his job is to the totaleffort?5. If he afraid to ask for assistance?

What can be done?1. Additional training.2. Praise and encourage him.3. Reassign a portion of his responsibilities.4. Talk with him to helphiminovercoming the problems. Besure tospend more time listening than talking. Besurethediscussion is held in private.5. Change the person he reports to.6. Change your approach inworking with him.7. Get assistance from your assigned state officers.8. Change his job duties.9. I fyou're the problem - straighten out yourself.1O. Last resort - fire him.

How to replace a non-performer.1. If you have taken the time to do Parts I & II, it may not benecessary to fire him.2. Confront him in private and allow him the opportunity ofresigning gracefully. Offer to announce a reason that willnot embarrass him.3. Review the provisions of your by-laws regarding the replacement of officers.4. Get a performance commitment from him at a boardmeeting in front of his fellow members.5. Handled properly, replacing a non-performer may be inhis best interest.


8/9

16How To Effectively Handle People.TYPE

Eager Beaver

Bullheaded

The Dampener

Indiscriminating

HighlyArgumentative

Inarticulate

SideConversationalists

The Ramble

I Won't Talk

The Griper

CHARACTERISTICS

Here's the quick, helpful type, first to jump inwith an opinion every time. In spite of good intentions, this person makes it difficult by keepingothers out.

He couldn't be budged with a bulldozerEither he hasn't seen your pOint or he's justplain prejudiced

This character points out the worst in everyidea put forward. Seldom, Ifever.does the"dampener" volunteer an alternative

He's an obliging chap who will agree wholeheartedly With ANY suggestion

These combative personalities may be professional hecklers or just upset by personal problems. A clash between two such members candivide your whole group Into factions.

ThiSman needs help. He's getting the Idea butfinds difficulty in expressing his thoughts.

Whether related to the subject or personal, littleside conversations distract members of thegroup, and espeCially the speaker.

ThiS character becomes talkative on everysubject except the one being discussed After afew of his farfetched analogies the entire group ishopelessly lost.

Silent Sam may feel timid, insecure, superior.indifferent, or bored Whatever his reasons, hewon't be an asset to the group unless you drawhim out.

Whether giving loud voice to his pet peeve oralegitimate complaint, the professional gr iperwastes a lot of precious time

HOW TO HANDLE

Use him for summarizing. Try to cut across himtactfully by questioning others. Thank him andsuggest "we put others to work." But be carefulnot to offend him - he'll be most useful when thetime comes to summarize.

Ask the group to comment on his view.Leave It to other group members to straightenhim out. Tell him that you'll be glad to discusshis views later and ask him to accept the groupviewpoint for the moment.Ask him to suggest an alternative. Indicate thatyou understand his objections, then restate thegood points of the suggestion which have beenoffered. Ask other members of the gruup to comment on his remarks.Don't put too much faith in his opinions. Acknowledge his enthusiastic remarks politely andthen ask for the opinions of some other sounder members of the group.Draw attention to the objective. Emphasize thepoints on which these two agree. Cut across theargument with a direct question on the topic orbring a dependable member ofthe group intothediscussion. If necessary, ask frankly that personalities be omittedRepeat his ideas in better language. Don't twisthis ideas more than you must tohave themmakesense. Avoid phrases like "What you mean is. "

or "This is what you are trying to say. "Try not to embarrass them. Call one by nameand ask him an easy question, or restate the lastremark made by a group member and have theoffender express his opinion of it.Refocus attention on the subject at hand. He'llhave to stop for a breath. When he does, get himback on the track by restating the relevant points,then move on. Another tactic is to tell him that his

pOintis interesting and then,with a smile, indicatethat "we're a bit off the subject." As a last resortglance meaningfully at your watch.

Your action should depend upon what is motivating him. Try to arouse his interest by askinghim a question. If he is seated near you, ask hisopinion so that hewil l feel he is talking to you, notthe group. Toss out an interesting question to seeIf it will stir him. Be sure to compliment the shyperson sincerely when hedoes make acomment.

Remind him of the pressure of time. If i t'sa private matter, tell him you'll be happy to discuss itlater. POintout to him that you can't change policyhere, and the aim is to operate as smoothly aspOSSibleunder :'1epresent system. An alternativeIS to have a member of the group answer him.


9/9

One: Get retention right, and you will have built the basis forrecruitment. High retention rates are the signal that you havehappy, satisfied members. And happy, satisfied members tendto share the NARFE story with others, automatically creatinga grass-roots recruitment campaign. The takeaway: Startwith retention and follow with recruitment.Two: "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is certainlytrue for associations like NARFE. It is true, not only becauseit takes less effort to keep a member than find a new member,but also because it is less expensive to retain a member thanrecruit a new member. The takeaway: Recruitment often getsthe attention, but retention will make your treasurer muchhappier: ultimately, the membership numbers will makeeveryone happier.Three: A low retention rate is a signal that you have seriousunderlying problems in your chapter. Recruitment ofmembers is primarily a function of great marketing. Butmember retention is a function of both marketing, and moreimportant, a satisfying membership experience. If you can'tkeep your members, then you are wasting time and resourcesrecruiting them until you fix the problems. The takeaway: Ifyou can't retain, recruitment will burn through prospectsbecause they won't join a second time. The bottom line is thatrecruitment is important for NARFE. But retention must beyour tirst priority. Get retention right-then move on torecruitment.Recruitment is the most important activity for NARFEmembership development, correct? Not necessarily. Memberrecruitment is certainly important. But if you want NARFE tothrive, membership retention is the more important measure.Here are three reasons retention is more important than

personnel management guide

Documents