Proper Handling of People. (Page 7)
The Proper Handling of People
As Taught By Messenger Elijah Muhammad
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Chapter 1.
I. Fundamental Technique in Handling People
1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
II. Ways To Make People Like You.
1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a man’s name is to him the sweetest and most
important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.
III. Ways To Win People To Your Way of Thinking.
1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other man’s opinion. Never tell a man he is
wrong.
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying, “Yes, yes” immediately.
6. Let the other man feel that the idea is his.
7. Let the other man do a great deal of talking.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with other person’s ideas and desires.
10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
11. Dramatize you ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.
IV. Ways To Change People Without Giving Offense Or Arousing Resentment.
1. Begin with praise and honest appreaciation.
2. Call attention to peoples mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about you own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other man save his face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be
hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.
Chapter 2
V. Things Important To People.
1. People were listed as concerned with the following in order of
importance to them:
1. Security.
2. Treatment by people in authority over them.
3. Relationship to associates.
4. Physical surroundings.
5. Treatment by their job.
6. Compensation.
7. Appreciation of efforts.
8. Incentives.
9. Benefits.
10. Attention given complaints.
11. Opportunity for advancement.
12. Opportunity to make suggestions.
VI. Things Laborers Should Be Concerned With.
1. Job progress
2. How to do job.
3. Nations or Mosque’s plans and results.
4. Recognition of achievement through:
* Advancement
* Credit from good job.
* Pleasant relations with people.
* Consideration of job is important.
A laborer who is effecient, is fair, gives full consideration to
complaints, gives clear orders and instructions, considers others
personal problems, give subordinates chances to make suggestions and
opportunity to use initiative.
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Chapter 3
VII. People Work Best
1. People work best when they feel that they and their efforts are
important. You can make them feel this way if you:
* understand that each believer is an individual
* find out what they want from their position or Islam
Situations in Dealing With People
2. You put this knowledge to work by the way you deal with each person in
such situations as:
* correcting mistakes
* praising
* dealing with personal problems
* resolving personal conflicts
* getting them to work as a group
* handling grievances
* giving orders
* introducing changes
VIII. Dealing With Authority
1. They are people too and so are other officials or laborers.
2. Your success as a person depends on how you get along with them too.
3. Maintaining good relations with authorities and other officials
probably does not differ much from dealing with some one who is not.
They are all people.
4. If you can figure out how to handle them, you know it will pay off.
IX. Steps in Handling Personal Problems
1. Listen without judging or advising.
2. Help the person to clarify his thinking.
3. Assist him in carrying out his decision.
4. If you can’t help, minimize the load
* lessen responsibility
* create new interest
* assure the individual of your sympathy and understanding
* emphasize the need to carry on
X Two Basic Goals
1. Security
2. Approval
* realize people need approval
* how and when depends on the individual and the situation
* a man wants respect for his ideas and opinions and a chance to excel,
to show his ability
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Chapter 4
XI Elements of Correction
1. Be sure it’s necessary.
2. Correct in private, if possible.
3. Be matter-of-fact.
4. Start with a favorable comment, if possible.
5. Suit the correction to the person corrected.
6. Tell what’s wrong, and why.
7. Give him a chance to comment.
8. Tell how to make the correction.
9. End on an encouraging note.
XII Types of Assistant’s Responsibilities
FULL RESPONSIBILITY (No referral to Superior)
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY (Report action to Superior)
NO RESPONSIBILITY (Refer to Superior for decision)
Checking set up before new project begins Progress records Matters of
discipline
Checking attendance Quality reports Assignments
Routine maintenance Progress of program schedules Scheduling
Keeping performance charts up to date. Training of new people Granting of
privileges
Advising setup man of needed changes Grievance handling
XIII How to Make Decisions
1. Define the problem exactly.
2. Canvass all possibilities.
3. Compare and evaluate each solution.
4. Select the best parts of each.
5. Implement the decision.
XIV How to Assist Your Assistant
1. Give specific training.
2. Help him establish good relations with group.
* prepare group
* prepare assistant
* define his authority
3. Define his duties:
* regular duties
* emergency duties
4. Define his responsibility:
* full
* shared
* none
5. Train him to make decisions
6. Tell him who to see for guidance.
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Chapter 5
XV Road to Satisfaction
Recognition as Individual
Security
Sense of Belonging
Learn person’s name and use it Teach him Properly Make him feel wanted
Put him on his own Criticize sparingly. Help him make friends
Listen to his ideas. Recognize him away from Mosque life.
Praise good work. Point out his contribution to the group.
Show him his work is important. Make him feel your Mosque is a team of
which he is a respected member.
Make sure orders are understood.
Expect enough from him to provide incentive but not more than he can
deliver
Don’t let any change come as a surprise
XVI Four Basic Problems
1. Health.
2. Finances.
3. Domestic Affairs.
4. Affairs of the Heart.
XVII Believer-Official Agreement
1. The welfare of the group comes first.
2. The official shall lead the group and be responsible for its welfare
3. The Muslim should follow the official’s lead, obey instructions,
directions, orders, etc.
4. The official shall not take advantage of his position to give
harmful orders, play favorites, etc.
5. The official and believers shall each do what he can to make it
advantageous to belong to the Mosque.
XVIII What do you Owe to Members of the Group
1. Ability to do your job.
2. Responsibility.
3. Fairness.
4. Advancement of group welfare.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 10/25/64 and 10/27/64
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Chapter 6
XIX Good Laborers’ Neighbor Policy
1. Time cutting: if laborers work smoothly together, they can interchange.
2. Muslim Morale: no use trying to put the team idea across to your
people if they see there is no team work on the Official level.
3. Emergency aid: if laborers are on good terms, one will jump in to meet
the other fellow’s emergency.
4. Communication: a few warning words can save a lot of headaches and
time.
Improving Relations With Fellow Official
1. Don’t tear him down
* passing the buck
* encroaching on his authority
* making the most of his mistakes
* digging at him in public
2. Build him up
* giving timely warnings
* keeping him informed
* saying a good word to him
* keeping competition friendly.
XX Basic Personality Types:
TYPE
CHARACTERISTICS
Stubborn
1. Says “no” to everything
2. Changes his mind reluctantly.
3. Can’t be swayed by argument.
4. Balks at instructions.
5. Resents taking orders.
6. Dislikes change.
Slow
1. Slow Always chews things over.
2. Slow getting started.
3. Not likely to go off half-cocked.
4. Can’t be rushed.
Sensitive
1. Easily offended
2. Hurt by criticism
3. Can’t be kidded
4. Magnifies complaints
5. Takes everything personally
6. Resents orders.
Timid
1. Crumbles under criticism
2. Too shy to ask necessary questions
3. Slow in making friends
4. Has little initiative
Bold
1. Quick and positive with suggestions
2. Impatient about complaints
3. Somewhat conceited
4. Argumentative
5. Leaps before looking
6. Apt to be enthusiastic worker.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/1/64 AND 11/3/64
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Chapter 7
XXI Friction Points
1. Giving orders
2. Handling unjustified complaints.
3. Giving praise.
4. Correcting mistakes.
5. Making changes.
XXII Program for Induction, Orientation of New Muslims
1. Before he arrives
* prepare future associates
* get his place ready.
2. When he arrives
* greet him by name
* show him around
* introduce him to the others
* tell him about the rules and routine
* tell him about his duties
* let everybody know he’s arrived.
XXIII Reward kickback Areas
1. Resentful co-people.
2. Reaction of the rewarded worker himself.
3. Other associate group reaction.
4. Organizational conflict.
XXIV Some Type of Reward
1. Verbal approval.
2. Written approval.
3. Public praise.
4. Speacial priviledges.
5. Promotion.
6. Compensation.
XXV How to Reward
1. Aim your approval.
2. Select the reward.
3. Distribute rewards fairly
4. Explain the purpose
5. Inform the others.
6. Keep records.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/8/64 and 11/10/64
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Chapter 8
XXVI Points of Being Friendly
1. Establish friendly relations with all your people.
2. Be completely impartial on the job or position.
3. Make your position clear to your friend.
4. Don’t try to cover up the relationship.
XXVII Guide for Handling Conflicts
1. Approach the matter calmly.
2. Be strictly impartial.
3. Get to the bottom of conflict.
4. Make the individuals recognize their motivations.
5. Show why antagonism doesn’t belong among Muslims.
6. Try to bring about a friendly relationship.
7. Follow up.
XXVIII Painless Disciplining
1. Beforehand
* give ample and definite warning.
* make sure it’s his fault.
* see that no one is irreplaceable.
* consider compensating factors.
* decide who else must be told.
XXIX When You Discipline
1. Get your feelings under control.
2. Select the right time and place.
3. Make your decision final at the outset.
4. Back it up with facts.
5. Allow him to let off steam.
6. Help him to make a fresh start.
7. Help him to save face with others.
8. Help him to make final arrangements.
9. Safeguard group reaction.
10. Learn from each disciplining or firing how to prevent others
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/15/64 and 11/17/64
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Chapter 9
XXX Detecting Personality Quirks
The Basic Question: How will a man’s emotional make-up show up on
1. Some cautions
* Spread emotional stability questions throughout interview.
* Consider the facts in light of the circumstances, nature of job
working conditions, and so on.
* Don’t overemphasize any one point. Evaluate the entire picture.
2. Behavior
* Is he inflexible; has he refused to change his work at all?
* Is he chronically dissatisfied