Identifying and keeping good program staff
Abstract
Retaining effective and efficient staff for national service provider and other service organizations can sometimes be difficult, particularly if you have not personally recruited each staff member on your service team. However, the extra effort it may take to develop strong relationships with staff pays off in retention of quality team players. Building a successful staff can be accomplished through the consistent implementation and utilization of the four essential techniques of assessment, time management, communication, and professionalism. This effective practice from Iris Hunter of Save the Children Federation, Inc. was developed from a session at the AmeriCorps* National Direct Best Practices Conference held February 2002 in San Diego, California.Issue
Program staff are an important part of the national and community service team, and inheriting staff from other program directors may make establishing well-functioning relationships and processes problematic.Action
Creating a powerful and efficient team requires developing or strengthening infrastructure. Use the following four techniques:
Assessment
Overall review
- Managers must be able to objectively evaluate the various elements of their program, including staff, and ascertain what works and what doesn't.
- Managers must make major decisions that will determine the future of the program, its focus and its intended impact.
- During this difficult phase, it's important to acknowledge that some things can be fixed and some things can't. As a good manager, take the lead in determining the direction of your program and identifying what should stay and what needs to be surrendered.
- Regular evaluations and assessment of staff should occur periodically, not simply during required performance review periods.
- Creating assessment tools that allow for review of staff members' job performance and personal development is important because it encourages communication and feedback, addresses concerns, and promotes recognition in a timely manner.
- Create timelines for you and your staff to meet pre-determined criteria. This will strengthen their skills as managers and leaders, and stresses the importance of accountability when addressing current program concerns.
- Timelines should be realistic and geared toward positive outcomes and they should be adhered to. Don't set a precedence of ignoring timelines. In the long run it weakens your accountability as a manager and sets the pattern for others to follow in your footsteps.
- When developing your program and staff never rule from the top down. Instead, consider a team approach—where all players are given ample opportunities to share their input.
- Communication is key to success as a manager and in promoting healthy staff relationships.
- Good leaders use communication to gather, process, and transmit information essential to the well being of the organization.
- Good leaders give clear instructions, stay responsive to questions and suggestions, and keep appropriate parties well informed.
- Good leaders create adequate opportunities for staff members to share thoughts and concerns. Inviting dialogue at all levels of the organization is pivotal.
- Implementing weekly staff conference calls or meetings is a great way to encourage team players to discuss concerns and accomplishments, and to clarify issues.
- True professionals take their careers seriously and handle all aspects with care and precision. While not perfect, professionals take what is in their control and work for substantive results.
- The requirements of maintaining Corporation for National and Community Service (the Corporation) grants requires professional persons who are willing to constantly strive to do their best. This means that they must be honest enough to admit that there is room for improvement and then develop strategies to get the help they need.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help. Utilize the assistance of the Corporation for technical resources, and other similar programs—especially those that have managed to survive successfully for long periods of time.
- Through the Corporation, many developmental opportunities are allotted to professionals through organizations such as National Service Leadership Institute (NSLI). Taking advantage of these important resources can heighten your leadership abilities and enhance your ability to create and strengthen great programs.
- It is the job of a manager to make certain that opportunities for growth and training are made available to staff, and to encourage staff members to pursue them.
Context
Service programs often experience high turnover, for a variety of reasons, including attrition and growth. As more Americans engage in service, issues of member development and program management become critical.Outcome
Iris Hunter, Save the Children, reports that when these four management tools are applied consistently, programs exhibit positive growth and greater stability, and attract a more professional and accountable staff.Evidence
Human behavioral theorists like Abraham Maslow have shown that it is the quality of work itself and of the relationships with others at work that draws people to the best organizations and keeps them there, performing at their peak level. According to the 1997 Families and Work Institute report, The National Study of the Changing Workforce, while earnings and benefits have a 2 percent impact on job satisfaction, job quality and work support have a combined 70 percent impact.
Robert Madux wrote in Team Building: An Exercise in Leadership (Crisp Publications, 1992), that research shows that the best leaders are good communicators. Research also confirms a positive correlation between communication (understanding) and
- Improved productivity
- Better problem solving
- A reduction in grievances
- Ideas for improvement in methodology
- Improved working relationships
- Greater personal satisfaction
Posted On
April 29, 2002Related Practices
Related sites
Staff Screening Tool Kit: Building a Strong Foundation through Successful Staffing