EXCELLENCE STARTS WITH PERSONNEL RE: SPEECH AT OFFICE OF PERSONNEL CONFERENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R000100380001-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 25, 1984
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2010/03/26: CIA-RDP88B00443R000100380001 -2 .:ember 1984
DCI
Office of.Personnel Conf.
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IT GIVES ME A GREAT DEAL OF PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO
YOU TODAY, AS YOU BEGIN YOUR OFFICE CONFERENCE. I AM PARTICULARLY
PLEASED WITH THE "EXCELLENCE AND PERSONNEL" THEME YOU HAVE SELECTED
THIS YEAR. NO ONE CAN MAKE MORE CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO "EXCELLENCE"
IN THAT REGARD, I WISH TO PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TOIYOUR ACCOM-
PLISHMENTS DURING THE PAST YEAR IN THE AREA OF RECRUITMENT.
-- YOU BROUGHT ON BOARD SUBSTANTIALLY MORE FULL-TIME
PERMANENT EMPLOYEES THAN IN ANY OTHER YEAR ON RECORD.
-- YOU ARE NOW HIRING AT VIRTUALLY DOUBLE THE RATE OF A
DECADE AGO.
-- YOU FURNISHED THE DIRECTORATE OF OPERATIONS MORE CAREER
TRAINEES THAN IN ANY YEAR OF THE PAST 15.
-- CONFRONTED WITH CRUCIAL PERSONNEL SHORTAGES IN THE
OFFICES OF COMMUNICATIONS, FINANCE, AND SECURITY, YOU
MOUNTED SPECIAL ADVERTISING AND RECRUITING EFFORTS AND
OVERCAME THOSE SHORTAGES IN QUICK ORDER.
-- YOU HIRED MORE CLERICALS THAN IN ANY PREVIOUS YEAR.
-- AND, YOU EMPLOYED MORE GRADUATE FELLOWS--FROM A
GREATER NUMBER OF COLLEGES--THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE
PAST.
TO WHAT ARE THESE ACHIEVEMENTS OWED? THERE IS NO MYSTERY
HERE. THEY ARE OWED TO MORE EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING. TO CLOSER
COORDINATION WITH MEDICAL AND SECURITY OFFICES. TO MORE ACTIVE
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RECRUITING IN SECRETARIAL SCHOOLS IN NEARBY CITIES. TO A PRE-
SLOTTING PROGRAM THAT SPEEDS UP PROCESSING. TO REFINEMENTS OF
THE ADP SYSTEM, AND TO MANY OTHER ENHANCEMENTS OF THE PROCESSING
MACHINERY.
BUT MOST OF ALL, YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS STEMMED FROM HARD WORK
AND INSPIRED DEDICATION IN THE FACE OF UNYIELDING DEMANDS FROM
IMPATIENT COMPONENTS AND, YES, CRITICISM THAT YOU WEREN'T DOING
ENOUGH, FAST ENOUGH. WE ARE ALL SUBJECTED TO SUCH PRESSURES, SO
I APPRECIATE WELL THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH YOU WORK. YOUR CREATIVITY
AND DEDICATION ONCE AGAIN EXEMPLIFY WHAT PERSONNEL OFFICERS CAN DO
WHEN THEY SET THEIR SIGHTS ON EXCELLENCE.
BUT THE PRESSURES WON'T DIMINISH. THE RECRUITMENT GOALS FOR
THE COMING YEAR WILL CHALLENGE YOUR SKILLS AND ENDURANCE AS NEVER
BEFORE. BUT I URGE YOU NOT TO BE BLINDED BY THOSE PRESSURES TO THE
POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION YOUR WORK HAS MADE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE,
TO THE AGENCY. THE NEW EMPLOYEES YOU BRING ON BOARD ARE THE LIFEBLOOD
AND THE FUTURE OF THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION. WITHOUT SUCCESS IN
RECRUITING AND RETAINING THE BEST PEOPLE, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN
OBTAINING BETTER TOOLS FOR OUR PEOPLE WILL COME TO NAUGHT.
YOU SHAPE AN APPLICANT"S FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE AGENCY
THROUGH YOUR INITIAL CONTACT. YOU CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO AN
EMPLOYEE'S ATTITUDE AND MORALE THROUGHOUT HIS OR HER CAREER: AND
YOU PROVIDE THE LAST IMPRESSION OF THE AGENCY AS AN EMPLOYEE
SEPARATES OR RETIRES.
DURING A PERIOD OF RESTRICTED BENEFITS AND INCREASING COMPETITION
WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY FOR TALENTED EMPLOYEES, WE NEED TO BE PARTIC-
ULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WORK LIFE. REAL JOB SATISFACTION
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STEMS FROM SUBSTANTIVE WORK ASSIGNMENTS: BUT YOU HAVE THE POWER
TO SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE PROFESSIONAL AND TEAM-ORIENTED
ATMOSPHERE THAT ALL OUR EMPLOYEES NEED AND DESIRE.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MAKING GREAT EFFORTS TO ENSURE
THAT OUR EMPLOYEES RECEIVE THE KIND OF SERVICES AND SUPPORT THAT
WILL ALLOW THEM TO FLOURISH. YOUR RECENT EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED
IN INCREASED HEALTH BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES WITH AN ACCOMPANYING
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN COSTS FOR ANNUAL PREMIUMS. THIS REVERSAL
OF SPIRALING HEALTH COSTS AND DECREASING BENEFITS IS ESPECIALLY
GOOD NEWS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF
THE EFFORT TO PROTECT OUR RETIREMENT ENTITLEMENTS. THE OP TEAM
HAS CAREFULLY TRACKED CONGRESSIONAL ACTIVITY REGARDING PROPOSED
RETIREMENT LEGISLATION AND DEVELOPED A NUMBER OF INNOVATIVE
APPROACHES TO STRENGTHEN AND PROTECT OUR RETIREMENT SYSTEM. AND
THESE ARE JUST YOUR MORE PUBLICIZED RESULTS OF WHICH YOU SHOULD
BE PROUD.
IT IS ALSO QUITE EVIDENT THAT MORE AND MORE APPLICANTS ARE
FINDING THE AGENCY A CHALLENGING AND REWARDING PROSPECTIVE
EMPLOYER. THIS IS ALL THE MORE REMARKABLE IN VIEW OF THE RECENT
PUBLICITY CONCERNING THE PROSPECT OF REDUCING BENEFITS IN THE
FEDERAL SECTOR. WHAT BRINGS IN THESE APPLICANTS IS THE ENTHUSIASM
AND PRIDE WE COMMUNICATE TO THEM CONCERNING OUR CHALLENGES AND
THE WAY WE ARE PREPARING TO MEET THEM. THIS AURA OF EXCELLENCE
IS COMMUNICATED TO AGENCY APPLICANTS WITH THEIR FIRST CONTACT
WITH OUR PERSONNEL REPRESENTATIVES, AND OUR INCREASING NUMBER OF
HIRES TESTIFIES TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM. WE MUST
ALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER EVEN MORE EFFECTIVELY, AND I APPLAUD
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YOUR RECENT EFFORTS IN INCREASING THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR SUBSTANTIVE
OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE AGENCY IN OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.
I CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW
WAYS, AND FOR RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING THE AGENCY'S INCREASING
NEED FOR MORE FLEXIBLE, RESPONSIVE PERSONNEL SERVICES. I KNOW
OTHER CHANGES ARE BEING CONSIDERED AND URGE YOU TO START IN THIS
CONFERENCE.
THIS CONFERENCE HOLDS GREAT POTENTIAL BENEFIT FOR BOTH
YOUR OFFICE AND THE AGENCY. SINCE I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR PROGRESS,
I ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE ME WITH A MEMO WHICH SUMMARIZES YOUR CONFERENCE
ACHIEVEMENTS.
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