REPORT OF THE WORKING COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000800070007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 29
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 27, 2000
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: February 25, 1972
• Content Type: MF

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25 February 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR: Members of the Human Resources Study Group
and the Working Committee on the Youth
Study
SUBJECT Report of the Working Committee
25X1A
1. Working against the deadline imposed by our commit-
ment to report to on the Youth Study prior to his
retirement, a report based on the extensive efforts of the
25X1A Working Committee has been pre ared and was presented to the
DDS for forwarding to on 18 February. A copy of
this report is attached.
2. While the report is conclusive as to its findings,
action implications and recommended future directions are
only lightly touched upon, for the simple reason that these
matters merit considerable deliberation and discussion by
both the Working Committee, who have had scant opportunity
to do so, and the Study Group as a whole, who have had none
at all. No further distribution of the present report is 25X1A
appropriate until these steps have been taken. Mr. Coffe
has returned to us the copy provided "Eyes Only" to ~Y
25X1A who expressed his appreciation for this special
effort to provide him some feedback prior to his departure.
3. After each of you has had an opportunity to study
this report, I plan to call a meeting of the Study Group and
the Working Committee to solicit your reactions and plan
further action.
25X1A
25X1A
Distribution:
Chairman, Human Resources Study Group
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rtECR T
 25X1A
25X1A
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Report of the Working Committee
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO.
Chairman
706 C
fC
o
3250
DATE
25 Feb 72
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
DATE
building)
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
Attached are preliminary
findin
s of th
H
g
e
uman Resource
Head uarte
Study Grou
rushed i
t
i
p,
n
o pr
nt
2.
in order to inform
25X1A
25X1
efore hi
his retirement. The
emo was done b th
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3.
ogical Services Staff, and
r~~~'
~
though I did not have an oppor
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t to advise
niy o a vise and consent in
.
the manner we in the DDI are
accustomed to, I agree with
h at is said
It i
i
s.
.
s
ncomplet
however, (based on the first
MR. RICHARD LEHMAN
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"~ MwG
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10 of 24 interviews that have
ow
been com
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i
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w
th junior
fficers in the DDI) and does
of make any recommendations.
I am n
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surpr
sed with
hat PSS considers the rinci
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findin
--th
t
h
MR. EDWARD PROCTOR
g
a
t
ere is no sign
ficant generation ga
in CIA --
p
r with the large number of
complaints from int
i
erv
ewees
bout the lack of career devel
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J
pment opportunities, poor man
;
gement, and insufficient down
and and l
t
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to
a
era
communication
.
am impressed, however with
he extent of dissatisfaction
ith
h
'
tt.
t
e Agency
s machinery fo
anding complaints and grieva
ith the lack of commitment to
I
12.
A among many young officers,
nd with other general and
pecific accusations heard dur
13.
ng the interviews.
Within the next couple of
weeks, I plan to provide you
14.
ith a detailed memo discussin
11 of the impressions I acqui
uring this exercise, as well
ts.
as copies of the memos of con
-
ersation prepared after each
terviews
FORM
3-62
t~ I or ReIe SS~O;&6/06 : CIA-RDP8 iO Q5 Ob0700071 SECRET
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^ CONFIDENTIAL ^ USINTEERNAL
ONLY El UNCLAS I IE
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A REPORT ON AGENCY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
PREPARED BY A WORKING COMMITTEE OF
THE HUMAN RESOURCES STUDY GROUP
25X1A Chairman
- DDS&T
- DDP
DDI
DDS
February 1972
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BACKGROUND
Over the past year we have witnessed unprecedented specu-
lation in the Agency, particularly at senior levels, over the
possibility of a "youth" or "generation" problem. In response
to this concern, an ad hoc committee of the Human Resources -
Study Group* undertook, at the request of the Executive Director-
Comptroller, a study of young professionals in the Agency. This
report summarizes and discusses the basic findings of the com-
mittee and draws some conclusions on the question, "Is there a
youth problem?" The Study Group intends to review the findings
further and consider specific research and action implications.
PROCEDURE
For purposes of the study, "youth" were defined as employ-
ees in Grades 9 through 1.2, between ages 25 and 35, and with at
least two years of Agency service. These criteria were chosen
because they seemed to encompass junior officers most closely
identified with a "new and different" point. of view. From this
population a representative sample of 40 officers, 10 per
Directorate representing 31 different offices and divisions,
was interviewed. The interviews lasted approximately 1.5
hours and followed a semi-structured format (see Appendices
Human Resources Study Group
- organized by D/MS at the direction of the DDS in October 1970
- charged with the task of studying needs and recommending re-
search in the human resources area. Composed of representa-
tives of OMS, OP, OS, OTR, chaired by C/PSS/OMS, and aug-
mented for purposes of this study by a representative of
each Deputy Director.
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for actual format used). Interviewees were given the rationale
for the survey and the Human Resources Study Group's role in it.
To provide additional perspective, a sample of 18 managers,
average grade GS-14 and average tenure 15 years, was interviewed
with the same format. While specific views of the managers are
not described in this report, they were weighed in our assess-
ment of the views of the young officers. Respondents were most
cooperative and showed considerable interest in the survey.
CONCLUSIONS
Our survey of young officers has led us to the general con-
clusion that this segment of Agency personnel does not hold
views which set it apart from older and higher graded officers.
Moreover, most of the managers interviewed did not perceive a
generation gap between themselves and young officers. In fact,
one is impressed with the similarity in both the priority and
strength of the specific concerns articulated by the present
sample and those articulated by 550 middle-level officers sur-
veyed two years ago in the IG Attitude Study (A Survey of Job-
Related Attitudes of Five- and Ten-Year Agency Employees,
January, 1.970).
We found little evidence for an erosion in professional
and career achievement motivation among young officers. To the
extent that greater drives toward self-actualization and greater
commitment to alleviating domestic ills .exist among this group,
they do not appear to conflict with Agency employment. The young
officers typically had no doubts about the meaning and relevance
of their Agency employment and did not question the value of the
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Agency's contribution to American society. Most liked their
jobs, and while finding much to criticize in their immediate
situations, most gave the Agency high marks for the way it is
run. The issues most fre uentl raised were far more person-
alized and may be expressed by such phrases as lack of career
planning, headroom, promotions, desirable headquarters and over-
seas assignments, being kept informed, and getting someone to
take an interest in their futures.
In the view of the above, additional Agency-wide surveying
restricted to the age/grade grouping interviewed here appears
to be unnecessary.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The concerns of youth popularized in the media did not
surface in the present survey. What concerned these officers
most in the job environment is discussed in the following
paragraphs. Appendices A through D, prepared by the four
Directorate representatives, are summaries of the interviews
held within each Directorate. They bring into focus the dif-
ferent emphases across Directorates.
Career Development and Personnel Management
The present survey found career development and personnel
management responsible for the greatest amount of dissatisfaction
within the Agency, a finding also obtained in the IG survey
referenced above. Young officers faulted the Agency for its
lack of an effective career development program. Prevailing
sentiments included: you have to foster your own career; there
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is no one watching out for you; and there is no one to whom
you can turn for counseling and guidance on such basics as how
to pursue careers, how to locate good jobs, what constitutes a
normal career progression pattern and where you fit. At the
very least, these young officers advocated more candor from
management concerning career and promotion matters.
Other suggestions in the career development area in?-
cluded a desire for programmed rotational assignments, wide
dissemination of job vacancy information, creation of the role
of ombudsman for personnel management matters with access to
the highest levels, and a system for changing jobs within the
Agency without jeopardizing job security.
Communication
Respondents frequently criticized communication in the
Agency. They pointed not so much to a lack of substantive
communication required to get their job done as to a lack of
communication of developments, thinking, and events at
organizational levels above and parallel to their own. Being in
the "know", having a feel for what's going on upstairs, and
where things are moving, apparently has considerable value for
fostering and sustaining a sense of belonging and commitment
in these young officers. Most felt that the informal communica-
tions network.is what really counts and that one's personal
contacts and force of personality are the major determinants of
success. No doubt the less aggressive and more bureaucratically
naive officers, when criticizing the inadquacy of communications,
were responding to the difficulty experienced in establishing
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the all-important set of informal personal contacts.
Promotion Policy and Prospects
Most respondents were satisfied with their own promotions
to date but viewed the prospects of future advancement with
pessimism. For some the theme of promotion was the most
salient issue of all, and underried nearly all expressions of
concern over career development, supervision, and long range
job commitment. The feeling was expressed that promotion policy
was a matter of "mystery". Others -thought that it consisted of
unfair restraints and hurdles, such as fixed time in-grade, a
set pattern of job experiences matching those of incumbents,
academic degrees rather than demonstrated ability, and non-
competitive promotions within career services.
Supervision
A consistent although by no means unanimous picture emerged
on the issue of supervision. Respondents tended to be particularly
critical of their immediate supervision. Their criticism very
often indicted the system by which managers are initially selected
rather than the manager per se. The respondents strongly criti-
cized the practice of making good analysts, technicians, case
officers and specialists into supervisors without evaluating
their supervisory talents and potential. The interviewees
asserted that the good supervisor should possess human relations
skills and that these were not necessarily correlated with sub-
stantive ability. Respondents stressed the need for greater
exposure of managers to management training courses. A sizeable
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minority either did not comment on-the quality of their super-
vision or commented favorably on it.
Agency Mission and Public Image
Interviewees were asked for their views regarding the
Agency's public image. They generally responded that the
Agency appeared to have an unfavorable image but did not re-
gard this as a problem. Some young officers even felt that
the Agency was overly sensitive to the question of image and
indicated they would consider any large scale public relations
dfforts to be inappropriate. These respondents did not appear
to be inhibited either on-or off the job by the Agency's image.
On the question of the Agency's mission, goals, and ob-
jectives, a clear consensus emerged. The interviewees, almost
without exception, regarded the goals. and objectives of the
Agency reasonable in the context of U.S. national security
needs. Even where the interviewee claimed limited knowledge
of the scope of the Agency's activities and mission or where
he assumed the worst he had heard about the Agency to be true
("CIA uses torture and assassination") the issue was not a
matter of particular concern. Many indicated that they would
welcome enlightenment on the Agency generally since their out-
look now did not extend beyond their immediate office.
Additional Themes
Themes receiving less mention than those presented above,
but ones which were judged to be of potential significance
are listed below:
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1) Very rarely did the interviewees complain of excessive
workload, but some did claim chronic under-employment.
A few complained that components sought over-qualified,
over-educated employees primarily for prestige reasons.
2) Some junior officers expressed strong concern over the
lack of policy statements from the White House and the
State Department to guide their operational activities.
In the absense of such guidance they found themselves
and their seniors filling the policy vacuum, while
questioning the appropriateness of this.
3) Discrimination against women in matters of career
development and promotion was cited by some of the young
women interviewed.
4) A source of disillusionment of some young professionals
was the incongruity between what they had been led to
expect on the job from both training and personnel
officers and what they actually found. They faulted
those who portrayed. the work and work setting in an
overly idealized manner.
5) In two instances analysts felt pressured to produce
intelligence consonant with a pre-determined point of
view. This compromise of professional integrity was
severely resented.
6) Some analysts claimed that they often received no feed-
back on the value-of their efforts. either to the
Intelligence Community or to the policy-makers. However,
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the majority felt that they had received adequate
recognition for their efforts.
7) A few interviewees criticized the inadequacy of channels
for handling grievances and complaints discreetly.
ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Any additional investigation of the issues identified in
this study should be conducted at the Directorate level and if
possible at lower organizational levels as well. There the re-
suits could be dealt with more constructively and directly.
Such systematic surveying should not be restricted to any one
age or grade range but should include entire work groups and
involve line management directly.. As indicated earlier, the
Human Resources Study Group will be considering other research
needs and implications for possible action suggested by the
findings.
Some of the respondents (ages 25-35) did not consider them-
selves "youth" and believed that there were significant differences
in both values and outlook between themselves and Agency employees
in their early 20's. We have no information on whether the
youngest professional segment of the Agency population does in-
deed represent a different point of view. A study similar to
the present one might well be undertaken to provide further
information about this group.
The respondents were not routinely asked whether they planned
to leave the Agency for other employment. A few, however, did
indicate a desire for different employment. When specifically
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asked, a few more confided that they would probably leave when
the job market improved. Overall, it does not appear that there
will be significant personnel losses from this segment of the
Agency population when outside prospects brighten. There re-
mains, however, the important question of the quality of those
who are leaving. We would like to see research undertaken to
determine the validity of the frequent claim that we are losing
our best people. Follow-up'interviews with those who have left
the Agency might provide valuable new perspectives on why people
leave.
;g-
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TAB
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APPENDIX A
DDI COMPOSITE INTERVIEW RESULTS
Based on interviews with 10 DDI professionals,
average age, 29, average grade, GS-11, all located at
Headquarters Building.
I. Invite Young Officer interviewee to comment on his job,
his career, and the Agency generally. Record key points
made in spaces provided under II.
II. Secure a response to the following topical areas if they
have not been adequately covered as a result of I above.
1. PRESENT JOB
- Interesting, Meaningful?
- Recognition received
The work is interesting and meaningful, sometimes challenging.
There is not always enough todo., but this is usually a result
of poor allocation of resources in the branch. The amount of
recognition received varies wide y, but there is a cluster on
the-lower end of the scale--too little recognition. Most have
had more than one assignment and sought the job they now hold.
In most cases they are more pleased where they are now.
2. AGENCY MISSION
- Ability to identify with
and be committed to Agency
goals and objectives
This stimulated very little response. Most are not..-concerned
about CIA's missions and some professed not even to understand
the missions. A minority singled out certain clandestine
operations for mild criticism, but none made a strong point of
any of this.
3.. AGENCY IMAGE
This did not stimulate much response either. The image problem
seems to be a non-issue to the DDI youth sample. One or two
said that their friends and associates ridicule them for work-
ing here; most are blithely unconcerned.
4. PROMOTION POLICY & PROSPECTS;
GRADE, SALARY, BENEFITS
Promotions were central to much of the discussion throughout
all of the interviews. Promotion prospects underlie nearly
all talk about career development, management, etc. Many said
they sought rotations or new assignments to move to a higher
slot or to get into a spot where they could start fresh. Benefits-
familiarization trips, training, etc. -- were discussed favorably.
No one complained of too few benefits.
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5. WORKING CONDITIONS
8. CAREER DEVELOPMENT/Personnel Mgmt.
- Job Mobility
- Quality & Relevance of Trng.
- Performance Evaluation
This is also an active area. Most answered without hesitation,
that there is no career development in CIA. That careers are
mae-_,onnersopal levels-,. that there is conside e in-equity
in the system, d that much more should be done. Nearly every-
one said that ro ations to other jobs would be desirable, al-
though a surpris ng number of them vacillated on this when pinned
down about where and when they would like to rotate. The fitness
report came in for some heavy but not uniform criticism. Most
said they didn't-know what other system would be better, but
most felt it is ""o impersonal..
w..
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This won little response. Nearly everyone -- once prompted --
thought of some minor irritant in his immediate work environ-
ment, but all made it clear that these were minor complaints
indeed. None thought that poor work conditions existed, none
suggested that morale was affected by this, and some even went
to the other extreme, to suggest that conditions are really
quite excellent and that we should be grateful.
6. SUPERVISION (IMMEDIATE)
- Treatment by and
Competence of Supervisor
This is the busiest category. Branch chiefs particularly were
criticized individually for a great variety of shortcomings,
and the role of the branch chief was criticized often. Many
said that branch chiefs were simply in the way, that they had
never had a good one, that supervisory skills were completely
lacking. Virtually every other complaint grew out of this one.
In the few cases when the branch chief was not the primary
culprit, it was the division chief or someone else in the chain
of command. Usually though, the immediate supervisor is the
target.
`7. COMMUNICATIONS
- Up-Down-Lateral.
- Substantive - Non-Substantive
This was the second most active category. Communications are
quite bad according to an overwhelming -- if not unanimous --
number. Both vertical and horizontal dialogue is poor. Manage-
ment techniques and compartmentation are blamed. Junior officers
complain most, however, about the lack of downward communication.
They don't know what's going on elsewhere in CIA, or even in
their own offices. They seldom learn about new developments;
sometimes even personnel decisions and changes are not communi-
cated to them.
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9. WAY AGENCY IS RUN - BE SPECIFIC
This did not elicit much comment beyond what had already been
said above. Most don't seem to know much at all about how
Agency is run. Many said they don't even know the names of
senior officials, and that top management is miles away from
their own experience. Most said nevertheless., that they trust
top management.
I attempted to ask each interviewee about his level of commit-
ment to an Agency career. Many do not have a real commitment,
and are either looking for another job, for options outside of
CIA, or are planning to begin looking soon. I asked some about
their reactions to the Ellsberg/Anderson leaks. There was no
clear-cut reaction; most had no opinion or were not affected.
III. Concluding Question:
- What do you see as the major concerns, problems, and issues
facing young officers in the Agency today. (It would be
most helpful to obtain some sort of listing and evaluative
commentary from the interviewee in response to this broad
question).
This became extraneous and redundant after all of the above had
been covered. It did not elicit comment from any of the inter-
viewees.
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APPENDIXB
DDP COMPOSITE INTERVIEW RESULTS
Based on interviews with 10 DDP professionals,
average age, 31, average grade, GS-11
I. Invite Young officer interviewee to comment on his job,
his career, and the Agency generally. Record key points
made in spaces pr-ovided under II.
II. Secure a response to the following topical areas if they
have not been adequately covered as a result of I above.
1. PRESENT JOB
- Interesting, Meaningful?
- Recognition received
The young officers seem to find the jobs to which they are
assigned interesting in the beginning, but this wanes as 1) they
learn the ins and outs of their jobs, and are ready to move on
to new challenges, and 2) as they begin to chafe at the amount
of record-keeping they have to do. Recognition on the job is
generally seen as adequate, although promotions are slow in
coming. Yet the slowness of promotions does not seem to be as
critical an issue to the young officers as working on a boring
job, and above all, the delays in getting assignments overseas.
2. AGENCY MISSION
- Ability to identify with
and be committed to Agency
goals and objectives
None of the officers had any difficulty identifying with, and
being committed to, Agency goals and objectives. Those who have
thought about it, generally have a positive attitude; a few
haven't thought about it, either through lack of intellectual
curiosity or because of compartmentation in their work. A few
have questioned the haphazard way in which "U.S. Government policy"
is formulated when, from where they sit, it seems that is is
enunciated by a relatively junior DDP officer who is filling a
gap which the White House or the Department of State should fill.
3. AGENCY IMAGE
By and large, the young officers do not care that the Agency has
a bad image outside (although they would naturally wish the image
were better),. since they themselves are convinced of the value
and validity of what the Agency is trying to accomplish. Criti-
cism is something to be expected in a free society.
4. PROMOTION POLICY & PROSPECTS;
GRADE, SALARY, BENEFITS
Generall ,? the c 1W0~ 6/O rG~IA P O' 4) d Od'~R 6~116gg'_ng.
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Women, in particular, felt that they were being somewhat dis-
criminated against. They felt at a particular disadvantage
when competing with CT's, who, in turn, felt that once they
left "the fold" of CT-dom, they were being overlooked. There
were no comments about salary or benefits, other than an in-
dication that these were acceptable. Of particular note is the
frequency with which young. officers mentioned the dishonesty,
as many phrased it, with which personnel matters were handled,
particularly as regards overseas assignments.
5. WORKING CONDITIONS
Not an issue with any of the officers. Generally acceptable,
except where large numbers of people in large rooms prevent
concentration and/or privacy.
6. SUPERVISION (IMMEDIATE)
- Treatment by and
Competence of Supervisor
Management, middle and top, came in for very severe castigation.
While some supervisors are given points for substantive know-
ledge or area ability, most seem to be extremely poor on manage-
ment aspects: 1) distribution of work, 2) guidance to young
officers, 3) fitness reports, and 4) honesty in assignments.
The selection of supervisors was seen as placing too much em-
phasis on operational competence and too little on managerial
potential. Women felt a certain discrimination against them
by their supervisors, in that some of the best cases, which
they felt fully able to handle, were invariably given to the m
male junior officers, many of whom they were expected to train.
7. COMMUNICATIONS
- Up-Down-Lateral
- Substantive - Non-Substantive
It would seem that this is very much a function of the person-
ality of the interviewee -- those with positive, aggressive
personalities did not seem to have any commo problems in any
direction. Those less aggressive had no problems talking to
their supervisors, but several doubted they could get higher,
moreover, they did not seem to want to.
8. CAREER DEVELOPMENT/Personnel Mgmt.,
- Job Mobility
- Quality & Relevance of Trng.
- Performance Evaluation
It was striking the way nearly all -- youth and management
samples alike -- answered in almost the same words concerning
career development -- "There is none!" It was usually accompanied
by a laugh. Those more aggressive youths had already learned
that they had to make contacts if they wanted to talk their way
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overseas or into another, more choice, assignment. Those with
less aggressive qualities, were resigned to long assignments
in not so rewarding slots. Training was generally regarded as
being good, especially language. Junior officers were not
sufficiently conberned with, or aware of, practices of per-
formance evaluation to comment on this, beyond the fitness
report form.
9. WAY AGENCY IS RUN - BE SPECIFIC
Most were too new, and several had not ever thought about this,
to offer much in the way of recommendations. They tended to
revert to more personal issues, like assignments and promotions.
However, those that did comment, felt that 1) the Agency was
too conservative/traditionalist, and 2) it is too short-term
oriented; it ought to give much more thought to the five- and
ten-year projects, without expecting immediate short-term
returns from them.
No additional comments here.
III. Concluding Question:
- What do you see as the major concerns, problems, and issues
facing o~ung officers in the Agency today. (It would be
most helpful to obtain some sort of listing and evaluative
commentary from the interviewee in response to this broad
question). -
1. Promotions and overseas assignments.. Both were prominent in
the list of things that were slow in coining. They understood
about ceilings and reductions, but they were still impatient.
They had received Strong or better fitness reports, and they
felt they deserved being rewarded. They knew that some were.
receiving promotions who had been longer in grade than they,
but they still felt they were entitled to promotions too, and
therefore they felt short-changed. This was not going to
affect their overall attitude toward their job, but coupled
with the promotion problem was the fact that they were not
going overseas as fast as they had thought, or as fast as
they had been promised 1) in training, and 2) when they got
on the desk. To add insult to injury, they were being given
uninteresting tedious jobs, the jobs no one else wanted on
the desk. They were not benefitting from their assignments,
they were actually losing their tradoci aft by non-use, their
intelligence was being insulted, and they were not able to
make any meaningful contribution to the workings of the Agency.
They were not only merely marking time,, they were actually
losing ground. .
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2. The lack of concern, apparently, by management, for their
careers, their opinions, the value of their potential effort.
More systematic career counseling was sought.
3. For junior female officers, evidence of, and fear of future
discrimination.
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DDS COMPOSITE INTERVIEW RESULTS
Based on interviews with 10 DDS professionals,
average age, 30, average grade, GS--11
1. Invite interviewee to comment on his job, his career, and the
Agency generally. Record key points made in the spaces pro-
v died under II.
II. Secure a response to the following topical areas if they have
not been adequately covered as a result of I above.
1. PRESENT JOB
- Interesting, Meaningful?
- Recognition received
Majority of interviewees were "specialists" - technically skilled
in fields that narrow flexibility of career development. All
seem pleased with specialty of choice - although in two instances,
present job lacked challenge (too little work, poor supervision).
Thus overall, sample suggests interesting jobs with adequate
recognition.
2. AGENCY MISSION
- Ability to identify with
and be committed to Agency
goals and objectives
In no instance was this a problem. Interviewer in each case
raised issue from both vantage points - own identity, and that
of friends knowing what you do. But neither issue of mission
nor image seemed to arouse reaction from anyone queried. Re-
spondents not critically concerned with U.S. Foreign Policy
formulation and execution or with world affairs in general.
"Mission" often understood in the parochial sense of one's
office mission.
3. AGENCY IMAGE
No problems whatsoever. See answer to question 2.
4. PROMOTION POLICY & PROSPECTS;
GRADE, SALARY, BENEFITS
Half of interviewees had progressed more rapidly up promotion
ladder than even they had anticipated. All were content to date,
but most anticipated problems a grade or two distant. Variety
of concerns - "office hump" (policy of requiring period in grade
regardless of slotting), top heavy grade structure of Agency
overall, lack of career development schemes, artificial barrier
of lack of college degree. But this fact did not seem to pro-
duce noticeable frustration or dissatisfaction with present status.
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5. WORKING CONDITIONS
Working conditions not deemed majo-r area of concern. None saw
theirs as insufferable, and most interviewees had rotated enough
to take good and bad situations in stride.
6. SUPERVISION (IMMEDIATE)
- Treatment by and
Competence of Supervisor
In all but one instance, supervisor considered professionally
competent. But competence as supervisor varied - from three who
said their present supervisor was "best ever" to two describing
supervisor as hard worker but unwilling or unable to delegate
real responsibility. Some raise more philosophical question of
whether Agency may miss boat by insisting often that promotions
eventually depend upon supervisory/administrative positions when
individuals with special skills would be much more effective
sticking to exploiting these skills. (Does raise questions about
developing more effective management training - although issue
may be founded on other bases, such as supervisor's concern for
own job security.)
7. COMMUNICATIONS
- Up-Down-Lateral
-- Substantive - Non-Substantive
Most interviewees felt need for better communications. This was
true both of these whose concept of "communications" was purely
office-oriented (despite my proddings) and those considering
broader intra-Agency commo. Concessions made to "need-to-know",
and some cited that informal channels (via friends) gave effective
overview. But - more common was concern over lack of management/
professional commo and no staff meetings. Lack of overview summed
up best by one who commented what an eye-opener the "Trends and
Highlights" course had been.
8. CAREER DEVELOPMENT/Personnel Mgmt.
- Job Mobility
- Quality & Relevance of Trng.
- Performance Evaluation
Those who had had more than one job generally were pleased with
their progression of jobs - each offering either more responsibilit:
or more variety and new skills. But in no case was there the
suggestion of planned career development - similarly, good train-
ing or poor, the provision of training did not seem to follow
a tailored program of career development. Appraisal of training
itself real mixed bag. There was general accord that performance
evaluation had been fair - reflecting positive view of immediate
supervisors.
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but better than most Government organizations," to "growing
more responsive to the individual.and less concentrated on
'mission."' Those with most diverse experience in Agency seemed
less bothered by "bureaucracy" - did note a paternalism that
results in Agency keeping incompetents in responsible posts. None
commented critically on compartmentation. Positive note was how
many felt that Agency truly becoming more "people-conscious".
10. MISCELLANEOUS
General comments were usually amplifications on specific categories.
One interesting suggestion - more precise retirement policy (by
inference, at earlier age than present) would result in better
career development with supervisors more willing to train those
destined to succeed them. Too often, older professionals afraid
to delegate responsibility or train juniors for fear that the
junior might prove more competent. Rather loose retirement
scheme puts little pressure on supervisors - many have job security
reinforced by aforementioned paternalism.
III. Concluding Questions:
What do you see as the major concerns, problems, and issues
facing your officers in the Agency today.
First qualification should be note that few in "youth sample"
saw selves as youth. Consequently several reflected on "today's
youth" as being too spoiled and idealistic - thus problem for
virtually any employer! From standpoint of what Agency should do -
comments focused on communications. Young officer should be better
oriented towards realistic image of Agency mission and his career
expectations within that framework...in other words, bring young
officer down to earth as quickly as possible. Then-maintain 2-way
channels of communication between management and young profession-
als-a part of this should be efforts at meaningful career develop-
ment planning.
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DDS&T COMPOSITE INTERVIEW RESULTS
Based on interviewes with 10 DDS&T professionals,
average age, 29, average grade, GS-11
I. Invite Young Officer interviewee to comment on his job, his
career, and the Agency generally.
II. Secure a response to the following topical areas if they have
not been adequately covered as a result of I above.
1. PRESENT JOB
-- Interesting, Meaningful?
- Recognition received
With a few notable exceptions, the interviewees were generally
satisfied with their current assignments and achievements. However,
several indicated at least some apprehension about the future and
expressed an interest in moving on to some other type of job in
the Agency.
2. AGENCY MISSION
- Ability to identify with
and be committed to Agency
goals and objectives
None of the interviewees indicated any serious inability to reconcile
themselves to the goals and objectives of the Agency. Most readily
admitted, however, that they were generally unfamiliar with the
activities of other components of the Agency outside of DDS&T,
specifically with that of the DDP. Nearly all indicated a desire
to be better informed in such matters.
3. AGENCY IMAGE
The interviewees as a group thought that the general public had
little knowledge of or interest in the Agency and its activities.
Those people who think about this subject generally look upon the
Agency as spending almost all of its time in espionage activities
of the type publicized in novels and the movies. A few of the
interviewees felt that the Agency should undertake a well-planned
publicity campaign to improve its overall image, but others thought
that the less said the better in this area.
4. PROMOTION POLICY & PROSPECTS;
GRADE, SALARY, BENEFITS
The interviewees typically expressed considerable concern over
their own prospects for promotion and were generally pessimistic
over prospects in this regard due to lack of headroom, proposed
reorganizations and personnel cutbacks, etc. Most indicated little
knowledge about their office promotion policies and felt that such
information should be made freely available to employees.
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5. WORKING CONDITIONS
None of the interviewees expressed. any real dissatisfaction with
physical working conditions in their areas and generally felt that
these were quite good by government standards.
6. SUPERVISION (IMMEDIATE)
- Treatment by and
- Competence of Supervisor
This topic elicited the most verbal and detailed response from the
group of interviewees. For the most part, they felt that there
were some very serious deficiencies in the way first-line super-
visors are selected within the DDS&T. The most common criticism
was the charge that supervisors are selected almost exclusively
on the basis of their technical competence, with little or no
regard given to their potential for handling personnel and organiza-
tional. problems effectively. Several interviewees strongly re-
commended that highly capable specialists with no managerial
potential be promoted to super grade levels and be allowed to
concentrate on their substantive specialties.
7. COMMUNICATIONS
- Up-Down-Lateral
- Substantive- Non-Substantive
A typical response to this question was that the generally poor
managerial situation in their office had led to a very definite
communications gap between employees and their immediate super-
visors as well as between different levels of management.
8. CAREER DEVELOPMENT/Personnel Mgmt.
- Job Mobility
- Quality & Relevance of Trng.
- Performance Evaluation .
The interviewees were nearly unanimous in their view that there
was no real attempt within DDS&T to establish a career development
program, The question of job mobility came in for a significant
amount of criticism and it was repeatedly stated that little
opportunity existed for an individual to determine what positions
were open in the directorate and elsewhere in the Agency. Indeed,
several interviewees felt that any attempt on the part of an in-
dividual to seek opportunities elsewhere was done at the risk of
ruining his career. Most felt that the fitness report system in
use was a reasonable way to evaluate performance but that many
supervisors did not use it as intended and often tended to over-
rate people.
9. WAY AGENCY IS RUN
It was quite difficult to elicit specific responses to this question.
Most of the interviewees preferred to limit their comments to their
own elements and to the problems already discussed. It is difficult
to arrive at any firm or conclusive impressions concernin the
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management of DDS&T componcnts'due to the small samples involved,
but it should be noted that management practices of some specific
offices were severely criticized.
10. MISCELLANEOUS
No additional comments here.
III. Concluding Question:
- What do you see as-the major concerns, problems, and issues
facing young officers in the Agency today. (It would be most
helpful to obtain some sort of listing and evaluative commentary
from the interviewee in response to this broad question.)
Almost all of the interviewees felt that young officers such as
themselves had no unique problems or viewpoints which differentiated
them significantly from other employees of the Agency. A majority
of them did indicate, however, that the young people now entering
the Agency, particularly those recently graduated from universities
and graduate schools, might indeed have a considerably different
outlook on life tham themselves. In this latter regard, the
typical response was that these "young people" might be difficult
to control and would probably be quite unwilling to accept the
"established" way of doing things in the Agency.
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