Communication Between The High School Principal And The School Staff

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Content T h is d i s s e r t a t i o n h a s b e e n 64— 9623 m ic r o f ilm e d e x a c tly a s r e c e iv e d S T . JO H N , W a lte r D o u g la s, 1 9 2 9 - C O M M U N IC A T IO N B E T W E E N T H E HIGH SC H O O L P R IN C IP A L AND T H E SC H O O L S T A F F . U n iv e rs ity of S o u th e rn C a lif o r n ia , E d .D ., 1964 E d u c a tio n , a d m in is tr a tio n University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND THE SCHOOL STAFF A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Walter Douglas St. John June 1964 This dissertation, ‘written under the direction of the Chairman of the candidate’s Guidance C om m ittee and a p prov ed by all members of the C o m m itte e , has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of D o t tor of Education. Date JUNE, 196J* (tiiptancc (jom milta /?fl / Chairman ACKNOWLEDGMENT Deep appreciation and gratitude are expressed to the following persons whose assistance was essential to the completion of this study: Margaret Lorraine St. John Dr. Edward LaFranchi Dr. Margaret Starbuck Dr. Floyd Buchanan Mrs. Barbara Arnold Mr. Robert Fuller The officers and members of the California Association of Secondary School Administrators ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENT Page ii LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xvi DEDICATION xvii PART I THE PROBLEM AND THE PROCEDURE Chapter I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM 2 Introduction The Problem Statement of the problem Importance of the problem Hypotheses Basic Assumptions Delimitations of the Study Definitions of Terms Organization of the Report II. THE PROCEDURES................................. 19 Preliminary Steps Survey of related literature Endorsement of the study Survey I. Critical-Incident Approach Purpose of the critical-incident survey Development of the critical-incident instrument Letters of prospective participants Selecting the sample Postcard inquiry Distribution of the instruments Tabulation and analysis of the data iii Chapter Page Survey II. Comprehensive Survey Construction of the questionnaire Letters of instruction and explanation Selection of the sample Distribution of questionnaires Tallying and analyzing the data PART II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE III. HISTORY, OBJECTIVES, AND NATURE OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS ......................... 34 Historical Concepts Probable origins The scientific approach Objectives of communicating The nature of comnunication process Basic elements of a communication Summary of the Chapter IV. IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PLANNING COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS...................................... 49 Responsibility for the Communication Developing the Pattern of Operation Characteristics of an effective program Factors in selecting a communications network Formal and Informal Systems of Communicating Formal communication systems Informal communication systems Direction of Communication Flow Two-way cotaaunicatlon Upward communication Downward communication Horizontal or Lateral Communication Summary of the Chapter V. THE CONTENT OF COMMUNICATIONS.................. 73 Types of Content to be Communicated Classifications Information for employees Information for management Summary of the Chapter iv Chapter Page VI. VII. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION . . . Role of Human Relations In Communication Communicating in Difficult Situations Criticizing people Receiving complaints Securing cooperation Improving Human Relations Basic considerations Favorable climate for communications Effect of status and rank on communi cat ions Importance of the tone of the communication Psychological Factors Influencing Communication Considerations prior to communicating Factors influencing reception Creating cooperative attitudes toward communications Communication and Its Effect on Morale Summary of the Chapter PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION . . . . General Characteristics of Effective Coamiunlca t ion Value and importance of the message Creating interest in communications Adapting the communication to the recipient Tact and consideration in communicating Honesty and sincerity Social acceptability The timing of the communication Proper sequence of communicating Arrangement of the material to be communicated Attractiveness of the communication Clarity in communicating Clarifying Meanings General aids for clarification Specific aids for clarification Methods of Communicating The spoken communication Written communication Summary of the Chapter 86 106 v Chapter Page VIII. TECHNIQUES OF COMMUNICATION.................. 158 Key Factors in Selecting the Media Specific versus unspecific techniques Oral versus written communication Pictorial or graphic communication Principal Oral-Communication Techniques Face-to-face conversation Social gatherings Telephone conversation Public address announcements Television and motion pictures Recordings and tapes Interviews Conferences Buzz sessions Meetings The opinion poll Grapevine Grievance procedures Games and contests Techniques of Written Communication Handbooks and manuals Daily bulletins Memoranda Personal letters House organs Bulletin boards Graphs, charts and tables Pictures and posters Suggestion systems Non-linguistic Communicating Summary of the Chapter PART III PRELIMINARY SURVEY: IDENTIFICATION OF COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS IN ACTUAL SCHOOL SITUATIONS IX. CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AS REVEALED IN CRITICAL INCI DENTS REPORTED BY HIGH SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS 214 Introduction Purpose of preliminary survey Resum£ of procedures Over-all findings vi Chapter Effective Communication between Principal and Staff Techniques used in communicating Kinds of information communicated effectively Personal relations aspects of the communication Kinds of Information Needed Ineffective Communication Techniques used that were ineffective The content of ineffective communications Human relations aspects of poor communication Recommendations for Improving Communication Improving techniques Improving the content Improving personal relations Summary of the Chapter PART IV SURVEY OF COMMUNICATION IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS X. REACTIONS OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS CONCERNING COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF MEMBERS ........... Introduction Principals' Reactions Concerning Communi cation with the Staff Purpose of the inquiry Conveying Information to the staff Receiving information from the staff Relative importance of various kinds of information and how it is received Preferences in receiving verbal and written communications Existing and preferred sources of information of various kinds Free Responses of the Principals Additional information needed by principals Information that is overcommunicated Factors that lead to effective communication Factors that lead to ineffective communication Recommendations for improving communica tion with staff members Summary of the Chapter Page 251 vii Chapter Page XI. STAFF REACTIONS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS AND PREVALENCE OF USE OF TECHNIQUES IN TWO- WAY COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL .... 288 Introduction Techniques Used by the Staff in Commu nicating with the Principal All-staff ratings of effectiveness and frequency of use Reactions of nine different staff groups Techniques Used by the Principal in Communicating with the Staff All-staff ratings of effectiveness and frequency of use Ratings by nine different staff groups Summary of the Chapter XII. STAFF RATINGS OF IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION RECEIVED, AND PREFERENCES CONCERNING HOW SUCH INFORMATION IS RECEIVED............... 334 Introduction Importance of Information Received from the Principal Combined staff ratings Importance ratings by nine staff groups Information of least importance Preferences Concerning How Information is Received All-staff preferences Preferences of nine staff groups Summary of the Chapter XIII. SOURCES OF INFORMATION RECEIVED BY STAFF MEMBERS...................................... 370 Introduction All-Staff Responses Ratings by Nine Staff Groups Summary of the Chapter XIV. ADEQUACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PRINCIPALS’ COMMUNICATIONS, AND STAFF SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT...................... 396 Introduction Additional Information Desired viii Chapter Page Summarization of all staff responses Information desired by different staff groups Information Received Too Often Factors That Facilitate Effective Communication Combined views of the staff Individual staff-group responses Factors That Make for Ineffective Communication Combined staff views Individual staff-group responses Recommendations for Improving Principal- Staff Communication All-staff suggestions Individual staff-group suggestions Summary of the Chapter XV. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................... Summary The problem Hypotheses Procedure Sumnary of Findings Conclusions Recommendations BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................... APPENDIX A. Correspondence Requesting Participation in the Survey ............ ....... APPENDIX B. Critical Incident Instrument Used in Preliminary Survey ...................... APPENDIX C. Questionnaire Submitted to Principals 437 461 479 482 483 APPENDIX D. Questionnaire Submitted to Staff Members ......................... 493 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Techniques Used in Effective Communication Between Principal and Staff, as Viewed by Nine Staff Groups.............................. 219 2. Characteristics of Effective Communication and Kinds of Information Communicated............. 222 3. Personal Relations Factors That Contributed to Effective Communication ........................ 225 4. Kinds of Important Information That Are Needed but Are Not Communicated from Principal to Staff........................................... 228 5. Techniques Used in Ineffective Communication Between Principal and Staff, as Viewed by Nine Staff Groups................................... 232 6. Characteristics of Ineffective Communication and Kinds of Information Communicated......... 236 7. Personal Relations Factors That Made for Ineffective Communication ...................... 237 8. Recommendations for Improving Staff Techniques in Communicating with the Principal........... 241 9. Staff Recommendations for Improving the Content of Principal*Staff Communications ............. 244 10. Staff Recommendations for Improving Personal Relations in Principal-Staff Communications . . 247 11. The Effectiveness of Techniques Used by Princi pals to Convey Information to Staff Members, as Rated by the Principals.................... 256 12. The Effectiveness of Techniques by Which Information is Received from Staff Members, as Rated by Principals........................ 259 Table 13. Principals' Ratings of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Staff, and Their Preferences Concerning How the Information is Transmitted ......... 14. Principals' Preferences with Respect to the Method of Receiving Various Kinds of Informa tion from Staff Members ...................... 15. Eleven Sources from Which Principals Receive Various Kinds of Information, and Their Prefer ences as to Sources for Each Kind of Information..........................................268 16. Kinds of Information Which Principals Would Like to Receive More Frequently Tnan They Do . 275 17. Kinds of Information Which Principals Would Like to Receive Less Frequently Than They Do . 277 18. Factors That Principals Believe Encourage Effective Communication Between Themselves and Staff Members........... 279 19. Factors That Principals Believe Discourage Effective Communication Between Themselves and Staff Members ......................... 280 20. Principals' Recommendations for Improving Communication with Staff Members............. 282 21. Staff Members' Ratings of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal . . . 291 22. Ratings by Assistant Principals and Deans of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal............................... 294 23. Ratings by Guidance Personnel of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal .................................... 295 24. Ratings by Attendance Personnel of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal............................. 297 25. Ratings by Department Chairmen of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal........................................ 299 Page 261 265 xi Table Page 26. Teachers' Ratings of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal ......... 302 27. Librarians' Ratings of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal . . . . . 303 28. Ratings by School Nurses of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal . . . 304 29. Ratings by Clerical Personnel of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal 306 30. Custodians' Ratings of Techniques They Use to Transmit Information to the Principal ......... 308 31. Staff Members' Ratings of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal • . 312 32. Ratings by Assistant Principals and Deans of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal............................ 315 33. Ratings by Guidance Personnel of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal ..... .............................. 316 34. Ratings by Attendance Personnel of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal........................................ 317 35. Ratings by Department Chairmen of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal........................................ 320 36. Teachers' Ratings of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal . . 322 37. Librarians' Ratings of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal . . 325 38. Ratings by School Nurses of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal 326 39. Ratings by Clerical Personnel of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal........................................ 328 xii Table Page 40. Custodians' Ratings of Techniques Used When Information is Received from the Principal . . 329 41. Staff Members' Ratings of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information................ 337 42. Ratings by Assistant Principals and Deans of the Importance of Different Kinds of Informa tion Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information...................................... 349 43. Ratings by Guidance Personnel of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information.................... 331 44. Ratings by Attendance Personnel of the Impor tance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information . . 333 43. Ratings by Department Chairmen of the Impor tance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information . . 333 46. Teachers' Ratings of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information................. 337 47. Librarians' Ratings of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information................. 339 48. Ratings by School Nurses of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information................. 361 49. Ratings by Clerical Personnel of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information .................... 363 xiii Table Page 50. Custodians' Ratings of the Importance of Different Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, and the Methods They Prefer for Receiving Such Information............... 365 51. Sources from Which Staff Members Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Staff Preferences Regarding These Sources ........... 372 52. Existing Sources of 37 Different Kinds of Information, in Rank Order of Prevalence of Use 375 53. Preferred Sources of 37 Different Kinds of Information, in Rank Order of Preference . . . 376 54. Sources from Which Assistant Principals and Deans Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources . 379 55. Sources from Which Guidance Personnel Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources............ 381 56. Sources from Which Attendance Personnel Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources............ 383 57. Sources from Which Department Chairmen Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources............ 384 58. Sources from Which Teachers Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources ..... 385 59. Sources from Which Librarians Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources ...................... . 387 60. Sources from Which School Nurses Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources ........... 388 61. Sources from Which Clerical Personnel Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources ........... 390 62. Sources from Which Custodians Receive Different Kinds of Information, and Their Preferences Regarding These Sources ........................ 392 xiv Table Page 63* Additional Kinds of Information Desired by the Staff as a W h o l e ....................... 398 64. Additional Information Desired Individually by Nine Staff Groups....................... 401 63. Kinds of Information That Staff Members Believe They Receive Too Frequently............ 408 66. Kinds of Information That Individual Staff Groups Think is Received Too Frequently .... 410 67. All-Staff Views: Factors That Encourage Effec tive Communication Between Principal and Staff 412 68. Views of Nine Individual Staff Groups: Factors That Encourage Effective Communication Between Principal and Staff............................. 414 69. All-Staff Views: Factors That Discourage Effective Communication Between Principal and Staff................................ 421 70. Views of Nine Individual Staff Groups: Factors That Discourage Effective Communication Between Principal and Staff...................... . 423 71. All-Staff Recommendations for Improving Communication with the Principal ....... 428 72. Recommendations of Nine Individual Staff Groups for Improving Communication with the Principal 430 xv LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. The Three Basic Communication Patterns .... 58 2. Diagram of Relationship of a Communication System-Social Relationship and Resulting Interest and Acceptance ........................ 60 3. Psychological Factors That Influence Communication ................................... 97 4. Techniques of Communication ..................... 165 5. Recapitulation of Rank-Order Listings of Techniques Used in Two-Way Communication Between Principal and Staff.................... 311 6. Staff Ratings of the Ten Most Important Kinds of Information Received from the Principal, by Staff Groups................................. 339 7. Staff-Group Ratings of the Least Important Kinds of Information Received from the Principal................... 343 8. Kinds of Information Needed but Not Received by Different Staff Groups ...................... 406 9 . Factors That Staff Members Believe Enhance the Effectiveness of Communications from the Principal........................ 419 10. Factors That Make for Ineffective Communication on the Part of the Principal............... . 426 11. Staff-Group Suggestions for Improving Communi cations from the Principal........... 434 xvi DEDICATION This work is lovingly dedicated to my wife, Margaret Lorraine, whose patience and understanding contributed so much to the undertaking. xvii PART I THE PROBLEM AND THE PROCEDURE CHAPTER I DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM Introduction Although few people give the problem much thought unless there is a breakdown along the line, the destiny of any social group and of every individual in it is deter mined in large measure by how well men communicate with each other and with the members of other groups and nations of the world. Whether communication is concerned with matters of great moment or with the minutiae of everyday interpersonal exchanges, the achieving of effective commu nication is one of the gravest problems facing the modern world. In the highly civilized contemporary scene it is inconceivable that men can live satisfying and productive lives without knowledge and skillful use of the arts and techniques of communication. Their very survival demands that they speak, listen, read, and write understandably, proficiently, and effectually. One of the most disturbing developments of the twentieth century has been man's seeming inability to keep 2 step morally and spiritually with his own scientific attainments. In fact, it has seemed that, instead of pro viding a shower of blessings, the wonders of science might some day inundate man and his intricate social structure. It is true that in a physical sense people have been brought closer together than ever before by the improve ments in mechanical implements and devices of communica tion; but one wonders whether the intellectual communica tion among people will reach the same high stage of development. The art of communication has developed into a science of intricately-woven complexity. As in all sciences, efforts have been made to identify generally applicable principles, techniques, and procedures. Unfortunately, the science of communication is so compli cated, involves such gigantic amounts of information to be conveyed, and is characterized by such variability of processes and standards that to date it has defied the establishing of absolute and definitive principles and techniques. Neither has it been possible to establish criteria which will predict success with all people, at all times, and in all situations and circumstances. All that can be claimed at this writing is that some generally applicable principles, techniques, and procedures of communication have been identified which experience has proved are more effective than others when applied in government, business, industry, international affairs, and other fields of endeavor. Public school administrators are finding that communication is a vital tool in good administration, and that perhaps the most urgent task in education today is the improvement of communication. A scarcity of research on educational communica tion points to the need for intensification of effort in this direction. It is hoped that the present study may produce results that will be of assistance to the school administrator in organizing and maintaining effective communications programs within their schools, and in coordinating these programs with the entire educational effort in such a way that the total school program will be enhanced. The Problem Statement of the Problem The primary purpose of this research was to analyze the problem of communication between the high school principal and school staff members, with a view to improving communication between them. Specifically, the study sought to find answers to the following questions : 1. To what extent are various techniques of com munication used by high school principals and high school staff members? How effective do high school principals and high school staff members consider each of these communication techniques to be? What is the relative importance of various kinds of school information in the judgments of high school principals and high school staff members? Which avenues of communication do high school principals and high school staff members prefer for receiving specific kinds of school information? From whom do high school principals and high school staff members now receive specific kinds of school information? From whom would high school principals and high school staff members actually prefer to receive specific types of school information? Concerning what types of school information would high school principals and high school staff members like to receive more communica tions? Concerning what kinds of school information would high school principals and high school staff members like to receive fewer communica tions? 9. What factors are considered to be important in effective two-way communication between the high school principal and his staff members? 10. What are considered to be the significant prob lems that interfere with effective communica tion between high school principals and their staff members? 11. What recommendations for improving communica tions between them are made by high school principals and high school staff members? Importance of the Problem The Importance of the place of communication has been particularly evident in the United States. A democ racy can exist and function properly only when a free flow of communication is an actuality. Genuine freedom of expression is the very basis of all social life in this form of society; it is the lifeblood of personal interac tion between the nation*s citizens. In the United States, the more complex the social patterns become, the greater is the need for effective communication; moreover, the greater Is the need for higher and higher levels of abstraction and for an increasingly more sophisticated type of conceptualization. Life in the rural communities of traditional America involved relatively simple processes of communication and interaction. In contrast, the contem porary American is primarily a city-dweller who lives in a dynamic and rapidly expanding technological society, in which communication processes have had to take on patterns that are correspondingly intricate and capable of expan sion. The individual has come to realize that it is virtually impossible to live his life without establishing satisfactory human relations; no longer can he live alone beside a Walden Pond and commune with nature. It is not even possible for him to choose whether he wants or doesn't want to “commune" with others--communicate he must. Even close friends and members of families admit that they cannot be sure that others will understand what they attempt to convey, regardless of how conscientiously they try to express themselves. Today, the life of every human being is characterized to a degree by a prolonged and con tinuous attempt to communicate with others, in some way, by whatever means are possible. For some years business and industrial leaders have been keenly aware that effective communication is essential to the efficient and successful operation of their enterprises, and that effective two-way communica tion is the single most important aspect of personnel relations within their organizations. In size and complexity not unlike some of the nation's large business and industrial complexes are the mammoth public schools which are growing and expanding to gigantic proportions. The development of these large school organizations and the accompanying lengthening of communication lines as distances between teachers and administrators are extended requires an altogether new concept and technique of communication. Nowadays greater quantities of information must be communicated, and with utmost speed. It is not surprising that traditional methods and procedures have been outmoded and that educa tors are re-examining critically the adequacy of existing techniques of communication among school personnel. Many significant changes have taken place in recent years in the character of the public school organization. These changes have reflected basic changes in the nation's philosophy and social structure. It is inevitable that corresponding changes should take place in the philosophy and technique of communication. Indeed, it would be pure fantasy to assume that procedures and techniques that once served very well in a 1920 organizational structure would continue to give the same adequate service indefinitely. Before schools can emerge from conformity with traditional patterns of communication, educators must improve both their understanding and their utilization of fundamental concepts and techniques of communication. As teachers play larger roles in many aspects of school administration, and as they participate more generally in policy making and administrative planning, administrative responsibility for keeping staff members informed and channels of communication open becomes a problem worthy of prime consideration. A close relationship exists between an administra tor's success and his skill in communicating. Few adminis trators are aware that studies of administrators' duties have shown repeatedly that at least 90 per cent of their time is spent in talking, listening, reading, and. writing. Perhaps in response to these findings, special conmunlca- tions classes are being conducted and an increasing amount of literature is being published concerning this important aspect of school administration. Industry and education, alike, are cognizant of the wisdom of assisting executives to become more proficient in the art and techniques of good communication. Hypotheses The following hypotheses were basic to the design of the investigation: 1. A relationship will be evident between the person's position on the high school staff and his point of view concerning the frequency of use and the effectiveness of various methods of communication between staff members and principal. The person's rating of importance of different types of information received will vary accord ing to the rater's position on the high school staff. Principals and staff members will exhibit distinguishable preference patterns with respect to the method of sending and receiving various kinds of information. Principals will exhibit distinguishable prefer ence patterns, as will staff members, with respect to the kinds of information they wish to receive and the persons from whom they wish to receive them. Depending upon the kind of information, princi pals and staff members will feel that there is either too much information or too little information communicated between them. Certain factors will be identified which encourage effective communication between principals and staff members; others will be identified that make for ineffective communica tion between them. 11 Basic Assumptions The following assumptions were considered to be evident before the study was undertaken. 1. Communication is necessary for all schools and all school personnel. 2. The problem of communication exists to some extent in all high schools, regardless of size or location. 3. An effective communication system is an impor tant element in the successful operation of a high school. 4. School personnel exist who perform the various duties specified in this study. Delimitations of the Study Principal areas of communication considered in the survey of related literature were: (1) the nature of the communication process; (2) psychological aspects of commu nication; (3) principles of effective communication; (4) the techniques of communication; (5) planning communication programs; and (6) the content of the communication. The survey aspects of the study were restricted to those California public high schools that contained grades nine through twelve or ten through twelve, and that enrolled more than six hundred students. 12 The study was confined to communication within the high school itself, although recognition was given to the importance of communication with the district administra tion. A further delimitation was restriction of the study essentially to communication between the high school principal and the high school staff members. The study did not consider steps for the improve ment of communication at any specific school; rather, it attempted to develop general criteria and techniques applicable to all high schools. Definitions of Terms Terms used repeatedly in reporting the results of this investigation, and not explained in a particular context, are defined as follows. Communication. The term communication refers specifically to a gesture, or an oral or written message exchanged between two or more individuals, the communicatee deriving meaning that is almost identical to that intended by the communicator. Generally, the term refers to any method used in conveying thought or feeling to other persons, or of receiving thought or feeling from others. The term is derived from the Latin word communicare, which means "common," or pertaining to all. The Latin root carries the essential connotation of the word--that of 13 conferring, transmitting, sharing, or "making common to many." Two-way communication. As used here, the term two- way communication refers to a mutual receptivity to and freedom in exchanging information (sending and receiving) between individuals, regardless of .rank or position within a school or organization. Vertical communication. The term vertical communi cation refers to the exchange of information upward and downward within a school or organization, between subordi nates and superiors. Horizontal communication. Horizontal communication refers to the exchange of information laterally within a school or organization between persons of equal or compara ble rank or level. Channel of communication. The channels of communi cation are the routes established for the flow of communi cations within a school or organization. Communication method. For purposes of classifica tion of the various media of communication for this study, it was possible to categorize almost all media according to two broad categories--(1) verbal, and (2) written. A third broad category combining the two was referred to as a 14 "verbal-and-written" method. In this study these broad classifications are referred to as methods of communica tion, as distinct from the more specific sub-categories, or techniques of communication. Communication techniques. The specific ways in which verbal and written communications take form are here referred to as communication techniques. Twenty-four such ways or media of communicating were identified for this study--twelve verbal, and twelve written techniques--based on the data presented in Table 1 and incorporated in the questionnaire (Appendix B). Informal techniques of communication. Informal techniques of communication is a terra used synonymously with "casual techniques" to refer to communication that is essentially unplanned, unspecific, and relatively unorgan ized. Here the emphasis is on the expression of the communication rather than on the reaction of the communi catee. Casual chats and informal personal notes are examples of such communication techniques. Formal techniques of communication. Formal tech niques of communication refer to techniques which are of a more methodical, essentially planned, specific, and organized type. Here the emphasis is on the planned reac tion of the communicatee rather than on the expression of 15 the communicator. Examples are the intended and structured interview or memorandum. High school. In this study, the term high school refers to a secondary school containing grades nine through twelve or ten through twelve. Organization of the Report The results of the investigation are reported in four major sections: Part I presenting a statement of the problem and its importance, and an explanation of the pro cedures; Part II reviewing the literature and research that contribute to the problem; Part III reporting the results of a preliminary survey designed to ascertain firsthand information about principal-staff communication in selected high schools; and Part IV presenting the results of the major part of the investigation, a survey of communication in the high schools as reported by principals and staff members. There are two chapters in Part I: Chapter I intro duces and states the problem, discusses its importance, defines terms, and outlines the delimitations and basic assumptions of the study. Chapter II explains the methods of collecting the data and the procedures used in develop ing the various phases of the survey. Methods used in collecting basic information by means of the critical- 16 incident technique, and in obtaining comprehensive informa tion and viewpoints by means of an extended questionnaire are described. Part II summarizes the results of a search of the literature that pertains to six broad areas relating to the problem, and lists existing and recommended practices pre sented in the literature. A separate chapter is devoted to each of the six areas. Chapter III traces the history of man's attempts to communicate, the objectives and purposes of communicating, and theories concerning the nature of language and the communication process. Chapter IV describes the important factors to be considered in plan ning a communications program. Chapter V deals with the types of information to be communicated among various persons or departments in an organization. Chapter VI discusses the psychological aspects of communication and the importance of human relations In communication. Chapter VII explains the principles of effective communica tion generally, and the application of these principles to speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Chapter VIII contains an analysis of various techniques of communica tion, both oral and written. Part III consists of a single chapter, Chapter IX, which presents the results of a preliminary exploratory survey conducted by means of a critical-incident approach to-gain unstructured reactions of school staff members 17 concerning effective and ineffective communication. Part IV, containing six chapters, reports and sum marizes the results of a comprehensive questionnaire survey, rather rigidly structured, in which reactions of principals and staff groups were sought concerning exist ing practices and viewpoints pertaining to principal-staff communications in high schools. Chapter X presents the principals' side of the story--their identification and evaluation of both aspects of two-way communication with staff members. Chapter XI is the first of four chapters in which are reported the other side of the story--staff members' reactions concerning existing communication practices and their points of view concerning the effectiveness of two- way communication between themselves and their principals. Chapter XII reports the staff members' ratings of the relative importance of different kinds of information received, and their preferences for varibus communication methods, and for different ways of transmitting verbal and written messages. Chapter XIII presents the views of staff members concerning the sources from which a variety of kinds of information are received, and their preferences with respect to each kind. Chapter XIV summarizes the views of staff members concerning the adequacy of informa tion communicated, factors that affect the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of communications., and suggestions for 18 improving communications. The final chapter, Chapter XV, gives a brief resume of the study and the findings, and presents the conclusions and recommendations. CHAPTER II THE PROCEDURES Preliminary Steps Survey of Related Literature A study of the related literature and research was made in seven libraries in colleges and universities located in several cities. Pertinent information was gleaned from more than two hundred sources, consisting primarily of textbooks, reference works, dissertations, theses, surveys, periodical literature, and newspaper articles. The results of this search, as they pertain to the problem undertaken in this investigation, are reported in Part II. Endorsement of the Study The endorsement of the California Association of Secondary School Administrators was requested and secured, so that the study could have the official sanction of this professional organization. 19 20 Survey I. Critical-Incident Approach Two different approaches were used in gathering the data needed for this study: (1) a free-response inquiry concerning effective and ineffective communication experi ences in secondary-school situations, and (2) a structured inquiry concerning the central problem of the investiga tion. Original instruments were devised for both phases of the study. A critical-incident type of questionnaire was used for the first phase and a more formally structured questionnaire for the second. Purpose of the Critical- Incident Survey Having reviewed the literature and reports of com pleted research available, and prior to the formulation of the major questionnaire needed for the study, it was desired to obtain firsthand information from involved secondary-school sources as to the actual situations and experiences in which communication played an important part in the operation of the schools. Such critical information, it was felt, was essential to the construction of meaningful questions. The instrument devised for the critical-incident survey followed the principles used by Flanagan in earlier studies (205, 206, 207, 208, 209), in which the respondent is asked to recall pertinent or "critical" examples when 21 effective or ineffective use was made of communication between administrators and staff members. Respondents were asked to furnish information about the following kinds of experiences: 1. Examples of ineffective communications from principals. 2. Reasons why the communications were ineffec tive . 3. Examples of effective communications from principals. 4. Reasons why the communications were effective. 5. Situations in which principals did not communi cate information that was needed. 6. Reasons why the information was needed, and why it would have been helpful had it been received. 7. Recommendations for improving communication between principals and school staff members. It was hoped that the information obtained from the responses to these questions, combined with the information already gathered from the literature and from the investi gator's experience as a secondary school administrator, would furnish a firm and realistic basis for constructing the needed comprehensive questionnaire by means of which to examine significant areas of communication between the high school principal and his staff members 22 Development of the Critical- Incident Instrument The instrument constructed for this phase of the investigation contained four questions. Each item asked the respondent to recall one incident or to react to a single idea, as follows: 1. Please think back over the past few weeks and give an example of an effective communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its effectiveness. 2. Please give a recent example of an absence of communication from the principal to you which, if received, would have helped you to perform your duties better. 3. Please give a recent example of an ineffective communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its ineffectiveness. 4. Now kindly recommend one or more methods for improving communication from the principal to you. Space was provided for the respondent to indicate his position in the school and the size of the school. Instructions were given in as few words as possible. A pilot study was conducted for the purpose of discovering whether the wording and intent of the question naire were clear to a respondent. In addition to the pilot study, suggestions and criticisms were sought from profes sors of education, professional colleagues, and graduate students attending summer school classes in educational administration at the University of Southern California. 23 On the basis of the suggestions and criticisms received from these sources, the questionnaire was revised. A copy of the final draft of the critical-incident instru ment is exhibited in Appendix B. Letters to Prospective Participants Upon completion of the critical-incident instru ment, a letter was prepared to be directed to principals of high schools whose participation in the study was desired. This letter was first read by professors and professional associates for their criticism, in order to assure that wording and content were understandable. A copy of this letter is displayed in Appendix A. A second letter was prepared to be submitted to the various staff members whose participation in the study was desired. This was included as a letter of transmittal which informed the recipient of the purpose and importance of the study, defined terms, explained how to complete the questionnaire, and gave instructions regarding the method of returning the completed instrument to the investigator. A copy of this letter of transmittal is contained in Appendix B. Selecting the Sample The basis of selection of the initial sample for the critical-incident survey was essentially that used in the random stratified method. Schools were selected on 24 the basis of size and location. The state of California was divided into three geographic regions--south, central, and north. The California School Directory was then con sulted and schools in each section were chosen alphabet ically, beginning with the letter A until the desired number had been listed in each of the three geographic regions and for each of four designated size categories. In all, 126 schools were selected for this phase of the survey, 42 located in each of the three regions of the state. With respect to the four enrollment categories defined for the study, the following numbers of schools were invited to participate: Number of Size Category Schools 600-1199 pupils 36 1200-1799 pupils 36 1800-2399 pupils 36 2400-3000 and above 18 The educators selected for participation in the study represented thirteen different positions normally found in most high schools in California. If a particular position did not exist at a particular school, it was requested that a person with similar duties be assigned as alternate to complete the instrument. The positions and alternates included in the sample were as follows: 25 2 assistant principals or deans 1 director of guidance or counselor 1 head librarian or librarian 1 registrar or secretary 1 director of attendance or secretary 1 department chairman I head custodian or custodian 1 school nurse 1 audio-visual coordinator or appropriate teacher 3 teachers: 1 experienced academic 1 experienced non-academic 1 inexperienced Postcard Inquiry A postcard, double-entry type, was developed to request participation in the study. These postcards were mailed to the principals of the 126 schools selected for inclusion in this phase of the study. In response to this initial inquiry, 80 principals expressed interest in the study and offered to participate in it. The survey mate rials were mailed to each of the eighty. Distribution of the Instruments Questionnaires and letters were distributed simul taneously to all 80 schools. The materials were placed in one large envelope addressed to the principal of the participating school. Each principal received also an 26 instructional letter explaining the method of distributing the questionnaires in his school, thirteen explanatory letters addressed to staff members, thirteen questionnaires attached, and thirteen stamped envelopes addressed to the investigator. Each staff member received an explanatory letter, a questionnaire and an envelope. The anonymity of each was guaranteed, and each was requested to mail his own questionnaire directly to the research. A stamped, self- addressed envelope was provided. Principals were asked to hold briefing sessions with those selected to participate from their schools. In the event the responses were considered to be inadequate in number, it was planned to send a subsequent letter to each principal requesting that he remind the staff members to complete and return the questionnaires. This step was not necessary, however, because 454 of a possible 1,040 replies, or 44 per cent, were received. This was considered to be an adequate sampling for this phase of the survey. Tabulation and Analysis of the Data Responses to each of the four questions were tallied. Classification was accomplished by assigning broad categories derived from the content of the responses. The results were then analyzed. 27 Survey II. Comprehensive Survey On the basis of the results of the critical- incident survey and the review of viewpoints and research reported in the literature, the final and more comprehen sive instrument was prepared. Information obtained from these major sources was enlarged upon in devising the final phase of the investigation. The specific purpose was to secure the information essential to an understanding of effective communication between the high school principal and the high school staff members. Information concerning the following aspects of the problem was sought: 1. The frequency of use and the methods used to convey information, in general, between principals and staff members. 2. The degree of effectiveness of these methods. 3. The frequency of use and the effectiveness of methods used in receiving information, in general, from principals and staff members. 4. The importance of specific types of information communicated to high school principals and to staff members, and their preferences in regard to methods of receiving the specific types of information conveyed. 3. Current sources from which high school 28 principals and staff members receive specific types of information, and their preferences concerning sources from which to receive specific types of information. 6. Kinds of information about which principals and staff members would like to receive more communications. 7. Kinds of information about which high school principals and staff members consider they receive too much information. 8. Factors that enable high school principals and staff members to communicate effectively with each other. 9. Problems that make effective communication between high school principals and staff members difficult. 10. Recommendations of high school principals and staff members for improving communication between them. Construction of the Questionnaire Because two different populations were involved in the survey (the high school principal, and the high school staff member), two separate instruments were needed. Although closely similar in content, different wording was required for each form of the instrument, one directed to 29 the principal and the other to the high school staff mem ber. There were nine distinctly different sections of the instruments, each section corresponding to a different aspect of communication in a high school setting. The respondent was also asked to indicate his position in the school and the size of the school. Because of the nature of the questions, it was impossible to state them without considerable wordiness. Efforts were made to cut down as much as possible on the length of the items, on the number of items, and on the complexity of explanations and instructions, in the inter est of clarity and conciseness. A pilot study was of especial importance because of the complex structure and great length of the question naire. At the same time, suggestions and criticisms were secured from educational professors and professional col leagues concerning ways of improving and shortening the wording of the various questions. Several revisions were made in questionnaire items as a result of suggestions and criticisms received and implications from the pilot study. Questionnaire instruc tions were revamped until there was general agreement and a clear understanding of the meaning and intent of the instrument. A copy of the questionnaire is exhibited in Appendix C. 30 Letters of Instruction and Explanation A letter of instruction was prepared to be sent to principals of schools whose participation in this phase of the study was sought, a pilot study having indicated that meaning and intent were sufficiently clear. A copy of the letter is contained in Appendix C. An explanatory letter was also developed to be directed to the various staff members whose participation was requested. A pilot study demonstrated that the letter's meaning and intent were essentially clear. A copy of this letter is included in Appendix D. Selection of the Sample The method used in selecting the sample was similar to that used in selecting the sample to which the critical- incident instrument was sent, except that no postcard request for participation preceded the sending of the questionnaire materials to the principals of the schools selected. The initial mailing of questionnaires and enclo sures went to 250 schools, 76 of which were located in northern California, 64 in central California, and 110 in southern California. Schools were selected according to the same four enrollment categories designated for the critical-incident phase of the survey: 31 Number of Enrollment Schools 600-1199 pupils 75 1200-1799 pupils 75 1800-2399 pupils 75 2400-3000 and more 25 The schools were selected from the California School Directory. A listing by size categories and by geographic regions made it possible to select the schools alphabetically, beginning with the letter A and continuing until the desired size of sample was attained. All of the schools that had expressed an interest in participating in the critical-incident phase of the survey were also included, and questionnaires were mailed to them. The thirteen positions sampled by means of the critical-incident instrument formed the basis of the request that individuals from certain personnel classifica tions be asked to participate. A fourteenth position was added--that of the principal. In all, 3,500 persons were canvassed in this phase of the survey. Distribution of Questionnaires Questionnaires were distributed in a manner identical to that followed in distributing the critical- incident instruments. Again, plans were made to contact the principals in case insufficient numbers of returns were received. This step was not needed, since 1,665 educators responded to the questionnaire. This represented 48 per cent of those to whom questionnaires were sent. Tallying and Analyzing the Data The data compiled from the questionnaires were tabulated. The data were then tallied according to the posi tion held by the respondent and by the staff total, regardless of enrollment categories. The findings concern ing the reactions of the principals were reported sepa rately from those of the staff members. PART II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE CHAPTER lit HISTORY, OBJECTIVES, AND NATURE OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS Communication has been demonstrated to be an essential element in the learning process and in the administration and operation of educational programs. Because of its broad implications for all areas of human endeavor, the process of communication was sharply delim ited in the present investigation to an examination of its importance and utilization in the schools, and specifically to the exchange of information between the high school principal and the high school staff members. A corresponding delimitation was Imposed upon the review of related literature. Insofar as it was possible, only those aspects of the literature and research ’that con tributed to an understanding of the problem and an orientation to the present survey were included. Part II, presenting the results of the search of the literature, consists of six chapters, each bearing on an aspect of the problem: (1) historical theory of com munication, its objectives and nature, (2) the planning of 34 35 communication programs, (3) the content of communication, (4) psychological considerations, (5) principles of effec tive communication, and (6) techniques of communication applicable to school administration. Historical Concepts No attempt is made here to review in detail the theories of the origin of language, nor to trace to its anthropological sources the possible beginnings of man's interaction with his social and physical environment, since the primary interest of the study is the determina tion of existing and possible uses of communication as a tool of effective administration in a particular school set ting--the exchange of information and ideas between principal and staff members in high schools of California. Probable Origins Drewry traces the origins of communication to the origins of man. Throughout his history, necessity has driven man to devise wavs of communicating. It is believed that man's first method of communicating was by movement and signs (28:4), and that he soon found that signs alone were not very satisfactory. The first sounds probably occurred when man needed to warn of some threat or danger or to express and share happiness or satisfaction over the day's events. The combination of grunts and numerous 36 gestures sufficed to express the needs, desires, and thoughts of primitive man. It is theorized that signs and grunts remained man's means of communicating for thousands of years. However, as time passed humans found many things that could not be adequately represented in this manner. Gradually, certain inflections and differences in sounds began to have definite meaning. These probably were man's first words (28:5). Modern man will probably never discover exactly how, when, or where language originated, because no records of early speech survive from that distant period of man's history. However, it is known that the growth of language covered hundreds of centuries, and that this form of exchange of ideas was the first significant step toward the development of modern methods of communicating. Language was perhaps the most important instrument in man's steady advance toward "civilization" (28:6). The importance and value of language in the modern world cannot be denied; neither can one overlook the fact that a great deal of non-linguistic communication occurs in both highly civilized and extremely primitive societies. A cry, a tonal inflection, and a gesture are methods of communicating that are far more universal than language as modern man is capable of understanding it. Spoken language is a highly symbolic means of expression; consequently, it is both abstract and conceptual. These two characteristics 37 cause language to be extremely difficult (if not impossi ble) to comprehend if one is not a member of the "in-group" (74:3). In fact, semanticists regard the word "communica tion" as inexact. They contend that content can never be transmitted and that, at most, only language is trans mitted. Therefore, communication is actually a re-creation of something that is in one person's mind in the mind of another person. Face-to-face communication was the first type of human communication to be developed and has continued to be the most common form used throughout history (30:13). The variety of methods used for communicating are almost infinite--from direct to indirect, from obvious to subtle, loud to silent, and so on. Methods worthy of note are the spoken word, the written or printed word, that transmitted bv hand or telegraph, a nod or wink, a gesture, a drumbeat, a blinking of a signal light, a bit of music, puffs of smoke on the horizon, and movements of the ballet (189:11) . The Scientific Approach Although communication of one kind or another has undoubtedly existed since life on earth began, communica tion as a field of scientific inquiry, on the other hand, has been of a relatively recent origin. In the last decade or so there has developed the 38 promise of a genuine science of communication, a science that endeavors systematically to formulate the principles by which information is transmitted and attitudes are formed (138:371). Communication has been exposed to inten sive analysis and investigation. The study of language, through linguistics and semantics, has transcended grammar, vocabulary, and rhetoric, to determine the effect of language upon the formulation of our thoughts, individual development, national and racial psychologies, and the emotional reactions of people to certain words and forms of communication. Symbolic logic has evolved from the general field of philosophy with a methodology of its own to deal with certain problems of communicating. Communication theory has produced concepts, "bits of information," and "noise," which permit a type of mathematical exploration. Informa tion theory has developed the concept of redundancy and has studied it carefully. Communication networks have been subjected to vast experimentation. The concept of entropy has been applied to messages and a new word, cybernetics, has been conceived to describe the research of Wiener in the field of communications (71:159). Scientific inquiry into communication has developed, at least in part, in response to the growing urgency of the problem. The problem exists in all facets of our society. In business and industry the gap between management and 39 labor has widened to such an extent that both sides feel a strong need for more effective intercommunication* In national life a gap between the legislator and the citizen can have almost as tragic results as can a lack of communi cation on the international scene (138:371). Objectives of Communicating Basically, every communication transmitted has just one purpose, whether it is a conscious or unconscious goal, and this is to influence the present or future attitudes or behavior of the receiver (22:13)* Psychologists envision communication as being a process by which an individual (the communicator) transmits stimuli (visual verbal symbols) to modify the behavior of other individuals (com municatees) . Therefore, the purpose of every communicator is to create a mental image or picture for the reader or listener which is an accurate interpretation of what the communicator really means (28:35). Thus true communication is more than merely "getting an idea across"; it is getting the idea across effectively. This means getting the idea understood, getting it accepted, making it an integral part of the person to whom the idea is communicated (134:86). The specific purposes of communicating which have gained widespread acceptance are (1) to convey information and share knowledge, (2) to increase understanding, (3) to gain acceptance and belief, and (4) to provide action 40 (87:xi). Ruesh and Bateson offer a somewhat more complex and psychologically-oriented explanation of the objectives of communication. They see the purpose of the process to be to (1) receive and transmit messages, (2) retain information, (3) utilize existing information for the pur pose of deriving new conclusions which were not directly perceived, (4) reconstruct past and anticipate future events, (5) initiate and modify physiological processes within the individual, and (6) influence and direct other people and external events (72:17). The only real criterion for ascertaining the degree of success or failure in attaining the objective in a communication, it is believed, is the reaction of those on the receiving end (121:34). The theory is that effective communication does "something" to the receiver of the communication (25:13). If the receiver is not reached or influenced, the communication has not had any true value (92:25). The true value of communication skills in an organization is too often measured in terms of the intent and attitude of the communicator than upon his ability to utilize the skills of communication. Ideally, effective communication should result In gaining attention, and then in transmitting enlightenment, understanding, discrimina tion, sensitivity, competence, action and enjoyment. In 41 addition, it can lead to social adjustment, consensus, and the reinforcement or modification of attitudes. Finally it may establish a framework for purposeful and creative thought. In a school system administrative and supervisory communications are designed to influence the behavior of staff members upon whom the success of the school system depends (92:25). The Nature of Communication Process "Language," according to Lecoq, "is composed of words, written signs or spoken expressions," but whatever the form, language is expressed by artificial, human symbols that generate feelings and bring out images and ideas. . . . Words do not represent reality; they create a symbolic representation in the mind, an approxima tion of the subjective understanding, but never exact reality (147:177). Since words do not represent reality, we comprehend the meaning of words not through exact, scientific compre hension, but through the medium of intuition. Hobbs, writing in The Domain of Natural Science, stresses the incompleteness of the transfer of experience from individ ual to individual: The experience of an individual is, in its fullness of details, unique and uncommunicable; it is incompletely made intelligible to other individuals by means of language and other forms of symbolism (cited in 147:177). 42 Therefore, language, by its very nature, involves an abstraction in which the elements of actual, individual experience are replaced by symbols that fail to represent with absolute completeness what they are supposed to describe. Plato stated both in Parimedes and in Theaetetus that in essence words are merely symbols and thus cannot represent reality. They are subjective representations at best and can only represent our ideas about things (147:178). Plato and some of the other great thinkers through the ages have contended that there is no possibility of truly defining any word. The images that one perceives are intrinsically one's own, and no person can penetrate into the inner sanctum of another individual (147:179). It is also essential to note that any object or situation is capable of exuding a wide range of stimuli; but the person who observes them also possesses a wide range of predispositions and methods of becoming acquainted with the object or situation. To all practical purposes, the stimulation and the response are continuous and diffuse, whereas the forms of language are, of necessity, discrete and rather specific. Therefore, it must follow that when we use language to try to convey a message, the best we can do is to transmit an abstraction--we can never include in any report all of the features of a given situation (51:65). 43 Hayakawa, internationally renowned authority on communication, in his work, Language in Thought and Action, offers a challenging question that man has pondered over the ages: "Do the words we utter arise as a result of the thoughts we have, or are the thoughts we have determined by the linguistic systems we happen to have been taught" (41)? The process by which human beings can arbitrarily make certain things stand for other things may be called the symbolic process. Human beings are uniquely and remarkably free to invent, manipulate and assign values to our symbols as they please. Interestingly enough, they can go even further by making symbols that stand for symbols (41:25). Language is the most highly developed, most subtle, and most complicated of all forms of symbolism. It is important that one recognize that there is no necessary connection between the symbol and that which is symbolized. Hayakawa says: People need to be scientifically aware of the powers and limitations of symbols, especially words, if they are to guard against being driven into complete bewilderment by the complexity of their semantic environment (41:27). The first and most basic of the principles govern ing symbols is this: "The symbol is not the thing; the map is not the territory it stands for" (41:31). It is extremely unfortunate that most people take words for granted and give them very little thought, because this 44 can result in great difficulties and problems (41:19). Steibel remarks: "Symbols can be divisive as well as unifying. Not all communication leads to sharing especially when values themselves are in conflict" (178:298). In this connection, Pooley states: Whatever forms of language facilitates clear, concise, and accurate communication may be defined as good language; whatever forms of language fail to communicate clearly or lead to ambiguity and obscurity may, for practical purposes, be defined as bad language (167:16). Basic Elements of a Communication Matters pertaining to the various theories of com munication were defined as outside the major purposes of this study. The reader is referred to such studies as those by George Gerbner (Toward a Theory of Communication) for a comprehensive coverage and analysis of different theories in this field. One school of thought identifies four essential / communication elements: the message, the channel, the con text, and the response. (1) Message refers to the content of the communication and requires the use of some type of symbols. (2) The channel is the mechanical means or device used to transmit the symbols chosen by the person who is trying to convey meaning. Usually the voice or the printed word, or even gestures are utilized. (3) Context refers to the theory that "There is no human communication without a 45 coloring of personality. Individual personality colors both the framing of messages and the response to them" (30:10). (4) Persons involved in any communication situa tion operate from frames of reference which generally overlap, but almost never coincide precisely. This is the source of much of the complication in the communicative process, as well as of distortion and misunderstanding. Thus the fourth element, response, involves the highly important act of perception (30:11). Another group of communication authorities contend that the four basic elements to any communication are: the sender, the message, the medium, and the receiver. These four are significant, however, only in relation to the effect produced. Effect, therefore, may be regarded as a fifth element of communication. From this point of view, the formula for any communication is: S + M + + R = E. It is obvious that In practice each element affects each of the others. This creates an intricate net of interrela tionships in which cause and effect are so inextricably interwoven as to be undetectable. Therefore, in practice, careful thought must be given to the significance of each factor with respect to the others, and to the over-all result (92 :22) . Still another school of thought identifies five elements to communication: (1) a communicator (a speaker, sender, issuer) who (2) transmits (says, sends, issues) 46 (3) stimuli (messages, orders, reports) to (4) a communi catee (addressee, respondent, audience) to influence (5) response (reply, reaction) (67:4). Communication specialists Hanne, Brooks, and Ersted believe that there are four basic elements to any communi cation, and express their perception of them simply as follows: (1) who, (2) what, (3) to whom, and (4) how. First there is control. This is the who, which has to do with the various cultural and personal conditions behind the production of communication materials. Second there is the content of the communication or the what, which is concerned with the various kinds of stimuli contained in communications as indices both to the intent of the communication and to the effect upon the consumer of the communication. Next there is the audience or the "j^o whom,1 1 which is primarily concerned with answering the question, "Who reads, sees and listens to what?" Here the "who" is defined in terms of the various characteristics which distinguish one group of people from another. Finally, there are channels of communication, the how. These channels have to do not only with the several methods of distributing communications, but also with the relative effectiveness of various ways of communicating to people (42 :15). Summary of the Chapter 47 This chapter has outlined the literature in the field as it applied to the areas of the history of communi cation, the objectives of communicating, the nature of the communication process, and the basic elements of a communi cation. The primitive and rudimentary beginnings of commu nication were described, and the developments of language traced to its present state of enormous complexity. Its emergence as a science was stressed. The goals of communication, varied and numerous as they mav be, can be reduced essentially to the single objective of attempting to influence the thinking or actions of another person or group. True communication implies some type of action or reaction by the receiver; thus, the true test of the success or failure of a communi cation can be measured in terms of whether the communicatee acts or responds, and the manner in which he reacts. The nature of language (and, therefore, of communi cation) is at best inexact and uncertain. It is beyond the capacity of any human being to project himself completely and with precision into the frame of reference of another. It is essential, therefore, to realize that any form of communication is a form of symbolization, and that exact transference of meaning is unattainable. Thus, 48 communicators and communicatees must both be aware of the possible pitfalls of misinterpretation or miscomprehension that can accompany any given communication. There are a number of schools of thought regarding the basic elements contained in the communication act. All authorities have found a common ground and agree that there are four or five essential elements. Most authorities concur that the communication act consists of: (1) a com municator (who), (2) the message or content (what), (3) the method or channel (how), (4) the communicatee or receiver (to whom), and (5) the receiver's reaction or response. CHAPTER IV IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PLANNING COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS Every action of any executive must include planning for communications as well as for other details. from Rules for Communication (141:2) The writers of this Johnson and Johnson Company booklet feel strongly that it is vitally important to all members of an organization that the communications program be thoughtfully planned and that the effectiveness of the communications system be evaluated regularly and carefully. If the philosophy and communications policy of the organization is one which encourages open and free communi cation lines, the result will be a heightening of morale and an organization-wide feeling of mutual confidence. It is vital that such a philosophy and policy exist, and that it be put in written form (106:19). Zelko and O'Brion pointed out the advantages of having a well-formulated written communications policy, maintaining that it (1) shows definite intent of company officials to the employees, (2) enables the officials to 49 50 see that others follow the policy, (3) clarifies the policy on the use of written and oral communications, and indi cates general channels of communication, (4) gives evidence of felt importance in communications from the top level to lower echelons (87:41). Responsibility for the Communication There appears to be complete agreement among com munications specialists that mutual interest and shared responsibility are desirable goals for all communication. However, iL is verv obvious that a message must be sent before it can be received and, therefore, that the initial responsibility rests with the individual who sends the communication (152:78). Davies and Herrold believe that everyone in the organization, regardless of title or position, is an impor tant link in the communication chain (22:9). However, as Zelko and O'Brion point out, it is the top executive and his executive staff who are really the key figures in the communications network (87:12). If an organisation is to have a successful communications program, it must rely upon its top management to initiate it and provide the spark (24:233). The responsibility for communication, according to Davies and Herrold, rests squarely upon the shoulders of the chief administrator and his top-level staff. In a 51 school, the administrator’s personality and attitude exert great influence on both the quality and the quantity of information that flows throughout his organization. The top executive cannot escape the responsibility of seeing that the right word gets to the right person at the right time at the right place (22:9). Developing the Pattern of Operation Once a school organization has determined its com munication policy and fixed responsibility for its imple mentation, the next logical step is to plan and organize the communications network. It is essential that a systematic approach be developed and followed for all communications so that needed proficiency in organized and interpersonal communi cation can be accomplished. This is primarily necessitated by the increased sizes of schools and the greater responsi bilities of personnel which have resulted in fewer personal and informal contacts. If definite networks of communica tions can be clearly established, problems and misunder standings should result from lack of knowledge or failure to know the reasons for decisions and actions. An administrator who desires to organize a communi cations network should first analyze the existing communi cations system, structure and pattern. The following key questions, developed by the Industrial Relations Center of 52 the University of Minnesota, should be of great assistance in this initial analysis: 1. What are the organization's biggest problems, if any? 2. Do we, and what do we, have to communicate? 3. Is the current communications plan and action realistic and sufficient? a. Does it start from where we are? b. Does it build on existing attitudes, skills and insights? c. Does it work toward a specific and under stood goal? d. Do apparent conflicts in policy and proce dure need explaining? e. Are we overemphasizing techniques and aids and losing sight of goals and objectives? f. Are we providing an opportunity to develop motivation by giving enough facts and assuring participation? g. Are our actions consistent with our words? h. Are we relying too much on others' experi ences ? i. Are communications going on continuously and regularly? (46) 53 Characteristics of an Effective Program Cecil Chisolm, in Communication in Industry (19), presents sixteen clear and definite steps which he advo cates as valuable considerations for any organization that is building or revising its communication program: 1. Check existing communication strengths and weaknesses. 2. Establish priorities for the program. 3. Obtain management's support and see that they understand the program. 4. Ensure that communication is accepted as an important function of management. 5. Make full use of training facilities--include communication as a subject in training courses. 6. Check communication and organization channels to ascertain whether or not the existing struc ture is conducive to effective communications. 7. Give employees or staff the facts about the business in a manner which they can readily understand. 8. See that all employees know, and are acquainted with the important facts about, the executives and administrators. 9. Put all important matters pertaining to the organization on paper--operating procedures, 54 rules and regulations, policies. 10. Find out what employees want to know, and what their problems, needs, and attitudes are. 11. Make full use of existing media and check their effectiveness. 12. Make full use of services of skilled personnel in departments that are closely related with communication--public relations. 13. Make full use of existing means of joint consultation. 14. Introduce anv new media that appear necessary. 15. Plan swift methods of communicating to deal with emergencies. 16. Check the program and the impact of the program ri9:45). The fundamentals of an effective communications program, according to Peters, are as follows: 1. Conviction that a problem exists, and willing ness to communicate. 2. Development of a realistic approach toward getting the facts. 3. Emphasis on personal contact and encouragement of employee participation whenever possible. 4. Application and development of existing forms of communication through staff meetings. 55 5. Coordination of the program. 6. Periodic revision and evaluation of methods If anticipating a long-range activity. 7. Adequate budget for the job (63:173). Applying these principles to a school situation, Kubik, in an article entitled "Superintendent Staff Commu nication," indicates that the following features must characterize an organization's communication program if persons are to be able to communicate freely within the structure: 1. The size of the organization limits the amount of communication which takes place. In many large high schools with seventy or more teachers, face-to-face contacts between the principal and his staff members are necessarily limited. 2. The number of levels in the organization limits communication; if supervisory levels can be reduced communication will be aided. 3. The shape of the organizational structure affects communication--the horizontal (or broad and flat) type provides better communication than the vertical (or tall) type. 4. Status roles of persons affect communication. Whenever persons are assigned superior and subordinate roles this inhibits the free flow of information, ideas and suggestions. 5. Overspecialization limits communication, par ticularly on the executive level. This problem can be combatted by school administrators who strive to be flexible and versatile. 6. Decentralization and autonomy improve communi cation. Such delegation of authority and responsibility requires faith on the part of the administrator in his staff, and no small degree of skill in working, with those to whom authority is delegated. 7. Undue reliance on the written word limits communication. 8. Upward communication is absolutely necessary-- especiallv in a time of change and adjustment. 9. Cross-examination of thinking is necessary for any true communication (144). Factors in Selecting a Communications Network The organizational pattern of communications largely regulates who sends messages to whom, about what, and why. This structure influences not only the tone of the message but the attitude and degree of receptivity of the receiver. 57 Basic considerations. Administrators should remem ber that the greater the number of levels in an organiza tion, the more hierarchical is the chain, the more diffi cult it is to get the message from one level to another quickly and without distortion, and the more isolated are the top from the bottom echelons. Better communication always results when there are several short chains. This breaking into smaller units is made possible by decentral ization of the organizational pattern (22:20). One of the first questions which must be resolved in planning the organizational structure and communication channels is whether or not the communications responsibil ity should be divided up into many small pieces involving several responsible persons, or whether it should be centralized in the hands of one person (46:1). Zelko and 0*Brion state that the contemporary trend in organizational structure is toward (1) a more diffuse delegation of authority, (2) more staff advisory functions for line officials, and (3) more multiple management which provides the fabric that holds the total organization together. The multiple-management concept tends to inter relate top management and middle management through committed structure. This, ir turn, shortens and multi plies the line of communication upward and across the organization (87:19). Structural patterns. There are many possibilities for organizational structure or patterns of communication. Bavelas and Barrett offer diagrams and characteristics of the three basic types or patterns of communication (94:370). FIGURE 1 THE THREE BASIC COMMUNICATION PATTERNS o, //^ O O \\ n OtiO o //\\ o o o u o o o SPEED slow fast fast ACCURACY poor good good ORGANIZATION not stable fairly stable definitely stable LEADER-EMERGENCE none marked very pronounced MORALE very good poor very poor 59 Regardless of the communications pattern selected, an organizational chart displayed in strategic locations which shows the lines of authority and responsibility in an organization can be generally very beneficial to all mem bers of the organization and especially for purposes of communication (19:66). One of the important factors which must be consid ered in determining and developing a communications pattern for any organization is that of personal relations. It is the close, personal relation between the administrator and his staff and between the staff members themselves that is the true key to any communication system (87:121). Bursch reports that the Hawthorne Western Electric experiments have demonstrated rather conclusively the importance of social organization in industry or comparable types of organizations. The evidence indicates that social factors are also likely to be important in determining what people mean, how they interpret what they hear, and their behavior on the job (12:137). The author of a Johnson and Johnson Company hand book contends that telling is best accepted from one's immediate superior. Whenever it is possible to select a person to tell something, always choose the type of person who is highly acceptable personally and who has a record for telling things clearly, in an interesting fashion, and in a manner acceptable to the listeners (141:1). 60 Redfield reports that an order given which depends solely on the person's authority may not always secure interest, although there will necessarily be a certain degree of acceptance. Any communication which is to be of maximum effectiveness must rely on the harmonious relation ship among the people involved (67:39). Redfield offers the following diagram to depict this relationship: FIGURE 2 DIAGRAM OF RELATIONSHIP OF A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM-SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP AND RESULTING’ INTEREST AND ACCEPTANCE Communicative Act or System Interest & Acceptance Leading to Response Social Relationship between the Communicating Parties One of the most severe obstacles to communication between principal and staff, regardless of organizational pattern, is the unwillingness of some principals to allow teachers and other staff members to explain what they see as problems and difficulties. There is much information available which indicates that administrators could profit from a more acceptant and permissive attitude, and from learning to be just good listeners (144:21). 61 Formal and Informal Systems of Communicating An organized system of communication, according to Bavelas and Barrett, is usually created by the setting up of formal systems of responsibility and by specific and detailed delegations of duties. These systems of ten include categories concerning the nature, content, and direction of communications which are considered necessary before the members can perform their functions efficiently (94:366). Management and most administrators prefer the formal organizational pattern for communication because they feel that they can control it more easily (24:242). However, when such a formal pattern is imposed, it usually happens that the various members of the component groups in the organization tend to create their own sub-channels of communication, and to rely on them for their information (94:366). This is inevitable, Davis feels, because people's social nature requires free interaction on their own terras (24:242). Thus, informal organizational systems of communication will evolve, in spite of the provision of formal systems, no matter how carefully they are planned and put into operation (94:366). 62 Formal Communication Systems Formal channels of communication are said to exist when the following characteristics are present: 1. Orders and instructions travel down lines of authority. 2. Reports and requests move upward in a line of authority. 3. Complete and accurate information flows unimpeded through established channels. 4. Communication organization follows the formal organizational chart and its primary concern is with span of control and functional principles (193:4). In a thought-provoking article, "Keeping the Staff Informed," Story reports that a variety of ideas and thoughts have been offered regarding the best means of providing a formal channel of communication for schools. Research studies have indicated that a substantial number of teachers feel that administrators' methods of communi cating are not meeting "democratic" standards with respect to keeping the faculty and staff informed. Teachers have expressed the almost-unanimous desire to be kept informed. Their opinions are divided, however, regarding the type of information about which they should be informed. Some prefer to be kept fully informed while others want to 63 receive only selective information with the privilege of securing additional information or knowledge as they may desire. Another study investigated by Story indicated that teachers favored receiving information through a regular, formal program. They were of the opinion: The free interchange of information is cer tainly a prerequisite to cooperative action. It is only through the medium of an enlightened group that we may hope to achieve the full and intelligent participation necessary to effective progress (179:59) . Informal Communication Systems Informal channels of communication are said to exist when any person in the organization is free to consult with anyone regarding his problems or duties, or to seek information (48:112). Lindseth contends that it' is absolutely essential that there be an informal pattern of communication which flows through channels of contact, through which the man who needs information may secure it from the man who possesses the information (150:687). Some informal patterns of communication are already in existence and are reported to exert a powerful influ ence. These informal systems are based on human needs, and have emerged as a result of the social relationships of people. They serve the needs specifically of the person doing the communicating. Some of the easily recognized 64 needs that are served are: gaining status, hope for advancement, a feeling of importance, striving for secur ity, desiring to belong, feeling of reassurance, and winning acceptance by the group (46:36). The process of informal communication is basically that of information spreading, or the voicing of opinions or attitudes of and by people. Among the problems which have created the need to develop more informal systems of communication are the following: 1. A supervisor who acts as a barrier to the free exchange of information. 2. Actual physical distances which make person- to-person contacts impossible. 3. Ambiguous and unclear situations that require clarification. 4. Structure of the group itself. 3. Slowness and absence of information (46:36). Industrial executives and school administrators can combat the developing of and spreading of informal patterns of information most effectively by insisting on two-wav communication at all times. In a two-way communi cation study sponsored bv the U, S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Management Association and related agencies it was reported, "A smooth two-lane highway between men and 65 management is essential to good relations" (105:97). Direction of Communication Flow The efficient functioning of any organization or school, thus, depends in large measure upon the effective ness of its channels of communication. There should be opportunity for communication to flow upward as well as downward; for subordinates at all levels to speak their minds without fear of reprisal; and for the free airing of opinions, whether thev involve feelings of injustice or constructive criticism about the manner in which business affairs are being conducted (66:20). Two-way Communication The importance of adequate two-way communication is attested to by the fact that so much attention is currently being concentrated on it in business and industry (33:117). Traditionally, communication has been primarily a one-wav street leading downward; upward communication has been largely neglected, Tn fact, Nichols and Stevens report that one investigator in the communications field illustrated this unfortunate reality by a striking figure: "Communication between management and workers," he said, "is filtered by a funnel with the large end facing upward. The worker must try to get his thoughts through the small end of the funnel" (161:125). 66 Communication specialists have devised a variety of techniques or devices for encouraging two-way communi cation between superior and subordinates: 1. Request and welcome observations and opinions, whether they are pleasant or unpleasant, complimentary or critical (141:1). 2. Administrators and staff members meet regularly on company or school time to air complaints and exchange information on an equal basis. 3. Various council or departmental meetings held regularly (105:98). 4. Dailv personal discussions among administrators whenever possible, and with staff members whenever practical. 5. Open house for family and friends. 6. Exhibits. 7. Mutual participation in community activities (105:100). Upward Communication The attempts of subordinates to communicate with superiors, referred to as upward communication, are gener ally found to be less than adequate in most organizations. Hall believes that this problem can be attributed to two primary causes: (I) Executives are frequently too busy to 67 communicate regularly with lower levels. (2) Not only is the executive too busy, but he communicates this attitude to his subordinates, and thus they are naturally reluctant to make demands on his already crowded schedule (134:88). Many advantages accrue to both administrator and staff members from effective upward communication. Some of the values to the superior are outlined by such writers as Babcock (91), Carver and Gever (16), Dooher and Marquis (26), Murphy (56), Planty and Machaver (166) to be as follows: 1. Subordinates' ideas and suggestions are received freelv. 2. Opportunity is provided to learn subordinates' complaints and grievances. 3. Opportunity is provided to keep informed of current attitudes of staff. 4. Upward communication aids in increasing staff morale. 5. It shows whether the staff understands directives and instructions. 6. It helps the easy flow and acceptance of downward communication. 7. It gives pre-warning of possible problems and difficulties. 8. It encourages reliable information and discourages rumor. 68 Some of the most important benefits that staff members derived from upward communication are: 1. Opportunity to release pent-up emotions and pressures. 2. Opportunity to share grievances and complaints (91:171) . 3. A feeling of belonging to a democratic organization (166:307). 4. A feeling of importance and being needed (57:281). 5. Improvement of acceptance and understanding of downward communication (26:149). 6. More pleasant working atmosphere (46:32). Some sound principles of communication have been advocated which, if applied to upward communication, should effect a marked improvement in the process. Communication authorities such as Planty and Machaver (166), Dooher and Marquis (26) and the Industrial Relations Center of the University of Minnesota (46) recommend: 1. Fairly frequent chance of informal social meetings. 2. Keeping a record or check list of "employees chatted with." 3. Acting upon upward communication definitely and promptly. 69 4. Systematic and balanced coverage--pre-planned. 5. Continuous coverage--at both good and bad times. 6. Flow of communication directed step bv step through the organization. 7. Flow of communication that reaches the person responsible for the particular subject being communicated. 8. Appreciation and gratitude shown for efforts expended. Downward Communication Most organizations encounter much less difficulty in devising and operating downward communications programs than they do in the upward direction. Administrators and executives are fairly familiar with this type of communica tion practice and are actively engaged in it. This top-to-bottom communication direction has been reviewed in the earlier section on two-way communication. Horizontal or Lateral Communication The development of the concept of horizontal communication is a new and comparatively unknown area of communications in comparison with the concepts of upward and downward movement in communications. It is largely a by-product of research done on vertical communication (67:199). 70 Its fundamental purpose is to support the structure and basic workings of the formal organization and channels of communication. It has developed in response to the realization that certain essential information must move in three directions--up, down, and horizontally--if the organization is to operate at peak efficiency (67:16). Horizontal communication works very simply. Line officials or administrators disseminate information to persons of comparative rank or function in the organiza tion, rather than limiting their distribution to those of higher and lesser rank who are affected by the particular information. Written information may be passed from reader to reader according to the list on an accompanying routing slip. When the information is read, the reader initials the slip and forwards the cornnunication to the person next on the list (67:199). As we have seen from the presentation in this section, the planning of an organization's communications is a tremendously complicated task and requires much coordination in order to be effective. According to a recommendation made in a publication of the Industrial Relations Center of the University of Minnesota, one indi vidual should coordinate the total communications effort. It is recommended that there be one center for communica tions and that this center assume the entire responsibility for all communications programs. It further suggests that 71 the possibility of success will be enhanced if the person is a line rather than a staff person, since the former is in a more advantageous position to obtain action (46:2). Summary of the Chapter This chapter has discussed the literature in the field as it pertains to planning and organizing of commu nications programs. The importance of having a written communications policy was demonstrated, particularly since communications is the responsibility of everyone in the organization, not alone that of the executives at the higher levels. The key questions in analyzing a communications program were investigated, and the fundamentals of a successful communications program and characteristics of an effective program examined. The important factors in selecting a communications network were discussed, with emphasis on the significance of the role of human relations. The importance of clearlv organized and designated channels of communication was outlined in detail. Patterns of communication systems were investigated and the characteristics of formal and informal systems were pointed out. The various directions of communications were con sidered, i.e., two-way, upward, downward, and horizontal. 72 The basic prerequisite for a successful communication, regardless of direction, was seen to be that it must be two-way. CHAPTER V THE CONTENT OF COMMUNICATIONS The content of the communication--that is, the kind of information that is communicated— is a central consideration in determining the success or failure of the communications program of an organization. Here the ques tion is not "How is it communicated?" or "How well is it communicated?" but ,l What is being communicated?" The content is such an important aspect of commu nication that a scientific method, called content analysis, has been developed for describing the various facets of communication content. Specialists in content analysis attempt to reveal the purposes, motives and other charac teristics of the communication as they are presumed to be portrayed in the content. They also try to identify the presumed effects of the content upon the attention, attitudes, or acts of the receivers of the communications (4:18). Communicants in each organization have the problem of determining what should be communicated to others. This problem must be considered with respect to each policy, regulation, or set of facts to be transmitted. Perhaps the 73 74 guiding principle should be that a communication should be planned whenever a decision of policy or a change in operating procedure has been made. It is important to also explain the reasons for the action (87:46). Types of Content to Be Communicated Classifications The Johnson and Johnson Company issued a communi cations handbook in which three categories of facts to be communicated are listed. First, there are those that must be told. They are the things that affect a man directly or immediately on his job. These include work assignments, flow of work in offices, methods of operation, standards of production or performance, pay, overtime hours, rules and regulations, duties and responsibilities, quality of performance, and job security. The ‘second category is concerned with facts that should be shared. These facts are less directly or immedi ately connected with the work operation and may pertain to the physical conduct of the office or factory. This type of information may deal a little more with the future and with environment that is somewhat removed from the job Itself. Typical of this type of communication is informa tion regarding vacation pay, company services, management policy, departmental organization, expected standards of 75 personnel conduct, the finished product, anticipated changes In operations, systems, or personnel that Influ ence the person, the position, or the department. The third category pertains to things that _lt would be nice to relate. These might be considered by some as an organization's luxury Items. They deal broadly with the organization, Its structure, leaders, economy, plans for growth and expansion, Its production line, advertising, sales, research, legal, manufacturing departments and their problems and citizenship (141:1). It Is significant to note that Information which at one level Is an absolute necessity may be merely a luxury Item for Individuals at another level. Actually there are no hard-and-fast rules for determining what to relate and what not to relate. In the final analysis, good judgment and the knowledge of what the particular persons want and need to know must guide the communicator In deciding what he will transmit. Dean approaches the question of selecting material to be communicated from another Interesting angle. He suggests that the communicator ask himself these pertinent questions: 1. Is the material within the limits of your subject ? 2. Is the material significant to the purpose? 3. Is the material accurate and complete? 76 4. Is all the material needed offered In the message? 5. Is reliable Information offered? 6. Are essential reasons presented for the Information being related? (25:42) Strykler believes that the only safeguards against overconmunication or underconmunication within an organiza tion lie within the discretion of the individual charged with the responsibility for the specific communication. But a man's quality of good taste, discriminative judg- ment--his discretion--is impossible to assess, for no two persons in positions of responsibility are identical. Therefore, different sets of criteria may have developed for each communicator's decision of what information to disseminate and what to restrict (183:152). Some communication specialists divide data to be transmitted into two categories. The first is concerned with the information communicated by management to the employee--a form of downward communication. The other is concerned with information communicated from the employee to management; this is upward communication. Sometimes a third category is used; this is termed horizontal conmuni- cation or communication to persons at the same level or status (141:1). 77 Information for Employees In order for an organization to maintain harmonious and desirable personnel relations the organization's lead ers must give the employees all the news they want and need. It is especially important that they furnish the type of information that they consider to be essential (186:108). Chisholm reports that there is frequently a discrepancy between the type of information management conveys and the type of information the employees want to receive. This tendency is evidenced in several ways: (1) management tends to be impersonal in issuing communica tions, whereas the employee prefers a more personal sort of information; (2) management tends to issue general communi cations, whereas the employee prefers to receive a more specific type of communication; and (3) management is more inclined to transmit messages that are of interest to it, while the employee prefers an emphasis primarily on his own interests (19:26). The literature indicates that employees have been quite explicit about the topics they want to hear about, and the things they need to be informed about. Among the topics felt to be most important, mentioned most often as information that should be communicated downward are the following: 1. Facts that make the employee feel he belongs. 2. Facts that are essential to his job, department 78 and organization. 3. Those calculated to give the employee a feeling of opportunity and security, and which remove doubts and uncertainty. 4. Those designed to make the employee feel Important and that give him status and recognition (141:1). Management, for its part, feels that more specific types of information should be disseminated downward. Among these topics, most frequent mention is made of: 1. Primary policies and objectives of the organization. 2. Day-to-day decisions of importance and significance. 3. Facts leading to a better understanding of the organization1s personality. 4. Reports of achievements and accomplishments of the firm (46:5). 5. Present happenings and future plans of the company. 6. Information to the individual employee concern ing how the organization is providing for his needs. 7. Current problems of the organization. 8. Information about the desires of management. 79 9. Annual reports covering a multitude of subjects. 10. Orders, to employees about things they must do. i 11. Information about personnel changes. 12. Information pertaining to changes In procedure (67:18). Attempts have been made to determine the questions that the typical employee Is Interested In having answered and would like to receive more Information about. Findings are as follows: 1. How safe is the condition of the organization? 2. How secure is my job? 3. Am I about to be transferred or Involved in a change ? 4. Am I about to be demoted? 5. What are my chances of promotion? 6. How am I doing In my job and in the organiza tion? 7. What kind of training do I need to advance? 8. What do I need to do to Improve? 9. Are working conditions going to be improved? 10. Are wages and salaries going to be increased? 11. What about my working hours? 12. What fringe benefits are available and offered? 13. How is the organization performing? 80 14. What Is the history and background of the company? (57:59) Information for Management The administrator of an organization must strive to give the employees all the information they want and need; at the same time he must exert every effort to obtain all the information he possibly can from them. The most impor tant kinds of information desired by the administration, according to the accounts which have appeared in the liter ature, are as follows: 1. Recommendations for solving present or expected problems. 2. Alternate plans to Improve the functioning of the organization (26:133). 3. Reports on the progress of long-term or con tinuing projects. 4. Notice of completion of assignments. 5. Deviations from previously-approved plans or procedures (26:128). 6. Lack of progress and reasons why projects remain in the present state. 7. Mistakes or errors in performance of duties or carrying out of instructions (26:131). 8. Statistical reports on production, performance, cost, and personnel. 81 9. Personnel recently employed, discharged, and transferred. 10. Exceptional events. 11. Professional and technical developments. 12. Interpretations of statistical or financial data, or complex developments. 13. Opinions, ideas, suggestions, and attitudes of personnel. 14. Complaints, grievances, and rumors (67:20). In addition, employers and employees are especially eager for employees to relay the following types of infor mation upward. 1. Their feelings about pay. 2. Their thoughts on working hours and extra demands of the job. 3. Their evaluation of the fairness of work distribution and load. 4. Adequacy of equipment and supplies with which to work. 5. Uncertainty or confusion over responsibility or duties. 6. Attitude toward standards of personal appear ance. 7. Attitudes about whether or not all persons have a fair and equal opportunity for promotion. 82 8. Whether layoffs and discharges are fair. 9. Feelings about job security* 10, Status of morale; do the employees feel free to discuss things, or to criticize? 11. Whether the employees feel that management is personally interested in them (166:310). Communication to management concerning employee feelings about their associates, superiors and subordinates is also important: 1. Do they feel that the boss and the department are efficient? 2. Do they feel that the boss has favorites? 3. How adequately do they feel supervised? 4. Do they feel that they are being prepared to advance ? 5. Do employees feel free to present ideas and to complain? 6. Are employees satisfied that grievances are handled promptly and fairly? 7. Do employees feel that management understands their needs and desires? An expression of employee feelings about the com pany or the organization is of vital concern to management: 1. Employee feelings about the integrity and fairness of employer. 83 2. An employee'8 feeling about the standing of the company. 3. Employee feelings about the reputation of the company. 4. Whether employees are informed about big changes so they can adapt to them. 5. Whether employees understand and accept person nel policies. 6. Whether employees feel that recreational and work-break facilities are adequate. 7. Whether employees feel that cafeteria prices are fair. It is readily apparent that the problem of what to communicate to whom is one of great and mounting complex ity; it is probably one that will never be wholly solved. Summary of the Chapter In this chapter were outlined the kinds of informa tion that must be communicated between the employee and employer, i.e., the content of the communication. This is possibly the most essential aspect of any communication, for all other aspects are dependent upon the meaning of the message. The intent of the sender, and the content of what is sent are inseparable components of the communication process. 84 It was found that there are essentially three cate gories of information to be communicated. The first is information which must be told. The second is information which should be exchanged. The third involves Information which it would be nice to relate. The types of information that employees want to know about, and that management wants them to know about, were discussed in an organizational setting which is pertinent to the purposes of this study. The types of information that employees want management Co learn about, and about which management itself is desirous of being informed, were also examined in the literature. It was discovered that the information that was most needed or desired fluctuated according to the indi vidual, his position, and the situation. Therefore, no hard-and-fast rule could be determined that would be applicable in all situations or to all persons or groups. Employees and employers have expressed divergent outlooks on this issue. However, certain "priorities" of informa tion have been distinguished by some authorities. These were listed because of their pertinence to expected find ings in the present investigation. It was pointed out that, even though consensus could not be established regarding classifications of essential and non-essential information, the problem of distinguishing relative importance of various types of 85 information in various kinds of situations was so important as to merit serious and continuous attention. The solution of this problem is crucial to the planning and development of communications programs in any organization. CHAPTER VI PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION An exhaustive examination of the psychological or human-relations aspects of communications programs in a secondary school setting, while outside the scope of the present investigation, is a highly pertinent consideration in the effective planning of such programs. For these reasons, only the writings on the phase of the human- relations elements in communication that apply directly to this study are reviewed here. An effort is made to present no more than the "highlight" concepts, and to avoid mention of controversial or broadly theoretical Issues. Role of Human Relations in Communication Problems of communication and problems of human relations are so similar as to be practically identical at times. In fact, it is often observed that each appears to be a function of the other. Whenever difficulties in human relations develop in the world today careful examination reveals the problems to be outgrowths of communication shortcoming. The converse of this statement also appears to operate almost with the certainty of a law--whenever a 86 87 problem of communication develops, there are concomitant problems of human relations (160:23). The greatest problems of our day are problems affecting the relationships between persons, or failures of mind to meet mind. An individual who strives to improve his effectiveness in communication must obtain the neces sary interpersonal insights, understandings, and skills. He must understand the framework of his associations with others in terms of his own attitudes, motives, and basic needs. These are more essential to his effectiveness than are his command of communication techniques and skills (149:31). Because understanding is the single most vital factor in all personal relationships, it is essential that the communicator develop the ability to analyze the other person, to place himself in his position, with complete recognition of his status, his interests, his feelings, and, above all, his well being and welfare (87:89). The communicator who attempts to improve his under standing of the interrelationships between the individual and the communication process would do well to strive constantly to keep these points firmly in mind: 1. Each person is a unique individual who creates his own responses to objects, symbols, situations, and human beings as he interacts with them in daily living (157:148). 88 2. A person must first understand himself before he can communicate effectively with others. He must be willing to receive unpleasant news and important informa tion, regardless of his own emotional disinclination to do so (66:166). 3. A person is never able to understand fully another person's mind because he can never actually t>e that other person. Therefore, he can interpret only partially what the other person really feels, thinks, and does. 4. The understanding of other people can be improved only to the degree that a person is able to think of himself as being actually in the place of the other person. 5. Each person uses language in interpreting the communication of others and in creating his own thoughts, feelings, and appraisal of the person with whom he is interacting. 6. Communication is the medium through which information about persons is obtained and shared. It is fundamental in developing values, thought and action for a more reliable understanding of other persons (157:148). 7. A person seldom says what he actually means because of the limitation of language itself and because of his internal inhibitions which operate to protect him from threat (70:351). 89 Communicating in Difficult Situations It is important for all communicators to be aware that there are three main types of defensive behavior that can occur to prevent a person from receiving and under standing the intended meaning of a communication: 1. When a communication triggers an intense feel ing of anxiety in the recipient, the latter usually fails to pay attention to what is being said. 2. When exposed to an anxiety-arousing communica tion, the communicatee occasionally reacts to the unpleasant experience by becoming aggres sive toward the communicator and rejecting his statement. 3. The recipient may react to anxiety-arousing communication by developing a new habit of defensive avoidance (45:84). It Is readily apparent that to be an effective communicator one must know, understand and practice sound human relations. This is especially true when something is being communicated which is unpleasant, or which may create anxiety in the communicatee. One of the most widely-read authors on effective human relations is Carnegie, who offers these suggestions among others for succeeding in attempts to communicate in difficult or 90 tense situations. Criticizing People When it is necessary to criticize, or to ask employees to make changes, it is tremendously important that this be accomplished without giving offense or arous ing resentment. The following suggestions are offered for alleviating the situation: 1. Begin with praise and sincere appreciation. 2. Call attention indirectly to the mistakes that call for correction. 3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticiz ing those of another. 4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders. 5. Let the other fellow "save face." 6. Praise the slightest improvement, and praise every improvement. 7. Give the other person a reputation to live up to. 8. Use encouragement and make the fault seem easy to correct. 9. Make the other person happy about doing what is suggested (14:200). The school executive frequently finds himself facing the difficult task of having to persuade or convince the staff that some type of change is necessary or that a 91 different course of action be followed. Oliver, Dickey and Zelko suggest that, when the administrator is faced with such a difficult situation, he follow this procedure to get his ideas across: 1. He should demonstrate the inadequacies of the present situation and the weaknesses of other proposed solutions. 2. He should prove conclusively that his recom mendation is the only sure and safe one to follow. 3. He should show how the idea he is suggesting has been accepted by others and has been successfully implemented (59:242). It is tremendously important for the administrator to be cautious and conservative in his attempt to change things within an organization. This is especially true if it has been used for a long time and is well accepted. Any abrupt and direct attack on the group opinion or an attempt to refute their positions or actions will natur ally lead to almost certain failure for the administrator to gain enthusiastic acceptance for his suggestion. It is better to appreciate the prevailing and current method of operation and to build on existing attitudes rather than to initiate great and sweeping changes (59:243). 92 Receiving Complaints The art of being able to handle complaints effec tively is one that every Administrator must master. Carnegie recommends these techniques: 1. Let the person complaining talk himself out. 2. Don't talk too much yourself. 3. Don't interrupt, even if you disagree. 4. Don't try to defend or explain until the other person has expressed himself fully--otherwise he won't listen. 5. Listen to him sincerely and with an open mind. 6. Encourage the person to express himself fully (14:88). Securing Cooperation Carnegie believes that an administrator must secure the cooperation of others in the organization, the course of wisdom being to confine himself to offering suggestions, and then to let the other person involved think out the conclusion for himself. If the person is consulted and considers the idea to be his own, he will be much more inclined to cooperate enthusiastically (14:130). Improving Human Relations Basic Considerations Lee, an authority in communication and the art of personnel relations, suggests these ten rules for bringing about improved personal relations among people: 1. Learn all about a problem before trying to solve it. (Listen a lot and talk a little.) 2. Try to see the total situation. Don't act on just part of it. 3. Don't be deceived by logic. Most problems are emotional. Emotions aren't logical. 4. Watch for the meaning of words. Look behind words to get their full impact. 5. Avoid making moral judgments. 6. Imagine yourself in the other fellow's place. 7. When a problem gets you down, get away from it Put it out of your mind for a week. 8. Ask yourself, what are the forces acting upon the other fellow? Why does he behave as he does ? 9. Realize that diagnosis must come before action 10. Remember that quick solutions are often the quickest route to trouble. Therefore, take time (49:317). 94 Among many factors that contribute to the success or failure of employer-employee relations, possibly the most significant is that the administrator give sincere, honest recognition and praise for a job well done. On the other hand, probably the most significant source of diffi culty is an administrator's failure to let his employees know exactly how they stand with respect to their jobs (22:23). Favorable Climate for Communications The proper environment for effective information- sharing is one which encourages criticism, suggestions, and the admittance that problems exist (193:17). Such a favor able climate for information exchange can be achieved if the following conditions exist: 1. The persons feel the absence of threat--they feel safe. 2. There is a non-judgmental or non-evaluative atmosphere. 3. The individuals feel understood and accepted. 4. All persons are listened to patiently and on an equal footing (70:347). 3. There is an honest desire to communicate and to keep others informed (192:71). 6. There is a close and harmonious relationship among all individuals (23:60). 95 Effect of Status and Rank on Communications Status and rank are key factors in building an atmosphere conducive to effective communication. The difference in position or rank represents natural barriers that may frequently interfere with mutual understanding and free expression. These barriers create a type of social distance, and the greater the social distance, the more difficult and restrained are relations among the persons Involved. Social distance and the difficulties arising from it can be largely surmounted by frequent informal contacts between supervisors and their employees. A supervisor should always remember that he is judged not only by what he does, but by who he is. A supervisor must in all his actions show that he really maintains an open-door policy--it is not enough merely to announce the policy. His comnunications problems will be kept to a minimum if he makes himself always available and genuinely interested in the employees (52:381). Importance of the Tone of the Communication One of the prime reasons why people fail to get along together smoothly is the seemingly unperceived fact that the tone of voice often transmits a message that is contradictory to the One registered by the words that are uttered. People are stirred to resentment more often by 96 tonal inflections than by the literal significance of the words. One of the most frequently observed discrepancies between words and voice tone is the polite phrase that conceals boredom or even distaste. Awareness of the sig nificance of tone is essential to the improvement of one's tone of voice (158:15). There is nothing quite as effective as the delib erate use of a level tone to reduce the tensions that occur in daily activities. Individuals who get along the best with workmen, servants, and children are those who dismiss the medium-high tone of authority or superiority from their speech. The conscious use of the level and natural tone helps to enrich all human relationships and minimizes fric tion and conflict (158:17). Psychological Factors Influencing Communication Almost infinite in number are the factors that can influence the success or failure of a communication. Some of the most important considerations, according to authori tative opinion, appear to be those presented in Figure 3. Considerations Prior to Communicating The skilled and effective communicator pauses to consider several psychological factors prior to communicat ing to anyone. First of all, he remembers the single-most PSYCHOLOGICAL Communicator Motives Personality Ability to communicate Attitude toward content Attitude toward receptor Background Frame of reference Choice and use of language Clarity in expression Actions Tone used Medium used Timing of message Spacing of messages Status relationship Personal relationship Prejudices Objectivity FIGURE 3 THAT INFLUENCE COMMUNICATION Content Communicatee Ideas involved Importance Applicability Emotions involved Personality Ability Conception of sender Background Mood when received Setting when received Status relationship Personal relationship Interest in content Knowledge of subject Experience Prejudices Preconceptions Respect for medium Fairness of message Amount received Accuracy of sender 98 important psychological principle underlying all communica tion-- the circuit response. The essence of this concept is that communication is always a two-way affair in which the listener or the reader are of equal importance to the speaker or the writer; each makes an equally significant contribution to the successful completion of the process, i.e., the sharing of information (58:7). The actual method or medium of communication should then be determined by the communicator taking into consider ation the most effective method for the particular person or persons involved. He knows that the more carefully the communication is tailored to the individual differences of the recipient(s), the more effective it will become (30:68). The communicator then considers how direct or indirect he should be in sending the message. He must decide whether it would be more effective to present the information without drawing the Implied conclusion (letting the communicatee draw his own conclusion), or whether to present the information and also draw the conclusion for the reader or listener. Naturally, the type of information and the intelligence of the intended receiver will dictate the method which he will select (138:374). Finally he comes to the "moment of truth" when he must decide exactly how to present the information to the particular person or persons so that it will inspire the most favorable reaction, and the precise reaction desired. 99 Factors Influencing Reception A person's psychological "set” toward a communica tion generally depends on his past experience, and upon a variety of preceding events (18:273). There are also many specific psychological factors that help to determine the success or failure of a particular communication. Some of these factors have been studied in recent research. Research evidence indicates that the recipient's reactions to a communication are affected significantly by his feelings toward the communicator himself. If he Is liked, respected, trusted, and considered to be well informed, his communication will tend to be more effective and will be judged more favorably than will a message from one who is not so highly esteemed (45:35). A communication which is geared to the personal interests of the receiver will also tend to be more success ful than the one which is not. This is especially true when it rewards or benefits the communicatee in some manner; in this case he is certain to be highly motivated (138:375). For any communication to be well received, it must appeal directly and with sincerity to the interests of the receiver (92:23). Another significant factor in determining the response to a communication is the content of the message itself. If the content is considered to be desirable by the recipient, in all probability it will be successful 100 (45:163). An adverse response can be expected also if the communicatee is incapable of doing what is requested, or if he deems the request to be unreasonable (92:23). The situation of the communicatee at the tirpe he receives the information is also important in determining the effectiveness of the communication. Every communica tion situation possesses quasi-physical, quasi-social, and quasi-psychological properties which influence the success of its reception (124:174). The receiver's general "susceptivity" to communica tion and his readiness to accept or reject particular communications are two other important considerations that help to determine his reaction to the communication (45:174). If he is open-minded, rather than inclined to quickly judge and evaluate from his own point of view, chances are that the communication will be well received (149:31). The style used by the communicator is also impor tant in determining the receiver’s attitude toward the message. Simple style is preferable to complex; warm to impersonal; enthusiastic, alive, emotion-arousing words are preferable to words lacking in these attributes (22:18). Creating Cooperative Attitudes toward Communications Creating the proper attitude or receptivity for communication is more than half the battle. It would 101 Indeed be fortunate if this were easy to accomplish quickly (134:88). Sharp changes in attitude are rarely brought about by exposure to communications, regardless of type or degree of involvement of the recipient. This is a truism that any executive who is impatient and eager to accomplish big things must face squarely and accept; no matter how impor tant or worthy the goal, if he fails to recognize this factor of time, he will encounter serious difficulty (30:53). There is clear consensus among communication specialists that school executives, and executives in general, should appreciate that communication is most effective when it builds on existing attitudes or where it can propel into action a latent impulse (30:53). Another important aspect which should be considered in any discussion of attitudes as they relate to communica tion is this: the deeper the personal involvement of the individual in the subject being communicated, the less likely he is to be affected by what he sees, hears, or reads. Even if the communication is effective to some extent, he will almost never go directly against traditions, or attitudes of his reference groups or his own personal conviction (30:55). One of the biggest needs in administrative and supervisory communications and relationships with fellow 102 staff members is to find the time (1) to be genuinely interested in providing for the emotional drives and needs of the staffs as well as (2) to reach out to their rational and intellectual responses and needs (92:25). Communication and Its Effect on Morale Good communication and good employee morale are so closely interwoven as to be inseparable. Effective commu nication can exist only where satisfactory morale exists. Satisfactory morale cannot exist where communication is blocked. Executives who think in terms of employee atti tude and who share every conceivable fact and bit of information of interest with their employees or subordi nates find that morale and job satisfaction are enhanced (156:255). The Baltimore Committee on Communications reported * a number of practices that school administrators or super visors have found to be effective for improving staff morale: 1. Making the individual staff member feel needed and like a regular member of the team. 2. Demonstrating the feeling of the importance of ideas received from the staff. 3. Disseminating information about the school to all personnel. 4. Encouraging all persons to learn authentic information concerning their own duties. 5. Making information available and easy to use. 6. Evaluating communications promptly. 7. Making greater use of non-written types of communication, such as visits, conferences, conversations and interviews. 8. Reducing the bulk and complexity of published material by using simple language. 9. Planning in advance to minimize the need to hurry, especially when it involves other people (92:26). 10. Asking this question continually: "Am I getting through to my people?" (24:228). Some additional suggestions regarding techniques of improving communication that improve staff morale were offered by Benevento and Lonsdale in an article in the School Executive. Adherence to the following ideas regard ing administrative behavior, they believe, will reap a bountiful harvest in employee good will: 1. Make his attitude clear to the staff. 2. Keep organizational objectives closely and continually in mind. 3. Approach any problem of staff morale directly. 4. Make time available to circulate among, listen to and converse with staff members. 104 5. Always strive to keep the personal welfare of the staff clearly In mind. 6. Create a friendly atmosphere with the staff and to encourage them to discuss their problems freely with him. 7. Inform the staff of the fact that each one of them has a very important role and function in the total scheme of things (95:64). If the school administrator could master these precepts and practice them constantly, it would appear that the psychological aspects of communication could be improved to a remarkable extent. Summary of the Chapter In this chapter was reviewed the related literature as it pertains to the psychological aspects of communica tion in a large organization. The results of research in industrial and educational settings were coordinated. The importance of human relations to the success or failure of communications has been discussed by many authorities; research has demonstrated that human relations and communications are so closely interrelated as to be inseparable. Basic to good human relations--the objective of most intra-organizetional communication— is the attempt of administrators to understand other people better. 105 Various methods of accomplishing this were cited. Techniques for coping with difficult and tense situations were discussed, and suggestions were extracted from the literature regarding methods of handling com* plaints, offering criticisms, overcoming disagreements, and securing cooperation of staff members. Specific steps for improving human relations included (1) seeing the total situation before reacting, (2) placing yourself in the other fellow's position, and (3) sincerely trying to understand him. From an almost infinite number of factors that might conceivably influence a given communication, those that affect the sending and receiving of communications most significantly were explained and discussed in some detail. The creating of a favorable climate and the build ing of cooperative attitudes toward communications were seen to depend upon a realization that these objectives could not be accomplished rapidly, and should not be expected to be quickly achieved. Writings pertaining to the relationship between good communication and good morale were examined, and recommendations were made for improving morale. CHAPTER VII PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION A thorough knowledge of the principles of effective communication, and an earnest effort to apply them is an essential first step in the development of a communications program. But this step, alone, is no panacea nor can it offer a guarantee that problems resulting from such faulty situations as unsatisfactory personal relations will be solved. A leader who has not established rapport with those whom he heads, who is not respected by his subordinates, is destined to failure, no matter how great his technical understanding or how skillful his utilization of the tech nological marvels of communication (139:1). General Characteristics of Effective Communication One could probably identify an unlimited number of elements and attributes that characterize an effective com munication. Many writers have attempted to single out those that are most significant. Before reviewing some of the more specific characteristics, it is well at this point to consider the broad general considerations having to do with 106 the purpose of the process. 107 Value and Importance of the Message The first criterion of effective communication is that there must be something worth communicating. Messages must be purposeful and say something of significance or consequence to the person receiving the communication or they will deservedly be ignored. If the message is without real substance and congruence it will arouse no more than an attitude of complacency or apathy on the part of the recipient. Such a message, consequently, should not be transmitted. Creating Interest in Communications The creation of interest in the communication is a prime consideration. Unless the receiver is sufficiently intrigued to be attentive, the communication has lost all possibility of being successful. Some of the generally accepted techniques for arousing and maintaining interest are as listed. 1. Convince the communicatee of your need to communicate and the importance of the message to him. 2. Personalize the message and adapt it to the person and the situation (27:16). 3. Refer to something of common experience. 4. Make it concrete and specific by using names, places, things, and events. 5. Use vivid words which contain a lively and pictorial quality. 6. Give frequent examples and quote authorities that are familiar to the audience. 7. Connect the message to the vital drives and interests of the receiver. 8. Use a reasonable amount of humor (59:108). 9. Arouse a felt need for action and be sure you have answered "So what?" (21:121) Adapting the Communication to the Recipient It is also vitally important for the communicator to adapt his material and methods of expression to the attitude of his reader or listener (25:18). No communica tion can be effective unless it is appropriate to the author or speaker, to the reader or listener, and to the specific situation. The person who originates the commu nication must expect to adapt it continually to make it suitable to differences in individuals and to the specifics of individual situations (67:37). Tact and Consideration in Communicating All communications should be tactful and should be consistent with the golden rule (22:43). It has been 109 observed that the successful executive does not pride him self on his courage in saying exactly what is on his mind} regardless of the reactions of others; instead, much of his effectiveness lies in his ability to sense how others will react so that his ideas are always favorably received. Many times bluntness or lack of tact is rationalized as courage when it is merely a lack of awareness and consider ation for the feelings, needs, and attitudes of others (59:12). Honesty and Sincerity Of cardinal importance is the communicator1s sincerity in presenting correct and complete information when he exchanges information with others. Communications which are presented honestly and with complete frankness are always more successful than those which are manipulated for a rigged purpose. If pertinent facts are withheld from a communication, this should be indicated, together with the reason for doing so (19:21). Social Acceptability It is essential that communications be appropriate to the situation and socially acceptable to the persons to whom the communication is directed. In this connection, Rogers states: Communication is socially acceptable when it is free from readily determinable illiteracies, and when it is characterized by observation of current 110 linguistic conventions which are validated by the practice of educated writers and speakers (170:450). The Timing of the Communication The timing of a communication can be crucial. Redfield notes that even in an emergency a communicator dares not overlook the situational, psychological and technical aspects of timing the communication. He believes that the immediate superior or immediate subordinate is in the best position to perceive the psychological factors and to offer advice so as to time the transmission of the message most successfully. Redfield urges all communica tors to make certain that all information reaches the right person at the right time (67:33). Hall, too, perceives that the timing of the commu nication largely determines its failure or success. The impact of this factor he describes as "tremendous." He recommends that communicators notify all concerned persons about meetings, deadlines, and so on, as far in advance as possible; if this pre~warning is ample, the results will be much greater than if notices are issued at the last minute (134:86). Davies and Herrold reinforce Hall's viewpoint and assert that the effective and efficient administrator pre vents hurried communication; he spreads his communications out over a longer period of time and distributes them in orderly and planned fashion (22:24). Ill Chisholm advocates the rapid and continuous dissemination of current information as the best means of combatting misinformation. Grievances often arise from poor timing of communications (19:36). Research done by Murphy indicates that when an administrator must give bad news, it is sound practice for him to do it early in the day, and early in the week. Conversely, good news should be given late in the week and during the afternoon (57:99). Witt states that the proper atmosphere and timing for a communication is so important that it would be worth while to go so far as to dismiss classes periodically or provide substitute teachers to enable teachers to meet and exchange thoughts and ideas (191:294). Proper Sequence of Communicating Closely related to proper timing for a communica tion is its proper sequence among other communications. The sequence should be carefully planned and organized so that maximum results will be attained. Davies and Herrold, in Communication and the Administration. suggest the following as a possible sequence for purposeful communicating: 1. Sender determines exact purpose of the communication. 2. Sender considers and predicts receiver's reaction. 3. Sender selects the content most likely to achieve the purpose and the best way to express it. 4. Sender selects the communication medium. 5. Sender decides the time and the setting for the message transmission and reception. 6. Sender decides the readiness of the communica tee to receive the symbols or message to be sent. 7. Communicatee receives the message and reads it or listens to it with all of his perceptive abilities based on his experience, emotions, and intellect. 8. Communicatee appraises the content as he perceives it. 9. Communicatee prepares to react or act. 10. Communicatee makes a choice among alternate actions (22:16). Arrangement of the Material to Be Communicated Dean cautions the communicator to remember that the correct arrangement of material to be communicated is vital if optimum meaning is to be exchanged. Every speech or written work needs a good introduction. The introduction should achieve two things almost immediately: (1) it must 113 arouse interest, and (2) it must let the audience know what to expect. Any good introduction explains exactly what the subject is and how it affects the personal interests of the audience. The body presents detailed analysis and the specific material necessary to put the main idea across. An effective conclusion summarizes and re-empha sizes the key ideas. An effective conclusion is particu larly important in oral communication (23:44). Attractiveness of the Communication Communications which are attractive and pleasant to the eye are likely to be more effective than those which lack this quality (191:295). Dooher and Marquis have demonstrated that in learn ing the visual sense, alone, accounts for 87 per cent of its effectiveness; hearing, alone, makes up only 7 per cent; and the remaining three senses together account for 6 per cent (26:85). Evidence that is perhaps contradictory to the find ings of Dooher and Marquis pertains to the effectiveness of learning. Here it is indicated that oral communication results in more retention of simple and brief materials than does visual communication. However, the combined use of oral and visual communication results in more retention of simple and brief material than does the use of either 114 method alone. Naturally, difficult material is retained better when the combined methods are used (175:506). Clarity in Communicating Clarity in communication can be attained if the com municator has an awareness of the importance of this aspect of communication, and the desire to work conscientiously to achieve clarity of expression (36:93). In fact, communicators cannot hope to influence their readers or listeners, nor to elicit the desired response, if they fail to exercise the proper care in their use of words. Thus, as Gowers remarks, the basic law is, "The words employed should be such as to convey to the reader the meaning of the writer." Actually the person communicating needs to choose the right words in order that his meaning be clear not only to the communicant, but to himself. Therefore, the first requisite for any communica tor is to know just what meaning he hopes to convey and then to select the words which express this most precisely (35:9). Clarifying Meanings General Aids for Clarification The first step in clarifying the communication is to make sure that the communicator has been clear in his own thinking. Confucius is quoted as saying: "If language 115 Is not correct and clear, then what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant then what ought to be done remains undone" (35:176). Grace and Grace (36), Nichols and Lewis (58), MeBurney and Wrage (54), Dean (25), Hayakawa (41), Walpole (82), Phillips (64), and Nordberg (162) all offer recommen dations for clarifying communications. A composite list is here compiled from their writings: 1. Develop a sentence outline to serve as a guide. 2. Use the most exact word you can for expressing your thought. 3. Define all important terms. 4. Use the personal and human approach rather than the impersonal and mechanical. 5. Use correct grammar, especially consistent use of tense agreement and subject-verb agreement. 6. Employ figures of speech appropriate to the message. 7. Be concrete and specific rather than abstract and general. 8. Use active tense and positive statements instead of passive tense and negative state ments . 9. Say things with simple and familiar words, in a concise manner. 10. Explain your thoughts in a number of ways. 116 11. Compare and contrast ideas. 12. Repeat key statements and restate important ideas. 13. Give the communicant an opportunity to ask questions. Rudolph Flesch in The Art of Plain Talk offers additional suggestions for clarifying the meaning of the communication. Among his most significant recommendations are these: 1. Give the other person time to think and under stand by pausing between sentences, repeating yourself, and using filler words. 2. Space your big important ideas by using irrelevant words and small talk between your big thoughts. Otherwise the person listening or reading will necessarily miss some of the important ideas being conveyed (32:24). i 3. Write or speak in short sentences. A sentence that contains fewer than fourteen words is easy to understand. If it has around seventeen words, then it is of average difficulty, but if it has twenty-one words or more, the sentence becomes difficult to comprehend (32:38). 4. Prefer the familiar to the far-fetched word, the concrete to the abstract, the direct to the 117 circumlocution, the short to the long, and the Saxon to the Romance (32:43). 3. Use fewer affixes, more root words, and more personal references (32:38). 6. Make up a gobbledygook dictionary and refuse to use any word on the list (32:129). Finally, Flesch admonishes the coranunicator to prac tice the biblical quotation (I Corinthians XIV:9): "Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air” (32:130). Specific Aids for Clarification The intelligent use of supporting material usually results in clarifying the material for the recipient, and thus in greater comprehension. In Essentials of Communica tion, Oliver, Dickey and Zelko present an exhaustive discussion of the many forms of "support" that are avail able to the communicator. 1. The example can be used very effectively. It must be carefully implemented so that the instances chosen are typical of the whole situation. The communicator should select his example only after careful analysis of his goal which might be general, specific, or hypothetical. Once this is accomplished, he should choose the one which is most pertinent to the specific purpose or situation. 118 2. The illustration has great potential as a clarifying tool. This method is effective, whether the audience is already favorable to the communicator's point of view or is unfamiliar with the subject. Types of illustration are analogy or comparison, simile and metaphor, the story, the anecdote, or the parable. 3. Testimony is sometimes used as a form of support. It is generally used to prove a point, or to emphasize or clarify a point. Authorities are often quoted for this purpose. 4. Statistics can be very valuable in explaining material, but must be handled carefully, truthfully and understandably. If used infrequently, they can retain their power of impact. 5. Explanation is an especially valuable technique for clarifying information. Definition and classification, among other methods of support, are commonly used for this purpose. 6. One of the most effective ways to make an idea clear is to impress it on the reader or listener by using the principle of restatement. Repetition must be used sparingly, however, or it will defeat its purpose. It is a good idea to sprinkle restatement throughout one's presen tation by using such terms as "I repeat" or "in other words" (59). The question of desirability or inadvisability of 119 drawing conclusions for the reader or listener remains unresolved. When communicating to an intelligent group, there appears to be less need to spell out the Implica tions, or to offer conclusions. On the other hand, with less intelligent persons, there is the definite possibility that they will fail to arrive at the correct conclusions through their own efforts and abilities. The speaker or writer will need to analyze his listener or reader before deciding which approach he should elect to follow (45:103). The administrator who must impart information of great importance to his staff, who wishes to emphasize certain material, and who wants to draw special attention to the material so it will be retained, will find Ehrensberger's suggestions particularly helpful. Ways of Increasing the impact of the message are as follows: 1. Calling the attention of an audience to the importance of the remark before uttering the remark is by far the most effective means of assuring attention to the statement, and thus encouraging its retention. 2. Knowing that repeating too much can cause an audience to become bored and inattentive (repetition twice in a row is ineffective). 3. Varying the speech rate, slowing down, has been shown to be particularly effective for empha sizing points. 120 4. Using a loud voice produces negative results; therefore, the normal voice volume should be used. 5. Using a soft voice has little value, unless a sudden drop in volume is preceded by a pause, and words are emphasized sotto voce. 6. Pausing is very effective for retention; the audience rehears the previous words during the interval. 7. Using an appropriate gesture is of equal value to the pause. 8. Using concentrated repetition is better than distributed repetition; after more than three repetitions, the law of diminishing returns sets in. 9. Using appropriate pitch variety at crucial points (122:105). The administrator should know and understand the implications of the law of primacy and recency of a communication and its effect on retention. The facts, as currently known, are presented by Hovland, as follows: 1. There is serious doubt that it will ever be meaningful to postulate a law of primacy in social psychology; this law states that material presented first will be more effective than that presented second (45:129). When two sides of an issue are presented successively by different communications, the side presented first does not necessarily have the advantage. When contradictory information is presented in a single communication by a single communicator, there is a pronounced tendency for items pre sented first to dominate the impressions received. The order of presentation is a more significant factor in influencing opinions of subjects with relatively weak desire for understanding than it is with those whose cognitive need is high. In any communication it is more effective to give desirable information first, and less desirable information last. This has been found to result in more opinion change than occurs when the less desirable precedes the desirable information. When an authoritative communicator plans to mention pro arguments and also non-salient con arguments, the pro-first order is superior to the con-first order (44:130). Methods of Communicating The principles of effective communication discussed so far in this chapter have pertained to communication in general. It is important now to consider that communica tion may be separated into four distinct and specific processes, each with its own attributes and skills: (1) speaking, (2) listening, (3) writing, and (4) reading (170:445). These four skills of communication do not operate in isolation. What is written is read, what is spoken is heard, what is written and read is discussed, and so on (170:447). These four skills are now investigated indi vidually in some detail. The Spoken Communication The administrator should attempt to communicate orally whenever possible and practicable. It is true that the busy executive must resort to much written communica tion. Nevertheless, he should speak face-to-face whenever possible, for this method offers him a tremendous advan tage. Corson (110), Zelko and O’Brion (87), and Gray (38) emphasize the many advantages of the spoken word, the most significant of which are: 1. The face is the dominant power in expression, and enables the communicator to supplement his verbal expressions by the appropriate look or 123 gesture. 2. It is the warmest and most personal method and is thus best suited to building mutual confi dence and understanding. 3. It is flexible and adaptable to any situation and provides an opportunity for two-way exchange of ideas which makes it possible to clear up obscure points. 4. It is the fastest, and is most economical of time and labor. The obligation of the purposive administrator when speaking is to work from some logical structure that is clear, understandable, precise, and definite. The listener is assisted in making a logical analysis of the thoughts conveyed (177:444). Planning and organizing a speech. Several steps are basic to the planning and organizing of a speech. Logical analysis of these steps is made by such speech authorities as Dean (25), Zelko and O'Brion (87), and Sondel (177): 1. Write out a specific goal in a simple sentence and use it as a guide for the entire talk. 2. Narrow the subject in relation to the time available. 3. Construct an outline for organization and 124 delivery. 4. Select the pattern of organization. 5. Consider the listener's knowledge, interests, needs, frame of mind, capacity to understand, and general receptivity. 6. Analyze your own knowledge of the subject and your need to secure additional information. 7. Assemble your ideas and the necessary materials. 8. Develop your ideas and style according to the outline and specific objectives or goals. 9. Decide on exactly which information should be presented and omit any irrelevant material. 10. Consider methods of increasing the receptivity and the interest of the audience, with special emphasis on the development of a strong introduction and conclusion. Delivering a speech. The second and most important step is the delivering of the speech. Nichols and Lewis (58), Oliver, Dickey and Zelko (59), Phillips (64), and Chisholm (19) present comprehensive analyses and detailed information regarding speech organization and delivery. The interested reader will wish to refer to these sources for elaboration of this subject. Speech delivery consists of a complexity of factors and variables, some of which are tangible and others of 125 which are essentially intangible. Tangible factors are such things as platform etiquette, behavior, poise, bodily movement, personal mannerisms, choice of words, grammar, style, voice quality, voice variety, and use of gesture. Intangibles include such things as the speaker's attitude toward the listeners, toward himself, and toward his subject-matter; his communicativeness or rapport with the group; and his ability to shape the talk to the nature and receptivity of his listeners (59:112). Attitude toward the audience. The administrator's attitude toward his staff and the staff's conception of the administrator greatly influence the success of the presen tation. The administrator will create a more favorable image in the minds of his associates if he is aware of the need to follow these suggestions: 1. Gain a knowledge of and practice proper speech principles and techniques. 2. Make a study of himself and other persons (59:12). 3. Study the occasion, the timing, and the purpose of the gathering in order that his appearance and attitude will suit the occasion. 4. Remember that what a person says is often less important than how he says It and that appear ance and mannerisms also communicate (19 :96). 126 5. Show sincerity, honesty in approach, integrity of purpose and manner (51:296). 6. Strive to be constructive in attitude and begin with points of agreement (57:86). 7. Speak to all persons in the group and be care ful not to exclude any segment of it--remember ing that he is speaking to individuals within a group and not a group in its totality (25:225). 8. Watch the listener's facial expressions and bodily posture and actions as a clue to his reaction to the statements being made (57:86). 9. Strive to be pleasant and to control the emotions (55:41). 10. Talk modestly with people, not at or down to them (57:86). Voice. The speaker's voice reveals a great deal about his general attitudes and personality. Its quality may be pleasing or annoying, reassuring or disturbing, communicative or hard to understand and follow (59:131). Nichols and Lewis consider three essentials of a good voice: (1) It must be completely audible to the listener. (2) It must have a pleasant quality. (3) The tone production should be varied (58:119). Oliver, Dickey and Zelko contend that a desirable speaking voice is characterized by the following 127 attributes: 1. Enthusiasm and liveliness. 2. Adequacy in force and volume. 3. Pleasantness of quality. 4. Variety of pitch and inflection according to what is being expressed (39:131). Dean urges the speaker to keep his normal or natural speaking voice when giving a talk (23:225). Articulation and pronunciation. No school executive can afford to be careless in his articulation or pronuncia tion. Faulty articulation and incorrect pronunciation may become serious barriers to the establishment of effective human relations (59:134). Proper articulation and pronun ciation are said to exist when a speaker is able to produce the sounds of the English language in connected speech clearly, distinctly, accurately, rhythmically, and in a manner that does not distract his listeners from what is actually being communicated (55:41). Correct pronunciation results from a constant study of words and a continuing effort to master their use. Although pronunciation is not a matter of absolutes, one should probably strive to use the accepted pronunciation in the region in which the speaker resides (59:135). When a speaker is in doubt regarding the correct pronunciation of a word a quick perusal of the dictionary will immediately 128 solve his problem. (Kenyon and Knott's A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English [58:126] is a standard reference.) Words used by the speaker must be instantly Intel* ligible and understandable if conmunication is to be effective. If the speaker fails in this responsibility, then the listener will fail to understand and will be easily distracted (59:135). Style. Effective style of expression and skillful language usage also contribute much to the success of any spoken conmunication. Dean describes an effective speaking style as one which encompasses these points: (1) variety in sentence structure and length, (2) arrangement and order of ideas in sentences, (3) rhythm and repetition of sounds, (4) use of effective figures of speech, and (5) conciseness and preciseness (25:291). Diction. Babcock gives school executives and speakers in general some concrete suggestions on Improving diction. The most relevant points are: 1. Use words which are accurate, sharp, clear, and which express your thinking exactly. 2. Use specific and concrete words whenever possible. 3. Avoid vague or general words and don't mistake one word for another. 129 4. Avoid words which either exaggerate or depre ciate your ideas. 5. Avoid ambiguous or equivocal words. 6. Avoid using pretentious or eccentric words. 7. Avoid trite words or cliches. 8. Avoid wordiness, and careless repetitions. 9. Avoid using passive words to excess. 10. Omit meaningless or deadwood types of words (2:357). Bodily movement. Body movement is an essential part of speech, and may take any of a number of forms: eye contact, facial expression, gestures, posture, and walking. All help to promote the communication of ideas between speaker and listener. According to Nichols and Lewis, several definite advantages accrue from effective body activity: (1) It attracts the attention of the listener. (2) It maintains an interest in the speaker, (3) It helps the audience to judge the personality of the speaker and his attitude toward them. (4) It serves as a transitional aid (58:114). Each gesture should be meaningful and direct to its pur pose. Effective movements of arms and hands should be vigorous, timed correctly, definite, and varied (58:116). All gestures should be coordinated with the ideas being expressed (14:117). 130 The most important single bodily action is the speaker's direct eye contact with his listeners. Such interaction between speaker and listener continues through out the entire communication situation. The speaker who neglects to use frequent and direct eye contact is denying himself one of his most potent weapons (58:114). Listening. The communication skill most closely connected to speaking is, of course, listening. The Industrial Relations Center of the University of Minnesota asserts categorically that "The most neglected area of communication is listening. Management is especially guilty of violating this principle" (46:32). The skilled administrator can realize great value from listening carefully and sincerely to his associates. Some of the most significant benefits are described by Carnegie (14), by Hayakawa (135), by Zelko (192), and by Murphy (57) as follows: 1. Helps to win friends and influence people. 2. Subdues even the most violent critic (14:83). 3. Produces greater mutual understanding although it may not result in agreement (135:10). 4. Enables both superior and subordinate to under stand the desires and needs of the other (46:47). 5. Provides necessary information and basis for solving or avoiding problems (57:155). 131 The informed administrator can expect his col leagues to express themselves only if he is a truly good listener, encourages them to speak freely, and is always receptive and sympathetic to what they express (87:153). Fortunately for executives, the art of effective listening can be learned (26:26). Unfortunately, however, few execu tives have mastered this extremely valuable skill. Important listening facts. Communication special ists encourage administrators to strive to remember these essential facts about listening: 1. No one is going to listen very long unless he has a purpose in so doing. It is up to the speaker to provide this reason for him (54:116). 2. Listening and hearing are not the same thing. Anyone can hear, but listening requires an open mind as a condition for comprehension (2:14). 3. More attention must be devoted to learning how to listen. Surveys show that people listen three times as much as they read. Yet the training of people in the art of listening is largely neglected (161:7). 4. Most people are poor listeners. Research indicates that after the average person has listened to someone talk, he is able to remember no more than 50 per cent of the 132 Information, regardless of how carefully he has tried to listen. After an interval of two months, only 25 per cent is still retained (161:17). 5. Confusion, misinformation and misunderstanding are the products of poor and ineffective listening (105:32). Principles of effective listening. Research indi cates that school administrators could well profit from a knowledge of the principles of effective listening. There has been consensus among authorities as to many of the most essential of these principles: 1. Sincere interest in the ideas being communi cated. 2. Definite purpose in listening. 3. Undivided attention to what is being said. 4. Emotional stability. 5. Open-mindedness and objectivity. 6. Ability to analyze discourse into its basic elements (recognizing the method of organiza tion, arrangement, support, clarification and defense). 7. Ability to evaluate critically (2:246). 8. Capacity to be flexible. 9. Receptivity to the ideas and feelings of others (59:148). 133 10. Active effort and thinking (58:11). 11. Ability to interpret language in terms of the speaker's experience. 12. Ability to exercise self discipline (26:26). Attitude of the listener. Critical school execu tives need to recognize that listening requires a firm intent to understand another person and complete attention. However, equally important it requires a certain amount of courage and personal security (34:180). Another characteristic of a proper attitude for true listening, according to Hayakawa and reinforced by the equally famous authority on communication, Alfred Korxybski, is that listening should be as objective and as constructive as possible. This is needed as one's experi ence and background tend to make one prejudiced. He further urges the listener to listen to understand and not to combat and to remember "I say what I say; I do not say what I do not say" (135:12). There is a definite art to listening with interest and objectivity and yet not agreeing. Lee (49) suggests that if a person presents a viewpoint that a listener dis agrees with, the listener can cope with the situation in either of two ways: (1) he can immediately offer counter arguments to show the speaker that he is wrong, or (2) he can express interest, not approval, in his point of view 134 and ask him to tell you more about it. It is readily apparent that the latter technique is generally more successful as it leads to a relaxation of tension and makes agreement possible. Concentration is basic to effective listening and precedes understanding. The four essential ingredients for concentration, according to Nichols and Lewis (38), are: 1. Anticipating what the speaker will say before he says it. 2. Noting the adequacy with which he supports each of his points. 3. Reviewing each main point of the talk as it evolves. 4. Listening between the lines in a search for additional meaning. Chase, one of the foremost authorities in the field of linguistics, advises the listener to adapt his technique of listening to, first, the listener's own purpose; second, the speaker's purpose; third, the nature of the message; and, finally, the listening situation itself (105:32). The final important quality of a listener posses sing a proper attitude for listening, according to Zelko, is a sincere desire to listen and the willingness to put oneself in the speaker's position in the attempt to under stand not only his messages, but his motives (192:73). 135 Factors influencing the listening situation. Many factors Influence the listener and the listening situation in significant ways. The administrator who desires to become an effective listener or who wishes to assist others to develop skill in this art should be aware of them. Some of the most pertinent factors, according to Zelko, are these seven: 1. Position and prestige level of the speaker. 2. The reason why the speaker is communicating this message. 3. The attitude of the speaker toward the message. 4. The listener's own attitude toward the message, and the reason for his attitude. 5. Realization that listeners can listen much faster than speakers can speak (the average speaker speaks one hundred twenty-five words per minute; most people can listen at the rate of four hundred words per minute). 6. Recognition that prejudices and personal sensi tivities tend to interfere with the real meaning being exchanged. 7. Cognizance that hearing and listening are not the same; listening implies effort and under standing. The cooperative auditor attempts to comprehend all 136 that the speaker is trying to communicate. A speaker, at best, can do no more than convey to the listener the facts; he cannot give him understanding. Therefore, the minds of both speaker and listener must be alert and active (59:130). Problems of listening. Certain questions regarding undesirable listening habits, Nichols and Stevens suggest, the listener should ask himself: 1. Do you use the excess time (the difference between listening-time and speaking-time) to turn your thoughts elsewhere while you are keeping general track of the conversation? 2. Do you listen primarily for facts, rather than for ideas? 3. Do certain words, phrases or ideas so prejudice you against the speaker that you cannot listen objectively to what is being said? 4. When you are puzzled or annoyed by what someone says, do you try to get the question straight ened out immediately by interrupting the speaker? 5. If you feel that it would take too much time and effort to understand a point, do you inten tionally avoid hearing it? 6. Do you deliberately turn your thoughts to other subjects when you believe a speaker will have nothing particularly interesting to say? 137 7• Can you tell by a person's appearance and delivery that he won't have anything worthwhile to say? 8. When someone is talking to you, do you try to make him think you are paying attention when you are not? 9. When you are listening, are you easily dis tracted by outside sights and sounds? 10. If you want to remember what is being said, do you write it down as he goes along? The majority of administrators would in all proba bility have to plead guilty to some of these inadequacies. They will find some consolation in the fact that most people listen inadequately. Listening skill, let us repeat, can be developed by training, and definite improvement is easily attainable (38:11). Improving listening ability. It is outside the scope of this study to attempt to offer detailed recommen dations for improving listening skills. Authorities have agreed concerning certain techniques for improving listen ing abilities, without particular reference to the administrator. Among the most relevant of the recommenda tions are the following: 1. Be less interested in talking, and more in listening. 139 17. Analyze your listening strengths and weak nesses . 18. Question the speaker especially about diffi cult material In order to clarify your thinking and to be sure that you understand It (140:15). 19. Listen with sincerity, and In a manner which encourages the speaker to do his best (54:123). 20. Try to restate, In your own language, the expression of the speaker so that you can ascertain whether you understood the message as he Intended to communicate It (34:179). Written Communication The written word Is still our greatest means of thoughtful and permanent communication. LaBrant remarks that the most significant advantage of the written word Is that once Ideas are put on paper they may be criticized, re-examined and even memorized (145:186). Murphy offers as a definition of good writing: "Good writing is like a straight line--it's the shortest distance between two points--writer and reader" (57:205). Elements of any written communication. There are three elements of any written communication, according to Shaw (176) (writer, material and reader). The writer's 138 2. Listen carefully to anyone and everyone. 3. Look at and concentrate on the person speaking. 4. Respect the points made, regardless of person alities or prejudices. 5. Be objective and open-minded (192:94). 6. Don't assume anything; rather, hear the person out. 7. Don't interrupt or appear anxious to speak yourself. 8. Try genuinely to understand the person and his need to talk with you. 9. Don't react too quickly, be patient and toler ant (5 :42) . 10. Concentrate on the main ideas rather than the facts. 11. Pay particular attention to summaries and transitions. 12. Listen alertly and actively. 13. Attempt to separate facts from opinions, prejudices and hearsay. 14. Compare and evaluate the speaker's important points. 15. Strive conscientiously to understand, not to refute (192:74). 16. Construct a code of listening manners for yourself--your do's and don'ts. 140 first step in communicating should be to identify and single out the experiences he wishes to share with the reader (10:160). Naturally, clear thinking must precede clear writing. Grace and Grace present this little truism for writers to contemplate over: "As one thinks, so he writes" (36:1). Therefore, there can be no meaningful exchange of information between the writer and the reader unless the writer is clear and organized in his writing. The second major element in any written communica tion is the material itself. A thorough knowledge of the subject is the prime essential for conveying any type of information to another, even though appropriate feeling is of almost equal importance (16:171). The writer must be especially careful in presenting this type of material because there is no possibility of feedback to written communications. Flesch suggests that the writer search his own mind and activate his own imagination in a diligent attempt to sense what material should be conveyed and in which manner (31:135). The third and final essential component of written communication is the reader himself. The reader must understand the message or there has been no effective communication. Therefore, it is mandatory that the writer consider the reader very carefully before writing anything down on paper. One of the most promising procedures to follow for 141 assuring due attention to the reader is for the writer to ask himself certain key questions regarding the total communication and the reader specifically: 1. What purpose am I trying to achieve? 2. How can I best organize or arrange my material to achieve that purpose? (76:4) 3. What am I trying to say? 4. What word or words will say it best? (27:127) 3. What does the reader want to know? 6. Why does the reader want to know? 7. What is the reader capable of understanding? 8. What do I want the reader to do and how do 1 want him to feel? 9. How would I react if I were in his place? (76:10) Consequently a wise axiom for any administrator to conscientiously adhere to would be that advanced by Shurter: ’’Know thy reader" (76:16). Basic difficulty of written communication. The basic difficulty of written communication, according to Corson, is the assumption that the English language means the same thing to all people at all times. Justice Holmes once made this pertinent and perceptive observation regard ing words and language: 142 "A word is not a crystal, transparent, and unchanged it is the skin of a long thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used" (110:12). Corson further admonishes the writer to remember that even when used with care and precision, words are sub ject to the interpretations based on the varying experi ences and backgrounds of those who receive them (110:113). Securing reader interest. The writer must interest the reader and secure his enthusiasm before any communica tion can hope to be reasonably successful. Grace and Grace recommend that these ideas be considered for creating interest in written information: 1. Use concrete and striking details, 2. Use a striking statement at the beginning. 3. Show a personal application of the material. 4. Demonstrate the practical value of the information. 5. Connect the material to the reader's experience. 6. Emphasize the unusual. 7. Approach the reader with the right psychology. 8. Include strong emotional force (36:85). Carver and Geyer contend that if the writer is sincerely interested and enthusiastic about his subject, this will be contagious for the reader (16:171). Once the means of interesting the reader are 143 reviewed, the next important consideration should be the planning and organization of the written message. Planning and organizing the message. The outline is the backbone of carefully organized and effective writ ing, according to Douglass, and offers these rewards: 1. Makes clear the plan on which the report is built. 2. Gives the reader an overview of the contents. 3. Identifies the important ideas, 4. Shows how ideas are related to one another. 5. Subordinates detail to its proper perspective. 6. Communicates ideas with logic and convincing economy. 7. Provides for clearness, unity, coherence, and diplomacy in presentation. 8. Insures that the same message will be conveyed to all readers. 9. Offers consistent form, giving attention to uniformity in style, indentation, parallelism, and subordination (27:23). Sequence of ideas. The writer should decide where he wants to locate his most significant ideas. If the writer can place his thoughts in the right sequence and in the correct position he can give force to his ideas. Douglass recommends that the most vital ideas be offered at 144 the beginning or the ending of a message as these are generally believed to be the most strategic positions (27:152). Douglass continues by saying, in essence, that the paragraph should express only one central thought, and it must be very clear. He states that there is no optimum length for a paragraph. Rather, he feels that the length of the paragraph should be determined by the purpose and the supporting ideas needed to present the information (27:173). However, the writer should be aware that if he finds his paragraph consistently running over approximately one hundred words he needs to analyze the situation by asking himself if he is restricting his paragraph to only one central thought (27:107). Unity and coherence of ideas. Next the writer should inspect his writings critically to ascertain whether they are achieving unity and coherence. Naturally, if he is failing to do this adequately, his readers will not be able to grasp his meaning as well as intended. A large amount of experimental evidence demon strates that the difficulty of the words, the length of the sentences, and the number of prepositional phrases are the main factors influencing readability (10:165). Bryson advocates that writers take cognizance of these factors to assure unity and coherence in their 145 expression: 1. Writing in terms of the reader's experience. 2. Building on previously familiar ideas and experiences. 3. Adapting the media to the material--the nearer the writer can come to using the medium most appropriate to his material, the more compre hensible he is likely to be (10:171). Improving clarity in writing. The various authori ties in the field of written communications agree that the following suggestions are extremely valuable to the writer for the clarification of writing and for facilitating reading comprehension: 1. Read his message aloud to himself in its entirety and change words, phrases, etc., that appear to be unclear or ambiguous. 2. Seek criticism of his message from others prior to distributing it (27:105). 3. Define terms if there is any possibility his word meanings could be misconstrued. 4. Devise contexts that give the words the same meaning as the definition (10:163). 5. Use short paragraphs with topic sentences (13:122). 6. Be relevant; include only the important. 146 7. Avoid use of colored words, or those with emotional connotations (19:69). 8. Avoid jargon and vocabulary of the specialist (150:684). 9. Be certain the antecedent is clear and that pronouns are as close as possible to their antecedents. 10. Avoid carelessly placed modifiers by placing them next to the words they modify (27:165). 11. Use few words and keep sentences short. 12. Use words with concrete and precise meaning. 13. Write to express and not to impress--avoid pomposity. 14. Use familiar words. 15. Relate the communication to the reader's experience (27:52). 16. Use examples and illustrations to focus ideas more sharply (16:172). 17. Punctuate carefully (25:56). 18. Show relationships and strive to achieve unity of material and thought (87:144). There are undoubtedly other important considera tions which result in greater clarity; however, these appear to be the most widely agreed upon by the authorities in the field. 147 Style in writing. In addition to securing the reader's interest, and clarifying the content as much as is possible, the writer must consider his style of writing. Fortunately, there is no one correct style of language. The writer should always write with language which he knows will be understood by his readers (19:90). The writer should always write in his own style. It is a mistake, if possible at all, for a writer to attempt to write like everyone else or someone else in particular. Flesch further states that the writer should listen to himself and then write the thought as he would naturally say it (31:129). Some of the most significant suggestions for devel oping a pleasing style of writing, according to Murphy (57) and other specialists, are given below: 1. Watch the opening statement--be gracious and interesting. 2. Call the reader by name and individualize the communication whenever possible. 3. Emphasize the "you" attitude. 4. Be positive in approach (57:226). 5. Use simple words in short sentences in brief paragraphs. 6. Use active words and not passive ones (57:173). 7. Cut through the surface details and get at the bones of your thought (39:11). 8. Be certain subject and verb agree. 9. Be careful to avoid needless shifts in struc ture and direction. 10. Use personal pronouns, but watch their referent and agreement (57:209). 11. Use semicolons for short emphatic pauses. 12. Use colons; they are stagy, dramatic, and create expectancy. 13. Use many paragraphs; it encourages the reader to think (31:129). The Technique of Clear Writing by Gunning (39) gives many specific and detailed suggestions for improving writing which cannot be offered in this study. However, the suggestions appear to be extremely worthwhile and help ful for anyone especially interested in this phase of communication. Reading Speaking and writing are the two most significant processes of communication; listening and reading, the two great media through which people learn. Most people are familiar with the techniques for developing skill in reading. Importance to the administrator of skill in reading. The school executives must have two primary 149 skills in order to become effective as readers--speed and comprehension. Babcock suggests a third skill be added, that of critical appraisal. The competent reader, he explains, must exert self-discipline and must be creative as well as critical in his thinking. The truly skilled reader attempts to get beneath the surface meaning of words to their subtle associations and hidden implications (2:14). Great emphasis is now being placed on the need for competent administrators to increase their skills, to learn to read quickly and to understand what they have read. This is reflected in the enormous number of courses in speed reading currently being offered throughout the nation. Methods of improving reading speed. Murphy, in Better Business Communication, recommends a multiplicity of procedures for improving one's reading speed. Among these, the following appear to offer worthwhile dividends to the administrator: 1. Preview the selection you want to read, study the title, sub-headings, illustrations, and the author's aims in writing. 2. Recognize the author's pattern. 3. Skim the article, using both vertical and horizontal eye movements. 150 4. Develop speed with long and rhythmic eye sweeps. 5. Spot the basic idea in every paragraph. 6. Pick up the key words and fill in the details. 7. Recall details through their association with the main idea. 8. Force your eye speed and brain comprehension to proceed simultaneously (57:268). Zelko and O' Brion suggest that the reader can improve greatly by forcing himself to practice reading faster and faster, and by reading often (87:169). Methods of improving reading comprehension. There would obviously be negligible value in an administrator having the ability to read rapidly without the accompanying ability to read with understanding. The most essential element in the improvement of reading comprehension, according to Triggs and other read ing specialists, is to read with a definite purpose. Once the reader has clearly established his purpose for the specific reading, he is then able to adapt his way of read ing to achieve the particular objective. Among other requirements for the reader who wishes to read with under standing are the following: 1. Ability to vary the reading speed to the purpose and type of the material. 151 2. Possession of a comprehensive vocabulary. 3. Ability to use the dictionary. 4. Ability to concentrate on what is being read, to remember it, and to apply it to other situations. 5. Ability to read critically and to judge the value of the author's idea and the accuracy of his facts (81:9). The ability to and desire to concentrate is agreed upon as being of paramount importance to comprehension of written material. Flesch observes that people must learn to concentrate better and to shut out distractions and noise before they can really concentrate. He recommends that the reader actively participate by underlining or making marginal notes about the material he is reading (31:52). Suggestions to the reader. Mention should be made of three words of caution which authorities state are easily overlooked by the busy administrator. First, Zelko and O'Brion caution the executive against the tendency to avoid difficult reading material. The administrator who conscientiously reads complicated reading matter will soon find that it is less and less difficult as he becomes conditioned to it; and that his skills will improve in harmony with his reading needs ( 87: 169) . The second word of caution is offered by Babcock who warns the reader to refrain from pointing at words or moving his lips or head while reading. This defective type of reading can easily result in a significant interference in comprehension and a decrease in speed (2:272). Hayakawa warns against a third pitfall which the reader should avoid. He says, "We all tend to assume that what we have read without much difficulty we have under stood" (41:23). In addition to faults of technique, there are also common faults of attitude that readers are inclined to experience. Richards, in his work on How to Read a Page, states that the three biggest vices of reading attitude are: (1) expecting that everything should be easily under stood, (2) indifference resulting from the knowledge that since a page can mean anything that it can be taken any way, and (3) suspecting that there is a missing clue ( 68:12) . Swinburne's brief poem on the inherent power and danger of the written word portrays man's struggle to interpret and comprehend: "Who hath given man speech or who hath set therein a thorn for peril and a snare for sin" (68:10). 153 Summary of the Chapter The importance of effective communication to the success of an executive or administrator is well summarized by Hinds: Fundamentally an executive produces nothing. He works through other people, and his functioning is confined to listening, talking, reading and writing (136:30). The chapter has brought together the general prin ciples of communication which apply to various forms of communication. Also summarized were the specific princi ples that pertain to each of four skills of communication: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Among the characteristics of effective communica tion outlined, the following characteristics were listed as being highly important. The communication: 1. Must be important and interesting to the comnunicant. 2. Should be adapted to the specific receiver. 3. Should be tactful and socially acceptable to the communicatee. 4. Should be an honest and sincere expression of the ideas of the communicator. 5. Must be carefully timed to reach the intended receiver at the optimum time and in the most favorable situation. 6. Should be carefully arranged in a logical sequence. 7. Should be attractive and appealing to the communicant. 8. Should be clear and accurately expressed. Suggestions made for improving the clarity of com munications were the inclusion of examples, illustrations, testimony, and statistics. Methods for emphasizing particular information were discussed. Restatement, repetition, varying the speech rate, the pause, and the appropriate gesture were all found to be effective to various degrees according to the situa tion and the circumstance. Various ways of augmenting retention of information were discussed, proper application of the laws of primacy and recency being shown to contribute to the improvement of retention. Particular emphasis was given to the following ways in which the administrator can improve his skill in commu nication. He should: 1. Communicate verbally and face-to-face whenever possible and practical. 2. Follow accepted standards and practices in planning and delivering a speech. 3. Be aware of the great influence of the speaker1s attitude and voice on the success or failure of the communication. 4. Use correct pronunciation and good articula tion. 5. Attain an effective style, proper diction, and meaningful body movement. The importance of gaining skill in listening was considered in some detail as it applied to the educational administrator. This was seen to be the most neglected area of communication skills, even though at least one half of a person's communication time is typically devoted to the act of listening. Among the principles of effective listening dis cussed were the following: 1. It requires much work, tremendous concentration and a sincere desire for a person to become an effective listener. 2. The proper attitude for a listener was seen to be a sincere desire and intention to listen carefully to a person without interrupting or attempting to refute what he is saying. 3. Concentration is an essential ingredient in good listening. 4. The desire and ability to adopt the speaker's frame of reference is necessary before true listening can occur. 156 The many factors that influence the listening situ ation were listed, and concrete and specific suggestions were made to the executive desirous of improving his listening ability. The key words were: interest, concen tration, respect, patience, objectivity, understanding, questioning, and restatement. Skill in reading was treated concisely because'it was less unknown than were other communication skills. Its importance in effective communication was discussed. Specific and important suggestions for improving reading speed and comprehension were reviewed, as were reading problems and pitfalls commonly encountered. The importance of mastery of the art and technique of communicating in writing--the most permanent and formal method of communicating--was stressed by most authorities. The three elements of written communication were seen to be: (1) the writer must clarify his own thinking before attempting to communicate with others; (2) the content of the communication must be carefully presented and must reflect the writer's thorough knowledge of the message; and (3)-the reader must understand the communica tion. Without such understanding, communicating has not transpired. Most effective methods of securing reader interest were seen to stress concreteness, personal application, practicality,' and correct psychological approach. 157 Presentation of a logical sequence of ideas results in communication that is coordinated and coherent. Suggestions for improving the clarity of writing were drawn from the literature. It was recommended that the writer develop a clear outline, choose his words with care, keeping in mind the level, characteristics and interests of the reader. CHAPTER VIII TECHNIQUES OF COMMUNICATION The medium through which information is transmitted exerts a great influence on the effectiveness of the commu nication. It can reinforce and clarify the message, or it can distort and diminish it. If the medium itself has an appeal to the person to whom the communication is directed, it will do a better job of transmittal than if it does not. Potentially, the appeal can be to all of an individual's senses, since every person can transmit and receive infor mation simultaneously by several communication media (22:12). Key Factors in Selecting the Media It is universally accepted that more effective and improved communication is accomplished through several techniques and media, rather than by one alone (24:232). At present, the relative frequency of use of the four primary techniques of communication, according to McGrath (55:45), is as follows: 158 159 Per cent Medium of use Listening 45 Speaking 30 Reading 16 Writing 9 Communication specialists maintain that the most efficient communication is that which utilizes several senses, sight and hearing being the most important (58:103). It is the responsibility of the communicator to select the technique that is most suitable to his own particular situation, and that has the greatest appeal to the intended recipient (150:687). The executive and admin istrator, who is both the initiator and the recipient of prodigious amounts of communication, will increase the effectiveness of messages he initiates if he develops an awareness and genuine appreciation of the status-association feature in symbol selection, and selects the appropriate media after carefully considering this status relationship (29:304). Specific versus Unspecific Techniques Two manners or modes of comnunleating are identi fied in the literature, referred to as the ’’specific*' and the "unspecific." The specific is a highly planned or formal type of 160 communication and is*normally interpreter-centered or recepter-centered. Examples of this type are the memo or the report, usually characterized by (1) prior analysis of the effects to be achieved on particular interpreters; (2) content that is organized and adapted to conform with the desired effect; and (3) specific types of behavior that are expected following receipt of the communication. The unspecific, unplanned, or informal type of com munication is generally communicator-centered. The person communicating is much more concerned with expressing him self than with the possible effects of his communication. Two examples of this type of communication are the informal chat or the personal note or letter (124:80). Communication media vary widely, not only in terms of breadth of coverage, speed and accuracy in transmission, susceptibility to interference, disruption and distortion, but also quite significantly, in terms of prestige and status in the mind of the receiver. All things being equal, the medium that is considered to be best is the one which permits immediate reception and response (92:23). The skillful administrator is keenly aware of the differences in individual sensory activity. Many persons are reached most effectively through the visual sense, while others are primarily word-minded or responsive to auditory stimuli. An individual may be figure-minded, or picture-minded, or easily reached through audial or oral 161 perception. Others may possess acute tactile ability and learn most effectively by working with their hands and with actual materials (67:63)* Oral versus Written Communication The Education Policies Commission (30), Redfield (67), and the Johnson and Johnson Company (141) have anal yzed the advantages and disadvantages of oral and written communications, and presented several reasons which account for the effectiveness of oral communication: 1. It is possible to have greater interaction. 2. Potential for flexibility and adaptability is present (30:82), 3. Persuasion is more readily facilitated (141:1). 4. Opportunity is present for questioning on exact meaning by recipient. 3. Communicator can check on whether he is understood. 6. Mutual attitudes and opinions can be determined. 7. Exact source of communication is known. 8. It is fastest for emergencies or situations demanding speed. 9. Makes it easier to change, since it is not in a permanent form. 10. Is suitable for temporary needs or instructions (67:65). 162 Some of the apparent disadvantages of oral communi cations are suggested by the same sources; 1. It is not permanent in form; thus, no further study is easily possible. 2. Scope must necessarily be limited. 3. It is impossible expeditiously to reach large numbers of people. 4. It is expensive in cost of coverage. 5. Individual's rate of forgetting is high. 6. Frequently it is not adequately thought out and planned. 7. Personality factors are more influential and may detract from the transfer. In contrast, written communications are described by such communication authorities as Redfield (67), Chisholm (19), Janis (47), and Zelko and O'Brion (87) as offering these advantages: 1. It is likely to be wider in scope, more perma nent, and adapted to repetition and further study. 2. Offers short-cut from top management down to the lowest paid employee and vice versa (19:47). 3. Frequently is best for rapid and widespread dissemination of information. 163 4. Is the most physically attractive medium (87:31). 3. Is low in cost in proportion to coverage. 6. Permits fast transmission to a large, widely separated group. 7. Is more exact, since content remains basically unchanged regardless of how many persons are involved in transmission and distribution (47:44). 8. Is a good reference source for an organization and its future needs. 9. Is helpful in training employees. 10. Designation of authority and responsibility are easily achieved. 11. Is generally accepted as more authoritative and permanent (67:66). The same communication specialists list these disadvantages of written communications: 1. Is usually limited to communication downward, not to two-way communication. 2. Frequently must be supplemented by oral explanation. 3. Tends to be cold and impersonal, and lacking in warmth (87:32). 4. No guarantee exists that it will be read by the person to whom it is directed. 5. Is not adaptable to the individual background and needs of the reader (19:47). 6. It is difficult to provide for all unantici pated eventualities. 7. Over a period of years, it can become a mass of red tape (67:67), Pictorial or Graphic Communication In addition to the two primary techniques or media of communicating, mention should be made of a third medium— a visual medium referred to as pictorial or graphic commu nication. Rarely used in isolation, this medium is gener ally combined with either the oral or written methods. Its manifestations are many (pictures, illustrations, maps, cartoons, comics), and its sensory appeal great. Good analyses of pictorial techniques are given by Peters (63), Lindseth (150), Gracey (133), Redfield (67), Parker and Kleameier (62), Bittel (5), and Burke (11). The various written, oral, and visual-pictorial media listed in Figure 4 were taken from these sources to illustrate the many communication avenues open to the resourceful executive or administrator. 165 FIGURE 4 TECHNIQUES OF COMMUNICATION Written Oral pictorial Bulletin Boards Tape Recorder Posters Magazines News Bulletins Movies Newspapers Annual Reports Charts Letters Orientation Meetings Graphs Annual Reports Mass Meetings Cartoons Opinion Surveys Opinion Surveys Comic Strips Employee Polls Attitude Polls Tours Han db ook s - Manua 1 s Small Group Meetings Visits Suggestion Systems Loudspeaker Systems Exhibits Advertisements Counseling Interviews Tabulations Pay Inserts Radio Programs Diagrams Newsletters Community Open Houses Displays Periodic Bulletins Telephone Placards Electronic Tube Conferences Pictures Reports Reports Maps Reviews Seminars Movies Pamphlets-Booklets Meal Meetings Open Houses House Organs Informal Chats Photographs Rumor Box Plant or Company Tours Pictographs Information Rack Termination Interviews Daily Bulletin-Report Grievance Procedures Memoranda Planned Appointments Directives Social Gatherings Circulars Phonograph Records Film Strips Buzz Sessions Notices Grape Vines Standard Forms Games and Contests Buzzer-Bells Demonstrations 166 Principal Oral-Communication Techniques The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a brief overview of the techniques most appropriate to an adminis trator' s use in a school situation. Techniques are men tioned under the three major categories (media) of communi cation ordinarily referred to in the literature--oral, written, and pictorial. Only viewpoints and suggestions pertinent within the framework established for this review are presented. Mentioned prominently by authorities as effective oral techniques, the following were selected as being of greatest value in administrator-staff communications: face-to-face conversation, social gatherings, telephone communications, and public address announcements, among others. Face-to-Face Conversation Newcomb and Sammons, in Speak Up Management, are quoted as stating: Heading all lists of communication mediums . . . is day to day, man to man, personal contact. There is no form of printed communication that can match the personal meeting in importance or value (87:22). The National Association of Manufacturers in a recent national survey of communications in industry concluded that oral, or face-to-face communication, is the best and most effective of all media (87:22). 167 Tead, in The Art of Administration, contends that there is absolutely no substitute for face-to-face talk or discussion in the communication of important new ideas. Only in face-to-face, informal relationships can truly important communication be accomplished (79:185). Zelko and 0*Brion report that informal chats with employees are extremely valuable not only as a medium for sharing information and instructions, but also for develop ing team spirit, a feeling of belonging, and sense of personal worth (87:32). Personal contact that is face-to-face and man-to man can occur readily in a company or organization of 250 or fewer employees. McKeand believes that this is essen tially the only effective technique for employer and employee to get to know and understand each other (156:259). Lindseth agrees that the informal face-to-face chat should be used because it is the simplest and most direct way possible (150:687). Social Gatherings Another technique found to offer great rewards is that of communicating during social gatherings. Many administrators have discovered that they can learn much by associating with their subordinates socially or by occa sionally eating lunch with them (63:26). 168 Telephone Conversation Administrators are finding the telephone to be an increasingly indispensable tool for communicating and conducting business. The telephone has the advantage of permitting the persons conversing to question and clarify information, but lacks the advantage of providing a direct face-to-face situation. Murphy (57), Cady (13), Janis (47), and Selitzky (196) suggest these ways of promoting efficient and improved use of the telephone: 1. Assemble all facts, materials and relevant information prior to making the call. 2. Be properly prepared by keeping a pencil and pad within reach. 3. Lift the receiver rather than snatching it. 4. Identify yourself and your organization quickly, and give other pertinent information. 5. Put a smile in your voice. 6. Make the other person feel welcome by your attitude. 7. Speak close and directly into the mouthpiece in a natural speaking voice. 8. Speak in a low pitched, pleasant, confident, and cordial voice. 9. Enunciate and articulate clearly. 10. Be tactful and yet businesslike. 11. Speak a little slower than you do normally. 169 12. Be specific and organized in conversation-- don't ramble. 13. Remember to explain things carefully and fully and not to gesture or use facial expression as a supplementary technique. 14. Place the receiver down gently when finished. Public Address Announcements The public address system is a favorably-received technique. Many systems provide a feature termed "feed back," a device that enables the person who operates the central control cabinet to carry on a two-way conversation over the loud-speaker system with any classroom teacher, or to ask questions of any class group and to hear the replies over the loudspeaker system located in the control cabinet (174:9). The advantages of this medium of communication have been described by many authorities. 1. Economy. 2. Speed. 3. Flexibility of timing. 4. Provides accuracy. 5. Gives full coverage (63:90). 6. Minimum of effort and interruption. 7. Promotes morale, and builds school spirit. 8. Excellent for emergency use (104:45). 170 9. Provides for feedback (174:9). 10. Can be planned at a regular time (104:45). The advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages by a wide margin. Some weaknesses in this technique have been mentioned, however: 1. It is frequently distracting (63:90). 2. It can be misused as a substitute for personal contact and chats (87:34). 3. Some teachers resent or fear the return feature, suspecting that they are being listened to or spied upon (114:8). The public address system can serve many beneficial purposes when properly used by school personnel. Some of these purposes are described by McCormick and others: 1. Reading of the morning or special bulletins. 2. Reading of a poem or thought for the day item. 3. Acquainting students with the character or nature of assembly programs or other special events. 4. Reading of barometric pressures and local weather forecast by an interested student (154:458). 5. Making of emergency announcements (104:45). 6. Informing office of classroom activity or problems (114:8). 171 7. Promoting school morale and spirit by student or faculty pep talks. 8. Instructional panel discussions can be con ducted. 9. Acquainting students with the administrators and other school personnel (174:9). It is good practice for announcements to be made at a specified time each day so that teachers and students can prepare for them and so that interruptions and distractions are held to the minimum (87:34). Administrators should avoid the following practices in using the school public address system: 1. Using it too frequently, especially when not expected. 2. Using it as a substitute for personal contacts (87:34). 3. Using it to listen in to classroom activity without the teacher and students realizing that it is occurring. 4. Using it to talk at length with a teacher while the class is in session (114:8). Television and Motion Pictures Davies and Herrold mention the possibilities and potential of television and motion pictures in the schools, but believe that they are still largely in the exploratory 172 or speculative stage. Although these are extremely effec tive media and possess great potentials, their use calls for more preparation and skill than many administrators possess or can devote to them (22:14). Recordings and Tapes Phonograph records have a variety of uses in making reports, and informing people who missed meetings of the discussion and information which was conveyed (63:95). Interviews The interview is a widely-used technique of commu nication, being expecially useful for preliminary and final placement; induction, instruction and follow-up; transfer and promotion; complaint and discipline; job analysis and personnel audit; evaluation or rating; separation or exit; polling; and counseling (67:160). The essential purpose of the interview--to promote understanding and confidence--may sometimes have to be delayed until a satisfactory relationship between the indi viduals involved has been firmly established (65:77). The specific purposes of interviewing, according to Redfield (67), Peters (63), Gardner and Moore (33), and Murphy (57), are: 1. Discussing of serious grievances or complaints. 2. Airing of strong feelings or sentiments. 3. Stating of employee's feelings of training, and 173 job responsibilities end obligations. 4. Stating of employee's likes, dislikes and problems. 5. Providing opportunity for employee suggestions and ideas. 6. Communicating company policies, procedures and desires. 7. Presenting instructions, objectives, etc. Among the many principles of effective interviewing that have been generally accepted, Murphy (57), Chisholm (19), Phillips (64), and Pigors and Myers (65) mention the following: 1. Put the employee at ease and speak as an equal. 2. Take time to establish rapport and for small talk. 3. Insist on privacy and no interruption. 4. Allow sufficient time so there will be no need for hurrying. 5. Concentrate on the person; don't continue working. 6. Establish the purpose and define the problem, so it is organized. 7. Listen with intelligence and sympathy--never interrupt. 8. Be careful not to put words in his mouth or 174 make corrections that are actually quite insignificant. 9. Be careful not to anticipate the point of his story and tell him what he is going to say. 10. Keep alert and flexible. 11. Never argue. 12. Use imagination to evoke meaning. 13. Keep questions and answers specific and make definite exchanges of information. 14. Take notes of important information and data. 13. Make a fair decision when one must be made. 16. Follow up the interview. The dynamics of a rating interview warrant careful attention by the administrator because the situation is one which is usually rather tense and filled with anxiety for the person being interviewed. Dooher and Marquis (26) suggest the following procedure: 1. In preparing for the interview the administra tor should: a. Strive to be in a congenial frame of mind. b. Try to interview the ratee when he is in a congenial mood. c. Prepare all necessary facts and notes. d. Have all records and data available. e. Attempt to provide absolute privacy. f. Anticipate questions or problems which might arise. g. Arrange to not be interrupted. 2. Recognize the personality characteristics of 175 person being rated. 3. Put ratee at ease and establish rapport. 4. Discuss purpose of the interview and rating and ascertain that the objectives of the rating are clearly understood. 5. Pause and give ratee an opportunity to respond. 6. Give a clear definition of any terms to be used in the rating. 7. Present the over-all rating. 8. Pause and give the person a chance to respond. 9. Present ratee1s strong points. 10. Pause and give the listener a chance to answer. 11. Present weak points. 12. Pause and give ratee a chance to discuss. 13. Discuss ways the ratee might improve: a. Give ratee a chance to make suggestions. b. If he makes none, ask him to make some. c. If necessary, interviewer must make some suggestions in the form of questions. d. Show the ratee the possible benefits from improving. 14. Give ratee an opportunity to ask additional questions of rating. 15. Tell ratee he can discuss it later also if he so desires. 16. Follow up interview, and look for improvement (26:154). 176 It is generally accepted that all employees have a definite need and strong desire to know where they stand and just how well they are doing on the job. This seems to be basic to human nature. Evidence clearly shows that this is one of the most neglected aspects of personnel Communi- cation (26:153). Conferences The conference is an effective medium for communi cating with groups of various sizes. Conferences are being held with increased frequency and for a variety of pur poses. Zelko and O'Brion (87) are of the opinion that the conference is more valuable for obtaining maximum employee participation in the communication system than as a device for exchanging information. It is without doubt the single best technique for simultaneous oral communication upward, downward, and horizontally in the organization. A well conducted group conference intensifies participation by the members of the group more than does any other medium of communication (87:33). Zelko (86) and Redfield (67) claim these additional values for the conference technique: 1. It keeps people informed. 2. It solves problems by drawing on group resources. 3. It trains and instructs personnel (86:9). Ill 4. It secures immediate group reaction to proposed procedures, policies and plans. 5. It gains mutual understanding and perception (67:217). The values of conferences as they pertain to upward communication are to assist in solving problems, to facili tate listening, and to receive participation. The most significant gains from downward communication are to inform, to train, and to instruct. Conferences are valu able for horizontal communication in that they secure cooperation and encourage participation (86:9). The careful planning of an organized conference is essential (87:104). The following steps are recommended for preparing for a conference: 1. Determine the purpose of the conference. 2. Decide on the type of conference to conduct. 3. Arrange for suitable facilities. 4. Consider the special guests, speakers and participants. 3. Analyze the entire participating group. 6. Prepare an agenda for the conference. 7. Send out notices and agendas to all partici pants . 8. Prepare outline for conducting the conference. 9. Assemble necessary materials for the 178 conference. 10. Plan for participation. 11. Decide on the type of report to be made of the results (86, 87). The sequence of the agenda can be crucial and should be carefully planned. Zelko and O'Brion advise that it is generally preferable to make announcements, present information, instructions, or orders at the beginning of a conference or meeting. Problems and controversial matters should follow the less controversial issues so that there will be less emotionalism and distraction during the con ference routine (87:113-114). The following general recommendations, if followed, should result in improved conferences: 1. Best size for a conference is 9 or 10; minimum size should be 4-6 and the maximum 9-10 (67:220). 2. Best arrangement for tables and chairs to encourage everyone to participate is the T or U shape (87:108). 3. Best length for a conference is between one and two hours; if less than one hour, it is diffi cult to accomplish anything and if longer than two hours it begins to drag (26:240). 4. Best speaking procedure at a conference is to 179 speak briefly and confine remarks to a single point at a time (87:128). 5. Best time to hand out materials at a conference is when it is appropriate to the discussion, and not while something else is under decision (87:119). Buzz Sessions One of the recent developments in communications relating to conferences is the technique termed the buzz session. This technique was first referred to as such by Dr. Phillips of Michigan State. Its purpose is to gain as many ideas as possible. Its basic concept involves the breaking down of large audiences into groups of six persons each. The group members introduce themselves, appoint a chairman, and designate a recorder. The group then discusses the specific question assigned to it for a few minutes. This results in all of the individuals in a conference being active participants. Then the large group convenes and the small group chairman presents his group's ideas. Thelen suggests that these hints, if followed, will result in increasing the effectiveness of buzz sessions: 1. Entire audience is instructed clearly as to: a. What is to be discussed. b. What and how to report back to the general group. 180 2. Subject to be discussed must be something that the audience is interested in, and which has a definite appeal. 3. Conference leader assists audience to break up into small groups. 4. Director of conference should actively circu late about the room to assist and clarify matters as needed (80:201). Meetings Most organizations conduct three types of meetings fairly regularly: orientation meetings, committee meet ings, and staff meetings. Orientation meetings. As the name implies, orien tation meetings are designed primarily to give the employee background and general information regarding the company or organization. Specific purposes of orientation meetings, according to Timmerman, are: 1. To present the new employee with the company handbook and explain its portions. 2. To provide the person with the organization's personnel regulations and practices. 3. To discuss major or important points. 4. To give the objectives and organizational plan of the firm. 5. To connect the new person's job with the total 181 function of the organization. 6. To familiarize the neophyte with the physical layout (185:223). Committee meetings. A committee can be a tremen dous asset to an organization or it can become a serious liability. It is important for executives to realize that whenever a committee is formed, the members expect it to be active, and expect to participate in it. When the employee is denied this right, he becomes disillusioned or resent ful. Committee meetings, properly conducted, can result in the sharing of much valuable thinking and information (71:164). Staff meetings. The basic purpose of the staff meeting is to get staff members together in a favorable atmosphere to discuss new ideas, exchange information, and improve morale in an expeditious manner (23:18). Davies and Herrold suggest the following criteria for determining the need and feasibility of holding a staff meeting: 1. The group must have common problems that could be dealt with at a meeting. 2. The group members will be involved in the con sequences of decisions which have to be made. 3. Group morale is beginning to slip. 4. Communication has been inadequate. 5. Group has expressed a desire to meet. Furthermore, a staff meeting should probably not be held unless these conditions exist: 1. A meeting of the group is the best way to solve the problem. 2. There is time for adequate planning and preparation for the meeting. 3. An appropriate time and place can be found. 4. Emotional climate is such that the persons involved are fairly free of tensions and pressures. 3. Group had been properly informed and briefed in advance. 6. There is sufficient time for the group to discuss the matter. 7. Those to be involved in the decision can be present to discuss and share in the ultimate decision. The effective administrator should resolve these questions before calling a staff meeting: 1. Should there be a meeting? 2. Is there sufficient time? 3. Where should the meeting take place? 4. Who should be included in the meeting? 3. How can participation and good communication be achieved? 6. What is the goal of the meeting? 7. What materials and resources are available to work with? 8. Who should do what during the meeting? (23:27) Timing of meetings. The proper timing of meetings is essential to their success. Meetings should be spaced so that during the interval between them, the participants can assimilate prior thinking, recover, and plan ahead for the next meeting. Davies and Herrold caution administra tors never to hold staff meetings when (1) the administra tor or staff members are feeling ill; (2) other activities would compete; (3) distractions such as hunger, noise, and transportation needs are present; (4) staff members are tired; (5) inadequate notice can be given; or (6) meeting would have to be rushed. Interest in meetings will be more likely to be maintained if their timing can be varied (23:28). Evaluation. It is extremely important to a school executive to ascertain accurately the reactions of his staff members to the meeting. Unfortunately it is exceed ingly difficult to make a correct determination of whether an audience is receiving and understanding what is being presented. A variety of techniques and forms have been 184 developed by persons deeply concerned with the need for securing staff reactions to meetings, Davies and Herrold offer a three*step method of measuring the effectiveness of staff meetings, claiming a number of benefits for their procedure: (1) it serves as an effective reminder of the next meeting; (2) reminds staff members of the unfinished business; (3) prepares staff for the next meeting; and (4) recognizes other needs and desires of the staff by encouraging them to submit items for discussion and to react to items proposed for the agenda (23:31). Suggestions for improving meetings. Fridell, in an article in the School Executive, speaks of repressive atmosphere and lack of freedom of teachers in staff meet ings attended by an administrator, and suggests that teachers meet by themselves to discuss issues, confident of their own security in discussing their true sentiments and thoughts. After this discussion the teacher representative would meet with the administrator to inform him of the teachers' desires and feelings (127:33). Crossley, writing in the California Journal of Secondary Education, criticizes the typical faculty meeting conducted in schools across the nation: "Teachers commonly feel that most high school faculty meetings are unwelcome and boring and are attended only because of administrative pressure." 185 He suggests the following techniques for improving the value of the faculty meeting: 1. Vastly increase teacher participation. 2. Include a social period with refreshments. 3. Hold informal types of meetings and encourage discussion. 4. Present important oral material to teachers in mimeographed form after the meeting to encourage retention (112:438). The Opinion Poll The opinion poll and attitude poll are accepted as techniques for determining employee opinion and attitudes on various subjects of concern to administrators and managers. Numerous advantages can be derived by the organization from utilization of this technique, according to Peters (63) and Chisholm (19): 1. Enables employer to learn employee's attitude, knowledge and wishes regarding a particular topic. 2. Provides a method to check on the effectiveness of other communication efforts. 3. Solicits frank comments on matters of concern. 4. Locates sources of problems in the organiza tion. 5. Gives employees a chance to air complaints and “let off steam." 6. Demonstrates employer's interest in employee. 7. Reveals more efficient work and procedural methods. 8. Informs superior of worthy incentives for subordinates. 9. Points out training and on-the-job needs. 10. Builds good will and strengthens morale. Some notable disadvantages of this type of poll are listed by Chisholm: 1. Is sometimes rather expensive to conduct. 2. Requires time to complete and tabulate. 3. An erroneous interpretation of results is possible. 4. Attitudes and desires of employees fluctuate and change. 5. Responses of management to the findings may not be what employees desired--they may fail to respond next time. 6. Sometimes the practice is not necessary. 7. Creates a natural bias regarding the situation. 8. Arouses employee suspicion as a management trick or maneuver (19:148). Most polls conducted so far have sought to assess employee morale. Some recent ones, however, have under taken to measure various aspects of administration. 187 Employees are now being asked what they know, how they found out, what they want to know, and by which method of communication they prefer to receive various types of information. Polls are also being used more and more to gain insight into the type of information that ordinarily does not flow up to administrators and executives--i.e., suggestions, recommendations for improvement, employee reactions to proposed policy, procedures, or organizational changes (67:180). Redfield believes that opinion polls require careful study and preparation, involving the following considerations: 1. Selecting the suitable scientific sampling procedure. 2. Defining the objectives of the poll as clearly as possible. 3. Obtaining factual information about respond ents . 4. Developing questions in the specific areas being investigated. b. Pretesting of proposed questions by either personal interviews or in pilot polls to ascertain if the questions are being inter preted as intended. 6. Taking of the poll itself by interviews, questionnaires or a combination of the two 188 techniques. 7. Tabulating and analyzing the results (67:180). Opinion and attitude surveys have various forms. In some cases the questionnaire merely asks for the answers to pointed questions and leaves space for the replies. Other types may ask detailed specific questions and leave spaces for replies; or provide specific questions with multiple replies which are to be checked in accordance with the employee's reaction (3:59). Grapevine The "grapevine" has come into the spotlight recently, a number of studies having been conducted to learn why it exists, how it functions, and how it can be controlled or utilized (143:19). The grapevine is perhaps the most informal link in the chain of communication. It supplements the formal communications system or network in practically all organ izations. This mysterious procedure is used to pass along "the inside dope," unofficially through personal contact and word of mouth (22:20). Marrow claims that the grape vine is a natural outgrowth of the complex and dynamic interaction among people continually operative within an organization. So potent is its force that it operates every minute that a man is on the job (53:158). Davis, a professor of management at Indiana 189 University, says, "A well fertilized grapevine can be made to bear useful fruit," citing experiments which indicate that information spread by the grapevine has proven to be true 90 to 95 per cent of the time. It is astonishingly rapid in its spreading (118:98), James, also of Indiana University, conducted a survey in which news spread via this questionable device turned out to be reliable from 90 to 95 per cent of the time (130:88), Davis contends that the grapevine can become a friend instead of the enemy of an organization. Executives can use this device to squelch false or misleading rumors by merely supplying the correct data. Davis looks upon the grapevine as "probably the best emotional safety valve yet devised" (118:98). Its advantages are that it: 1. Builds team spirit and morale when properly used (22 :20) . 2. Serves as a valuable indicator of public opinion (29:309). 3. Gives more information more quickly than management could ever hope to duplicate by design. 4. Creates more interest in work (130:88). James, too, advises administrators to understand and use the grapevine rather than trying to combat or eradicate it (130:88). 190 Several grave dangers are inherent in this communi cation process: 1. It discourages frankness, as confidential remarks get spread around and are soon common knowledge. 2. Often the Information is inaccurate, distorted or exaggerated (29:309). 3. Often it is employed for office politics and involves whisper campaigns or malicious gossip (143:19). 4. Once a rumor is established, it is frequently extremely difficult to dislodge, especially if people are inclined to agree with it (53:156). 5. It tends to encourage the continuance of undesirable communication practices. 6. People are inclined to use it for personal gain or power (22:20). Davies and Herrold (22) and Dooher and Marquis (26) identify certain conditions which favor and encourage the spreading of rumors via the grapevine: 1. Lack of authentic information. 2. Authentic information that is obviously incomplete. 3. Any situation loaded with anxiety and fear. 4. Erroneous information that raises doubts. 191 5. Prolonged delay in making decisions on important matters (22:35). 6. Such human needs as hope, fear, hostility and satisfaction from feeling a person has the "inside dope" (26:119). Dooher and Marquis explain that rumor travels only when the story has importance for the speaker and the listener, and when the actual facts are unknown or are in a confused state (26:118). Allport and Postman, in The Psychology of Rumor, report that most rumors originate from an actual episode (1:116). Moreover, rumor tends to move only among like- minded persons (1:35). Davies and Herrold (22), Pfiffner (66) and Kleiler (143) suggest various means of coping with stubborn prob lems of rumors: 1. Shortening the communication chain. 2. Opening the channels of communication especially upward so that the "little guy" can have an outlet for his feelings, ideas and needs. 3. Reducing the social distance between the superiors and subordinates so that communica tion will be natural and spontaneous rather than formal and strained. 192 4. Understanding of the emotional needs of person nel, and particularly the actions which cause tension and stress. 5. Holding of "rumor clinics." 6. Disseminating the facts accurately and at the proper time. Grievance Procedures As is true with employees in business and industry, teachers commonly have questions, problems, and complaints that require some type of established and fair grievance procedure (151:6). One of the greatest values to be derived from organized grievance procedures is that of two- way communication, enabling all levels of administration to hear what is on the minds of the staff. It is highly important that grievances be handled promptly and satisfactorily; small grievances, if not promptly corrected, quickly develop into serious trouble (63:85). Dooher and Marquis (26) recommend four steps for the handling of grievance#: (1) The administrator should concentrate on the person with the grievance and allow him to express himself without interruption; notes should be taken as the employee presents his complaints. The administrator then repeats the essentials as he understands them, and concludes the conference by telling the person 193 when he can expect an answer and having it for him at that time. (2) The administrator obtains the facts of the situation, checking all phases of the complaint, and talk ing to everyone concerned. He reviews policy and adopted procedures. The administrator also studies the personnel record of the aggrieved employee in an effort to evaluate the complaint. (3) The administrator takes action. If the organization is wrong he corrects the fault. If the employee is wrong, he explains this to him in a considerate and tactful manner. The facts established are forwarded to the next higher level so that it is informed of happenings. (4) Appropriate follow-up measures are taken to guarantee that the plan of action is being carried out (36:208). Games and Contests The final oral technique of communications is explained by Peters who suggests that games and contests can be utilized as a technique to increase and improve communication within an organization. He reports that several companies have experimented with this technique and that it has proven popular with employees. This technique is not intended to replace the more common and generally accepted techniques but to supplement them in certain situations and types of organizations. 194 Techniques of Written Communication Mentioned prominently by authorities as effective written techniques, the following were selected as being of outstanding interest and value to administrators: hand- books and manuals, bulletins, memoranda, reports of various kinds, and personal letters, among others. Handbooks and Manuals One of the most widely-used techniques for communi cating with personnel is the employee handbook or manual that deals with policy, procedure, organization, duties, and privileges of individuals (67:89). Zelko and O'Brion look upon the handbook as performing the valuable service of informing all personnel about employment, hours of work, pay, retirement, insurance programs and other types of factual material (87:32). Peters advocates emphasis on (1) importance of the employee's job, (2) history and general information about the organization, (3) complaint and grievance procedures, (4) credit unions and other benefits, and (5) rules of conduct (63:61). Daily Bulletins One of the most helpful of administrative tech niques is the daily bulletin, the purpose of which is to inform students and teachers of the activities of the day. The bulletin serves such other valuable purposes as: 195 1. Encouraging advanced planning for future curricular and extra-curricular activities. 2. Keeping everyone at school Informed of school activities. 3. Providing a key method for administrators to communicate with pupils and staff members re garding school policy, rules, and regulations. 4. Emphasizing certain important or problem areas of the school. 5. Enabling staff members to inform students regarding such matters as courtesy, patriotism, etc. 6. Promoting morale and building personal habits. 7. Affording an excellent reference regarding practices, and sequences observed in preceding years. 8. Informing students and staff of changes in plans (101:227). Campbell suggests requirements to be followed to make the daily bulletin more effective: 1. Notify the appropriate office regarding the correct form for publication. 2. Designate whether the item is to appear in the teachers' or students' section of the bulletin. 3. Set deadlines for the submitting of items for the following day's bulletin. 196 4. Request that student notices be read aloud at an established time at the beginning of the school day. 5. Refrain from repeating identical notices. 6. Check all announcements for conciseness. 7. Maintain the administrative privilege of revising or rejecting notices. 8. Prohibit any commercial announcements. 9. Restrict notices to activities of this high school. 10. Insist that announcements for student groups affect a minimum number of students as a criterion for inclusion. 11. Request that proper faculty member countersign notices written by students. 12. Accept no notice that is not signed or initialed. 13. Exclude specific lost and found items from the bulletin (101:220). Staff members prefer to read the following type of information in the daily bulletin: dates of assemblies, exam schedules, registration data, progress reports on stu dents, automobile registration, school policies, procedure for issuing report cards, method of reporting absence, dates of meetings, ethics, athletic and other competitive 197 types of contests, names of students who are to be dis missed early, eligibility rules, ideas for promoting wholesome public relations between school and community (101:225). Memoranda The memorandum is a popular communication technique frequently used by business executives and school adminis trators. Burke (11), Schurter (76), and Zelko and O'Brion (87) see many possible advantages in the use of the memorandum: 1. Often substitutes when it is inconvenient to see a person. 2. Saves time. 3. Serves as a reminder to the recipient. 4. Provides sender with a permanent record of information communicated. 5. Serves as a means of reporting to the whole staff, conveying information and policy procedure both up and down the organization. 6. Maintains a flow of important information across the levels of the organization. 7. Facilitates replying to requests and questions. 8. Reaches the person whose job causes him to be away from his phone or office. 9. Makes it possible to communicate ideas as they occur to the originator.' 198 Brlcker recommends that a person ask himself these questions before writing and sending a memo: 1. What is the real purpose of it? 2. Will what is written change the attitudes or actions of the recipient? 3. What is actually being said? 4. What do I want to say? 5. Will the words used convey the meanings intended? 6. What can be read into the memo that was not intended? 7. What understandings, knowledge, and attitude does the intended receiver have concerning the information to be communicated? (100) Murphy suggests that there are certain points to be checked before issuing a memo: 1. Be certain that all people involved receive a copy. 2. Use a descriptive title to let the reader know the subject inmediately. 3. Use subtitles if the memo is longer than one paragraph. 4. Place the essentials first, for emphasis; number each item; and underline key words to focus attention. 199 5. Be concise and brief. 6. Use outline form and avoid repetitions. 7. Restrict the length to one page--preferably only half of a page (57:127). In Communication Through Reports, Douglass goes into considerable detail concerning recommended form for memos (27:257). Lillywhite warns against over-use of the adminis trative memo: "Administration by memo has become a passion with many educators, especially those who found the method to be so efficient in military life in the last war." If relied upon to excess it can become a detriment to effec tive communication as it is inclined to be impersonal and thus neglects the highly significant role of human rela tionships in communication (148:67). Personal Letters The personal letter is considered to be one of the best means of communicating directly with employees (63:54). Zelko and 0*Brion offer suggestions concerning the mechanics of good letter-form to be directed to staff members: 1. Use the personal touch and deal primarily with the reader's needs. 2. Keep it short. 3. Be warm and sincere. 4. Be sure never to extol the organization. 5. Be complimentary and give sincere praise when merited by the employee (87:135). 6. Be natural and write as you usually talk. 7. Be tactful, positive, and optimistic. 8. Be clear and concise; be pointed, but not abruptly so. 9. Be sincere and friendly and use the reader's name often (87:139). Douglass suggests certain psychological considera tions for the writer of any letter: 1. Visualize the reader. 2. Talk to him. 3. Begin with something of interest to him. 4. End with the thing that interests you. 5. Emphasize the you-attitude. 6. Test your words as you write. 7. Check your letter by mentally exchanging places with your reader (27:249). There are several technical qualities that are generally identified with effectively written letters: 1. Easy on the eyes--appears friendly and attractive. 2. Mechanically perfect, accurate in statement, 201 grammar, spelling, presentation and suitable for filing. 3. Speaks to the reader--accurate and complete, comes to the point, makes the reader's problems the writer's own, commands Interest, natural type of diction, friendly. 4. Carries a clear message, the Ideas being expressed simply--Ideas orderly, clear, complete, expressed In fresh-sounding words. 5. Emotionally positive--natural and conversa tional, alive, sincere, warm, good natured, courteous, thoughtful, tactful and optimistic. 6. Timing is right, prompt in preparation and planned to arrive on the reader's desk on a day when it will obtain his maximum attention (27:233). House Organs American industry spent approximately $135 million in 1955 issuing some ten thousand house organs aimed at (1) strengthening the organization's position in the community and (2) improving relations between employee and employer. These communications ranged in degree of excellence from crudely mimeographed sheets to expensively attractive magazine published in slick-magazine format (184:98). House organs have been criticized for (1) not 202 utilizing their full potential, (2) containing too much chit chat and irrelevant personal items, (3) avoiding con troversial matters, and (4) consistently ignoring items regarding the organization's policies and procedures. Ideally, the house organ could fulfill a much more valuable function by: 1. Presenting appropriate editorials to keep employees informed. 2. Offering information on union negotiations. 3. Airing grievances and giving answers. 4. Answering employee questions on policies and procedures and similar types of items. 5. Presenting the financial status of the organization. 6. Discussing broad economic and political questions (184:98). Peters observes that there are clearly discernible trends in the house organ type of publication, the most significant of which appear to be: 1. Increase of scope to strengthen the line of communication. 2. Greater emphasis on building good will in the community. 3. Tendency to present only facts, leaving the employees to interpret and draw their own 203 conclusions. 4. Hiring of professional editors and correspond ents, and providing adequate budgets for improved publications. 3. Decreased emphasis on gossip or chit-chat type of items (63:52). One of the most elaborate and ambitious types of house organs is the organizational magazine, issued regularly as part of the informational program for all employees. It customarily covers such news and information as personnel policies, procedures, facilities, and general news of widespread interest and appeal (87:32). The organizational newspaper currently occupies an important place in the communications network of many companies. It has the same basic purposes as the magazine and offers news and information similar to that contained in most magazines. Peters outlines the essentials for a good paper or magazine as follows: 1. Editors should have freedom of action. 2. Management must take a positive and active interest in the publication. 3. Employees' needs and interests should be recognized and met. 4. Current problems and crucial issues should be dealt with. 5. Presentation should be accurate, intelligent and objective. 6. Language should be readable and easily under stood. 7. Information should be significant and not just of an entertaining nature. 8. Information of all kinds should be presented, including bad news (63:47). Chisholm offers these additional recommendations: 1. Publications should appear often enough to maintain interest and yet not so frequently as to become boring and monotonous. 2. Items must interest the reader (superior and subordinate alike) and be of personal concern to him (19:31). The newsletter is typically shorter than the maga zine or newspaper. Because it is issued regularly it is able to convey information that is more concise and current than that contained in magazine or newspaper. The newsletter normally stresses a chatty type of item which is concerned with human-interest events (87:135). The newsletter has been found to be most effective when its content is limited to important events or advance 205 information of broad application and interest rather than personal items about individuals (63:62). Bulletin Boards Bulletin boards have gained acceptance by manage ment and are one of the chief forms of communication. Recent studies have shown that bulletin boards are an effective medium for keeping employees well informed about current happenings, future events, and plans of the organ ization (87:32). They should be located in all well traveled hallways and at strategic places where employees meet and congregate. Zelko and O'Brion (87) and Peters (63) offer suggestions for increasing the effectiveness of bulletin boards: 1. Should be attractive. 2. Should be well lighted. 3. Should be protected from weather and tampering. 4. Should be where employees can see them easily. 5. Should be where employees congregate and have time to see them. 6. Should have items on board changed regularly. 7. Should use different colors for different kinds of bulletin boards. 8. Should present brief message. 9. Should offer timely, current and important information. 206 10. Should never be cluttered or look busy. Graphs, Charts and Tables Graphs, charts and tables are visual techniques of communication commonly found on bulletin boards or in reports or other types of written communication. The chief value of these techniques is in their simplicity and directness. They convey an idea or concept with a minimum of words. A good graphic presentation per mits of only one interpretation. Its special advantage is to help make statistics and similar forms of information more legible, understandable and interesting (63:71). Douglass describes the fundamental purpose of tables, graphs and charts as being to explain more fully, more carefully, more quickly, and in a minimum of space (27:24). Janis (47), Douglass (27) and Shurter (76) outline some of the essential ways of increasing the effectiveness of a chart, graph or table: 1. Give the purpose of the chart--explain the point of it. 2. Make the exhibit large enough to be seen readily. 3. Make sure it illustrates the point. 4. Make it simple. 5. Restrict it to one central idea--don't try to 207 give too much. 6. Place chart or table as close as possible to the text portion referring to it. 7. Limit the number of charts or tables used so that the audience or reader won't be over whelmed or confused. Pictures and Posters Pictures and posters are proven techniques of communication. Murphy recommends that posters be rendered in color and displayed where they can be seen frequently. Posters attract much more attention if they are humorous, challenging, and contain a minimum of lettering (57:74). Suggestion Systems A final technique of written communication is that of the suggestion system. The suggestion system has proven to be one of the most important channels for upward commu nication in an organization. It has the two-way benefit of being one of the most reliable and worthwhile media for improving operation of an organization, while at the same time providing a wholesome outlet for employees to express their feelings. In a survey of more than four thousand industrial organizations and government agencies, it was found that during a single year two million suggestions were submitted by employees and that 20 per cent were definitely worthwhile (87:29). 208 Gray considers Che most important functions of a suggestion system to be to (1) build good morale, but this requires careful planning and administering; (2) provide a valuable source of information regarding current employee thinking; and (3) provide a ready opportunity for personal contact between the employee and his superiors (38:67). The usual pattern for submitting suggestions is for designated administrators of the organization to provide printed and numbered suggestion blanks and suggestion boxes at various locations throughout departments and offices. Recently some organizations have eliminated suggestion boxes in favor of encouraging employees to present their ideas to a designated office (67:143). While most sugges tion systems still make use of written suggestions, there is a trend toward providing opportunities for employees to submit suggestions orally in person-to-person contacts (87:29). A relatively recent development is the Scanlon Flan for suggestions, which includes employees at all levels in advance discussions basic to the formulation of managerial decisions. Interest is strong in this procedure and all topics are open for discussion (67:155). In applying the suggestion concept to school organ izations throughout the nation, suggestion plans frequently are implemented through creation of a teacher-administrator committee to which suggestions, complaints and ideas are 209 submitted anonymously by staff members. The committee of teachers and administrators meets weekly to consider the items suggested. The summary of committee discussions and decisions is mimeographed and distributed to the teaching staff. The greatest advantage of this system is its improvement of faculty-administration communication, and closer mutual understanding and personal relationships (113:59). Peters warns: "It is important to be prompt and careful in the handling of each suggestion, regardless of merit" (63:68). In business and industry, it is highly desirable practice to reward the employee for a worthwhile suggestion, by giving him an appropriate cash payment. In education, too, a letter of commendation or certificate of merit is an essential and appropriate demon stration of appreciation for a helpful suggestion (67:144). A word of warning was given with respect to the realistic planning of any suggestion system. While there is unanimous agreement among administrators that the idea of encouraging a shy or fearful employee to express his ideas and make suggestions is a splendid one, the fact is that the majority of suggestion systems have failed for want of effective planning (53:161). Redfield lists the pitfalls which, if not taken into account in the planning stage, may rob a suggestion program of its potentially great contribution to the organization. 210 1. It may be difficult to distinguish between a complaint and a suggestion. 2. Confusion may exist between grievance and suggestion systems. 3. Jealousy or strained relations can develop between the superior and the person who made the suggestion. 4. A tremendous number of irrelevant and worthless suggestions may be received. 3. Complaints may be voiced against the unfairness and inadequacy of the rewards. 6. The good relationships between groups of work ers could be upset (67:145). Non-linguistic Communicating The administrator who desires to perform his duties in an efficient manner and to communicate effectively with his staff and colleagues should be cognizant of the many ways he communicates with them. All persons communicate in many subtle ways--not alone by word of mouth or written word. Hall states that people communicate in many subtle ways, whether consciously or unconsciously. He contends that an individual communicates even by his silence. Every action and type of behavior speaks in its own language and results in communication to all who observe. The twinkle of an eye, the way one smiles, the firmness of a handshake 211 or enthusiasm in the voice convey infinitely more than spoken or written words to anyone in a position to observe (134:85). One might also mention the power of communication in various art forms--the dance, painting, music. Some hint of this was suggested in the earlier mention of visual-pictorial communication (cf. supra, p. 164). Summary of the Chapter This chapter has outlined the various techniques mentioned in the related literature as being most advan tageous in conmunieating within large organizations. The views of numerous communications authorities concerning the vital importance of selecting the medium best suited to certain types of communications, to certain kinds of persons in certain situations and at specific times were reviewed. Advantages and disadvantages of communicating orally and in writing were analyzed. The consensus among specialists was that whenever possible a person should attempt to communicate face-to-face. However, if perma nency of record is a primary factor, then the information should be put in writing. The major techniques of communication used by schools and educators were listed according to the three separate media: written, oral, and visual-pictorial. 212 Each of the verbal and written techniques for communicating was examined as it has been researched or discussed in published works. Among oral methods of communication discussed were face-to-face informal chats, social gathering talks, tele phone conversations, public address announcements, televi sion, motion pictures, tape recorders, interviews, confer ences, buzz sessions, meetings, opinion and attitude polls, rumors and the grapevine, grievance procedures, and contacts at games and contests. Written techniques of communication that were discussed included handbooks and manuals; daily, weekly, and special bulletins; memoranda and reports; personal letters; house organs; bulletin boards; graphs, tables and charts; and suggestion systems. Non-linguistic or subliminal types of communication and their importance in a school organization were men tioned briefly. PART III PRELIMINARY SURVEY: IDENTIFICATION OF COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS IN ACTUAL SCHOOL SITUATIONS CHAPTER IX CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AS REVEALED IN CRITICAL INCIDENTS REPORTED BY HIGH SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS Introduction Purpose of Preliminary Survey The absence of published research specifically or closely related to the problem of effective two-way commu nication between high school principals and members of their staffs pointed to the need for a basic preliminary study which would provide the information necessary for the development of a realistic survey of the problem. First hand information was needed to ascertain (1) the problems that are critical in actual school situations, (2) the experiences of concerned persons with respect to effective and ineffective communications of principals, (3) kinds of information needed but not received from the principal, and (4) suggestions for improving communications between prin cipal and staff. Without such preliminary information, it was felt, it would be impossible to formulate a survey questionnaire 214 215 that would have precise meaning and applicability. R^sum^ of Procedures In order to obtain uncolored and free responses, an approach patterned somewhat after the "critical-incident technique" described by Flanagan (205-209) was utilized, in which selected categories of staff members were asked to react freely to the following informal questions: 1. Please think back over the past few weeks and give an example of an effective communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its effectiveness. 2. Please give a recent example of an absence of communication from the principal to you which, if it had been received, would have helped you to perform your duties better, 3. Please give a recent example of an ineffective communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its ineffectiveness. 4. Now kindly recommend one or more methods for improving communication from the principal to you. Ample space was provided, and, so as not to influence the responses, no examples or explanations were offered. The procedures used in selecting and soliciting the participation of the sample and in administering the instrument were explained in Chapter II. Each participat ing principal in each of eighty selected high schools was asked to distribute the instrument to thirteen persons in his school: to three teachers, two assistant principals or deans, and one each to a librarian, a department chairman, a nurse, a custodian, an attendance worker, an audio-visual 216 staff member, and a clerical worker. In all, 454 respond ents (44 per cent of those invited) completed and returned the forms. The data, thus, were furnished by the following persons: Position Number Teachers (including 13 audio-visual personnel) 113 Assistant principals or deans 73 Department chairmen 54 Guidance personnel 48 Librarians 38 Nurses 38 Clerical personnel 36 Custodians 32 Attendance personnel 22 Total 454 The subjective nature of this type of inquiry was chosen as appropriate to the initial exploratory phase of the study. Analysis of the results also required methods of interpretation and classification which were more-or- less subjective and informal. Each of the 1,816 incidents reported was read, its content noted and briefly condensed and transferred to 3x5 cards, and then coded for classifi cation purposes. Cards were then sorted according to content similarities; according to the communication methods and techniques used; and according to whether the 217 emphasis was on the personal relations aspect of the communication. Over-all Findings The incidents appeared to fall naturally into the following three major headings: (1) the techniques used by the principal (57 per cent of the total number of incidents reported fell within this classification); (2) the content of the message communicated (29 per cent of the incidents were in this classification); or (3) the personal relations aspects of the communication situation (14 per cent were of this nature). The incidents fell within these classifica tions, regardless of whether they pertained to effective or ineffective experiences or to suggestions for improving the principal's effectiveness. They are reported, therefore, under these headings. It was also noted that in almost all accounts of effective and ineffective communication, the incidents revealed whether the principal communicated orally (verbally) or whether he communicated in writing, and that in some instances, the communication was both verbal and written. These three classifications were also applied in reporting the findings. 218 Effective Communication Between Principal and Staff The responses to the first question in which staff members recounted critical examples of effective communica tion on the part of the principal are summarized in three tables. Techniques Used in Communicating Table 1 shows in rank order of frequency of mention the techniques used by principals to communicate with staff members. Responses of each of nine staff groups, as well as the total responses of the combined groups are displayed. It will be seen that 48 different techniques of communica tion were identified, and that of these, 28, or 55 per cent, were essentially verbal in nature; 15, or 35 per cent were basically written methods of communication; and 5, or 10 per cent, were combinations of verbal and written techniques. The rankings reveal that casual, personal face-to- face chats were outstandingly the most favored method of verbal communicating, being mentioned in 60 different inci dents. This constituted 30 per cent of all verbal responses. 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Among written techniques, informal notes were men tioned most frequently as effective. The top five ranked techniques comprised three fourths of the total of 15 written techniques identified. In addition to informal notes, daily bulletins, "some type of written communication ordinarily used," formal memoranda, and weekly bulletins were each mentioned by more than ten respondents. Techniques making use of both verbal and written communication were mentioned in 28 incidents, 16 of which described experiences in which "direct communications among persons concerned" made for effectiveness. Also stressed as effective was the definite provision for feedback and/or follow-up on important messages. Oral messages followed up by written communications was mentioned in four incidents. A glance at the number of items contributed by the nine different personnel groups reveals that teachers, assistant principals, and guidance persons contributed the greatest number of incidents, and clerical and attendance personnel the fewest. A few examples will illustrate the incidents from which the data were derived. Among incidents thought to be particularly effective were these: (1) "Serious discipline problem arose with sophomore boys during lunch period. Principal used announcement system during following period to inform teachers and students what was being done 221 about it, called a faculty meeting the following afternoon to inform the faculty of actual happen ings as they occurred, to get additional informa tion from the staff, and to discuss final disposition of the matter." (2) "Subject: reassignment of counselors as a result of money from NDA Title 5. Procedure: notification of principal of the problem which meant considerable change in his schedule. He called me. We discussed the matter over the phone. He made an appointment with me, and arranged discussion with counselors. Plan of procedure was outlined, every one understands, and knows what he is to do." (Reported by guidance counselor.) (3) "Direct interview method about plans for next semester was effective because: (1) Both knew interview was coming and had points of discussion in mind. (2) No 'middle-man'--so there was direct policy decision from the principal." (4) "Notification of an impending PTA meeting and a special meeting of senior class parents. Both meetings needed special audio-visual setups, and both occurred on the same night at the same time in different places. "Communication was effective because principal conferred with me personally regarding the needed audio-visual setup and followed this up with a written memo on the subject." Kinds of Information Commu nicated Effectively The second category of effective incidents con cerned the content of the messages communicated. As grouped, the responses which mentioned this aspect of communication are summarized in Table 2. It will be seen that 36 different items were distinguished. Of these 36, 15 (42 per cent) pertained to the characteristics of the effective communication, while 21 (58 per cent) concerned ? * 0 o ro p s rt H iN II ft i " ff ftff m rt o ff n 0 > ft a I s • rt rt ftp 0 M rt rt H i 0 ft ft rt n • s 1 rt f t « rt U ' s rt 0 ui »0 * • B W ft H » • I II Wrt 00 » rt rtft rt B ff rt rt ft? rt rt rt rt ft 0 Srt • ff ft W rt (0 1 u it • rt ft U » O ' B 0 n ft H ftff r t » rt rt n * ft 0 H§ ff ft ft rt rt* « 9 U r » o. r t« . a • S3 al U ) 0 1 0 ft n 0 s r ft * H f t 0 0 rt rt rt rt rt ft rt rt 0 0 rt a t B rt ft 0 0 9 rt rt rt ff b rt i i & rt 7 ft ft ft r t ft .. rt rt H i U 0 rt n « ft ft 0 rif f 0 ft rt rt ft * rt< III M M X 0 0 f t r t f f l i C 0 t h h rt B ff ft ft 0 ft 0 6 0 ftrt f t aOOO rt* f t r t f t r t r t f t r t f t 0 0 0 ■ ft • S I an 0 r t f t f t 9 a 0 I t 0 H i ft . rt a a f f o B H rt h rt a * o xx j; r tr t B ft , IWV: n n o B f t • f t f t f t an f t 1 1 ft ft r tn • rt 0 « 9 9 I K Hi Hi 0 ftrt H i 0 ft ft rt r t r t 0 rt rt 0 ft Iff rt ft rt ft I no 0 ff f t * t* 0 H i ft r t H i 0 r t n 0 r t r t f t f t 9 0 H | H f t f t r t I rt a 0 J 0 B u t 0 9 « • rt ft ft n n n rt h ft rt rt 0 f f r t 0 r t * rt I i l T r o • > > H ft I & 0 , 1 B f f f t r t 0 f t < r t ft 0 0 r t 0 B ft 0 r t 1 a *B a s f ftrt ft Hi ft 0 i a f t » ft I • » | r t n ffO rtB ft rt 0 r* t r t r t a s ft 9 o rt B 0 0 n p ft ft rt n f t » rt rt 0 ff < ft ft ft rt a 9 n rtft rt rt 0 ft 9 H 0 » ff a u * rt H 0 rt 0 » ft rt ff »- ft « « 0 < n r* ft C H i p a r t n ft 0 I".’ ft ft > n 0 rt i * n m 0 rt ' 00 < 1 rt n 9 ft rt n 9 ft ft a i ui p u n rt ao r t i i ffft ft 0 ff 0 0 r t 9 1 ft rt 0 ff a rt rt a rt rt rt ft r t It ft rt 1 rt 0 t ft ft rt ff ft ft ff t ff rt ft rt 9 rt i* r t 9 ft o o 0 • * I* a 0 ii rt O O r t ft 0 0 ft II a rt « ft r t W to rt to to rt X 8 f S H Vi P H i it ft 6 Off I f t r t 9 f t • ; > 0 0 n 11 ft » n * t 0 0 H I ft O rt B • n a t r a rt» ii h rt i rt ft 0 ft 0 • 9 ft n n I n rtft I 0 rt ! ft 0 « 0 9 ( art a 0 i - r t ff t > t * ft h n n r t | rtrt f t f f 9 f t rt0 rt f t * 0 0 0 t ff 0 ft rt ft H i 0 . 32 9 ft f t h rtn r i ft a a a ff * ii x H H f l H H H M flX X r t r t 0 0 0 0 r t 0 I f t I I H i H l i f t ......... t ft I rt 0 0 t I • « i O ft rt 0 ft ftff t rt rt rt f t ! ft ft f f • B > 0 0 f t f f 0 61 I • 0 0 0 0 0 r t i f t f t ft rt 0 ft ft H f t f t ^ n rt ft ft 0 ( 0 0 it 9 ft 0 ft H 0 ft rt 0 rt ( < 0 ft 0 ft ft H H • at 9» , f t « ft 1 (> art ff rt ft rt 0 0 ft ff o g r* s i rtft 01 i* 6 rt rt 0 H i ft r t ft r t rt ft t ft 0 rt rt rt rtft rt rt rtft n o o rt a rt 0 0 rt O I ft < 1 a n 9 O t f t t ft ft Off ft II ft 0 ft ft ft rt 1 < t * 0 a * rt 0 0 ft a ft B ft h i 0 ft 0 rt t a r t t 0 ft f t 0 r t f t n I* ff rt aB ftrt rt ft ff rtft B B o n a ft ft rt ft ft * rt 0 ft ft • c H < ft I rt rt II E ft ft O H I n o 0 » rt < ft H r t r t r t r t r t O O O O c o: oo to ff mputort U i rt to tototou r t r t to ui r t r t r tr t t o r t t o t o O I U > UUI WW rt rt rt U ) ff to 010 U I r t U i u i r t r t r t t o u to r t r t r t r t r t r t r t r t r t t o t o t o t o U ) U U U i f f t o o o f f r t r t r t r t t o » r t r t r t r t t o t o U u i f f f f t o 1 C U i son r t f 9 ft a n i « o 0 rt rt ft rt H rt 9 I r t rt 0 ff ]S r t f t ffp o a 9 Alliitint prlnclpili G uldince pcrionntl DepirtMnt chilraen T e a ch e r* A tte n d a n ce perionnel Llbririasi Nuriei Clerical perionnel Cuitodlani W H r t 0 ft rt r t ft r t r t B ft 0 0 * 0 rt B rt rt O 9 ff * < 0 rt ft H i rt O S rt 9 B ff ft ft 223 the kind of information that was transmitted. The majority of items presented in this table, however (57 per cent), pertained to the former category--the characteristics of the communication. The effective characteristics mentioned most fre quently, in order of frequency of mention, were: (1) the clarity, (2) the completeness, (3) the conciseness, (4) adequacy of advance notice, and (5) specificity of the message. All five were mentioned by more than ten respond ents as the essential points of the incidents reported. The kinds of information communicated with greatest effectiveness were described most frequently as being: (1) information pertaining to specific assignments, (2) advance notices of school or student activities or events, (3) agendas for all relevant meetings and conferences, (4) definitive explanations of duties and responsibilities, and (5) reports of school and district happenings. These kinds of information were mentioned by at least five respondents as the critical points in effective communications. A few examples will illustrate the incidents reported: (1) "The most effective communications I can think of at this time have been his [the princi pal's] reminders of deadlines on scholarship trans cripts. They are verbal and always accompanied by the question, 'Do you need any help?' It helps to remove the pressure caused by any deadline." (2) ''Instructions to prepare a speech for presentation during Public Schools' Week over the 224 radio. These were written down; date, time and place carefully given; suggestions for speech topics were given; neither of us consumed much time and each knew what was required." (3) "Advance notice--4 to 5 days--of school assembly meetings which cuts into class time. Allows ample time for a change if exams, films, etc., are on schedule that date, where full period is needed." Personal Relations Aspects of the Communication The third major category of effective communica tions reported in incidents referred to the personal relations between sender and receiver that were well handled. The summarization of personal relations items is given in Table 3. The data reported in this table were supplied in 85 critical incidents. Mentioned with greatest frequency were the follow ing personal-relations characteristics of good communica tion: (1) The principal maintains an open door policy. (2) The principal attempts to communicate and keep the staff informed. (3) Friendly and harmonious working rela tionship exists. (4) The principal gives deserved compli ments and praise. (5) The principal attempts to be available. (6) The principal is fair and objective. Representative of the incidents reported were the following: (1) "The principal requested that I obtain some information concerning the test results of a certain class. This was done on the phone. The approach was friendly, explicit and unhurried. The three ft 0 ft a H 0 H i 0 9 U I fl t( H ft t* ( 1 » H H a n H b a a « a n o a i t a H O ' a A a b f t o f t 7 a b a a a » 0 N * m i w a a *•30 ui fl 0 t> fla a b a a a n a a a a n H i S > Mill r * It 1 a a on ■ ■ a a fl 0 ■ a M . g u a t-a • a a WH a a ft hA m a o ' f l f l a t a t H M a a S" • a a W H 0 0 a * a It 1 < 1 5 9 a e • H - o ' a a n a H a f l f t a H it 0 a a o H 3 a ■ o a a h a» a 0 U I a a * a a b n a • f l a a i a j U 0 N it fl fl C 7 a a fl H 0 b H a a 0* a .■ H H M l U 0 I t f l a a a a ft tr o a it a a a H » H H a a f l it o H i a a a H 0 a a H H 3 « a h a rt b 7 H H O' O ' f l l< ft H o a n a h <d o a H H b f l f t H a a i t H < < f l It a b H f l ft a f l f l 0 0 H a I a a b a n A a I § ? a h a * * ? y a b a a H a H 0 a c a i t H H a H H H i a a n a H H fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl It fl It It ft ft ft ft ft H H H H H H H H H a a a a 3 a a a a n a a o fl n o a n H H H H H H H H H fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl a a a a a a a a a H H H H H H H H H H fl a H ft c H H H a it a It a a a a it a b 7 I 5 0 a a H b fl 0 £ i ft ft ft a a 0 a a » a a n n 0 a H h a rt a H fl a fl a a a a ft a a it a H it a a H ft it ft a a a a < a a a 0 a H a rt a ft a a b H i a * H b a it b < 1 H 7 a a 7 H a a a a a A a a 0 H it b a a H a 3 a a 7 0 b H a fl a a ft 0 b a ■ o 7 H 1 7 a « > 1 a H H a a O ' a 3 " a it a H it 0 a H fl a ( ft H M a H H a ■ o a 7 a a a b a a ft H n a a a ft H 0 c b * a it X ) a a e H a a e 0 ft O O a c a a a 0 H a a H * ft H 0 a a a a 0 a c b a a o n it i rt > t a H it < H 7 a H 7 H a H < 3 H ft b H ■ a a 0 0 0 0 0 0 a H ft a a ! 0 3 7 ft a fl rt a a a 7 I H a ' i a H i H H H H H H H H H H S I S j s S I H N a b a o w a n it H < a ■ t if H a o > i t a H a r t H 0 a a 7 H f l a x H a f t a f l f l a ft ft n a H H H ? f t a a a a a H fl fl ft 0 O h h a a ftfl fl n a I a a ft H a h h a b „ ft s o * ? h a it a a h ft H ft a a a H ft a n fl H a a a 0 ft H 3 a a a a it o a a a 0 0 i a i a c a a h a fl 0 a a ft ft a ■ o a o a h b H a 0 * u > m t- w n W H H N N H H H N H H H N H N U H W H H I ' N H H H H H H H H H H H H N N N N N O ' t ' f r i ' O C ' M O M N M ilita n t prlndpili G u id a n c e perionnel D e p a rta e nt c h a l n e n Teichcri A t (induce perionnel Llbnrlui Nuriei Clerical perionnel Cuitodlins (M f l o a a na H i H a a H 0 a 7 » f l a H H i 0 It 0 a a a a 226 descriptive terms just used sum up why I feel the communication was effective." (2) "The principal sent a nice formal letter to me the morning following an All-School Exhibit, of which 1 had been assigned complete charge. He expressed his appreciation and complimented me for a job well done. It was not necessary— but it was a real pat on the back*. The letter made all the hard work and extra hours seem very worthwhile." (3) "The principal called for my evaluation of one of the branches of student government. My opinion was carefully listened to and adopted by him. I believe his action was, in effect, a reversal of his previous plans, made because he found new information." (4) "A short time ago the principal approached me about a certain specific job overlooked by one of our custodians and myself. He spoke to me about it in a courteous and very understanding way, which is a natural trait of our principal and causes us to love and respect the man, and do a better job in order to please him. . . . A written message can be misconstrued but a written message followed by a verbal explanation of it, as our principal does, is seldom misconstrued and has more effect." Kinds of Information Needed The second question put to the staff members who served as respondents to the critical-incident phase of the study asked them to give a "recent example of an absence of communication from the principal to you which, if received, would have helped you to perform your duties better." Of particular interest to the major purposes of the investiga tion were the views of staff members concerning information which should be communicated but often is not received. It may be surprising to see in the summarization of 227 responses exhibited in Table 4 that of 208 critical inci dents contributed, 51 mentioned that "general information essential to the job" was not communicated by the princi pal-^ serious situation if it does happen generally in one fourth of high schools. Other information that was needed but not received from the principal pertained to the fol lowing matters: (1) changes and revisions of policies, (2) advance notice of reports or assignments to be made, (3) various decisions made by the principal, (4) changes and revisions of procedures, (5) the whereabouts and avail ability of the principal, (6) deadlines on reports and assignments due, (7) dates and details of important meet ings and activities, (8) specific definition of the job, its duties, and responsibilities, (9) results of ideas and suggestions made, and (10) changes in previous plans. The omission of each of these vitally important pieces of information was reported by more than a few staff members. Reference to the items listed in Table 4 indicates a number of other serious omissions, mentioned most frequently by teachers, The adverse effects of the principal's failure to communicate necessary information to his staff are illus trated in the following typical incidents: "A teacher was being released from the staff after two years of teaching. At the last minute, she was notified that she was being fired--no consultation with the head of the department or any of the other members of the department. It came as 0 NR H i N9 I 19 fl U i rt 0 m p II b 1 9 II ft b 9 I M h i 9 • H i ft i : i w H 0 I 9 n ■ r H i < I I U M Oil H rt 9 o r n H B fl ft ft H rt I i < fl » UH O D B 9 S £ I DR i e « M a u I ff 9 ft ft I H Ifl ft 9 rtft ft I I 0 h 9 9 fl 9 9 i“ ft« I 0 ui r 9 a H 9 » I 9 1 9 I t i W 9 N ft f t f t w rt M I I 1 8 *' rt M HlU 9 f t r t I 9 ft ftp 0 9 rt ft M H< 8 2 2 HH fl 9 itPff Hft I 0 ft 9 it M 0 9 t i n t i t i ' n o aaff 9 9 h n 1 9 ft i e a» hh 0 ft 9 9 mR rt bfl 0 h 9 ft 9 0 9 a 9 H9 ff C I I I ff 1 9 M 0 0 h i n II 9 H i 0 ff I 1 ftrt f f < 9 H i P 9 I* B 0 ii i rt a H » M (1,1*9 ft OUR I 9 If l 9 I n RIR-0 h ft I 9 0 1 rt 9 ft 9 r tj rt I 0 It M rt 9 9 < P 9 rt 9 rt rt rt I it i* II ■ I it f H f a i n rt I* rt 11* H i l l 9 I H i l t 9 ff rt rt P I 9 ft 0 § » C r t | S rt 9 ( rt 0 b i g H i fl R Ofl 0 ft • ft Hlfl 9 1 9 9 1 rt rt | ti t P i 9 f f l H9 9 Mfl 9 rt 9 rt H i rt I 0 fl 0 9 OS ft HR r t j 0 1 9 P I 9 rt 9 9 ff 9 U g 9 B 0 bff 1 P rt t i 9 I rtrt* a rt 9 rt ft ft rt ft 9 0 rtO 9 9 rt 9 ft rt ft 9 9 9 C • ft 9 « 01 ft it r R R > R D 9 9 099 9 I < I f t O C C l K rt B rt 0 r t f f f l f f 9 r tl 9 I 9 ft rt 0 9 0 ft H i 0 H i A f t f f < rtfl rtft 9 f f f t f t 9 r t r t r t 9 rtC f t 9 9 9 i * f t 0 f t f f I rtrtft rt jfl 9 0 9 9 f t rt9 ■ rtrtl . > ! , < it b rtO 9 r t l 0 9 rtl ft rtft 0 9 I < ft rt it I 0 I p ft rt 9 ft ff 9 0 10 R P H i 9 I 0 H i ft 9 ft rt bfl ft M ( < 9 9 9 r t R ffl rt rt fl 0 ft 9 9 0 ft I ft H i I 0 P H ? I ft ft P P I It p rt 9 9 I 0 < Ifl 9 b r t lf l ft 0 I it I 9 rt H HrtP 9 0 9R rtrt ■ Ml 9 9 ft BR rt C rtO 9 I 9 b 9 M 9 ft 9 it rt rt ft 9 9 0 9 1 rt ft ft H i 1 R P 0 I ft 1 9 ft ft 9 9 ft ft PR Prt ft 0 9 I 9 bPO ft 9 R 9 9 rt b 9 fl rt rtfl 9 H i 9 9 ft ft 0 BR Prtrt rtb 9 9 I M R ft ft I 0 b9 9 rtB { rt 9 C fl It rt I 9 I 9 I 9 ft ft ftrt R H 9 rt rt t< ft 9 ft b V 0 rt rt 9 9 r t ft P rt 9 rt < b rt 9 rtfl rtl 9 ft I rt N NNNNN NNNNN NNNNN N N rt rt rt *0 N *0 N N M N J S N N F F F N N N (0 o {ft rtrtff ff ft C I 9 b rt rt b ff rt rt It 9 9 ft C I rt ft 9 rt I ft 9 rt rt ft C B fl it 0 I 9 p Ml ft rt 9 fl 9 0 * 9 P ft b I ■ I r t 2 0 ! f l 0 C ft 9 9 9 I r t 9 r t f t 9 0 • r t f t I b fl r t r t l 0 p i t y rt 9 fltft rt rtl ft 0 0 9 9 P9 I i* b i n fl o 0 ft H H i a rt rt 9 I 9 9 b 9 9 C rt fl 0 rt 9 rt 0 rt g r 9 9 I H HU K 0 rt ft • rt rt 9 rt g r ft 9 I 9i > fl m j < n 9 ft rtl F ft rtB ft 9 P9 9 rtD R ft 9 OR ft rtft C 9 Ofl rtl I C 9 9 9 r t r t f l r t b • 9 9 I 9 ft rt 9 Ifl 9 rt bO ft M b 9 9 0 9 P 9 < ! l C 9 rt I b rt 0 R C ft 9 9 ft I f*9 rt 0 0 b l Bfl 9 ft I h fl ^ rt B 9 P bS 9 rt B 9 • 9 rt 9 ft bO ff 9 9 I rt rt b 0 9 rt fl ft 0 M ? l 9 oy I 9 9 b 9 fl fl 0 rt 9 it : I ft 9 ft | 9 C 9 ft 9 bft rtl r tl rtl rtfl rt rtl I 0 rtl 9 P 9 ft 9 9 ( 0 1 b l C m rt b it P9 bO • r t r t r t I 9 brtrtrt 9 A rt 9 9 ft 9 9 rt rt rt 9 b 1 rtrt rtfl 9 rtl 0 9 9 10 ft < 9 9 0 ff 9 b Ml rt 0 rt I rtrtl I c I S * S rtfl brt PO rt 9 9 ft 9 rt I it I rt rt u | l f t rt 0 9 rt 0 P ft R 0 ! \ t \ ; V i ^ h ■51 C 9 9 ft rtrtrtrt rtrtl 9 9 9 ft • R b rt • I C O • 9 I 9 rt 9 9 bft it rt < rt rt rt 9 I n o n n p i b p * 9 ft < 9 S 9 rtl 9 I R 0 OR A 9 C ft 9 I I I 9 I rt 9 bB 9 i* 9 9 0 9 9 b fl ft b r t rtrt 0 ft I ft ft 9 rt 9 9 <0 r t 9 0 i * r t I I M l rt rt rt 0 0 Pft 0 9 OS 9 9 1 fl I 9 ft 0 I 0 Pft 0 I Ml ft Ml I 9 f lf l fl ft ft ft 0 0 rt 0 rtft rtl ft 9 rtrt 9 ft | ft b r t l rtrt C fl I 9 0 ft 9 r t l 9 rtR rt 1 9 P 9 9 u ft 0 I P rt 0 p 9 p p p p p p p s > 4 s J n j WWUN* n j sj sj i/i yif-WNH K ) h to U ) U I N £ £ N h H 9 - h U > W h W M/i ^ H H ft H U HUC* r~ HH H h Hrt rtrtrtrtN 1 0 HUU tort N N N N N rt U > ff N rt N U i rt N r t r t r t r t rt? I 9 b t i rt H no 0 r t 1 o 9 I rt n ft rt 9 0 it 9 9 t i 9 rt r t 1 0 r t Fr t Mrt r t rt W rt rt U l U i rt U N rt rt rt U i ‘ N NNUUU UUUU F UUIUiffM O f C c 0 3 (t fl U 0 rt 1 0 rt AlllltUt princlpili Guldinct pcrionntl Dcptrcicnt CDlLmD Teichiri Atttndincc pcrionntl Llbtirlui Huriei Clerlcil perionnel Cuitodlim “ t! it o 9 r t rt 9 rt rt n - i . i A? E R 3 3 > 229 a complete surprise to everyone and caused consider able hard feeling and resentment toward the principal for not giving any clue to this decision or talking over the matter with the people who had to work with her." "Early in the year I asked to work in the guid ance department (for which I am trained) at least two periods daily next year. I heard nothing until the very end of the year when my assignment was given to me, ignoring my request." "I am chairman of a guidance council. Sometimes I plan agenda items which require his presence in the meeting. He doesn't always communicate to me that he will be off campus at the time of the meeting." (A school secretary reports:] "When people call the principal I cannot say when he will return or when he will be available." "In assignment of duty . . . it was taken for granted that I was briefed on matters that were foreign to me." Causes for staff resentment are seen in other inci dents, too: "After his class visitation, I would have liked for him to call me in immediately to discuss his impressions. I would also have appreciated it if he had indicated during the week that I could expect a visit from him, rather than just showing up unannounced. "A feeling of some certainty and security, as well as understanding from administrative superiors is necessary for a teacher to feel at ease and do his best teaching." "Following my appointment as counselor, no directive was given as to the duties of the office." "The principal failed to consult teachers about subject preferences when planning the schedule for the next school term. Since several teachers in the department were retiring, it would have been good practice to consult the remaining teachers about future assignments." 230 "Course summaries for school catalog were changed without consultation or written notice. Teachers who had prepared summaries were miffed because changes were made without discussion." Moreover, failure to communicate properly with concerned staff members often leaves them in an awkward and embarras sing position: "I was not informed of the procedure for shut ting off a newly installed fire alarm'." [A librarian reports:] "I am quite often over looked and not informed when the budget, textbook requests, etc., are due." "On a beard-growing contest the principal gave his OK for the students to grow beards, and I was left walking around the campus telling boys to shave their beards immediately." "After I submitted proposed budget for the com ing year, no written memo was received as to its full acceptance or partial rejection. Uncertainty." "Current organization and materials for Funda mentals of English classes need extensive revision. As one of five teachers involved, I submitted a plan to the principal and to the English department, through whom it was forwarded to the curriculum division. All of this was done before Christmas vacation. "No reply was ever received either by me or by the department. We did not know until the very day that book orders were due in business office that no plans were in progress for the change." Failure to communicate needed information often puts staff members on the spot in dealing with pupils: "Routine suspension for too many 'lates.' The student went to the principal and had the suspension lifted. In the meantime, a letter had gone out, the father had called me, and an agreement was reached as to how the father could best cooperate in the matter. No communication was received from the principal. "It was an embarrassing situation when the boy 231 was called in to explain why he had violated a direct suspension order. It put the school in a stupid position with the parent." "Information as to what action had been taken in a discipline case sent to the office was never received. Yet, the student returned and no notice able change was detected." "A health problem arises with a student and his mother comes to school to discuss it with the prin cipal. He calls the student's physician and makes a school adjustment. A few weeks later, the mother calls on the phone to discuss the problem with me and I do not know the health problem exists. I have to tell the mother this and, on checking the folder, find the principal's notations; but there has been no communication with me." Ineffective Communication The preliminary survey of this investigation sought also to determine staff members' analyses and explanations concerning what made poor communication ineffective in the case of principal-to-staff messages. Their responses to the request: "Please give a recent example of an ineffec tive communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its ineffectiveness," are summarized in three tables. The first, Table 5, portrays the classified inci dents that pertained to the techniques used by the princi pal in communicating with his staff; the second, Table 6, summarizes the incidents that pertained to the content of the communications; and the third, Table 7, gives the results of the analysis of personal relations factors that staff members thought made for ineffective communication. ft 0 ft k N 0 ftl w 0 ft ft ft ft 0 k H ft ft * a a 7 II ft n » 0 ft to 0 I frkt U t ft 9 M l 9 , 0 ( L k f l I I ft S0 M I ft D • ft n #s t ft _ 0 0 9 ft • • 0 I ft 0 t i si . s u I I ft> • I i U ft a ■ ft :i f n > i l i t » i ft ft I* > a 2 " • t » U ft 00* 0 0 e • a wk 70 n n ii ft l i t ft0 ft ft n • k 0 ft 9 0 t II II ft ft * h o » a ft» • t i k ft 0 f t H u p Mil I ) I ) 5? it ft w 1 0 • • ft ft ftU 0 ft fl II k I ( ) ft 9 0 0 ft ft 0 > ft* < :e z t 0 H n H n M H > k k 8 0 3 X I H 7 t* k k I 0 t H k ft c a 1 < 0 ft to 0 e k 0 E E k 9 Z 3 ft ft A 3 W k t •• 0 0 e ft B ft 0 0 1 k 0 ► < ft p t g rt k r 0 .9 0 it 0 it C ft 7 i* ft k ft 9 t 8 z ft 0 k 9 a ft 0 0 0 0 ft ft k 0 A 9 k ft < ft c t ft ft 9 e ft 0 H 0 ft i k k a M 0 ft 0 ft t* 1 0 7 I c a 0 ft A X 0 9 t 0 0 n B ft 0 z 9 a 7 < 9 ft ft t o ft k 0 0 0 H ft ft ft 0 ft X t H k 7 0 ft X k 3 ft 0 ft ft ft < 0 ft ft 7 ft 0 0 ft C 9 ( X a ft 0 ft B ft 7 7 0 H ft ft k ft 0 B 7 B 0 0 0 ft 9 t X e 9 ft 0 t 9 0 0 g 3 ft ft ft 0 7 I ft ft ft ft c 3 ft k ft 3 0 0 ft 3 ft 7 ft k 0 ft 9 ft 0 V 3 H ft k ft H a n 0 0 3 0 ft 9 O tit t t 9 3 g 9 1 k 3 ft I ft ft ft k 0 E ( 7 rt ft 0 k ft t* 0 1 * ft 9 0 3 0 ft e k 0 k 9 o o 0 rt 3 7 k k U t o f t ft to u N ft ft II 0 0 0 ft 7 X ft 3 ft II ft 2 t ft t* 0 0 k a e ft t* 0 0 0 2 0 rt t* 3 0 0 k 0 ft n 0 0 ft 0 ft 0 0 0 0 k rt 0 ft t* 0 ft k 0 0 0 a 0 a ft 0 ft 1 0 a ft 3 0 0 0 0 ft fi 0 0 ft 0 ft 0 3 0 0 k 0 ft ft 3 0 0 0 0 ft ft < ft ft X a e ft i* 3 90 t C 7 ft ft 0 0 a a 1 0 k k 0 3 3 0 C 3 0 0 u t I i i ft 0 t 0 ft ft 0 e ft ft f t 0 3 0 0 f t k 0 0 f t ft 3 ft 0 0 u ft 0 1 f t 0 0 f t 3 k 0 0 0 3 k k 0 ft ft 7 0 t C ft t 9 k 0 0 ft c t a o c o r t- t- k to to t 0 0 i* ft ft e 0 f t o 0 0 ft ft 0 9 ft 0 f t 0 0 0 0 0 f t 0 c a 0 0 9 3 0 0 ft 3 0 a t 0 ft k 9 3 k ft 3 a t* k o 3 k k ft 9 3 k M 1 0 M ft to 7 u i ft ft ft ft 10 N to to u f- g > ft 0 H 0 0 f t 0 ft 7 0 3 0 f t ft J ft C < 0 0 k P 3 ft ft 3 0 1 ft ft 0 3 3 1 k 3 x A iititin t prtncipili G uidance perionnel Dtpirtaent chiinen Teachers Attendance personnel Librarians Nurses Clerical personnel Custodians « H ft 9 I ft H i » ft ft 233 Techniques Used That Were Ineffective The unsuccessful techniques used when principals failed to communicate effectively with staff members were reported in the 33 critical incidents that furnished the data summarized in Table 5. It will be observed that little trouble was reported with respect to written commu nications. Verbal methods, however, were ineffectively used in 11 of the total of 17 kinds of incidents reported. Mentioned in the greatest number of incidents were: (1) failure to include concerned persons in discussions or conferences, (2) inadequate preparation for meetings or conferences, (3) prevalence of rumor or grapevine informa tion, and (4) disorganized meetings or conferences. Disorganized public address announcements, disorganized meetings or conferences, and failure to inform persons of the purpose of meetings or conferences were also mentioned. A surprising number of incidents centered on the use of both verbal and written techniques in communicating indirectly or through third parties. Fifteen incidents mentioned this weakness on the part of the principal. In the same verbal-and-written category were (1) inadequate provision for feedback or follow-through and (2) casual methods used to convey important information. The incidents recounted in answer to this question were in some respects similar to those given in answer to 234 the preceding question. Typical incidents were the follow ing: "I received a memo asking me to represent our high school at a district meeting. It was ineffec tive because the date and time of the meeting were incorrect and the reason for the meeting was not clear." "Routing sheets (check-off lists via students). . . . When I am interrupted during a class period to sign something, I seldom read it carefully, and many times resent the interruption but promptly forget the whole incident." "... meeting with department chairmen and using this medium to transfer policy from principal to teacher. Second-hand information is seldom the best source. Department chairmen do not always express the true feelings of other members of the department." . • principal using lunch hour of staff to discuss school program and school problems--assign- ing responsibilities to staff members at this time." "... hastily written note that did not clue me in properly to handle a pending conference effec tively." "I have received requests to make home calls on students who have been absent a great deal. . . . On visiting the home, I am informed by the parents of their many contacts with school administrators regarding school adjustment and discipline. Parents are sometimes defensive and generally dissatisfied with school relationships, which makes it difficult to establish good rapport. Some background informa tion from the administrator would have been helpful in approaching the parent." "Note received asking me to come to the princi pal' s office for 'conference' the following Friday. It would have been less cause for worry if the purpose of the conference had been noted. (It was about tenure time.)" "The principal sent a written communication asking for our agreement or disagreement on the procedure of selecting textbooks. If we disagreed 235 we were to change it and return. This was done--but there was no return communication. It makes one think, 'What's the use of turning in reports when they are ignored.'" The Content of Ineffective Communications The subject-matter of communications that were particularly ineffective was mentioned in 102 of the crit ical incidents submitted by staff members. As classified, they are summarized in Table 6. Mentioned with great frequency, it will be noted, were the following characteristics of the communication listed in order of frequency of mention: (1) incomplete information conveyed, (2) communication received at an inopportune time, (3) information unclear and meaning obscure, (4) information not current, (5) message contained incorrect information, (6) assignments, duties and respon sibilities unclear or undefined, (7) reasons for assign ments, requests, or decisions not explained, and (8) the purposes of meetings not made known prior to the meetings. Human Relations Aspects of Poor Communication As is exhibited in Table 7, 47 critical incidents contributed data concerning the personal relations aspects of ineffective communication. These incidents were more diverse than those analyzed according to other categories, many of them being one-of-a-kind incidents that could not be grouped without changing their essential content. It 0 H I P 0 H i P 0 N 0 H H n h n a p h 0 0 H a it a n i n 0 0 ft fl H IT a n i t & ft v it b k ft I * 0 N 9 B Hi N I I t-kfl w ft 0 f r f t a a b ■ a j ft b3 a Ff* Hi 0 • H i fl » I a "i a u II H t • • I U H o o i ft H » H 0 ff ft 3 a f t f t I* H k 8 a n I H . v k W H a * a c * A b h »»* b w k 9>B n n it H I I f l f t a h fi n k k o H 0 a ■ a it I t H It" I 0 V r * a H it • fl k k i a ft *1 U S M ft 0 f t C 7 k k ft H li .. 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H JO Z H 0 0 ) o i H §2 H 0 Z f l h 3 h n 98 H i t S z ft 9 0 M 0 9 ft H i N 1 It 1 i - f t f l U rt 9 *>ft p > f t b « P II f t r t b P 9 » f t 0 ft H i P ft ft H i ft p i * S 9 gf l f t H i I * II B - f t .. a ft • ■ o f t 9 1 p f l A • p u ft II p p » h > ft p ft A U P t 0 > ■ p rt p » p P 0 3 O ' rt ft ft p f t f l b f t ft II p p P f t 0 ft 0 ft ft ft P • fl ft ft 9 U P P 0 0 ft rt * 1 p 7 e n i t a r t 7 It a t rt i Si h • a ui < 0 0 « f t i t P 1 a r t f t p ft n i I 0 H P P f t) It I t P ft • I 0 w r 1 a p i t . t i « f t p c up t o f t f t f t g ? f t p II « • p p H u 0 f t f t f t f t f t f l f t 7 0 f t f t f t f t ■ p « < ! » » * « c e p f t a p p p f l H i p 0 i i • » f t > p e p 0 0 f t O K P It fl ■ ft ft p p 9 < S S O P f t f t II f t f t p p * e 3 f t it f t it a rt p < It ft 0 p b it f t n f t f t b p p p 0 0 0 f l fl fl fl f l f l ft ft ft ft ft ft 1 1 p ft P C p p p p 1 9 9 P 0 0 0 3 P 0 ft I 9 p ft ft ft ft r t p 1 p P p p p p P f l E f l f t f l f l f l f l 9 ft 0 ft fl ft ft ft ft P p p p p p p P p ft ft f t * p ft f t t p ft < H i c f t f t ft 0 „ ft ft ft I r t il ft * S ft P • f t II ft P f t j f l p c II H i f t f l ft r t 0 b ft f t f t ft r t ft II f t II 9 It 9 rt £ b ft 0 9 9 C fl f l It f t e 0 II 1 9 0 a 9 ft 7 r t p n ft ft p ft » ft f t ft < < 9 b ft p II i < C B b t II p 0 c c II b ft a ft ft ft II < p p ft 3 f t ft n p b 1 p ft 9 0 e p r t 3 3 ft ft ii ft ft II 3 o r r t f t 0 0 b p t r t r t f t it 7 ft ft r t f l p B ft p 7 p f l fl < p It f t r t it p p ft e rt < ft 0 9 ft 9 b f l II ft 7 ft 3 K p p p p 0 0 f l f t p f t f l p f l f t p p f t f t c II b 0 f t b It f t f t f t f t ft 7 II f t rt 7 b It f t it £ C II I f t I f l f t p P f l p f l f t p « f t f t b p f t 0 f t D O f t 9 p I It b f t P b H I f t P P It b h 9 f l p f t P £ II f t b f l f t p 0 f l P f l f t P g f t e « it 9 H i II f t • P 9 0 II f l f l f l f l f l > ft ft ft ft ft H p ft P P p ft p H P < 3 3 0 7 9 II f l it II It ft ft 9 ft ft II p P P p p 6 p r t it f l P f l f l f l p f l II « ft f t ft ft ft b » b 9 p c r p p p p 3 p ft 0 ft ft it n t ft I t 7 0 P f l 9 ft Q f t ft 1 f l t fl It 7 1 * it B p P ! i i ft e p c < r t 3 p ft 3 3 3 I I C p ft it p b p f t ft r t b o it ft f t P f t p ft it ft 9 H f t 9 e rt p f t p 9 3 it ■ II g 9 ft p b p b E H 3 P 7 II It 7 f l p b t ft H i » II f t It < f t II 9 3 3 r t b ii 1 ft b p ft r t II ft 9 r t i It p C 3 9 it b t r 3 « it p it b 7 ft » < 9 It It II ft 7 H b ft ft P 9 p b 3 ft 0 0 P p 3 3 b ft rt b p p p it R H i p p It H 0 I t r t < ft 7 ft 7 It It 0 0 7 f t H C ft ft ft ft rt V I ft N 1 0 P u u K ) U U P W P U A ll iitint p ri ntlpili G uidance pencnnel Dipirtaent chiinen Teac he r* At tendance p trionntl Libr ar ia n* Nunu Cler ic al pe racnnel Cu itodlani » H f t 9 f t f t H i ft H i P f l f t II £ e ii 0 f l f l 9 H i 9 f t p 9 0 V f l 0) rt f t H i o f t 9 s f t f t 238 Mentioned most frequently were the following ways in which the principal's personal relations with staff members were deteriorated: (1) habitual failure to recognize who should receive communications, (2) communication when rushed and in a hurry, (3) indecisive and indefinite communication, (4) communication before all the facts were in, (5) the principal's manner uninterested or indifferent, or (6) attitude and conduct of principal seemed unprofessional to staff. Here again, teachers contributed more incidents of ineffective communication than did any other staff group. Illustrative of poor personal relations that resulted from ineffective communication were the following incidents: "With reference to standardized tests to be used, the principal asked the department to decide whether they should be used. The department felt that they should not be used. Later we were advised that it had been decided to use the tests. It not only wasted time in meeting but resulted in strained relations "Discussion with the principal concerning pur chase of new books for a teacher who needed them in a hurry--my explanation of how long it took to order, receive, and process books fell upon deaf ears. I had such a short time to give my explanation that it was brushed aside with the comment, Contact the teacher, get a list, and order them.' Anyone who knows library procedures knows that you cannot get books that fast for a class already working on term papers, with a 2-3 weeks' due date. Reason for ineffectiveness? Pressure of time on principal plus inadequate knowledge of what was necessary." "I called to make an appointment as I had a prob lem on which I wanted assistance. I was cut off by being asked what the problem was, on the phone. I resented the feeling of its being implied I should 239 get it over with in a hurry. I rarely ask for time, and it wasn't a problem which could be solved on the phone. It became a very unsatisfactory situation and we had to work it out later." "During periodic interviews, the principal recom mends methods for improving teaching techniques. He does not seem interested in what has been done. Seems rather mechanical and perfunctory.^ One staff member reacted with some heat to the principal's unprofessional behavior: "The principal called a faculty meeting for the purpose of bawling out several instructors who were guilty of unfair and unjust treatment of students who had all committed the sairfe error. He also bawled out the whole faculty for 'loose talk,' be cause a teacher had been guilty of this. He made the statement, 'If you cannot say anything good, don't say anything.' A week later he stated in pub lic that we had 'dead wood' in the faculty. This proves that the rule doesn't apply to him. This is the best faculty I have ever seen'." Recommendations for Improving Communication Finally, staff members were asked to offer sugges tions and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of communications between the principal and them. Their responses covered a wide range, and displayed keen analysis and insight in many instances. They were classified according to the three major categories: (1) improving the techniques to be used, (2) improving the characteristics and content of the message communicated, and (3) improving the personal relations aspects of communication, A sepa rate table is devoted to a summarization of each category. Improving Techniques A great many suggestions were offered for improving the technical aspects of the principal's communications. In all, 243 critical incidents contributed to this phase of the process. Most of them had to do with improving his face-to-face contacts with staff members, as may be seen in the analysis summarized in Table 8. In rank order of frequency with which each recom mendation was made, the following ideas were mentioned most prominently: (1) increased use of personal, face-to-face chats, mentioned in 45 incidents; (2) all concerned staff members participate in meetings, mentioned in 11 incidents; (3) regularly scheduled staff meetings; (4) periodic con ferences with the principal; (5) periodic visits by the principal in rooms and offices. (The last three were each mentioned in ten incidents.) Next in rank order were: increased number of staff meetings, increased use of the school phone, improved announcements over the public address system, a specific time set aside daily for discussing school matters, brief daily conferences or meetings, more individual conferences, more administrative staff meetings, regular attendance by the principal at department meetings, and phones installed into each classroom. All of the latter were mentioned more than three times. 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A 0 A f t f t w A f t ft f t f t R A AR 0 f t A A ftA 9 D A 5 A f t f t R ft f * a 9 ft A 9 f t ft > 9 f t 9 A A z A ftR B ft a A A ft ft ft 9 £ 0 ft a ft s Hl9 A I ft A f t R a i 0 H f t ft rt ft A 0 X rt z ft V A A A A 9 ► I V f t rt w 9 A 9 Q 9 ft 0 ft * 9 f t n 9 z A A H M A 0 c a a f t a 3 0 I » n •i A i* A 9 f t 9 ft ft ft 9 0 R B A i* ft 9 3 ft ft B f t f t A f t f t f t R C R C M ftA ft A f t t A f t l l f t f t 9 A 0 9 0 a H i R H i A a h n o n f t H i A ft ftA 1 1 A r ft o a 9to ft 9 9 A A ft ft A ft ftO H r t i a A ftfl ft t f t 0 0 * f t S f t f t H 9 ft ft 0 A A ft 9 ft ft A H i f t $ ° > 0 ft ft 9 X S A h i I* h rt ft h f t 0 - 0 f t 0 9 9 X 0 ? H i X * ! 9 ! f t A A A o 9 9 a Hi A f t a A 9 r t f t ft A f t f t u f t f t f t f t 0 H H £ £ C r o o O d PH H zvz H H H H H N K ) C C 0 £ Alllltlnt prlaclpili G uldtace pcrionnel Dcpirtnent chilrwn Teichers Attendmce perionnel Libririiai Nuriei Clerical ptrionnel Cuitodlim M H ft 9 A ft Hi A H ft R f t A X 9 A 9 A X 0 H i 9 f t f t 0 9 9 X ( A f t A H H 0 i A * 243 all pertained to verbal communication by the principal. Fewer suggestions related to written messages, possibly indicative of less need for improvement in that area. The use of informal notes as information becomes known, and increased use of memoranda were both mentioned five times, and the writing of ordinary communications four times. With respect to combined verbal-and-written tech niques, a greater number of suggestions were made: Four teen staff members recommended that all important informa tion be conveyed both verbally and in writing; ten that offices be located more strategically; eight that an organized system be devised for feedback and follow-up; and four that clearly defined channels of communication be established. Improving the Content With respect to recommendations for improving the content of principal-staff communications, staff members submitted 38 different suggestions, many of which were sub mitted by more than two individuals. The responses are summarized in Table 9 under two headings: (1) characteris tics of the communications, and (2) the kinds of informa tion communicated. With respect to the former classification, it will be observed that the top five reconmendations were: (1) keep communications concise, (2) keep them specific, (3) 0 n J fti N (I I M l wft 0 * f t 9 I a • 9 I n a p • I n M l S • ft 0 I ' 1 m U " H 0 • 9 * 9 U I rt U K > 00 i ft rt 9 ft 1 IV ft 1 rt rt I 9 9 " • rt . fl I WP » l Sfi ■ IK I 9 • rt a wi 9 9 0 f t i P IV f t I M l ft I I 9 p 9 9 V I I P ft * I 0 w 9 * 9 1 a p i . a 1 i ft 9 f t ‘ I wo N ft ft ft e 9 I I n p ii 8 P 9» I .. p p ft w 0 ft ft I I I ft ft? 0 I ft ft 11 p « M l I I 9 1 ft I f f C PR B I ft ft I I 0 1 0 g ftftftl 1 ft 9 0 , • 1 f t f t f t 0 I 9ft I* a ft i ft 9 19 99V ft ft I 9R ft p | 9 f t » f t e « 9 990 ft9 f t I I H i 0 • ft Ifl 9 IV ft I I 91 ( p p f t p f t f t p 9 • ft C rtijg n 9ft ft I , f t i f l f t B I I V ftO I p 9 I P I p ft ft f t 9 ft f t f t I f t | I ft 9 I I ft K I B i l l ft I V 9 19 I f t f t w J r > > jf ft ft R P 0 rt 9 I • V I 0 p ft ft 0 C f> rt ft 9 M i I I ft ft I f t lH lf t I l i f t 0 I ft t* ft fl p I < 0 ft I ft* 91 P ft H i 1 9 1 ft Oft r t i t l f t f t l ft M l ft | o 0 H i H i 0 | p ft f t 0 c hip i f t f t ftp • i i> * I p 1 1 ft 9 1 0 ft fl ft p rt 9 ft p p p p p p U I In U i U i U i W n 0 ft o 0 0 P f t 9 1 1 9 n o e i o n v » n t K u r n pi pft e 0 H i 0 I I 1 I I 0 * 0 c r n V ft M l 0 • 9ft C * rt A ft rt * f t 0 I 0 11 ft s ’ h c 1 ft 9 9 I 1 19 I I I I • f t l < 0 9 • I H i I 9ft ft 9 I I Pft 9ft 91 I I P 9 ft a ft ft ft • o I p p I H i 9 ft ft f t I r t r t ft I 9* ft IV I ■ I I 0 • ft 9 ft 0 ft 9 0 f t l r t r t PC 99 V 9 11 ft 99 ft ftC IV 9 rt ft ft n ft ftl ft9 ft I ft 0 I fl I 0 ft 9 I* 0 ft P 9V rt I 19 I I Pi ■ 8 ft 9 PR 0 S H M ft HirtrtPft I 0 C ft ft p 0 I H i 9 9 p N V rt ft ft 9 fl PI Pft rt I ft* rtrt f t 1 r t f t 0 0 C ft 0 ft 9 C ft 111 0 1111 0 C I ft H I I* OR C P p H I 9 f t 9 P * v Ipp > 0 I I rt I H p p B rt rt ftPrtl ft ft 19ft pfl ft 1 I ft I rt I ft I 9 I ft 99 ft H I I I 0 C f t l f l 1 p< <fl I Pi 11 C* 9rt9 9 Pft ft 9 1 I 9 ft I I 9R I H i ft ftl rt ft P I 19ft a l l 9 f t p p p p p u h p H i- ffi o' a a c w u u w p P P M P P N p P K ) WNP N PP 9 n v h r I 9 1 ft I M l ft C 9 0 I P9ft rt _ 9 rt I < 9 f t l 11 f t f t ft • ft rt 9 fl I ft ftR I ft» e o n ft n ft 9 0 ft o n ho 9 H i ft ft 9 ft* g o 9 p 9 9 0 9 f t 0 f t r t f t f t ftR ft ft ft ft I ft I I I I r t f t r t r t r t r t f t I ft ft ft ft 0 p 0 0 0 0 • I I I 9 9 9 9 . 0 0 0 0 e 9 e c c c p f t p p p p 9 1 9 9 9 9 9 99ft 9 I I I 0 I I I rt ft H v l o ft I ft 9 n ft 9 ft rt ft ft I H i ft * 9 ft 0 I ft I W N P N P K ) NM h p p WN{- p P P P P PM H P P P P P p p p P P HMM MM UUWUW t1 ^ ^ U I9 PP PM N NM WU w 9 0 A lliltin t principal! Guidance peraonnel Departaent chiinwi leichiri Attendance peraonnel Librarian! N uraea Clerical peraonnel Cultodimi WH ft o l ft h i H i H H if S3 i V R jj 245 see that information is complete, (4) see that they are typed legibly and in logical sequence, and (5) keep them clear. With respect to the kinds of information that is communicated, the top five recommendations were: (1) give periodic dissemination of district happenings, (2) tell about all procedures and policies that are written and available, (3) give earlier advance notices of meetings and assignments, (4) define duties and responsibilities of all staff members, and (5) provide information on proce dures and policies, and do it regularly and continuously. Again there was great diversity of suggestions. The distribution according to the nine different staff groups reflected many of the things that each group needed or wanted to receive from the principal: a great many kinds of information was needed by the teachers; custodians wanted information about special facilities and lists of things to be repaired; assistant principals, the minutes of meetings, and information about the principal's where abouts; and department chairmen, earlier notice about meetings and assignments. Improving Personal Relations A large number of incidents (99) contributed to the recommendations for improving staff-principal relationships and staff morale through improving the principal's 246 communications. Some of the recommendations were outcomes of previous incidents reported by respondents, as may be seen in their rank-order listing in Table 10. It would be easy to conjecture that many of the recommendations may have arisen from actual situations that needed to be cor rected. Throughout the suggestions made by the greatest numbers of respondents one sees a strong desire for closer personal relationships with the principal: fourteen recommended that the principal attempt to be more available to the staff; nine that he strive to keep people informed when they are concerned with matters that are developing; seven that he work for increased rapport between himself and the staff; seven that he communicate more promptly; six that he become more interested in others and their work; and five that he improve his organization and give more advance notice of coming events and deadlines. Among other recommendations were many that reflected unmet problems of staff members: they wanted the principal to develop greater understanding; to clarify his own thinking prior to communicating with them; to give more compliments and praise for work well done; to be more decisive and definite; to be perceptive in recognizing who should receive what kind of communication; to learn to listen; to encourage staff ideas and suggestions; to dele gate authority commensurate with responsibility; to inform 0 MU rt M II I * a a Id A 0 t-n p ii a • 9 n « a o A M H0 • rt A r * m \ v A 6 I B M < 9 I d A rt i U r t (C l f t rt I rtS o ' ft ii Afl A A rt rt I 0 0 A 1 r t . f l I I d r t Co I V \ > A 0 3 if « * a 5! A A A r t A f l A » rt A A I * 2 H S A ) I A rt A ' h p a a rt A • fl > s: ‘I U 0 M ft A A M « i* Si s 8 0 • I » . r t r t r t U 0 A ft A I A A A 0 0 A , A A I *• H U E 3 I r t < A r t A r t 5 0 A 10 0 r . ! V A I 0 A A A A A 0 A A 0 A 0 a aii i a A A A A A A I < A (TO AC A 0 rtl I Afl rt0 I I D fl C A 5 A I 0 A A rt0 A 0 A A 0 0 rt A A A A rt A rt A A 0 A A A K A A A rtfl 0 0 A I rt A A a 0 A I 0 0 0 C A 0 0 r t 0 r t I r t » rt A A A 00 9 I A a rt 0 A I A T 0 9 rt «t I 1 rt rt A A :JF A O 0 A 001 0 A rtA K 0 rt rt A I : rt o o B at y AC 0 A 0 0 C A A rt A A A C A A A 0 0 a e A rt rt a 9 a ■ O o f l H » > I n o s n 0 0 a A 0 A A A 0 A Q A r t A D ft 0 . . , . . 0 < A i A 0 0 • 0 A A 0 rt A rt A rtA IrtA | Aaola a a< p o < o 1 a A A f l A rt I A „ A 0 ( < A | C A I 0 A rt 0 0 A 0 I A A r t A fl 0 A A rtA A A 0 0 f l 0 A rtC a A I A rt rtrt fl A 0 rt a 0 A 9 A A A A A I A 0 A rt 0 A 0 B A AO Afl rtA 0 A o A < e 0 r t l A c f l 0 HO 0 A AX 0 a 9 S 9 i A A A ! 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A A A 0 1 rt • A fl rt A 0 y 0 W N N N M M W N N N M N MM MM Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id Id 1 0 fl ' C fl > 0 r t r t rtrtrt r t r t r t rt M rt M rt rt r t r t H H P H 9 0 A B n n g o to 0 A a fl 0 O r t O r t r t A f l A A < A I rt fl 0 0 I A I I I A i 9 0 0 A I rt A A I I rt < y A 1 A AAAI 0 A A 0 rt H i H A A 1 H H i 0 r t A A fl 0 | 0 A A fl ft rt rt H 0 0 rt 0 0 A S rt A A ft I ft A a ty ft 0 0 0 fl ft rt ft c A fl 0 fl 0 A A rt 0 A A 0 rt H rt A 0 fl 0 fl A A 0 0 a fl 0 00 c A A 9 A 0 rt A 9 fl ■ 0 0 A 0 C | A 9 I 1 fl ! 0 fl A 9 0 0 B rt rt A fl ■ rt 0 A 0 fl ft A 0 y rt C rt 0 rt « g a t > n > n > H » > H l f l > A fl 0 A rt it B A A 0 A A H r t A B A A A 9 f l fl A fl A A 0 0 f l A A A 0 A 0 A A rt » A A rt rt| t * l A 0 I | A O f 9 f f l r t f l r t < A f l A A f l A A I A y a fl a A A A 0 0 A A * 5 A A A 0 A 0 A 0 0 A O A fl B A 0 r t 0 r t A O A O r t 0 0 1 I A A r 0 1 A A A 0 fl f l A 0 a | A 9 A 0 A 0 r t O f l A A r t c a n S n A 0 1 O f l „ < 0 a a 0 0 00 A 1 A 1 r t r t A f l A A A ! a fl o f t fl fl A r A 0 A 9 0 A e a r t a 0 0 r t A r t 0 0 A A A » r t A r t B N I fl A fl r t r t r t » r t A ft A A A A 0 < A r t 0 A A A r t O O A ■ r t A r t f t 0 . 1 0 0 A A r t < A A A 0 0 0 0 r t | 9 f t r t 0 A 9 A 0 9 9 0 A r t A f t H f l f t A A 0 f l 0 < H H A A A 0 O A r t A r t A A f t 0 H A f t A f A A f t fl A 8 A 0 ■ 0 A l l A H A A A 00 A A A 0 A r t | A A r t A 0 H 0 0 A 0 0 f l A 0 < ■ B H i 0 rt A f l 0 f t A f l A A A A A r t , A A A r t 0 A « 0 fl 0 i ’ r t 0 9 A 0 f l 0 9 9 9 f t y a . h A t B A B A 0 A 1 A 0 r t I A ft A A A A y A A c 0 0 1 A A ft 9 A A A A h B A r t f t r t f t H Ii fl < A « A 0 A A rf 0 H ft 3 { A 0 H r t fl 0 H f t r t 0 A A H fl A 00 r t rt M M M M rt M ifi \C 1 9 1 0 fl f l f l f l 03'J 0 0 Id Id M rt r t r t N rt rt rt Id *> rt M rt rt rt {■ Id r t M r t r t £ rt M N M rt M rt rtrt rtrt r t N r t r t H rt rt rt rt rt rt rtrtrt rtrt rtrt rtrt M M MM MM M M M M M M MW Id M o 0 w N fl * Aiiljtint principals Guidance personnel DepartoenC chalrnen Teachers Attendance personnel Librarians Nurses’ Clerical personnel Custodians to H A 0 A A H i A H i r t A A fl C A 9 fl VI 0 H i 9 A rt 0 0 0 y 0 ) A A H i Hi fl A 0 0 fl I * f l z » 0 H > Z H n h N 0 f lZ > w 7 fl MO H H fl > > & f l j E 110 rt 10 o < M \l H p fl V to 248 staff prior to procedure or policy changes; to be impartial in relations with staff members; and to be sincere and honest. Summary of the Chapter This chapter has reported the results of a prelim inary field survey of the problem of communication between the high school principal and his staff members. The essential purpose of this phase of the study was to assem ble the information needed--a foundation, as it were--for constructing the questionnaire for the planned comprehen- sive survey of the problem. The dearth of related research on the specific problem made this exploratory step necessary. A critical incident type of approach was used in which the free responses of representative groups of high school staff members were sought by informal means. Their experiences and points of view pertained to (1) their own personal reactions to recently-encountered effective and ineffective incidents when principals either did or did not communicate well with them; (2) the reasons why these conmunications were effective or ineffective; and (3) their ideas on how to improve principal-staff communication in their own schools. This was the type of information that was needed, since it did not exist any place in the literature. This was a tool phase of the study. All data 249 contributed valuably to an understanding of the problem as it exists in the schools today; they also contributed to the structuring of the questionnaires circulated to princi pals and to various groups of staff members in the main body of the investigation. The major survey is reported in Part IV, Chapters X through XIV, and is summarized in Chapter XV. PART IV SURVEY OF COMMUNICATION IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS CHAPTER X REACTIONS OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS CONCERNING COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF MEMBERS I n t r o d u c t i o n The results of the first phase of the survey of principal-staff communication were summarized in the preceding chapter. The second and final phase of the survey consisted of a comprehensive analysis of the nature and effectiveness of two-way communication between principals and staff mem bers in 250 selected California high schools. The characteristics, content and personal relations associated with effective and ineffective communications which were identified in reports of critical incidents (presented in Chapter IX) were basic to the development of the questionnaires used in the second phase of the investi gation. The questionnaire forms (see Appendix C and Appendix D), and the procedures used in their development and administration, were explained in detail in Chapter II. Separate forms of the instrument were prepared for both members of the communication process: (1) the principals, 251 252 and (2) the staff members. One hundred thirty-two princi pals participated by furnishing the responses that are analyzed and summarized in this chapter. Of a possible sample of 3,500 staff members in the 250 selected schools, 1,665 persons (48 per cent) completed and returned usable questionnaires in time for inclusion in the tabulating and treating of the data. Their responses are presented in the next four chapters (Chapters XI through XIV). Principals' Reactions Concerning Communication with the Staff Purpose of the Inquiry With respect to principal-staff communications, 250 principals were asked to indicate: 1. The methods they used in conveying information to their staff members by telling how frequently each of 25 Listed verbal and written methods was used (i.e., whether "very frequently," "frequently," "occasionally," or "almost never"), and how effective they considered each method to be (whether "very effective," "effective," "questionable,1 1 or "ineffective"). 2. The methods by which they received information from staff members, by reporting how frequently and how effectively each of the same 25 verbal and written methods was used by the staff. 253 3. The importance of each of 38 listed kinds of information which a principal receives, using a four-step rating scale; and the principal’s preference as to whether each item should be received via verbal or written communi cation methods (or both, or neither). 4. The method by which the principal prefers to receive each of 40 listed kinds of information from staff members, checking the preference among the following eight listed methods (each of which was defined in steps 1 and 2) : Verbal: (1) Casual (2) Meetings (3) Individual Conference (4) Announcements Written: (5) Informal Note (6) Formal Memorandum (7) Bulletins (8) Handbooks 5. The sources from which principals receive each of the same 40 kinds of information, and the source from which they would prefer to receive each. Eleven possible sources were listed: outside specialist, board of educa tion, superintendent, district specialist, assistant principal, department chairman, guidance personnel, teach ers, secretary, nurse, custodian. 6. Views concerning kinds of school information about which they would like to receive more communication than they do. 254 7. The kinds of information about which they receive too much communication. 8. Factors that encourage effective communication with the staff. 9. Factors that make effective communication with the staff difficult. 10. Recommendations for improving their communica tion with staff members. Because of the vast number of items and response categories, the results of the survey are presented for the most part in table form, only necessary explanations and mentions of noteworthy findings being given in the text. Conveying Information to the Staff the principals to quantitative terms, numerical values were assigned as follows to the four response categories, and ''weighted scores" computed for each item (or communication method) by dividing the total score by the number of respondents: In order to convert the qualitative responses of Response Category Very frequently Frequently Occasionally Almost never Assigned Score 11 8 4 1 255 Arranged in rank order of the effectiveness of the methods of communication (both verbal and written), the highest-ranked methods as rated by the principals are summarized in Table 11. Verbal techniques. It will be observed in this table that in practice and in preference, most of the prin cipals' verbal communications made use of twelve different methods. Moreover, the three techniques considered to be most effective were also those that were used with greatest frequency: (1) conference by appointment with the staff member, (2) personal chats, and (3) staff meetings. In fact, there was a striking similarity of pattern between principals' ratings of effectiveness and their actual usage of communication methods. Judged to be of little effec tiveness, and also little used, were social gatherings and the school grapevine. Two discrepancies might be worth noting: (1) principals apparently make greater use of school assemblies as a method of conveying information to the staff than they think the method merits; and (2) they meet less often with grievance committees, perhaps, than they would prefer to. Written techniques. It may also be seen in Table 11 that most written communications were transmitted by means of thirteen methods, but that there was a marked discrepancy between the methods that principals use and 256 TABLE 11 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TECHNIQUES USED BY PRINCIPALS TO CONVEY INFORMATION TO STAFF MEMBERS, AS RATED BY THE PRINCIPALS Consnunication Technique Degree of Effectiveness Weighted Rank Score* Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Conference by appointment with staff member 1 10.1 3 7.8 Personal chats 2 9.b 1 9.2 Staff meetings 3 9.2 2 b.o Department meetings, principal present 4 9.2 5 6 .4 Through department chairman 5 8.3 4 6.6 School phone 6 7.9 7 5.2 Announcements via student messenger' 7 6.4 9 3.6 Meetings with grievance committee Announcements over public address 8 6.0 11 2.6 system 9 5.9 0 4.4 School assemblies 10 5.9 6 5.7 Social gatherings 11 4.4 10 2.6 School grapevine 12 2.9 12 1.6 WRITTEN: Personal letter 1 9.2 10 4.5 Special bulletin 2 8.9 9 6.0 Note 3 8.7 2 7.9 Daily bulletin 4 8.3 1 9.5 Memorandum 5 8.3 2 7.9 Handbook 6 8.0 4 7.8 Official report 7 7.6 8 6.3 Sharing professional literature 8 7.6 5 6.9 Weekly bulletin 9 7.4 7 6 .6 Bulletin board 10 6.0 6 6.9 Newsletter 11 5.8 12 3.3 School paper 12 4.9 11 4.2 Suggestion box 13 3.6 13 1.7 *The following numerical values were assigned to the four answer-categories given: "very frequently" or "very effective" * 11; "frequently" or "effective" ■ b; "occasionally" or "questionable" - 4; and "almost never" or "ineffective" - 1. 257 those that they profess to prefer. Rated highest among written methods of communication was the personal letter to the staff member--yet in actual use it rated tenth among thirteen, and a very low tenth at that, with a weighted score of 4.5. Other striking incongruities were: (1) the special bulletin which was second in effectiveness but ninth in usage; (2) the daily bulletin which is used most frequently but rated in fourth position; and (3) the informal note and the memorandum, both of which were used almost as frequently as the daily bulletin, but which were rated as third and fifth, respectively, in effectiveness. The sharing of professional literature also showed a dis parity between effectiveness-rating and extent of use, as did the use of bulletin boards. The greatest consistency of response is seen in the lowest-rated three methods, and the least-used three. Although not identical in placing, lowest spots went to the suggestion box, the school paper, and the newsletter. Receiving Information from the Staff A similar method of converting evaluative responses to quantitative terms was used in obtaining rank-order listings of effectiveness of the twelve listed methods of receiving communications from staff members. Weighted scores were thus obtained for both effectiveness ratings and extent of use. 258 Table 12 summarizes in rank order of effectiveness the twelve verbal communication methods and twelve written methods, as rated by respondent principals. Verbal techniques. With respect to the receipt by the principal of messages from his staff members, there was not the same pattern of consistency between effectiveness- ratings and extent of use that was observable in the preceding section--i,e., the methods by which the principal conveyed messages to his staff. There was consistency with respect to three methods-- conferences by appointment with staff members, assemblies, and announcements over the public address system. A number of discrepancies are apparent: (1) although the most effective way of communicating was through the department chairmen, this method was used only fourth most frequently; (2) departmental meetings at which the principal was present were considered to be third most effective, but they were used fifth most frequently; and (3) social gatherings and public address announcements were both used more frequently than their effectiveness-rating would warrant. The school grapevine was ranked lowest on both scales. Written techniques. The informal personal note was thought to be most effective; it was also used with 259 TABLE 12 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TECHNIQUES BT WHICH INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM STAFF MEMBERS, AS RATED BT PRINCIPALS Communication Technique Degree of Effectiveness Weighted Rank Score* Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Through department chairman Conference by appointment with 1 10.1 4 7.1 staff member Department meetings with principal 2 9. b 3 7.3 present 3 o. b 5 6.1 Personal chats 4 o. o 1 9.3 Staff meetings 5 b. 7 2 7.3 Meetings of grievance conmittee 6 7.0 11 2.3 Announcements via student messenger 7 5.6 10 2.6 School phone b 5.5 6 6.0 School assemblies 9 5.1 9 2.9 Social gatherings Announcements over public address 10 4.3 7 3.2 system 11 3.9 o 3.2 School grapevine IITTEN: 12 2.9 12 1.6 Note 1 b. 9 1 7.2 Personal letter 2 to.3 10 3.6 Official report 3 b.l 6 5.0 Sharing professional literature 4 t o . 0 3 5.6 Memorandum 5 b.O 5 5.1 Handbook 6 7.9 7 4.7 Daily bulletin 7 7.1 2 6.9 Weekly bulletin C 6.7 4 5.2 School paper 9 5.6 9 4.4 Newsletter 10 5.4 11 3.3 Bulletin board 11 5.1 b 4.5 Suggestion box 12 4.3 12 2.0 *The following numerical values were assigned to the four answer-categories given: "very frequently" or "very effective" • 11; "frequently" or "effective" ■ 8; "occasionally" or "questionable" ■ 4; and "almost never" or "ineffective" ■ 1. 260 greatest frequency by principals. But there the agreement ends; the next two most effective methods were used, respectively, tenth and sixth most frequently--they were the methods of writing personal letters and issuing official reports. An interesting discrepancy is seen in the case of issuing daily and weekly bulletins, which are issued with great frequency (the second and fourth most- used methods, respectively) and yet were given relatively low ratings as effective media (seventh and eighth). The suggestion box was ranked lowest on both scales. Other low-ranked methods were the school paper, the newsletter, and bulletin boards, although some use is made of the latter, judging from its eighth-place position. Again one might wonder why staff members make such little use of the personal letter, a method which princi pals value highly. Relative Importance of Various Kinds of Information and How It Is Received The principals' ratings of the importance of 38 listed kinds of information, and their preferences as to how they would like to receive each kind of information, are summarized in Table 13. Importance of the information. In order, as ranked by the principals, the most important kinds of information were thought to be: definition of job duties and » * * 3 : 9 H ft C 9 0 0 9 ft p ft 9 0 9 S 09 3 ft 3 0ft 9 0 ft 0 9 ft p- ft n ft 9 3 9 * * - 9 ( ft not 9 9 : p ft ft <00 p 1 9 3 9 3 ft O O ft " 9 0 . a 0 : 0 ft < 9 9 9 0 ft ft 9 3 9 ft 0 3 ft ft 8 ft 9 3 3 9 0 9 0 ft 9 ft H , a 9 0 9 ft 0 n ft 9 : 0 ( P 1 ft 0 9 ft ftO O ft ft 0 .. 3 ( 6 9 * 0 f t u f-U 10 ft 0 9 ft 0 11 1 1 ft ft 0 ft n 9 ft 0 ft 9 < 3 3 9 3 p 3 ft 0 9 9 B 9 9 : ft 3 3 9 I 1 ft S ft I 1 9 0 ft ft ft 3 ft 03 7777^7 - ( 0 0 P 0 ft 0 9 a a nB a : ft 3 9 6 9 3 ft ft 3 H3 C ft 9 ft ft 0 ft 9 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 p ft 0 P P ft 9 9 7 ft 9 9 P ft ft ftB ft ft 0(0 ft ft 9 ft ft 9 9 9 a ft 9 9 0 9 a 9 a a 3 a ft ft 3 9 tr cr 9 ft 3 9 * *< : 0 ir H ft ft 1 ft 30 7 7 3 9 ft 9 9 N 9 a •• p 9 9 ( 0 p 9 ft 9 ft 0 0 ( 9 9 9 C 9 0 9 a i 9 9 f t ft 3 9 0 9 9 3 3 f t 9 ft p ( ft- 10 9 9 9 3 \ ft 9 9 B 1 ft- 0 3 3 ft 9 9 ft ft 0 H i io n o o B h. all n 3 9 0 - H n i n 9 3 0 9 r f t 0 0 9 Sv 9 p C ft 9 ft ft 9 9 0 9 ft 9 ft 9 0 9 9 9 9 a a f t 9 0 9 9 1 I * ' 9 9 9 0 ft C ft ft ft 9 9 9 9 < 9 9 9 < 9 9 9 3 f t 9ft ft 0 9 1 3 f t f t 9 9 f t 0 9 9 B 7 1 V B > ft 9 0 ft 00 9 ft C 9 9 in ft’ ft ft 9 p ft I- 9 a 9 9 | 9 H i ’ i 9 9 ft 0 O’ ft 9 ft 9 3 0 f t t O n d 9 ft 0 9 ■ 0 h < 9 < 0 9 3 p 9 9 ft 9 9 9 ft ft ft ft ft B 9 0 ft 9 0 9 < 0 9 9 ft i 9 ft e H 9 ft 9 9 h 9 9 JF ft a 3 0 9 9ft | 9 A ft 0 8 C 8 cr p - 9 ft 9 ft ft 9 ft 9 ft ft a 9 ( 0 9 0 9 9 9 a It 9 n ft o a ft B 9ft 09 P9 ft 9 9 ft 3 0ft H 9 f 9 9 9 9 9 (0 v 9 9 5n I o 9 f t f t ft 0 K « o » n B B B 11) ft ft3 3 9 e n 9 ft 9 p 9 9 3 0ft 03 0 3 9 ft 9 0 C ft ft ft P3 0 9 ft ft ft 9 0 ftpft0 B 0 ft ft 9 9 * „ *5 9 ftC 9 ft It a it o 9 9 3 1 i ft 1 ft 0 3 ft 38 I 9 ft Pft 0 30 0 3ft 0 0 0 0 0 p O 93 3 p 3 ft 0 9 0 9 0 p 0 0 ft 3ft 99 a < - 0 p o ft ft B 0 9 0 < 9 0 0 9 3 3 9ft ft 9 ft 0 0 0 3 p ft f t 9 0 9 3 ft 3 ft 9 ft 3 10 ft ft 0 ftf 0 X < ft 00 0 9 0 9 0 ft ft 0 9 ft It ft 0 9 ft ft 8 0 3 9 9 0ft 0 p 0 ft 9 ft h B 9 9 ft ft 39 9 0 f t 0 9 03 3 < ft 0 9 9 9 ft 9 ft a3 0 3 ao o ft ftft < 0 3 P ft 9 ft 0 0 0 ft 0 9 B 9 ft ft P 0 0 3 p it a a p B a ft 0 0 9 pt 9 0 ft 0 9 9 9 . 0 00 9 0 9 f t 9 < f t f t 0 9 0 0 0 3 ft 9 9 9 9 ft 9 o a 3 ft 9 a 0 9 9 03 9 9 9 9 93 B ft 0 0 f t 0 9 9 9 0 9 0 ft 0 9 9 9 ft 3 w n 0 ft 9 f t | 0 9 p 9 9 ft 0 0 ft 9 p ft a 9 0 0 9 ft ft ft 0 0 9 9 ft 9 9 b 1] ft) oi in f t 9 f t 9 f t 9 ft 0 0 9 ft 9 3 IT H i ' ft 0 10 H i 9 9 ft 9 0S 9 9) a c 9 ftft 9 | 9 ft a O ’ 0 9 9' It h 9 9 9 ft 9 9 9 a hi o o a • 9 o It 3 ft 9 O 9 9 Q 1 1 f t f t f t 8 f t ft 3 3 3 ft 8 9 Oft 9 3 9 C 9 a o ft a ft 9 9 ft 9 3 f t f t 0 ft 9 0 t ft o 9 « f t i t » 0 9 0 in 0 ( 9 It ft h 9 9 9 ft t n 9 ft a 9 9 7 a (9 9 9 0 It 9 f t g f t n ( 9 a • o « o g ft c to 91 a ft9 9 5 9 9 ft 9 9 9 ft I ft ft 9 f t 0 f t B M r t o n C ft 0 S ’ c a 9 i 9 ft g o it 8 9 ft 9 9 E 9 9 f t | 9 f t P 9 9 ft ft n ft 9 ft 9 3 ft3 3 •0 ft 9 0 # HO 9 ft cr a tj o ft 3 7t p O f t j f t c f t ! 9 1 0 1 9 9 9 9 3D 0 ft 9 9 I D 9 a ft 0 tr b 9 00 3 ft it f t f t f t 0 9 0 0 1 B 0 p 9 3 0 9 ft ft 9 cr 9 h 9 a 9 f t - 0 3 9 ft9 ft a n ( ft i • 9 9 9 ■ ( ft 9 n J ft 9 0 0 9 0 p 9 ft OH p ft 9 9 0 9 9 9 9 9 f t 0 9 9 3o ft c 9 00 9 f t 3 9 0 9 c a f t 0 9 7 0 0 f t 0 9 9 f t 0 9 P 9 P a « I 9 i P 9 p ft 9 m i n i s p 7 9 ft 0 3 9 ft 0 ft 9 9 7 P 9 9 0 0 0 f t f t 9 a 9 0 9 9 9 C 0 9 O O p aoo 9 9 0 3 3 0ft ■ 0 0 9 ft 9 0 £ 9 ft p 3 ft ft 0 P 9 9 9 ft ft 9 B 3 C 0- I t ft ft p 3 ft f t f t 3 ft 9 3 ft 9 ft 9 0 9 ft 3 9 0 9 0 ft 9 3 ft . 9 9 ft U < 0 ( 0 9 9 9 3 ft f t 9 C 9 ft 9 1 9 ft 9 3 0 ft 9 03 0 0 C 0 9 8 9 0 9 9 f t - ft 3 ft 0 ft ft ft 0 f t P ft p 9 9 WWW { • U C ' i ' i - U t - i ' t ' f r U 0 - { - 0 - t - t - i ' f ' i ' t ' { - f - f - M o {> N {- ft t-U U U O10U9N WHUUU U U O l to ft) W U U U l N U Irf U U N W £• U ) U U P f t f t U ) f t f t M f t f t f t N U U f t W N f t N f t N f t W U ftWWNU f t f t N N U f t f t f t f t f t M M N NMNftN W W f t f t f t N N f t N f t K ) f t M f t f t N f t f t f t f t N W f t f t f t 1 0 1 0 M K ! M 3 3 0 B 0 ft H 0 9 ft 9 3 X 0 O O ft 9 ft 0 ft 3 0 ft ft ft 9 0 ft ft 9 9 3 0 9 9 B ft ft 9 9 3 9 9ft ft Oft ft9 ft 9 0 0 9 n 0 9 P 9 < S 9 ft 3ft 0 3 ft 0 9 0 ft 0 0 9 9 ft P p ft p o o o a 0 0 9 ft ft3 3ft 9 9 3 9 0 0 8 0 ft 9 9 0 ft ft ftft 0 ft 3 0 9 f t ft ft ft 9 9 U < 0 3 9 3 ft 0 0 3 0 ft 0 3 0 C ft 0 3 H 9 ft 0 0 O O ft 9 0 ftft pft 0 ft p 0 3 0 p. 0 9 3 9 0 0 9 3 3 ft a n 0 u ft 0 0 9 0 3 9 0 3 9 0 0 ft 9 3 0 0 9 iouu u u w iiw ui to ro ro n o w m n m n otppftp ft ft ft ft i- ft 3 M 3 U l M J K ) ft O i d r o f t U l t- U N ft O I0 3 M 3 U ii- U N ft O'CC-'IC K t - U U i f t f t f t f t f t f t f t f t 3M-0 u o 0 0 O’ C 3 3 3 3 B iO B B i0 B B B B B B B B B B B B 0 C C C C C C C UIUNJ Vo'c'ftll II U Ui B B OftlOlOW KJ N N U {- N {• {-1’ U 3 C C C I O IO N wi 3 v lighted Score Imaterial Verbal Written Verbal and Written 3 0 H r i 9 p o 0 9 0 f t p f t f t 3 9 0 0 a 9 ft n 0 3 9 »3- t 9 f t 3ft? f t 9 0 9 a p o 9 9 ft ft a B 9 9 ft 9 ft 9 O P 9 0 9 n 9 a ft 3 Z to 3 f t . oz 5 H > 3 O H > Z C in n z ■ is? h n H Z BH n h Z Zftiw 33 H 90 k 3 31 ° B O SHJO S > H f t 3 Z o- n z 3 m 262 responsibilities; statement of district policy; school curriculum; legal provisions relating to the principalship and its duties;, proposed changes in office procedures; morale of staff members; staff suggestions, ideas, and recommendations; and method and basis of principalship evaluation. All of these eight information types received weighted scores of more than 10.0. (The range in weighted scores was from 6.5 to 10.7, 9.2 being the median weighted score.) In reverse order, as ranked, the lowest five among the 38 listed items were: the method of pay computation for your check; workmen's compensation and sick leave pro visions; hospitalization plans and benefits available; staff members' personal likes and dislikes; and retirement provisions and requirements. It would appear that, if these responses give an accurate clue to the thinking of the principals, these administrators are greatly concerned about doing an excel lent job and exhibit very little concern for the rewards and benefits of the position. Best method for receiving the information. A scan ning of the right-hand four columns in Table 13 shows a clear preference on the part of the principals for written communications, or for communications made both in writing and verbally. It will be observed that there were few 263 kinds of information which principals preferred to receive verbally-- the likes and dislikes of staff members (which they considered to be of little importance), and the special problems or needs of pupils (which was of some importance to them). The numbers of items which fell within the four method-categories were as follows: Rank order Method 1st 2nd 573 4th Verbal and written 16 22 0 0 Written 20 10 8 0 Verbal 2 6 24 6 Immaterial 0 0 9 29 Also of interest were the types of items which were consid ered to be relatively important and which principals felt should be spoken rather than written. Besides the two items mentioned in the preceding paragraph were the follow ing: the morale of staff members, current problems and complaints of staff members; current problems of the school; results of principal's suggestions, ideas, and recommendations; staff attitudes toward new ideas and suggestions; and background and composition of the commu nity . 264 Preferences in Receiving Verbal and Written Communications Opposite each of 40 listed kinds of information were eight different methods of communication, four of a verbal kind and four of a written kind. Principals were asked to check the method they preferred in receiving information from staff members. Relative rank orders of each group of four methods were computed and are presented in Table 14. Verbal methods. A scanning of the four columns of verbal techniques reveals at a glance that most of the first preferences were for "meetings" and "individual con ferences," and that most of the lowest rankings fell under the "casual chats" and "announcements" columns. No last- place ratings were given to either "meetings" or "individ ual conferences," and no first-place ratings to either "casual chats" or "announcements." With respect to preferences shown in Table 14, the numbers of items which fell within the four categories were as follows: Rank order____ Method 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Casual chats 0 6 16 18 Meetings 20 16 4 0 Individual conferences 20 14 6 0 Public address announcements 0 6 14 20 * 1 4 H i 4 f W N H I 0 m i i3 it ft rt it rt II 7777 4 0 4 0 1 I ft . - j i * f t f t f t f t 3 H I P 4 9 ft99 f t I 0 ft ft II II II II Hi f t H i H i I I It IT II II M H Hi 4 9 14 14 1 I I b 4 I I » b bbl H • 70 erc» ft ftft 4 79 99* II 9 II » 4 Hi rt H 0 O O 0 ft ft (I H H { Hit II H ft 0 0 » 0 4 ii o ft i n a n ■ 4 •• 9 f t H 9 H 009 S V H « ■ 0 H t H ' ?0 H i 9 H H H 0 9 H i II H 9 9 H 4 H H 9 • ft H 9 4 H 4 to n o pi;* 4 9 4 4 0 rt i o it c or | c h ft 00 0 9 0 ft -104 I 9 0 Hft4 4 e it i*d 9-< 0 4 4 b 0 19 9 0 H b 0 7 H 0 K b H 0 H9 0 0 4 * ft 4 b l ft 0 0 H 1 19 • 4 4 9 7 4 4 H 09 7lt 4 0 H 4 HO H< 4 ft H i I H 0 H 4 H 0 0 4 4 HO 0 b ? 4 H C H4 0 413 H > 4 f t 0 ft H i 4 0 0 1 4 0 4 \h ! o - 0 ft H H ft 4 ft H 4 9 4 ei b < 0 0 H ft H I * 4 H 4 0 b 0 4 9 ft ft It hC 0 e It H i ft b b 4 H 0 4 * 0 4 1 0 0 a ft a ft ft 0« 4 4 0 9 •4 b H ( 4 4 4 H 0 _ D 0 ft ft U 04 7 4 4 4 bO 5 0 u i r 4 H4 0 b rt rt I It ft h 0 9 0 9 9 4 H I 0 1 1 O 0 O H 9 00 b 4 I 1 1 0 0 O 4 9 b0 f t 0 C ft H t 0 4 4 0 b 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 • 9 • b b 4 0 41 C 9 0 4 H0 4 0 4 4 b b 0 0 4 4 0 0 *3 0 9 9 0 bO b H 1 0 4 ft n 0 e 1 s H H 0 9 9 Mwwi/tn Hi Hi Hi Hit 0 4 4 4 4 ft N 0 ftft 0 4400 H i 4 6 Hi H i Hi 0 h Hi hi I ft 4 4 ! 10 I I H i ' H 4 4 X 1 1 4 0 0 4 4 • H 0 • ■ 0 1 14 00 it" b £ | 7 4 4 0(9 0 0 0 0 H b 1 4 0 0 0 |« 4 H 5 h 9 0 0 0 0 4 HiHC 0 0 ftp 0 ' ax B • h 4 9 0 4 0 H i 4 4 ft bO HI H0 f 99 0 0 h HO 0 I 4 ho 1* i 0 1« I 4 H 0» 7 0 0 0 H 9 b 0 9 H b 9 bH 1 b ft 1 0 0 0 H ft rt !!|l 0 H i 0 9 - p p, I b 0 ft 0 f t 0 ft H Hi H 0 Hi 0 9 9 I 0 0 4 9 ‘ 0 0 b 4 H 0 119 ft 1 7 0 0 H 4 H H 4 9 O 4 H i 4 0 0 1009 < 7 0 9 0 0 lit 1 h b H 4 C 0 4 I ) 0 0 ft .. ' H 9 O ft I 0 9 b0 4 I t 4 H H 0 1 H 0 I 0 7 H H H ft I* 0 4 ntownoi Ht n m 0 H 7 Hi C 0 0 0 0 b 4 0 0 4 0 1 4 H0 0 ‘ 0 1 ft I 4 H 1 0 7 1 0 4 H 0 09 0 b H 0 ff 7 0 1 H 0 Hft 0 9 9 0 4 9 1 boo rt ft 0 h 7 9 HO 0 H 0 9 9 0 4 9 b l h < 9 4 H0 1 0 14 0 4 0 ft H 7 0 9 4 0 Hbb 0 0 ft 0 7 4 7 4 9 0 b0 110 b 0 4 ft ft 0 H I 0 0 0 0 b 9 0 b 0 0 n 0 00 0 1 H 0 I * ! ! ? { 0 3 4 0 4 0 C H b 0 4 4 H H 1 b l HftH 0 ft ft H 0 HO H 0 H i 4 0 4 b i 0 e HHlt 9 4 0 » 09 0 b It0 0 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 H 4 H 0 4 0 b9 b H H 0 * H C H i 0 0 I 4 0 b 0 1 b 0 0 0 4 9 0 9 0 b 00 H i 0 b 0 H H i 1 Hil 0 O 0 0 <4 4 0 0 H H 1 H H p H H 9 H 1 0 4 0 ft 0 7 4 0 H9 H i b 4 H H C I 0 Hit I) ft ft 9 H 0 .. O 9 0 H i 0 9 9 9 H H 0 0 Hiotopa 4 4 it 01 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 Hi H b 79 Hit 0 0 h 1 1 0 Hit 0 b < O H ■ 4 0 1 0 < H 0 M C I H0 4 0 O 0 4 74 49 HO 4 71 0 O H 4 0 9 h < 1 0 H 4 0 00 f t 4 I Hi H f t 0 4 0 H ft £ I H0 09 H H H 0 ft ft 0 0 0 1 0 0 b . 7801 4 H b b O 1 0 7 0 0 0 O 1 H • ft 4 0 71 9 0 4 0 4 b l H 0 ft b O h i r,1 0 f t b l 1 0 c 1 4 0 H b 4 1 C H 0 ft O 1 I 9 4 0 0 H H 9 O b9 I 0 C 9 H9 4 9 O 0 H 7 H H H b 0 0 I 4 0 4 4 7 4 7 4 00 y 0 4 H b 9 1 n 4 0 Hbft 0 b0 4 H 0 0 00 < < ftft 4 0 h h 9 h 9 0 4 0 4 : ! ® u 4 HI0 0« 0 0 0 4 4 10 1 I I I 1 0 4 0 H0 1 0 9 0 O 0 b 9 0 4 9 0 0 10 9 0 b 4 0 1 4 0 4 9 H O b H H ft H I 4 0 I 0 1 ft 0 0 I b 0* H rt 1 0 4 < H I H 0 9 000 H 4 0 4 4 H 0 0 H i N N 0* 0* 0'0>0'0'0' WWUNN N U U U N 0s 0> 0> W W W U W U 3 W i1 U 0> U H H H H H U P H H H N H N U U U N N N U h n n n n N H H H H H H H H H WHUMW M H H H H H H H H H H N N N N N U N H U U M U U U H S O K 10 N ) H N H H H H H H H H N H H H H H H H 0 > 0> N N N U U U U U W M M 0>M>0>* U U U 0 - * 0- N 0- 0- U f N 0-U 0* W N > U N H H U N N NUW0>N 0>W H H H N N H H H WWNWN h N N H N HUIUIUW W N N W * M J N U W H H H H H H H N N N H H N N N H H H H H N H H H H N N H H N H H H N H N N H H H W N N N U W N U U U U U f U W N N U N U U U U U 0> U H N N H N N W h N y 0.(10. 0 > 0.0.0-N0> N M M 0>0>W0>(' M0>U0> M M W b'0'0'0'0' 0'0'0'0'W 7 4 n 0 H 0 9 - b < I 0 bO ft ft 1 H » ? n it tf) ft ft 0 0 9 ft ft Caaual Meetings Individual Conference* Announcenenti Infornal Kota Fonal Kaaoranduo Bulletins s n 266 Discrepancies in totals are accounted for by a number of ties between categories. Written methods. Examination of the four columns of written techniques reveals that the most popular form of written communication received by principals from staff members is the formal memorandum, that informal notes and bulletins were both preferred for many kinds of informa tion, and that least preference was attached to handbooks as a medium of communication; in fact, not a single prefer ence was expressed for the latter method, and the bulk of lowest ratings fell to this method. The numbers of items which fell within each of the four written categories were as follows: Rank order Method 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Informal note 11 13 13 3 Formal memorandum 24 12 3 1 Bulletins 6 14 19 1 Handbooks 0 2 4 34 Again, discrepancies in totals are accounted for by a num ber of ties between categories. Existing and Preferred Sources of Information of Various Kinds Thirty-nine different kinds of information were listed and principals were asked to indicate where these 267 communicated bits of information originated. Eleven different staff positions were listed as possible sources of information, and the principal was asked to check the source from which he currently received each item of information. From the total numbers of checks in each square, it was possible to rearrange the sources in rank order of frequency of mention, from 1 to 11, and to determine which were the most abundant sources of information for princi pals. The results of these rank-order listings are exhibited in Table 15. Sources from which principals currently receive information. Examination of the rank-order listings given in Table 15 reveals that the greatest source of information for the principals is the teaching staff, and that the principals also rely heavily upon information furnished by the assistant principal and department chairmen. District specialists, and the superintendent, also furnish their share of information. In none of the listed information- areas were outside specialists, members of the board of education, or the secretary primary sources of information; and only in their particular areas of specialization did the school nurse and custodian provide important informa- t ion. The following is a summarization of existing and Kindi of Information TABLE 15 268 ELEVEN SOURCES FROM WHICH PRINCIPALS RECEIVE VARIOUS KINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES AS TO SOURCES FOR EACH KIND OF INFORMATION Rink Order of Exiiting Rink Order of Preferred Source! of Infonution Sourcei of Infomtlon « u u u u u » c iiih( h s b a s i u h d ^ 0 1 U 'H jc i i a h e -h o i unseen o v i s « o h a s j j « c ^ < h i h g o c o o h l a ' m a u H S H i w H O i f l s « u v s a u h s h s u h h h v a we ww au ww ao t « a o m h i ko i v ao o o at «u hc a* T3i u w a u ao mu ai uo hc an m a a j ac aa an aa h m a u m a ue a o an a a iw ■J so. oa) no h o , tw ai aa a a 3 3 a a ot) Sv naaM 0«9 iw an Od <(0 50 Ofc ( m a z o 5a » a ) an Da 4* Leglilitlve chmgei concerning curriculum 3 4 1 2 8 4 8 8 8 7 8 3 8 1 2 4 4 6 7 9 9 9 Recent developntnti in curriculum 2 8 3 1 5 4 7 8 10 9 10 2 8 2 1 8 4 7 5 9 9 9 Scheduling problems md needs 7 9 4 5 1 3 2 8 7 9 9 7 8 5 4 1 3 2 6 9 9 9 Reconditions for course of study revision 7 8 8 3 3 1 5 2 9 9 9 6 8 6 2 4 1 5 3 9 9 9 School testing program and its results 1 8 4 2 3 5 1 8 11 8 8 7 7 6 2 3 4 1 5 7 7 7 Graduation activities and problems 11 6 3 5 1 7 4 2 10 8 9 10 9 3 5 1 6 4 2 7 10 7 Basil for school grouping and results of the grouping 7 9 8 3 2 4 1 5 10 8 10 7 8 6 4 2 3 1 5 8 8 8 Staff evaluation of texti and other instructional supplies 7 8 4 2 3 1 4 8 10 10 8 7 8 5 3 4 1 5 2 8 8 8 Recent developments In teaching and other educational aids 2 8 3 1 6 5 7 3 10 10 8 4 8 4 1 6 2 7 3 9 9 9 The needs, desires, and problems of teecberi and other staff members 10 11 9 8 3 2 4 1 5 8 8 10 11 8 9 3 2 4 1 4 7 6 Material! uied and needed in Instruction 8 9 6 4 3 1 5 2 7 11 9 9 9 5 4 3 1 6 2 6 11 8 Condition of equipment and availability of supplies 11 10 7 5 4 1 8 2 6 9 3 10 10 7 6 3 1 9 2 5 8 4 Facilities in need of repair or replacement 11 10 8 5 4 3 8 2 6 7 1 10 10 8 5 4 3 8 2 8 7 1 Requeit for special uie of facilities 10 1 3 5 2 6 9 1 4 10 7 10 8 7 5 1 5 10 2 3 9 4 Hasards and potential dangers in and around the school 10 11 9 7 2 5 8 1 8 4 2 8 10 8 8 3 5 10 1 6 4 2 Student health problems and needi 8 11 8 10 3 8 4 2 5 1 9 9 11 9 5 4 8 2 2 7 1 8 Cafeteria probleu and needs 8 11 3 1 2 7 10 4 8 8 5 7 10 5 1 2 7 10 3 7 5 4 School transportation problems and needs 1 5 3 1 2 5 7 4 7 11 7 4 9 3 1 2 8 9 4 9 7 7 Balances remaining in varioui budgeti and categories 11 1 1 4 3 4 10 4 2 8 8 10 7 2 1 4 5 7 5 2 10 7 Classroom load, and pupil-teacher ratio 6 7 2 4 3 5 1 6 8 10 10 9 7 2 5 3 4 1 8 7 9 9 Classroom activities 8 8 7 5 2 3 4 1 8 11 8 9 9 9 8 3 2 4 1 4 7 7 Staff morale 11 9 7 9 3 2 4 1 5 8 8 11 10 7 9 3 2 4 1 4 7 6 The philosophy of education of members of the staff 11 7 5 8 3 2 4 1 7 10 7 10 10 6 9 3 2 4 1 5 8 6 The training, experience, and abilities of members of the staff 11 9 3 2 5 4 8 i 7 9 8 11 10 2 3 5 3 7 1 6 8 8 Special Interests and assignment desires of members of the staff 11 10 7 8 3 2 4 1 5 9 6 10 10 8 9 3 2 5 1 4 7 8 Complaints, problems, and needs of staff members 11 10 7 9 3 2 4 1 5 8 6 10 10 8 8 3 2 5 1 4 7 5 Staff members' luggeitions, ideas, and recommendations 10 11 7 7 3 2 4 1 5 7 8 10 10 9 7 8 2 3 1 4 8 5 Note: Rink order referi to frequency of mention by principals of infonution sources, m d tource preferencei, position 11; for exisple, preference 1 ■ the source preferred by the greitest number of principili, tiei occurred, both/all member! of the tie were given the same (highest) rank-order poiition, nd re expressed in decreasing order from position 1 to while 11 • the source mentioned by the feweit principili. Uhen 269 TABLE IS (continued) ELEVEN SOURCES FROM WHICH PRINCIPALS RECEIVE VakIuuS KINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES AS It) SOURCES FOR EACH KIND OF INFORMATION Rink Order of Existing Rink Order of Preferred Sourcei of Infonution Sources of Infonution u y y Results of your suggestions, idets, and recomnendations 11 9 10 8 2 3 4 1 7 6 11 10 7 9 3 4 1 5 8 5 Entri'currlculir tnd comunity responsibilities of staff members 11 8 4 5 2 3 8 1 8 10 11 10 4 5 2 8 1 8 8 9 Staff members1 sethodi of discipline and grading 11 7 6 5 2 3 4 1 10 7 8 11 6 5 3 4 1 7 8 8 Future pltni of departments and personnel 11 7 4 5 3 1 6 2 9 10 11 8 4 5 3 5 2 7 9 9 Office and departmental procedures, rules, and regulations 9 7 4 5 3 1 8 6 10 10 8 8 4 5 2 6 6 3 10 10 Attendance problems end needi 9 9 8 2 1 6 4 5 6 11 8 8 7 3 1 2 3 5 8 11 Students' ecidenc progress tnd grides 8 8 8 6 3 4 1 2 11 7 7 7 7 8 5 1 2 4 7 7 Routine md special school activities 10 10 6 4 1 3 5 2 9 7 10 10 8 6 1 3 2 5 9 7 Extra-curricular activities 11 9 6 5 1 3 4 2 8 9 6 9 11 7 5 1 3 2 7 9 6 Occupational md scholarship opportunities available 6 8 6 5 2 3 1 4 10 8 11 7 8 6 5 2 1 2 8 8 8 Coamunlty philosophy of education, md ittitudes toward the school 8 2 1 7 4 6 5 3 8 10 11 8 2 1 4 8 4 3 8 10 10 Background and composition of the cosmunlty 10 2 1 3 6 7 3 5 9 8 11 10 2 1 8 3 3 3 8 9 10 2 7 0 preferred sources of information, by source categories: Number of Existing Sources Ranked as Fo1lows: Number of Preferred Sources Ranked as Follows: Source of Information In" first place 2d or 3d place Among lowest four In first place 2d or 3d place Among lowest four Outside specialist 0 3 29 0 2 27 Board of Education 0 2 27 0 2 33 Superintendent 4 7 6 3 6 10 District specialist 4 8 6 5 6 6 Assistant principal 5 26 1 6 21 1 Department chairman 6 15 0 6 17 1 Guidance personne1 5 2 7 5 7 6 Teachers 13 12 1 12 18 0 Secretary 0 3 13 0 3 11 Nurse 1 0 31 1 0 24 Custodian 1 2 22 1 1 18 Preferred sources of information. In Table 15 it is seen that preference patterns follow very closely exist ing patterns regarding sources from which the principal receives his information. It is apparent that, with respect to the sources listed here, the principals prefer to look to their teachers for information on such subjects 271 as (1) the needs, desires, and problems of teachers and other staff members, (2) hazards and potential dangers in and around the school, (3) classroom activities, (4) staff morale, (5) their philosophy of education, (6) their train ing, experience and abilities, (7) their special interests and assignment wishes, (8) their complaints, problems and needs, (9) their suggestions, ideas and recommendations, (10) their reactions to the principal's suggestions, ideas and recommendations, (11) the extra-curricular and commu nity responsibilities of staff members, and (12) their method of discipline and grading. Principals also rely heavily on teachers fo^ infor mation concerning such matters as occupational and scholar ship opportunities that are available, routine and special school activities, students' academic progress and grades, future plans of departments and personnel, student health problems, requests for special use of facilities, facili ties that need repairs and replacement, materials used and needed in instruction, evaluations of texts and supplemen tary aids, and graduation activities and problems. From the assistant principal, the principal expects to receive information about scheduling problems and needs, graduation activities and problems, requests for use of facilities, attendance problems and needs, school activi ties, and extra-curricular activities. From the department chairmen he prefers to receive 272 information about recommended revisions of courses of study; staff evaluations of texts and instructional sup plies; materials used and needed for instruction; future plans of departments and personnel; department procedures, rules, and regulations; and condition of equipment and availability of supplies. From the superintendent of schools he wishes to receive information about the background and composition of the community; the community philosophy of education and attitude toward the schools; legislative changes concerning the curriculum; recent developments in curriculum; gradua tion activities and problems; balances remaining in various budgets and categories; classroom load and pupil-teacher ratio; balances remaining in various budgets and cate gories; and school transportation problems and needs. From district specialists, the principal expects to receive information about recent developments in the cur riculum, recent developments in teaching aids, cafeteria problems and needs, transportation problems and needs, and budgetary balances and categories. He looks to those in charge of guidance for infor mation concerning the school testing program and its results; the basis for school grouping and the results of such grouping; classroom load, and pupil-teacher ratio; students1 academic progress and grades; and occupational and scholarship opportunities available. 273 Except for information from the custodian regarding facilities in need of repair or replacement and hazards in and near the school; and for information from the school nurse regarding student health problems and needs, the principal does not look to these two sources for much information. Neither does he look to outside specialists, to board of education members, or to secretaries as primary sources of any of the listed kinds of information. Observations regarding existing and preferred sources. While principals’ preferences paralleled very closely the existing patterns of information sources, two exceptions were noted: (1) although they currently receive most requests for special use of facilities from teachers, they would prefer to receive such requests from the assist ant principal; and (2) although they currently receive most information about budgetary balances and categories from the superintendent, they would prefer to receive such information from the district specialist. Even though principals now receive a great many kinds of information from the teachers (a total of 25 kinds among the three highest-rated categories), they would actu ally prefer to receive even more than this (a total of 30 kinds). They would like to hear more than they do from teachers about (1) evaluation of textbooks and other instructional supplies, (2) cafeteria problems and needs, Ilk (3) attendance problems and needs, (4) occupational and scholarship opportunities available, and (3) background and composition of the community. Free Responses of the Principals The final five questions put to the principals referred to the types of information about which they currently receive too much or too little communication, their views concerning factors that make for effective or ineffective communication between themselves and the staff, and their recommendations for improving communication with the staff. Questions were unstructured, and respondents were asked to respond freely. Additional Information Needed by Principals The responses of principals concerning areas about which they receive too little information are summarized in Table 16. It will be seen that fourteen different cate gories were listed and that 90 responses were received. Nineteen, or 21 per cent of the responses, declared that the principal felt no need for more information than he was receiving at present. Among those who listed needed information, the greatest number (13, or 15 per cent) expressed the need for more information regarding curricu lum revision. Ten felt a need for additional information regarding classroom activities and problems; this was 275 TABLE 16 KINDS OF INFORMATION WHICH PRINCIPALS WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THEY DO Frequency Kinds of Information Needed Rank of Mention None needed 1 19 Curriculum revisions needed 2 13 Classroom activities and problems 3 10 Public and parental opinions of the school 4 9 Student activities and progress 5 8 Effectiveness of the school 6 6 Suggestions for improving the school 7 5 Teacher progress and problems 8 4 New legislation affecting the school 8 4 Instructional methods and practices 8 4 Effectiveness and program of guidance department 11 2 Effectiveness of grouping 11 2 Financial and budgetary matters 11 2 New trends and developments in education 11 2 276 11 per cent of the total. Also mentioned prominently were the following needs: public and parental opinions of the school (10 per cent), student activities and progress (9 per cent), the effectiveness of the school (6 per cent), and suggestions for improving the school (5 per cent). Thus, the upper seven categories accounted for 67 per cent of the total responses received. Information That Is Overcommunicated It was desired to learn whether there were areas in which too much information was communicated to principals. Responses to this question are summarized in Table 17. A total of 85 free responses was received, of which 50, or 59 per cent, disclaimed any overcommunication in the school. Nine different categories of overcommunicated information were identified, among which "junk mail" or advertisements was mentioned as a source of irritation to 11, or 13 per cent of the principals. Next in rank order were: (1) unimportant problems and complaints (mentioned by 5), (2) questionnaires (mentioned by 5), and (3) extra curricular activities (mentioned by 4). These items accounted for all but 12 per cent of the responses to this question. 277 TABLE 17 KINDS OF INFORMATION WHICH PRINCIPALS WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE LESS FREQUENTLY THAN THEY DO Kinds of Information That Frequency Are Overcommunicated Rank of Mention None reported 1 50 'Junk mail" and advertisements 2 11 Unimportant problems and complaints 3 5 Questionnaires 3 5 Extra-curricular activities 5 4 Disciplinary problems 6 3 Minutes of unimportant meetings 6 3 Irrelevant data from the district 8 2 Gossip and rumors 8 2 278 Factors That Lead to Effec tive Communication Principals were asked to indicate what factors they believed facilitated effective principal-staff communica tion. As is displayed in Table 18, a total of 142 responses pertained to seventeen different categories of factors that affect communication favorably. It will be observed that six factors, in particular, were thought to be of greatest value: (1) rapport and friendliness, (2) mutual availability, (3) personal con tacts and informal chats, (4) mutual respect and under standing, (5) regularly-conducted staff meetings, and (6) a state of high morale. In addition, it was reported that having well organized channels of communication, and a principal who has the ability to listen effectively were particularly helpful. Factors That Lead to Ineffec tive Communication On the other side of the ledger were the factors that principals identified as disadvantageous to good communication between the principal and the staff. As is exhibited in Table 19, a total of 99 responses fell within ten different categories of factors that affect principal- staff conmunication adversely. It will be seen that the factors having the most adverse effects, in order of frequency of mention, were TABLE 18 279 FACTORS THAT PRINCIPALS BELIEVE ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND STAFF MEMBERS Frequency Effective Factor Rank of Mention Rapport and friendliness 1 25 Mutual availability 1 25 Personal contacts and chats 3 22 Mutual respect and understanding 4 20 Regularly conducted staff meetings 5 13 State of high morale 6 9 Organized channels of communication 7 5 Principal's ability to listen effectively 8 3 Principal encouragement of communicating 8 3 Administrative advisory council 8 3 Principal open-minded and flexible 11 2 Desire of staff to communicate 11 2 Faculty section of daily bulletin 11 2 Common goals and cooperation 11 2 Adequate time 11 2 School size and small staff 11 2 Circulation around the school by the principal 11 2 280 TABLE 19 FACTORS THAT PRINCIPALS BELIEVE DISCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND STAFF MEMBERS Frequency Ineffective Factor Rank of Mention Inadequate time 1 36 Size of the school 2 29 Mutually too busy 3 14 Lack of personal contact 4 4 Lack of staff cooperation 4 4 Failure of staff to read communications 6 3 Lack of respect and understanding 6 3 Personality of members of the staff 8 2 Various communications ignored 8 2 Lack of departmental coordination 8 2 281 inadequate time (36 per cent), size of the school (29 per cent), mutually too busy (14 per cent), lack of personal contact (4 per cent), and lack of staff cooperation (4 per cent), among others. Recommendations for Improving Commu nication with Staff Members Finally, the principals were asked to make comments and suggestions in the form of recommendations for the improvement of principal-staff communication. Their sug gestions, as classified, are presented in Table 20. A certain similarity of experience and viewpoint appear to be reflected in their recommendations, for it is observed that almost three fourths of the total of 78 responses (72 per cent) fell within the top four of four teen recommendations. These four were: 1. More adequate time be allowed for communica tion . 2. Principals and staff members arrange for more informal chats and personal contacts. 3. More clerical assistance be provided for administrators. 4. Fewer meetings and less trivia. Some incongruities of response were noted: (1) the ten principals who desired fewer meetings, the two who wanted regularly conducted staff meetings, and the two who 282 TABLE 20 PRINCIPALS' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF MEMBERS Frequency Recommendations of Principals Rank of Mention More adequate time for it 1 16 More personal contact and time for chats 2 15 More clerical assistance for administrators 2 15 Fewer meetings and less trivia 4 10 Fewer demands on the principal's time 5 4 Improved departmental organization and meetings 6 3 Increased respect and understanding 6 3 More classroom visitation 8 2 Increased availability of the principal 8 2 Greater self-confidence and self-reliance of staff members 8 2 Improvement in principal's planning and organization 8 2 Regularly conducted staff meetings 8 2 Small*group staff meetings 8 2 283 suggested small group staff meetings; (2) the fifteen principals who recommended more personal contacts and chats and the four who thought that fewer demands should be made on the principal's time; and (3) the numerous suggestions that "call the bluff" of the over-busy administrators who want staff members to make fewer demands on their time-- i.e., that the principal improve his planning and organiza tion, that departments improve their organization and meetings, and that he generally make himself much more available. Summary of the Chapter In this chapter were presented the reactions of 132 high school principals concerning various aspects of their communications with staff members: the methods they use in conveying information to staff members, methods used by staff members in communicating with the principal, the relative importance of various kinds of information trans mitted, principals' preferences concerning the various verbal and written methods used by staff members in commu nicating with them, existing and preferred sources of information, and their views concerning kinds of informa tion that should be augmented or curtailed, factors that encourage or discourage good communication between princi pal and staff, and recommendations for improving principal- staff communication. 284 Results as classified and analyzed were presented for the most part in rank-order listings in table form. Chief among the findings presented in the chapter were these: 1. In conveying information to staff members, verbal techniques used most frequently were those that principals also thought to be most effective: conferences by appointment with staff members, personal chats, staff meetings, department meetings attended by the principal, and messages to staff given to department chairmen. 2. Written techniques used most frequently were very different from those that principals thought to be most effective: (a) They made greatest use of daily bulletins, personal notes and memoranda, handbooks, and sharing of professional literature. (b) they rated the following techniques, however, as most effective: personal letters, special bulletins, notes and memoranda, and the daily bulletin. Although they saw little value in the sharing of professional literature, bulletin boards, weekly bulletins, and handbooks, they used these media frequently. 3. Least value was attached to the school grape vine, social gatherings, and school assemblies as verbal meaia, and to the written techniques of the suggestion box, the school paper, or newsletters. 4. Reversing the communication process, in staff members' communications to the principal, verbal techniques 285 used most frequently were roughly the same as those rated highest in effectiveness: channeling messages through the department chairmen, conferences by appointment with staff members, attendance at department meetings, personal chats (used most frequently), and staff meetings. 5. Written techniques used most frequently (except for informal notes, the most-used and highest-rated tech nique) were very different from those that principals thought were most effective. Although they gave high rat ings to personal letters and official reports, staff members made little use of these media. Instead, they made major use of daily and weekly bulletins, media which prin cipals thought to lack great effectiveness. 6. Least value was seen in staff use of such verbal media as public-address announcements, the grape vine, and social gatherings; and in such written techniques as the suggestion box, bulletin boards, and newsletters. 7. Of greatest importance to principals was infor mation received that pertained to defining job duties and responsibilities, district policies, school curriculum, legal provisions affecting the position, changes in proce dures, staff morale, and staff recommendations, 8. Of least interest was information regarding pay check computation, workmen's compensation and sick leave, hospitalization plans and benefits, personal likes and dislikes of staff members, and retirement benefits. 286 9. Preferred methods for receiving information from the staff were either written, or verbal-and-written. Techniques preferred were the formal memorandum, informal notes, and bulletins; or individual conferences by appoint ment, and meetings. 10. Principals prefer to receive most listed kinds of information from certain designated persons--primarily from teachers, the assistant principal, department chair men, guidance personnel, district specialists, and the superintendent of schools, in that order. 11. Principals think that they currently receive too little information about such matters as curriculum revision, classroom activities and problems, public and parental opinions about the school, student progress and activities, the effectiveness of the school, and sugges tions for improving the school. 12. They believe that they receive too many commu nications in regard to "junk mail" and advertisements, unimportant problems and complaints, questionnaires, and extra-curricular activities. 13. Principals believe that communication is facilitated when there is rapport and friendliness, mutual availability, personal contacts and informal chats, mutual respect and understanding, regularly-conducted staff meet ings, and a high morale factor. 14. They believe that these factors impede good 287 communication: inadequate time, size of school, busy schedules, lack of personal contact, and lack of staff cooperation. 15. Principals recommend that (a) more time be allowed for communication, (b) more informal chats and personal contacts be arranged, (c) more clerical assistance be provided for the administrator, and (d) fewer meetings and less trivia be included in the communication program. CHAPTER XI STAFF REACTIONS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS AND PREVALENCE OF USE OF TECHNIQUES IN TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL Introduction The reactions of 132 high school principals to problems of consnunication with staff members were summa rized in the preceding chapter. Similar questions were directed to nine different groups of staff members for their reactions to the same situation but from the staff viewpoint. Because of the large number of staff groups sur veyed, staff reactions are analyzed and reported in four separate chapters. The present chapter is devoted to the reactions to questions pertaining to (1) the effectiveness of techniques they use in communicating with the principal, (2) the effectiveness of techniques the principal uses in communicating with them, (3) the relative frequency with which they actually use these techniques, and (4) the frequency with which the principal uses the same techniques in his communications to them. The first and third 288 289 questions are summarized in the first part of the chapter; the second and fourth in the second part. In succeeding chapters are presented the staff reactions to the following questions: staff evaluations of the importance to them of the information they receive, and their preferences as to how such information is received (Chapter XII); sources from which information is received and staff members' preferences regarding the sources from which specific kinds of information is received (Chapter XIII); and the opinions, attitudes, and suggestions of staff members concerning kinds of informa tion they receive too seldom or too frequently, factors that make for effective or ineffective communication with the principal, and ways of improving communication between principal and staff (Chapter XIV). The data are reported, for the most part, in tables, and the reader is referred to these summarizations for the factual account of survey results. It should be noted that in the presentation of staff responses concern ing both aspects of the communication circuit, an over-all summarization is first given of the responses of all surveyed staff members, regardless of personnel groupings, so that the reader may view the results in broad perspec tive. Following this, the responses of each of the nine personnel groups are analyzed separately. 290 Techniques Used by the Staff in Communicating with the Principal It was desired to learn which techniques staff mem bers considered to be most successful when they transmitted information to the principal. Their ratings of different techniques (twelve verbal and twelve written) were given on a four-point scale of relative effectiveness; ratings were then converted into numerically-weighted values by conven tional means, as was explained in Chapter II. Similarly, the frequency with which each technique was used was also weighted so that rank-order listings and comparisons could be made. All-Staff Ratings of Effectiveness and Frequency of Use The ratings of effectiveness given by all respond ents were first computed, together with their reports of the frequency with which each rated technique was actually used in their communications with the principal. The results are summarized in Table 21. The relative effectiveness of the various tech niques is perhaps best seen in the rank-order listing given in the first column, the extent of use in the rank-order listing given in the third column. The weighted scores indicate that the first six verbal techniques and the top three written techniques were thought to be much more 291 TABLE 21 STAFF MEMBERS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL Effectiveness Extent of Use Communication Technique Weighted Weighted Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats Individual conferences with I 9.2 1 6.8 principal by appointment 2 8.7 3 4.8 School phone Department meetings with principal 3 7.9 5 4.3 present 4 7.8 4 4.4 Staff meetings Individual conferences with department 5 7.3 2 5.2 chairman who advances message 6 7.0 6 4.2 Announcements via student messenger 7 5.7 8 3.1 Meetings of grievance committee 8 4.8 11 2.0 Announcements by public address 9 4.8 9 2.7 Social gatherings 10 4.3 10 2.2 School assemblies 11 4.2 7 3.3 School grapevine 12 2.5 12 1.9 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 8.2 2 5.2 Formal memorandum 2 7.9 4 4.9 Official reports 3 7.8 3 5.1 Dally bulletin 4 6.8 1 5.8 Handbooks 5 6.8 7 4.2 Informal personal letter 6 6.8 12 2.6 Weekly bulletin 7 *6.6 6 4.5 Sharing professional literature 8 6.4 5 4.7 Bulletin board 9 5.7 8 3.9 School paper 10 5.4 9 3.7 Newsletter 11 5.2 10 3.1 Suggestion box 12 4.1 11 2.8 *The following values were assigned to rating steps: 'Very effective" or "very frequently" ■ 11; "frequently" or "effective" ■ 8; "occasion ally" or "questionable" » 4; and "almost never" or "Ineffective" ■ 1. Numerical values thus obtained were tallied and divided by the number of respondents (N ■ 1,533). 292 effective than the others. In descending rank order as weighted, the following techniques were rated highest: personal chats with the principal, individual conferences by appointment, use of the school telephone, informal notes, formal memoranda, department meetings attended by the principal, and official reports. Very low on the effectiveness rating scale were: the school grapevine, the suggestion box, school assemblies, and social gather ings. A comparison of the all-staff ratings of effective ness with their reports of the frequency with which each of the techniques was actually being used reveals an interest ing similarity in the case of most written and verbal techniques, and one rather noticeable dissimilarity in the case of written messages: while staff persons appreciated the value and effectiveness of writing informal personal letters to the principal, they did not make use of this technique (rated sixth in terms of effectiveness, "personal letters" ranked last in actual usage). Reactions of Nine Different Staff Groups The reactions of each of the nine groups that comprised the all-staff ratings presented in Table 21 were analyzed separately. Tables were developed for the follow ing staff groups: 241 assistant principals, 99 guidance persons, 71 attendance persons, 106 department chairmen, 293 708 teachers, 79 librarians, 82 school nurses, 91 clerical workers, and 56 custodians. Assistant principals. The ratings by assistant principals of the techniques they use for transmitting information to the principal are exhibited in Table 22. While in general their responses followed the pattern of all-staff reactions, there were some few differences: individual conferences by appointment with the principal were thought to be more effective than personal chats; and use of the school phone less effective than having the principal attend department meetings. Differences between effectiveness ratings and frequency of use were unremarkable, except that the most- used technique (the daily bulletin) was given fourth place in the ranking, and that the technique rated highest (official reports) was given fourth place with respect to extent of use. Guidance personnel. The group of guidance persons was in agreement with the combined staff in their evalua tions of the top five and lowest three verbal techniques, and of the highest three and lowest four written techniques. Personal chats and other face-to-face verbal communications were given preference, while the school grapevine was rejected as an effective means of communication. (See Table 2 3.) 294 TABLE 22 RATINGS BT ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DEANS OF TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 241) Communication Technique Effectiveness Weighted Rank Score* Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conferences with principal by appointment 1 10.0 2 7.0 Personal chats 2 9.7 1 8.7 Department meetings with principal present 3 9.1 4 6.0 School phone 4 8.5 7 4.6 Individual conferences with department chairman who advances message 5 8.5 5 5.2 Staff meetings 6 8.3 3 6.4 Announcements via student messenger 7 5.8 9 2.7 Meetings of grievance cosnittee 8 5.5 10 2.2 Announcements via public address 9 4.8 5 5.2 Social gatherings 10 4.6 11 1.9 School assemblies 11 4.5 8 2.9 School grapevine 12 2.9 12 1.8 WRITTEN: Official reports 1 9.0 4 6.0 Informal note 2 9.0 3 7.1 Formal memorandum 3 9.0 5 6.0 Dally bulletin 4 8.9 1 7.7 Sharing professional literature 5 8.0 2 7.1 Handbooks 6 7.4 6 5.8 Informal personal letter 7 7.2 10 2.9 Weekly bulletin 8 6.4 7 5.1 Newsletter 9 5.8 11 2.8 School paper 10 5.5 9 4.2 Bulletin board 11 5.2 8 4.4 Suggestion box 12 4.9 12 1.3 ♦The following values were assigned to rating steps: "very effective" or "very frequently" - 11; "frequently" or "effective" - 8; "occasion ally" or "questionable" ■ 4; and "almost never" or "ineffective" ■ 1. Numerical values thus obtained were tallied and divided by the number of respondents. 295 TABLE 23 RATINGS BY GUIDANCE PERSONNEL OP TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 99) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Coonunication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats Department meetings with principal 1 9.8 1 6.9 present Individual conferences with department 2 8.9 2 6.5 chairman who advances message 3 8.4 5 5.2 School phone 4 8.1 6 4.9 Staff meetings 5 8.0 3 6.3 Announcements via student messenger Individual conferences with principal 6 6.9 12 2.0 by appointment 7 4.9 4 5-? Social gatherings 8 4.9 9 2.6 Announcesmnts via public address 9 4.8 8 3.5 School assemblies 10 4.0 10 2.5 Meetings of grievance committee 11 4.0 11 2.2 School grapevine WRITTEN: 12 2.2 7 4.0 Informal note 1 9.1 1 6.2 Official reports 2 6.4 5 5.3 Foraal memorandum 3 8.2 4 5.4 Handbooks 4 7.8 6 4.6 Daily bulletin 5 7.6 2 6.1 Sharing professional literature 6 7.6 3 6.0 Informal personal letter 7 7.4 10 3.1 Weekly bulletin 8 7.3 7 4.6 Bulletin board 9 5.7 8 2.4 School paper 10 5.5 9 3.2 Newsletter 11 5.1 11 2.6 Suggestion box 12 4.2 12 1.6 *The following values were assigned to rating steps: "very effective" or "very frequently" ■ 11; "frequently" or "effective" ■ 8; "occasion* ally" or "questionable" “ 4; and "almost never" or "ineffective" ■ 1. Numerical values thus obtained were tallied and divided by the number of respondents. 296 Since counselors are in such close touch with students on an individual basis, it is perhaps interesting to note that, even though they reject the grapevine in theory, they admit that it is frequently used, being ranked seventh in terms of usage and twelfth for effectiveness. A second disparity is seen in the value attached to sending announcements by student messenger (in sixth place) and the absence of use of this medium (in last place). Other discrepancies between theory and practice concern official reports, daily bulletins, and personal letters. Attendance personnel. While attendance personnel were in general agreement with the all-staff consensus (except for a relatively low rating of the effectiveness of the school phone and a high rating of the sharing of professional literature) on effectiveness of the 24 listed techniques, there were several discrepancies between what they thought was effective and what they practiced in communicating with the principal. A comparison of columns one and three in Table 24 reveals relatively little use being made of two highly-regarded written techniques (informal notes and personal letters), and frequent use being made of techniques that were not considered to be too effective (staff meetings, the suggestion box, and daily and weekly bulletins). No other staff group made such frequent use of the lowly-regarded suggestion box, here 297 TABLE 24 RATINGS BY ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL OP TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 71) ....... aw. j— --L a " — — — ■— . ---------- — — — — ^TffT— «— »— ~ — i' ■■ J— ■ Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats Department meetings with principal 1 10.8 2 7.0 present Individual conferences with principal 2 9.4 4 5.4 by appointment Individual conferences with department 3 9.1 1 7.6 chairman who advances message 4 8.4 5 4.6 Staff meetings 5 8.3 3 5.7 School phone 6 7.9 6 4.6 Announcements via student messenger 7 7.7 7 4.1 Social gatherings a 4.6 10 2.6 Announcements via public address 9 4.3 8 2.9 Meetings of grievance committee 10 4.3 9 2.7 School assemblies 11 3.6 11 2.2 School grapevine IITTEN: 12 2.3 12 1.6 Informal note 1 9.1 6 5.0 Official reports 2 8.9 1 6.2 Memorandum 3 8.3 4 5.5 Sharing professional literature 4 7.7 8 4.6 Personal letter 5 7.5 12 1.5 Handbooks 6 6.6 7 5.0 Daily bulletin 7 6.4 3 5.6 weekly bulletin 8 6.2 5 5.4 Newsletter 9 5.4 10 3.4 Bulletin board 10 4.5 11 2.9 School paper 11 4.2 9 3.5 Suggestion box 12 2.7 2 5.6 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22. 298 rated as least effective of all techniques, yet used among the two highest-ranked items. Again it should be noted that personal, face-to- face contacts were those that were rated most valuable-- personal chats, department meetings attended by the princi pal, individual conferences by appointment with the principal, informal notes and official reports. Extremely low ratings were given to the school grapevine, the sugges tion box, school assemblies, and the school paper; and practically no use was being made of the school grapevine, school assemblies, personal letters, social gatherings, and public address announcements. Department chairmen. The rank-order listings of responses of department chairmen are presented in Table 25. Interestingly, as might be expected, except for giving first place to personal chats with the principal, this group of staff persons gave highest rating to conferences and meetings of all kinds--individual conferences with the principal, individual conferences in which principal com municates to teachers through the department chairman, department meetings attended by the principal, and staff meetings. These were also the five techniques used most frequently. Among written techniques, written notes and memo randa, and weekly and daily bulletins were rated high in 299 TABLE 25 RATINGS BT DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN OP TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 106) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Scor« VERBAL: Personal chats 1 9.8 1 8.4 Individual conferences with principal by appointment 2 9.5 3 5.3 Individual conferences with department chairman who advances message 3 9.0 4 4.9 Department meetings with principal present 4 8.7 5 4.4 Staff meetings 5 8.5 2 6.3 Announcements via public address 6 7.8 9 2.8 School phone 7 7.8 7 3.4 Social gatherings 8 7.3 11 2.5 Announcements via student messenger 9 7.1 7 3.4 Meetings of grievance committee 10 5.5 10 2.5 School assemblies 11 4.8 6 3.5 School grapevine 12 2.2 12 2.3 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 9.3 2 5.7 Formal memorandum 1 9.3 4 5.4 Suggastion box 3 9.2 8 4.0 Weekly bulletins 4 9.0 7 4.6 Daily bulletins 5 8.6 1 6.8 Official reports 6 8.4 3 5.5 Newsletter 7 8.0 11 2.7 Handbooks 8 7.8 5 4.9 Personal letter 9 7.7 12 2.7 Sharing professional literature 10 7.2 5 4.9 School paper 11 6.5 9 3.8 Bulletin board 12 6.4 10 3.8 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22 * 3 00 effectiveness. However, unlike other staff groups, the suggestion box, although not extensively used in the schools, was thought by department chairmen to be an effec tive democratic way of exchanging ideas and suggestions. Department chairmen were not in agreement with the all staff consensus on several other items as well: the bulletin board was rated lowest by them, but in seventh position by the staff; the newsletter was rated seventh by them, but in eleventh position by the staff; and use of the school phone was rated seventh by them, but among the top three by the staff as a whole. A number of discrepancies between theory and prac tice may be observed when columns one and three are compared: school assemblies were thought to have little value, yet they were used with considerable frequency (in sixth rank position); announcements over the public address system were not used as often as their effectiveness-rating would indicate; relatively little use is being made of two of the highest-rated techniques--the suggestion box and weekly bulletins; conversely, several of the most- frequently-used techniques were given relatively low effec- tiveness-ratings--daily bulletins, official reports, handbooks, and the sharing of professional literature. T e a c h e r s . Perhaps b e ca u se o f th e r e l a t i v e l y l a r g e number of t e a c h e r s in th e t o t a l sample (708 o f 1 ,5 3 3 ), 301 there was naturally a close similarity between teachers' ratings and those of the combined staff. Except for slight differences in placing, the first six verbal techniques and the first six written techniques on both lists were iden tical. Except for a median rating of the least-used written technique (use of the personal letter), no marked differences existed between techniques thought to be effec tive and the frequency with which they were used. This is exhibited in Table 26. Librarians. Librarians' ratings of effectiveness and extent of use of the 24 listed techniques are summa rized in Table 27. They, too, tended to parallel staff consensus in their ratings of effectiveness, but exhibited some discrepancies in the frequency with which techniques were put into use. High-rated items which received low rankings in actual practice were: individual conferences by appointment with the principal (number one on the effec tiveness scale), personal letters to the principal, and meetings of the grievance committee. Conversely, much-used techniques that were thought to be of little effectiveness were: the daily bulletin (used most frequently yet rated eighth), and staff meetings. School nurses. As may be seen in the summarization of their responses in Table 28, the group of school nurses exhibited some interesting differences from the all-staff 302 TABLE 26 TEACHERS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 708) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Coemunlcatlon Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats Individual conferences with principal 1 10.3 1 7.0 by appointment Department meetings with principal 2 9.7 3 4.9 present 3 8.3 5 4.3 Staff meetings Individual conferences with department 4 8.2 2 5.9 chairman who advances message 5 7.9 4 4.7 School phone 6 7.7 6 3.9 Announcements via student messenger 7 6.2 8 3.1 School assemblies 8 6.1 9 2.9 Meetings of grievance committee 9 5.7 11 2.4 Announcements via public address 10 5.3 7 3.3 Social gatherings 11 5.0 9 2.9 School grapevine IITTEN: 12 3.3 12 2.1 Informal note 1 8.6 3 5.6 Formal memorandum 2 8.5 4 5.4 Official reports 3 8.4 5 5.1 Dally bulletins 4 7.7 1 6.3 Handbooks 5 7.3 10 3.3 Personal letter 6 7.2 6 4.5 Bulletin board 8 5.8 7 4.3 School paper 9 5.7 9 3.5 Weekly bulletin 10 5.7 8 4.1 Newsletter 11 5.3 11 3.3 Suggestion box 12 4.4 2 5.8 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22. 303 TABLE 27 LIBRARIANS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 79) Efftctlventu Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Conssunlcation Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conferences with principal by appointment 1 10.0 6 3.1 Personal chats 2 9.2 1 7.4 School phone 3 8.6 3 4.b Staff meetings Departsmnt meetings with principal 4 7.9 2 5.6 present 5 7.8 4 4.5 Announcements via student messenger Individual conferences with department 6 6.0 7 3.0 chairman who advances message 7 6.0 5 3.9 Meetings of grievance committee 8 4.1 11 1.4 Announcesmnts via public address 9 3.9 9 2.4 Social gatherings 10 3.7 10 2.0 School assemblies 11 3.6 8 2.5 School grapevine 12 1.7 12 1.2 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 8.5 2 5.6 Formal memorandum 2 8.4 4 5.2 Official reports 3 7.9 3 5.3 Handbooks 4 7.3 6 4.5 Personal letter 5 7.3 10 3.1 Sharing professional literature 6 7.2 5 4.9 Weekly bulletin 7 7.2 7 4.2 Daily bulletin 8 7.2 1 5.7 School paper 9 6.3 8 4.2 Bulletin board 10 6.1 9 3.7 Newsletter 11 3.8 11 1.9 Suggestion box 12 3.6 12 1.0 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22. 304 TABLE 28 RATINGS BT SCHOOL NURSES OF TECHNIQUES THEY USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 82) L " 1 r p 3 I ■ . , 1 , J . 1 I’l l ■ ■ I a e x a a c c a e B M ^ > = e Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conferences with principal by appointment 1 9.8 3 5.7 Personal chats 2 9.1 1 6.6 School phone 3 8.5 4 5.0 Staff meetings 4 8.3 2 6.1 Departsmnt meetings with principal present 5 d.l 5 4.3 Individual conferences with department chairman who advances message 6 6.9 8 3.1 Meetings of grievance conmittee 7 5.5 9 2.5 Announcements via student messenger 8 5.4 6 3.4 Announcements via public address 9 5.2 10 2.1 School assemblies 10 5.2 7 3.2 Social gatherings 11 4.3 11 2.1 School grapevine 12 2.4 12 1.6 tITTEN: Formal memorandum 1 9.7 7 4.6 Informal note 2 8.8 4 5.2 Handbooks 3 8.3 2 5.7 Daily bulletin 4 8.2 I 6.2 Official reports 5 8.0 3 5.4 Personal letter 6 7.8 10 3.3 Weekly bulletin 7 7.6 6 4.7 Sharing professional literature 8 7.4 5 5.0 Bulletin board 9 6.8 8 4.2 School paper 10 6.6 9 4.1 Newsletter 11 5.4 11 3.2 Suggestion box 12 4.2 12 1.8 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22. 305 consensus. The former placed individual conferences by appointment with the principal considerably higher than personal chats in their ratings of verbal techniques; in rating written techniques, they placed formal memoranda much higher than informal notes--in both instances revers ing the staff consensus. On other items they tended to parallel the staff. Comparison of the extent to which there was a parallel between rating of effectiveness and frequency of use revealed only three or four noticeable discrepancies: (1) formal memoranda, although ranked highest among effec tive written techniques, was not used to any great extent; (2) personal letters to the principal, rated sixth in effectiveness, was among the least-used of all techniques; (3) the most-used written technique, the daily bulletin, was ranked fourth in value; and (4) school assemblies were held more often than their low rating would appear to justify. Clerical personnel. As may be seen in the responses of clerical personnel summarized in Table 29, these office workers exhibited some responses that may reflect their particular function in the school. To them, official reports were the most effective written techniques (staff consensus placed this medium third in effective ness), and individual conferences with the principal, 306 TABLE 29 RATINGS BT CLERICAL PERSONNEL OF TECHNIQUES THE! USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 91) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conferences with principal by appointment 1 9.4 5 4.5 Personal chats 2 9.4 1 7.2 School phone Department meetings with principal 3 9.3 2 5.7 present Individual conferences with department 4 8.8 6 4.4 chairman who advances message 5 8.1 7 3.3 Staff meetings 6 7.9 3 5.2 Announcements via student messenger 7 7.8 3 5.2 Meetings of grievance committee 8 6.9 11 2.3 School assemblies 9 6.6 9 2.8 Announcements via public address 10 6.3 8 3.2 School grapevine 11 5.5 12 1.8 Social gatherings 12 5.2 10 2.6 WRITTEN: Official reports 1 9.5 3 6.2 Informal note 2 9.5 2 6.7 Formal memorandum 3 9.1 4 5.5 Daily bulletin 4 8.9 1 8.6 Weekly bulletin 5 8.6 6 5.4 Bulletin board 6 7.8 7 5.1 Handbooks 7 7.8 9 4.5 Sharing professional literature 8 7.4 4 5.5 School paper 9 7.4 8 4.6 Personal letter 10 7.0 11 2.8 Newsletter 11 6.5 10 3.3 Suggestion box 12 4.3 12 1.6 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22. 307 personal chats, and use of the school phone were of great est effectiveness among verbal techniques. A few discrep ancies between effectiveness ratings and frequency of use appeared: (1) the sharing of professional literature was used with fourth greatest frequency but was rated eighth in effectiveness; (2) the most-used written technique, the daily bulletin, was rated fourth in effectiveness; and (3) staff meetings and announcements via a school messenger were used much more frequently than their effectiveness would appear to warrant. In other respects, the responses of clerical personnel closely paralleled those of the entire staff; and their effectiveness ratings were in line with the extent to which communication techniques were used. Custodians. Custodians, too, exhibited some responses that could have reflected their special function, as may be seen in the summarization of their responses in Table 30. They felt that use of the school phone was the best means of communicating with the principal, and that conferences with the principal, personal chats, informal notes, and official reports were most effective. There were some discrepancies between their effec tiveness ratings and the frequency with which rated techniques were used: (1) the newsletter, the weekly bulletin, and the bulletin board were ranked first, second, 308 TABLE 30 CUSTODIANS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES TRET USE TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPAL (N - 56) C o m m 1 cat ion Technique Effectiveness Weighted Rank Score* Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: School phone 1 11.0 2 6.0 Individual conferences with principal by appointment 2 10.0 3 5.7 Personal chats 3 9.8 1 8.5 Department meetings with principal present 4 9.0 5 4.5 Staff meetings 5 7.9 4 4.9 Individual conferences with department chairman who advances message 6 6.8 8 3.5 Social gatherings 7 5.6 9 3.0 Announcements via student messenger 8 5.4 5 4.5 Announcements via public address 9 5.3 7 4.1 Meetings of grievance comnittee 9 5.3 11 2.0 School asses&lies 11 4.8 10 2.4 School grapevine 12 2.6 12 1.9 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 9.4 5 6.1 Official reports 2 9.3 4 6.5 Formal memorandum 3 8.5 6 5.8 Personal letter 4 8.4 12 3.8 Handbooks 5 7.9 11 4.7 Bulletin board 6 7.8 3 7.1 Weekly bulletin 7 7.6 2 7.1 Daily bulletin 8 7.0 10 4.9 Newsletter 9 6.5 1 7.3 School paper 10 5.9 7 5.7 Sharing professional literature 11 5.4 8 5.2 Suggestion box 12 4.2 9 5.0 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 22. 309 and third, respectively, in extent of use, yet were rated ninth, seventh, and sixth in effectiveness; (2) on the other hand, the two techniques used least were thought to be effective media--i.e., the personal letter, and hand books; and (3) the three highest-rated items (informal notes, official reports, and formal memoranda) were used with only moderate frequency (fifth, fourth, and sixth positions, respectively). Techniques Used by the Principal in Communicating with the Staff It was also desired to ascertain the reactions of staff members to the techniques used by the principal in communicating with them. Their ratings of the same 24 techniques utilized the same method of weighting, as was used in the first part of this chapter. As before, rank- order listings were obtained so that comparisons could be made between responses of the nine different staff groups, between each group and the all-staff consensus, and between the effectiveness of the technique and the frequency with which it was actually being used in high schools today. All-Staff Ratings of Effectiveness and Frequency of Use In this part of the study it was desired to ascer tain not only the viewpoints of various members of the staff regarding the kinds of communication media used by 310 the principal and how well messages from him came through to them, but also whether there were differences (1) be tween techniques the principals used in communicating with different personnel groups, (2) between the effectiveness and frequency of use of these techniques, and particularly (3) between the techniques the staff uses and those the principal uses in the two-way process of communication. The first two of these three comparisons can be determined from examining the data presented in the next ten tables. The third comparison requires that the reader refer to the corresponding table presented earlier to observe the extent to which rankings in the two tables parallel each other. This type of comparison between staff-to-principal and principal-to-staff communications is illustrated in Figure 5. Here rankings from the two tables (Tables 21 and 31) are placed in juxtaposition so that effectiveness and frequency rankings may be quickly scanned for similarities and differences. Table 31 summarizes the reactions of all staff groups to the way in which the principal disseminates information to them. Except for relatively low ratings of the effectiveness of two extensively used written tech niques (the daily bulletin and handbooks), the staff as a whole thought that principals were generally making extensive use of effective techniques, and were ignoring channels of communication which lacked effectiveness. T e c h n i q u e s of C o m n u n l c a t i o n 311 FIGURE 5 RECAPITULATION OF RANK-ORDER LISTINGS OF TECHNIQUES USED IN TO-WAT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Rank Order of Conmmnication Techniques Staff Ratings of Staff Ratings of Effectiveness Frequency of Use Principal- Staff-to- Principal- Staff-to* to-Staff Principal to-Staff Principal VERBAL TECHNIQUES: Personal chats 1 1 1 1 , Individual conferences by appointment with the principal 2 2 3 3 * Department meetings attended by the principal 3 4 4 4 Staff meetings 4 5 2 2 School telephone 5 3 5 5 Individual conference with the department chairman who advances message to the principal 6 i b b Announcements via student messenger 1 1 b o Announcements via public address system 6 9 1 9 School assemblies 9 11 10 7 Social gatherings 10 10 12 10 Meetings of grievance committee 11 0 9 U School grapevine 12 12 11 12 'WRITTEN TECHNIQUES: Informal notes 1 1 2 2 Formal memoranda 2 2 5 4 Weekly bulletins 3 7 4 b Official reports 4 3 b 3 Daily bulletins 3 4 1 1 Handbooks 6 5 3 7 Sharing professional literature 1 h 7 5 Personal letters o 6 11 12 Bulletin board 9 9 b b Newsletter 10 11 10 9 School paper 11 10 9 10 Suggestion box t- - r-r. . . . . i i„ ■—i - * ' i . .,ji .. ii. : .. . . . . . . . . . =i 12 12 12 11 312 TABLE 31 STAFF MEMBERS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES USED WIEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL Conmunication Technique Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats Individual conference with principal 1 10.3 1 7.0 by appointment Department meetings with principal 2 8.6 3 4.9 present 3 7.9 4 4.8 Staff maetings 4 7.8 2 5.7 School phone Individual conference with department 5 7.7 5 4.5 chairman who advances message 6 7.3 6 4.4 Announcements via student messenger 7 6.1 8 3.5 Announcements via public address 8 5.8 7 3.8 School assemblies 9 5.1 10 2.7 Social gatherings 10 4.5 12 1.9 Meetings of grievance committee 11 4.5 9 3.2 School grapevine WRITTEN: 12 2.7 11 2.3 Informal note 1 8.3 2 6.3 Formal memorandum 2 8.0 5 4.9 Special bulletin 3 8.0 4 5.1 Official reports 4 7.9 6 4.8 Daily bulletin 5 7.8 1 6.7 Handbooks 6 7.6 3 5.4 Sharing professional literature 7 7.4 7 4.7 Personal letter 8 7.2 11 2.8 Bulletin board 9 5.9 8 4.4 Newsletter 10 5.9 10 3.5 School paper 11 5.2 9 3.6 Suggestion box 12 4.2 12 1.7 *The following valuea were assigned to rating steps: "very effective" or "very frequently" ■ 11; "frequently" or "effective" ■ 8; "occasion ally" or "questionable" ■ 4; and "almost never" or "ineffective" • 1. Numerical values thus obtained were tallied and divided by the number of respondents (N “ 1,457). 313 Analysis of differences between techniques used by principals and by the staff members themselves (a compari son of rankings shown in Tables 31 and 21, as illustrated in Figure 5) reveals a general pattern of similarity. As would be expected, a few marked differences are apparent, as well as some interesting smaller differences. For example, the weekly bulletin was a much more effective medium in the hands of the principal than as a technique of communication for staff members; school assemblies and official reports were used more by the principal than by the staff, and handbooks were used less; and both formal memoranda and personal letters were used less frequently than their effectiveness would appear to warrant. Ratings by Nine Different Staff Groups Each of the nine staff groups were analyzed in similar fashion in an attempt to determine (1) their ratings of the effectiveness of techniques used by the principal; (2) whether any of the groups differed notice ably from the staff consensus; (3) whether the most effective techniques were used the most and whether the least effective were used the least; and (4) differences between the techniques the staff members use and those the principal uses in the two-way process of communication. The data are presented as summarized in tables, the dis cussion being limited to mention of noticeable differences. 314 Assistant principals. In Table 32 are summarized the assistant principals’ ratings of effectiveness and frequency of use of various techniques of communication employed by their principals. Responses were strikingly similar to the responses of the combined staff members, except that the assistant principals thought that there was much less use of the weekly bulletin and much more sharing of professional literature. Guidance personnel. Guidance persons also tended to concur with staff consensus in rating the effectiveness of the principals' communications, as may be seen in Table 33. In their reports of the frequency with which different techniques were used, however, there were some marked dis crepancies : (1) they reported much more extensive use of the school grapevine and of weekly bulletins than other staff groups did; (2) they reported much less use of department meetings at which the principal was in attend ance, less use of handbooks, and fewer school assemblies. Attendance personnel. Rankings of effectiveness and frequency of use of the principals' communication techniques are summarized in Table 34. It will be observed that there was little agreement between effectiveness and extent of use on several of the items: (1) the most effec tive of all items, individual conferences with the principal by appointment, was seldom used by the principals; 315 TABLE 32 RATINGS BT ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DEANS OP TECHNIQUES USED WREN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM TIE PRINCIPAL (N • 217) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted weighted Conunication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats Individual conference with principal 1 10.0 1 9.2 by appointment Department meetings with principal 2 9.9 2 6.5 present 3 9.4 3 6.4 Staff meetings 4 8.7 4 6.2 School phone Individual conference with department 5 8.6 6 5.2 chairman who advances message 6 8.3 5 5.5 Announcements via public address 7 5.9 7 3.6 School assemblies 6 5.1 8 3.3 Announcements via student messenger 9 4.8 9 3.3 Meetings of grievance committee 10 4.8 11 2.3 Social gatherings 11 3.4 10 2.9 School grapevine IITTEN: 12 2.9 12 2.1 Informal note 1 9.4 2 6.9 Formal memorandum 2 9.3 4 6.7 Official reports 3 9.0 6 6.0 Special bulletin 4 8.9 8 5.6 Daily bulletin 5 8.2 1 7.3 Personal letter 6 8.2 10 3.2 Sharing professional literature 7 8.1 3 6.7 Handbook 8 7.9 5 6.3 School paper 9 6.6 9 3.6 Bulletin board 10 6.0 7 5.6 Newsletter 11 5.8 11 3.0 Suggestion box 12 3.9 12 1.6 *The following values were assigned to rating steps: "very effective" or "very frequently" » 11; "frequently" or "effective" - 8; "occasion ally" or "questionable" ■ 4; and "almost never" or "ineffective" - 1. Numbers thus obtained were tallied and divided by the number of respondents. 316 TABLE 33 RATINGS BT GUIDANCE PERSONNEL OP TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL Effectiveness Extent of Use Comunication Technique Weighted Rank Score* Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Personal chats 1 10.3 1 8.4 Departa»nt meetings with principal present 2 9.0 10 2.5 School phone 3 8.8 6 5.4 Staff meetings 4 8.6 2 6.7 Individual conference with department chairman who advances message 5 8.5 3 5.9 Individual conference with principal by appointment 6 7.5 4 5.6 Announcements via student messenger 7 6.6 9 3.1 School assemblies a 6.5 12 2.3 Meetings of grievance committee 9 5.7 8 3.8 Announcements via public address 10 5.4 7 4.0 Social gatherings 11 5.1 10 2.5 School grapevine 12 3.2 5 5.4 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 9.6 2 6 .4 Special bulletin 2 8.7 3 6.0 Formal meanrandum 3 8.6 4 5.6 Dally bulletin 4 8.3 1 7.6 Handbook 5 8.2 7 4.4 Official reports 6 8.2 6 4.5 Personal letters 7 7.9 10 2.9 Sharing professional literature a 7.8 5 5.5 Bulletin board 9 5.7 8 4.0 School paper 10 5.5 9 3.1 Newsletter 11 4.9 11 2.2 Suggestion box 12 3.9 12 1.3 *For nethod of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 317 TABLE 34 RATINGS BT ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N - 39) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointswnt 1 9.7 7 4.7 Personal chats 2 9.7 1 6.a Staff smetings Department meetings with principal 3 9.1 2 6.5 present 4 9.1 4 5.6 School phone Individual conference with department 5 9.0 6 4.9 chairman who advances message 6 8.5 3 6.0 Announcements via public address 7 6.9 5 5.1 Announcements via student messenger a 6.0 11 2.6 School assemblies 9 5.5 9 3.1 Social gatherings 10 5.4 12 2.5 Meetings of grievance committee 11 3.7 a 4.3 School grapevine 12 3.7 10 2.9 WRITTEN: Sharing professional literature 1 9.5 8 4.3 Formal memorandum 2 9.0 4 5.5 Informal note 3 8.9 6 5.2 Special bulletin 4 8.7 5 5.5 Official reports 5 8.7 3 6.3 Handbook 6 8.6 1 8.5 Dally bulletin 7 8.2 2 6.7 Personal letter 8 7.8 12 2.3 Bulletin board 9 5.9 9 3.6 Newsletter 10 5.9 10 2.8 School paper 11 4.7 7 4.4 Suggestion box 12 4.2 11 2.9 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 318 (2) two rather Ineffective verbal techniques were used with considerable frequency (announcements over the public address system, and individual conferences with department chairmen), as were three written techniques (use of hand books, daily bulletins, and official reports). Several techniques were thought to be less effective in the hands of the principal than of the staff members, notably (1) individual conferences by appointment, (2) the sharing of professional literature, and (3) the issuance of a weekly bulletin. The principal made much less use of handbooks as a means of communication than did staff members, and considerably more use of official reports and individual conferences. (These comparisons resulted from examination of rankings given in Table 24 and Table 34.) Department chairmen. In a number of instances, the viewpoint of the department chairmen differed from that of the composite sample. With respect to their ratings of effectiveness of the principal's communication techniques, this staff group attached much greater value to (1) the use of the personal letter in contacting the staff, (2) the use of the telephone, and (3) social gatherings of the staff. This group attached less importance to department meetings attended by the principal and the use of formal memoranda. Department chairmen also thought that the principal 319 would do well to make greater use of informal notes, per sonal letters, and official reports; and to make less use of staff meetings, department chairmen to carry his messages to staff members, daily bulletins, the sharing of professional literature, announcements over the public address system, and notices posted on the bulletin boards. The preceding findings resulted from a comparison of the rankings given by department chairmen (Table 35) with those given by the entire staff (Table 31). It was also desired to learn which techniques were thought to be most effective and most frequently used by the principal, and which by the staff members, as means of communication. Comparisons of Tables 35 and 25 indicated that some of the most effective staff techniques were rated rela tively low as principals' techniques: (1) the personal letter, (2) official reports, and (3) use of the school phone. Conversely, several techniques thought to be ineffective for staff use, but very effective when used by the principal were: (1) the formal memorandum, (2) the suggestion box--and no other staff group gave it such a high rating, and (3) public address announcements. As to the frequency with which principals used various techniques, they failed to utilize these media as much as they possibly should have: (1) the school phone, (2) the personal letter, and (3) the newsletter; and used the following media more frequently than their value would 3 2 0 TABLE 35 RATINGS BY DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N - 103) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment 1 9.8 4 5.0 Personal chats 2 9.8 1 8.6 School phone 3 9.3 7 4.0 Staff meetings Individual conference with department 4 8.9 2 6.8 chairman who advances isessage Department meetings with principal 5 8.8 3 5.1 present 6 8.7 5 4.8 Social gatherings 7 7.2 10 2.9 Announcements via student messenger 8 6.8 9 3.8 Announcements via public address 9 6.1 6 4.0 School assemblies 10 6.0 8 4.0 Meetings of grievance committee 11 5.1 11 2.5 School grapevine 12 3.3 12 2.4 IITTEN: Informal note I 8.8 7 5.2 Personal letter 2 8.8 11 3.3 Special bulletin 3 8.7 2 6.0 Official reports 4 6.6 8 5.2 Daily bulletin 5 8.6 1 7.3 Formal memorandum 6 8.5 5 5.4 Handbook 7 8.5 4 5.6 Sharing professional literature 8 7.7 3 5.8 Newsletter 9 6.4 9 3.7 Bulletin board 10 5.7 6 5.3 Suggestion box 11 5.5 12 2.0 School paper 12 5.3 10 3.5 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 3 2 0 TABLE 35 RATINGS BY DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N - 103) Effectiveness Extent of Use Commie at ion Technique Weighted Rank Score* Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment 1 9.8 4 5.0 Personal chats 2 9.8 1 8.6 School phone 3 9.3 7 4.0 Staff Meetings Individual conference with department 4 8.9 2 6.8 chairman who advances message Department meetings with principal 5 8.8 3 5.1 present 6 8.7 5 4.8 Social gatherings 7 7 .2 10 2,9 Announcements via student messenger 8 6.8 9 3.8 Announcesmnts via public address 9 6.1 6 4.0 School assemblies 10 6.0 8 4.0 Meetings of grievance committee 11 5.1 11 2.5 School grapevine 12 3.3 12 2.4 IITTEN: Informal note 1 8.8 7 5.2 Personal letter 2 8.8 11 3.3 Special bulletin 3 8.7 2 6.0 Official reports 4 8.6 8 5.2 Daily bulletin 5 8.6 1 7.3 Formal memorandum 6 8.5 5 5.4 Handbook 7 8.5 4 5.6 Sharing professional literature 8 7.7 3 5.8 Newsletter 9 6.4 9 3.7 Bulletin board 10 5.7 6 5.3 Suggestion box 11 5.5 12 2.0 School paper 12 5.3 10 3.5 ►Por method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 321 warrant: (1) official reports, (2) formal memoranda, and (3) the sharing of professional literature. Teachers. Teachers' ratings of techniques used by the principal in transmitting needed information to them are exhibited in Table 36. As arranged in rank order of effectiveness and of frequency of use, it will be seen that many of the techniques which the teachers thought to be of greatest effectiveness were little used, and vice versa. Some of the most effective media (notably individual con ferences, special bulletins and informal notes and personal letters) were used with only average frequency, and some of the least effective techniques were those the principals used most extensively. Among the latter were over-use of staff meetings, of the department chairman as intermediary in carrying messages from the principal, of public address announcements, of handbooks, daily bulletins, and particu larly of bulletin boards. Bulletin boards were the second most frequently-used medium of transmittal, yet the teachers rated them among the very least effective of all media. Examination of the rankings given in Tables 36 and 31 indicates a close parallel between teachers' ratings and those of the combined sample of staff groups. Some few exceptions were the principals' over-use of bulletin-board notices and of the department chairmen as intermediaries, 3 2 2 TABLE 36 TEACHERS’ RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N • 706) Communication Technique Effectiveness Weighted Rank Score* Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment 1 9.7 5 4.8 Peraonal chata 2 9.4 2 6.6 Staff meeting* Department meetings with principal 3 8.8 1 7.0 present 4 8.7 4 4.9 School phone Individual conference with department 5 8.1 7 4.2 chairman who advances message 6 7.3 3 5.0 Announcements via student messenger 7 7.1 9 3.5 Announcements via public address 8 6 .4 6 4.5 Meetings of grievance committee 9 6.1 li 2.5 School assemblies 10 5.7 8 3.6 Social gatherings 11 5.3 10 3.0 School grapevine 12 3.4 12 2.3 WRITTEN: Special bulletin 1 9.7 5 5.5 Informal note 2 9.0 6 5.4 Formal memorandum 3 8.9 4 5.6 Daily bulletin 4 8.7 1 8.2 Personal letter 5 8.0 11 2.9 Handbook 5 8.0 3 5.8 Official reports 7 7.9 9 3.5 Sharing professional literature 8 7.6 7 5.1 Newsletter 9 6.0 8 3.6 Bulletin board 10 5.8 2 6.8 School paper 11 5.5 10 3.4 Suggestion box 12 4.4 12 1.6 *For method of obtaining weighted scores , see footnote, Table 32. 3 2 3 and their under-use of informal notes and school telephone. In their ratings of the effectiveness of each technique for the use of principals and of staff members, the teachers felt that almost all techniques were equally suitable to both. The weekly bulletin was rated as the most effective of all communication media for the princi pals, but as a very poor technique for staff persons. With respect to the frequency with which both groups (principals and staff members) use various techniques, however, there was no close parallel. Comparison of Tables 26 and 36 reveals that principals use handbooks and bulletin boards much more often than staff members do, and that the staff makes much greater use of official reports, personal letters, and the suggestion box. Librarians. Librarians tended to follow the response patterns of other staff members, except for rela tively low ratings of the effectiveness of personal chats with the principal and use of the school phone, a compara tively high evaluation of staff meetings, and the belief that individual conferences with the principal and informal notes were not used as extensively as their high degree of effectiveness would warrant. Daily bulletins and hand books, they thought, were used more often than they were worth. For the most part, librarians failed to distinguish 324 between principals and staff members in their frequency and effectiveness of use of the various techniques, the daily bulletin being more effective in the hands of the princi pal, and the telephone, the personal letter, and official reports being more effective for staff members. These findings were drawn from an examination of Table 37, in comparison with Tables 2 7 and 31. School nurses. The nurses' ratings of effective ness and prevalence of use of various communication techniques used by principals are summarized in Table 38. In general, their responses were remarkably similar to those of the combined staff groups, and differences between effectiveness ratings and frequency of use were the same as were noted for other staff groups, reported earlier. Exceptions were relatively low ratings of the effectiveness of formal memoranda and the personal letter, and a high rating of official reports. Memoranda were not used as prevalently as they were for other staff groups. This staff group thought that official reports were the most effective of the principals' techniques but of much less importance when used by staff members; however, principals used this technique less than they should, and staff members used it more. Clerical personnel. School office workers failed to distinguish to any marked degree between techniques used 325 TABLE 37 LIBRARIANS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N - 78) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment I 9.7 7 A. 1 Staff meetings 2 9.2 1 7.A Personal chats Department meetings with principal 3 8.7 2 6.0 present A a.2 3 5.5 Announcements via student messenger Individual conference with department 5 7.7 8 3.6 chairman who advances message 6 7.5 5 A.7 Announcestents via public address 7 7.1 6 A.3 School phone 8 6.2 A 5.0 School assemblies 9 5.3 9 2.8 Social gatherings 10 3.6 10 1.9 Meetings of grievance conmittee 11 3.6 12 1.5 School grapevine 12 2.A 11 1.8 WRITTEN: Formal memorandum 1 9.2 A 5.0 Special bulletin 2 9.1 3 5.3 Informal note 3 8.7 5 5.1 Daily bulletin A 8.7 1 7.7 Sharing professional literature 5 8.A 6 A.9 Handbook 6 8.3 2 6.A Official reports 7 7.9 7 A.9 Personal letter 6 7.7 11 2.0 Bulletin board 9 6.6 8 A.A Newsletter 10 5.6 10 2.5 School paper 11 5.2 9 3.A Suggestion box 12 A.A 12 1.6 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 326 TABLE 38 RATINGS BY SCHOOL NURSES OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM (N - 83) THE PRINCIPAL Comsunication Technique Effectiveness Weighted Rank Score* Extent of Use Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment 1 9.6 3 5.1 Personal chats 2 9.A 1 6.4 School phone 3 9.0 5 4.4 Staff meetings Department meetings with principal L * 8.8 1 6.4 present Individual conference with department 5 8.2 4 4.4 chairman who advances message 6 6.9 7 3.1 Announcements via public address 7 6.1 8 3.0 School assemblies 8 5.9 6 3.4 Announceisents via student messenger 9 5.8 9 2.7 Meetings of grievance committee 10 5.3 11 2.3 Social gatherings 11 4.9 10 2.4 School grapevine 12 2.5 12 2.0 WRITTEN: Official reports 1 9.2 7 4.6 Informal note 2 9.1 4 5.2 Daily bulletin 3 8.8 1 7.4 Handbook 3 8.8 2 6.3 Special bulletin 5 8.6 3 5.2 Sharing professional literature 6 8.5 9 4.4 Formal memorandum 7 8.5 8 4.5 Bulletin board 8 6.9 5 5.1 Newsletter 9 6.9 10 4.3 School paper 10 6.7 6 4.7 Personal letter 11 6.5 11 2.8 Suggestion box 12 4.7 12 1.2 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 327 by staff members and principals. Their reactions are summarized in Table 39. Comparison with the consensus of all-staff responses exhibited in Tables 21 and 31 reveals several items on which clerical workers were not in agreement with the all-staff rankings: (1) clerical personnel thought that staff meetings, public address announcements, and personal letters from the principal were less effective; (2) they thought that the use of the telephone and the bulletin board were somewhat more effective; and (3) that staff members were not making enough use of individual conferences by appointment with the principal. Custodians. Custodians were more unique as a respondent group than were other personnel groups. Their responses as ranked are exhibited in Table 40, revealing some surprising reactions: (1) they thought little of the informal, personal "chatty" approach, rating it eighth among twelve verbal techniques, in spite of the fact that the principals apparently thought that this was the way to communicate with their custodial staff--if one may judge by the fact that this was done more frequently than any other technique; (2) custodians much preferred the more formal individual conference with the principal, arranged by appointment probably by telephone--yet this was not often utilized; (3) although the principals deluged them 328 TABLE 39 RATINGS BT CLERICAL PERSONNEL OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N - 89) Effectiveness Extent of Use Weighted Weighted Communication Technique Rank Score* Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment 1 9.9 5 5.2 Personal chats 2 9.8 1 9.2 School phone Department meetings with principal 3 9.4 3 5.6 present Individual conference with department 4 9.2 4 5.3 chainsan who advances message 5 8.9 7 4.0 Staff smetings 6 8.5 2 6.5 Announcements via student messenger 7 7.4 6 4.1 School assemblies 8 6.8 10 3.0 Social gatherings 9 6.5 9 3.1 Meetings with grievance committee 10 6.4 12 1.9 Announcements via public address 11 6.3 8 3.4 School grapevine 12 3.9 11 1.9 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 9.8 2 6.4 Formal memorandum 2 9.6 3 6.2 Official reports 3 9.2 4 6.2 Special bulletin 4 9.1 5 5.7 Handbook 5 9.0 7 5.1 Daily bulletin 6 8.8 1 7.6 Bulletin board 7 8.2 6 5.6 Sharing professional literature 8 8.1 8 5.1 School paper 9 8.0 10 4.7 Personal letter 10 7.7 11 3.2 Newsletter 11 6.7 9 4.8 Suggestion box 12 3.9 12 1.8 r , r~' n' " m v ;= *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, Table 32. 329 TABLE 40 CUSTODIANS' RATINGS OF TECHNIQUES USED WHEN INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL (N - 50) Effectiveness Extent of Use Comsunication Technique Weighted Rank Score* Weighted Rank Score* VERBAL: Individual conference with principal by appointment 1 10.0 5 5.3 School phone Department meetings with principal 2 9.7 3 6 .4 present Individual conference with department 3 9.0 6 4.8 chairman who advances message 4 8.8 7 4.6 Announcesmnts via student messenger 5 8.6 2 6.6 Staff meetings 6 7.7 8 3.3 Announcements via public address 7 7.5 4 6.0 Personal chats 8 7.4 1 8.2 Social gatherings 9 3.9 10 2.2 Meetings of grievance committee 10 3.8 11 2.1 School assemblies 11 3.6 9 2.3 School grapevine 12 2.3 12 2.1 WRITTEN: Informal note 1 9.7 2 7.6 Official reports 2 9.6 4 6.6 Personal letter 3 9.4 8 5.3 Daily bulletin 4 9.2 I 8.0 Bulletin board 5 9.1 5 6.2 Special bulletin 6 9.1 3 7.4 Handbook 7 8.9 6 5.9 Formal memorandum 8 8.8 11 4.5 Sharing professional literature 9 7.8 1 5.3 Suggestion box 10 7.7 12 4.2 Newsletter 11 6.5 7 5.8 School paper 12 5.5 10 5.0 *For method of obtaining weighted scores, see footnote, T^ble 32. 330 with "professional literature" (possibly with whatever "how-to" and commercial publications came over their desks that applied to building maintenance), custodians thought this technique to be of little value; and (4) custodians thought that the effectiveness was considerably less than the extent of use of daily bulletins, weekly bulletins, announcements over the public address system, and announce ments sent around by student messengers. A check of the rankings of all-staff ratings (Table 31) in comparison with the rankings of the custodial group (Table 40) reveals very low ratings of effectiveness for such techniques as personal chats, staff meetings, formal memoranda,-and weekly bulletins, and relatively high rat ings for use of the school phone, official reports, and personal letters. They believe that much too little use is being made by principals of staff meetings, formal memo randa and individual conferences with staff members; and that too much use is being made of student messengers, public-address announcements, and the "sharing" of profes sional literature. Bulletin boards, too, could be used less, according to custodians' ratings of frequency of use and effectiveness of the medium. 331 Summary of the Chapter Results of the study of staff members' views con cerning the effectiveness and extent of use of various techniques employed in two-way communication between prin cipal and staff were portrayed in tabular summaries in this chapter. This part of the survey covered staff ratings of the verbal and written techniques used by themselves in communicating with their principals, and by principals in communicating with them. Of particular concern was the staff members' ratings of the effectiveness of both ele ments in the communication process, their reports of the frequency with which each technique was currently being used, and especially the correspondency or lack of agree ment between frequency of use and effectiveness of various techniques, i.e., whether maximum usage was being made of the best techniques and whether ineffective techniques were being avoided. Chief among the findings of this part of the study were the following: 1. The verbal techniques used most frequently in conveying information to principals were those that staff members also thought were most effective: personal chats, individual conferences by appointment, the school phone, department meetings attended by the principal, staff meet ings, and individual conferences in which principals' 332 messages are communicated through the department chairmen. 2. Written techniques thought to be most effective were also those that were used with greatest frequency: the informal note, the formal memorandum, official reports, and daily bulletins. 3. Although they saw great value in the following techniques, staff members made relatively little use of them: informal personal letters, handbooks, and meetings of grievance committees. Conversely, staff meetings, daily bulletins, and the sharing of professional literature were used more often than their effectiveness-ratings would warrant. 4. Least value was attached to the school grape vine, school assemblies, social gatherings, the suggestion box, the newsletter, and the school paper. School assem blies, however, were used with moderate frequency. 5. Reversing the communication process, in prin cipals' communications to their staff members, the verbal techniques used most frequently were roughly the same as those rated highest in effectiveness: personal chats, individual conferences by appointment, department meetings attended by the principal, staff meetings, the school phone, and the channeling of messages via the department chairman. 6. Several of the written techniques showed dis crepancies between effectiveness-ratings and extent of use. 333 The most-used was the daily bulletin, yet it was rated fifth in effectiveness; similarly, handbooks, although frequently used, received a sixth-place rating. Formal memoranda and personal letters, although valued, were not used as frequently as their effectiveness would indicate. 7. Lowest rankings went to the school grapevine, meetings of the grievance committee, social gatherings, the suggestion box, the school paper, and newsletters, all of which were seldom used. 8. Analyses of the responses of nine different staff groups revealed a number of interesting deviations from the staff consensus, often reflecting special inter ests or functions of personnel groups. Illustrations are the attendance personnel who made extremely frequent use of the lowly-regarded suggestion box; and the guidance staff members who, even though they rejected the grapevine in theory, admitted that it is frequently used, being ranked seventh in usage and twelfth in effectiveness. Department chairmen were perhaps the most deviate group, according all kinds of meetings and conferences highest rankings in both effectiveness and extent of use, and rating the commonly-rejected suggestion box as the third most effective written technique, even though it was not much used. CHAPTER XII STAFF RATINGS OF IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION RECEIVED, AND PREFERENCES CONCERNING HOW SUCH INFORMATION IS RECEIVED Introduction % In further investigation of the reactions of staff members to communications received from the principal, two important aspects of the problem are considered in this chapter: (1) how important they consider the various kinds of information to be, and (2) their preferences as to how these kinds of information are received--in other words, (1) the importance to them of the information they receive, and (2) the methods they feel should be used in conveying it. As in preceding chapters in this part of the study, the data are presented in the form of tables and no effort is made to repeat this factual account in the text of the discussion. Instead, relationships and trends are noted, and the responses are summarized briefly in two ways: (1) the combined responses of all staff members, and (2) staff- group responses. 334 335 The questions as structured are exhibited on the fourth and fifth pages of the questionnaire submitted to staff members (Appendix D), respondents being asked to (1) rate each of 37 listed kinds of information on a four-point scale of importance ("very important," "important,” "unim portant," and "questionable"), (2) indicate whether they preferred to receive it verbally, in writing, or via both methods of communication, and (3) which of four verbal and four written techniques they preferred for that type of information: (a) verbal techniques: casual situations, in meetings, in individual conferences, or through announce ments; and (b) written techniques: informal notes, formal •ft memoranda, bulletins, or handbooks. So that the relative importance of the different kinds of information could be ascertained, importance rat ings of each staff group and of all staff members, com bined, were weighted, using the same scale as has been used throughout the study. On the basis of weighted scores, items were then listed in rank order of importance. "it It will be recalled that, in classifying various media of communication, it was necessary to assign rather special meanings to two words which ordinarily may have less specific connotations. It was decided to refer to the major categories as methods of communication, and to the more specific items under each •'method" as techniques of communication. These were defined in appropriate sections of Chapter I. "Very important" - 11; "important" - 8; "unimpor tant" - 4; and "questionable" - 1. 336 Importance of Information Received from the Principal Combined Staff Ratings The combined responses of all staff members, regard less of personnel groupings, are exhibited in the first two columns of Table 41. It will be seen that top importance was ascribed by all staff members to principals' comnunica- tions regarding proposed changes in office or departmental personnel. Also rated as very important were (1) changes in their duties or job responsibilities, (2) proposed changes in their office or department procedures, (3) the definition of job duties and responsibilities, (4) school rules and regulations, (5) district policy, (6) school procedures, and (7) legal provisions affecting their jobs and duties. It is interesting to observe that all eight top-rated items pertain to the over-all framework within which staff members must work--information essential to the performance of the job. Next in rank order were the kinds of information they needed to get along smoothly and effectively with the administrator under whom they worked: (1) channels of communication with the principal, (2) information about their own progress and where they stand, (3) lines of responsibility between themselves and the principal, (4) whether the principal is receptive to new ideas and sugges tions, and (5) the opportunities available for promotion rt I C R 9 a a H H ft t* h o a ft P R C ft ft - 9 v a a a a h a :n a a a 0 0 a H ft a g ft a a a a a a a o rt H an h a a h t* a ft n < < a it, ft ft a 0 m r . a i h a u er o o a h y - o h a o' a it : rt • a g’i a X a e h u a g H g a a a 6 h a a 1 h a &0 9 a a gy a h a ft o pa 0 ft a a : ft H H R a a 10 a ft fl 0*0 0 - R I 0 0 H aa n a a g 9 a 9 aa H r t a ; ft hi ft 0 H n 0 ft I a p I a h H pa g ; • H R W ft r s ft< < sr w a a H v : p 0 0 i C 7 l a I t a 9 p ft . r V 0 i n ft 0 . 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PUvjOft NKNU t o f t t O ' f f * a 0 0 M v i v i o s a a a a ( i i i i > t i C r \ 0 'COOOh p a a o - & o o . w w w w v> ^ H H K a N ' C o o h \ C H K W (.{.Wi'C' {-{.(-*. toft* WW(*i t- i {“ * * * * * * * * ftftt-ftN ItWWU ('UN f M i M U N itONWlO UI 10 ft Ui UI to to U) U) 10 10 Ui W tl w f J H W W ftfthft ft ui UI ft ft ft 10 H U ftWUIMW h N W N W U h fthftN N> N> W N U W W H N 10 W W K) ft ft N 1010 ft 10 H M ft ft ft ft M ft 10 ft ft ft M 10 N N ft ft ft h H U 0 K U JVJHUI * * * « f a U U IS U * ^ 0 0 « U f U ) f t f t f t 1 0 t O U f t 1 0 f t f t 1 0 f t f t 1 0 h M f t f t W f t t o t o 1 0 t o f t t o t o 1 0 t o f t f t f t t o 1 0 t o t o ft t o t o O' ft Uf'J'ft UWft uuwto ft t o (OftUftft ft ft t o ft ft ft ft UlUWft ft ft ft u U ) ^ ft ft U I 1 0 tow * NlO ft*' w w lo t-^U )^ w w ^ 0 - w i* v t o N l o w {* w f t l o a ^ f t U I t o ^ w MOP fftotl W { • f * f t t o t o u i t o t o f t t o U I f t t t o t ) 1 0 towwtoM MOW 1 0 t o t o t o u i w t o C 1 p t o t oto^pto f t f t w t o f t t o t o t o t o W W f t f t f t WMOtOU f t f t t o { i f t f t f N l O f t f t t o f t l o t o ( O i v i H t o t o t o f t o f U I N I O t l w W w t o ^ h f t f t 0 * 1 0 ( • f t f t K ) Mo PP0*W { > W f t t f t U ) f t t t t f t t “ f t f t f t HM ^ * * a a n a ft h 3 < a a a o Hi Hi ft H n 0 u H h 0 H a h f t o a o a f t R a g r n 0 f t H R a 9 InnaterUl Verbal Written Verbal and Written Casual Meetings Individual Conferences Announcements Informal Note Forul Memorandum Bulletins Htndboolrs o a H O R rt ft H a a 0 a a a a y a h a I R Hi la a a a rt H 9 a h o a a a » a h 3 H a o n H 9 a g a h H i e o a h a H0 H0 H H a a h it a a H H a h 0 a a a a • t and advancement. It is also of interest to observe the kinds of information about which staff members either had little interest, or were not interested in hearing from this particular source: (1) lowest importance went to the principal's personal likes and dislikes; (2) three of the least Important items had to do with the community in which they worked"its philosophy of education, its background and composition, and the obligations which the principal thought the staff member should assume; (3) Information about their own paychecks was rated low in importance. Also reported in Table 41 are the data concerning staff preferences regarding methods by which each type of Information is received, and the techniques used in convey ing it. Methods and techniques are discussed in the two succeeding major sections of the chapter. Importance Ratings by Nine Staff Groups Analysis was made of the Importance attached by each of the nine staff groups to the same 37 kinds of information they received from the principal. The ten kinds of information given highest ratings by each staff group were taken from the succeeding nine tables and placed in juxtaposition in Figure 6, so that comparisons can be made. This analysis reveals how little consensus there is 3 3 9 FIGURE 6 STAFF RATINGS OF IE TEN MOST IMPORTANT RINDS OF INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL, BT STAFF GROUPS Sank Order, as Rated By Each of Nine Staff Groupa Rank Order Information t U -1 C % 4 C l W « u * C « * n H U U v e s e « 0 fl 1 ^ M u ii U M C (| a c ■o c t o « a U W U I I <fc i ; si M * 6 0 u U £ u a a H a c a - u a u £ J a a a u 6 h a a c u c * 0 u a a u -i a U Si a 6 a i i X 0 u a 3 U ALL-STAFF RATINGS: 1 Proposed changes in your office or department personnel 2 Changes in your duties or job responsibilities 3 Proposed changes in your office or department procedures 4 Definition ol your Job duties and responsibilities 5 Statement of the rules and regulations of your school b Statement of district policy 7 Statement o l school procedures 8 Legal provisions relating to your job and your duties 9 Channels of communication between you and the principal 10 Statement of your progress and where you stand u 1 12 3 1 2 b 4 10 15 11 b 1 1 4 2 5 b 12 9 9 1 b 2 3 1 4 5 14 0 10 5 1 1 3 2 b 12 11 20 lb 6 12 3 1 5 2 b 21 10 5 1 1 3 2 9 11 12 14 17 ib 36 15 2 7 3 5 b b 13 10 b 5 3 2 4 1 15 7 11 1 6 3 5 8 4 11 3 12 14 OTHER. ITEMS RANRED BT STAFF GROUPS AS AMONG THE TEN HOST IMPORTANT: 1? The principal's philosophy of education 5 IS The curriculum of the school b 3 4 11 Lines of responsibility between you and the principal 3 b 0 9 lb Pupils who have special problems and needs 10 J 16 The method and basis of your evaluation 10 14 Budgetary and financial matters concerning your office or department 0 4 4 10 23 Special school activities (dates and types) / I 13 Opportunities for promotion and advancement 9 15 The relationship of your job to the other jobs in the ichool 10 1 25 Workmen's compensation and sick leave benefits available 9 31 The principal's personal llkei and dislikes 10 21 Supplies and equipment that are available, and the status of orders 9 2 340 among staff groups with respect to kinds of Information that are most pertinent to different educational endeavors. Each group appears to have Its own particular areas of greatest Interest, and no two are closely parallel: while rules and regulations, procedures to be followed, and duties and responsibilities were of paramount Importance to all groups, many of the groups gave relatively low ratings to some of the Items ranked highest In the staff consensus, and the following points of greatest Interest to specific staff groups were not nearly so Important to the others: (1) assistant principals felt that the principal's philoso phy of education (seventeenth In the staff consensus), the curriculum (nineteenth), and lines of communication with the principal (eleventh) were of primary concern; (2) guid ance persons were concerned about curriculum, and about pupils with special problems and needs; (3) attendance persons tended to follow the staff response, but wanted to know how their work was being evaluated; (4) department chairmen were not particularly Interested In their progress and status but did consider Information about the school's curriculum and matters of budget and finance extremely Important; (5) teachers were not so vitally concerned about proposed changes in department personnel or channels of communication with the principal as they were about budget ary matters affecting the department, the time and type of special activities being held, and their own opportunities 341 for promotion and advancement; (6) librarians, too, were unconcerned about their own progress and status, but were very much concerned about budgets that affected their operation, lines of responsibility between them and the principal, and the interrelationship between their job and other jobs in the school; (7) nurses were impervious to changes in their own duties and responsibilities (rating it among the two least important kinds of information), or about proposed changes in personnel and procedures, but felt that the very most important thing to hear from the princi pal was the relationship of their job to others in the school; third in rank order of importance was information about pupils who had special problems and needs; and they also wanted information about workmen's compensation and sick leave benefits (ranked twenty-fifth in the consensus) and about the principal's personal likes and dislikes (the matter of least concern to all other groups); (8) clerical personnel were not far different in their ratings from the all-staff consensus, except for concern about lines of responsibility between themselves and the principal, and about the supplies and equipment that were available and the status of orders; (9) to custodians, the second most important kind of information concerned the availability of supplies and equipment and the status of their orders; they were also vitally interested in the scheduling of special school activities, lines of responsibility between them- 342 selves and the principal, and budgetary and financial matters affecting their department. Information of Least Importance Examination of the lowest-ranked items may be of interest to those responsible for the effective flow of information from principal to staff, for it is sometimes as important to know what not to communicate as to know what is of paramount concern to the receiver. The categories that received the lowest ratings from members of staff groups are exhibited in Figure 7, the kinds of information being listed in reverse rank order as rated by the nine staff groups and by the combined staff. In this listing, 37 is the lowest possible ranking, 28 the highest. A marked consensus is evident with respect to the three lowest items, i.e., those appearing first on the list. Least valued among kinds of information were (1) the principal's personal likes and dislikes, (2) statements about the staff member's community obligations, and (3) the method used in computing the staff member's paycheck. Individuality of response appears in the ratings made by custodians, assistant principals, and guidance personnel, as may be seen in the custodians' low ratings of items to which the combined staff gave much higher evalua tions: (1) the method and basis of your evaluation, (2) special problems and needs of pupils, (3) the school L e a s t I m p o r t a n t K i n d s o f T n f o r m a t i o n R e c e i v e d f r o m t h e P r i n c i p a l FIGURE 7 STAFF-CROUP RATINGS OF THE LEAST IMPORTANT RINDS OF INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE PRINCIPAL Rank Order, as Rated by Each of Nine Staff Groups Rank Order Information ALL-STAFF RATINGS: 37 The principal's personal likes and dislikes 36 Statement of your community obligations 35 Method used in computing your paycheck 34 Background and composition of the comnunity 33 The results of your suggestions, ideas, and recommendations 32 Routine school activities 31 The agendas of coming staff and department meetings 30 The comunity's philosophy of education 29 Statement of your extracurricular responsibilities 2b Hospitalisation plans and benefits available OTHER ITEMS RANKED BT STAFF GROUPS AS AMONG THE TEN LEAST IMPORTANT: Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions Retirement provisions and requirements Future plans for the school and for personnel Supplies and equipment available and status of orders Procedures for making complaints and grievances known Budgetary and financial matters affecting your department or office Special school activities Opportunities for promotion and advancement Changes in your duties and Job responsibilities The principal's philosophy of education Method and basis of your evaluation Pupils with special problems and needs The curriculum of the school The relationship of your Job to the other jobs in the school Current problems ol the school (0 U H C * 4 a a u * c « 'H n H ii u u C c e 4 o 1 3 4 A S * 2 ti U H e u « e v e fi 0 i i « U u u 1 1 < h h ti! 4 A O. 4 It « u ti £ V 4 0 H « c 4 A w 4 U £ •H J 4 1 1 4 U I A 1 1 4 6 u e ■ H 0 U 4 II w H 1 1 O h 4 C 4 ■A t 0 u 4 3 0 37 37 37 37 37 37 34 28 32 34 35 36 35 36 35 37 32 36 35 36 34 34 32 31 28 30 35 31 28 35 35 32 28 37 33 29 29 30 33 36 33 30 30 33 33 35 32 28 30 34 36 33 29 34 32 36 34 31 32 32 28 29 35 32 31 30 30 33 30 2b 31 2o 36 34 2d 30 31 29 29 29 31 29 33 ’6 3i 37 34 33 31 29 344 curriculum, (4) the relationship of your job to other jobs in the school, and (5) current problems of the school. The nurses ranked next-to-lowest information on changes in their duties and job responsibilities, information which was ranked second in importance by all other staff members, and placed 13th-ranked "opportunities for promotion and advancement" in thirty-third position. The principal's philosophy of education, too, was of little importance to this group. Preferences Concerning How Information Is Received In this part of the study it was desired to ascer tain, not how effective or how important various kinds of communication methods and techniques were thought to be, but what various staff members thought were the appropriate or preferred way of getting information to them. With respect to the method used, they were asked whether they would prefer to receive each of the 37 kinds of information verbally, in writing, both verbally and in writing, or whether it really didn't matter which method was used. With respect to verbal and written techniques, possible techniques were grouped into four listed kinds, as may be seen in the questionnaire (Appendix D) and in the summarization of data given in tables throughout this 345 chapter. All-Staff Preferences Reference is again made to Table 41 for the com bined preferences of all staff members concerning methods for receiving information. Each of the 37 kinds of infor mation elicited an expression as to whether the respondent preferred to receive it via verbal, written, or verbal-and- written methods, or whether the method was immaterial to him. Summarization of the number of items given first, second, third, or fourth preference is presented as fo1lows: Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Immaterial 0 0 5 32 Verbal 4 8 20 5 Written 16 10 11 0 Verbal-and- written 17 19 1 0 Total 37 37 37 37 The distribution of responses indicates that staff members had definite ideas of how they preferred to receive various kinds of communications, and that their greatest preferences were for written messages--either written, alone, or written combined with verbal communication. Verbal methods were given first preference in the case of only four kinds of information: the background and 346 composition of the community, obligations in the community, the principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions, and the principal's personal likes and dislikes. It will be recalled that all four were among the kinds of informa tion rated as of least importance in the staff consensus. Now, as to the kinds of verbal techniques that staff members felt were most appropriate to the kind of information received, the last eight columns in Table 41 furnish that information. It should be remembered that "1" indicates first preference and "4" least preference. Staff responses should furnish valuable clues to the interested principal as to how to reach them with different kinds of information vital to them and to the effectiveness of the educational effort. A summarization of staff preferences for the eight listed techniques follows: Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Techniques places places places places VERBAL: Casual 0 4 13 20 Meetings 16 20 1 0 Individual conferences 18 7 9 3 Announcements _3 6 14 14 Total 37 37 37 37 347 Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Techniques places places places places WRITTEN: Informal note 6 7 11 13 Memorandum (formal) 8 13 13 3 Bulletins 7 14 9 7 Handbooks 16 3 4 14 Total 37 37 37 37 Among verbal techniques, apparently meetings and individual conferences were preferred for the greatest number of different kinds of communications. Among written tech niques, no distinct pattern of preference is discernible, the technique depending upon the specific nature of the information to be transmitted. Detailed examination of the data is indicated. It will be observed that an ambivalent reaction occurred regarding receiving information by means of hand books. This technique was judged to be either most or least preferred for communicating most kinds of information. The informal note was generally the least-liked written method, the formal memorandum and bulletins occupy ing the middle-ground. Informal notes were given first preference only in the case of such items as (1) explaining channels of communication between staff and principal, (2) the principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions, 348 and (3) procedures for making complaints and grievances known. Bulletins were given first preference for such kinds of information as (1) making ideas and suggestions known, (2) special and routine school activities, (3) agendas of meetings, and (4) future plans for the school and personnel. Preferences of Nine Staff Groups The preferences of each of the nine staff groups studied are summarized, group by group, in the remainder of the chapter. A separate table is prepared for each staff group. It will be recalled that information contained in the first two columns regarding the relative importance of the different kinds of information was discussed in an earlier section of the chapter. Assistant principals. The judgments and prefer ences expressed by the assistant principals are summarized in Table 42, in which the 37 different kinds of information are rearranged in rank order of importance as rated by this group. Again, concerned persons are directed to a detailed examination of the findings, particularly as they pertain to techniques of communication which assistant principals believe to be most appropriate to the specific type of information being communicated by the principal. The » < ft 1 £ 0 D 3 3 rt fl rt rt rt 3 rt r t « 3 h r t - 9 3 3 3 ft 3 fl a ; 3 rt 3 3 a 3 9 3 HI ft fl 9 Hi 3 3 3 & 3 fl 9 fl 0 ft fl a r t fl 3 rt rt 3 D ft < < 3 fl rt rt It h 9 a : t 9 a 3 3 fl 3 a l ft h 3 D 3 a a 3 fl y - o rt 3 a 3 ft ; n 3 9'iO 3 3 K 3 3 h 3 D 3 9 b f l 9 3 3 3 3 ft a a 3 1 K 3 3 ff 0 ff 3 3 3 g y 9 a fl 3 « ff 3 ■ 0 t* S Hi 3 3 3 : h fl a a 3 3 1 9 3 3 rt D S B t o - a 0 3 f l a g n a 3 9 ff 3 9 b 3 rt fl 3 : Hi H i . rtO 3 rt 3 rt Hi 0 fl § mi e : 3 H H n 9 ft 03 rt A < < 7 3 3 H : rt 0 0 3 7 1 3 ( t 3 » rt ft • ft 0 V ft Z ft S 3" 0 1 3 <? fl Hi rt 0 : fl 3 r s 3 fl ¥ rt fl < 3 ! 3 ft 3 rt rt ft 3 9 V 3 )1 3 " 3 3 ft ft ff 3 3 S ' 9 fl 3 3 3 • • ft 0 3 ff ft ; a 3 d ff rt 3 9 1 y s y n a ff 3 ! i* 3 If Hi a fl 3 a 3 fl 0 ft 9 rt 3 D J i SSfSci? I) ! f ! SI! H i ! J ! !l ” r E? 8” f * ” ) 1 I rr rr rtrt3 ►*0rti-l O; j*;- 0 M * M l f t 0 s « 0 d g a 3 os 3 ■ y t a a ‘ I 05 5 * M 5 M - ( I SDrtisb assHly Shm lilt r t 0 0 3 0 3 0 3 Q 3 rt f l . aoy hi* h h # ynse a 9 a »9<oohi aiMib any oil 9 i*C rt rt» # C 0 0 11 3 B A 3D bd s f l < o ■ rtj M S 3 fl 0 fl 9 9 3 A 3 ft 0 9 3 « 3 3 9 M tf* jfA'J'jj flt* D t B rtl 9 rt 9 ■ rtft M’S HlHO D rt 6 o n ft a rt rt 3 3 J f * < 52 0 3 3 IDD rt 30 9 B o a n n f l 3 I C r t r t r t 0 U i r , r « • 0 l ^ r t c i , . - . . . . rtOO 9 rtfl 3 rtrt 9 3* g f l r t r t < 0 » t . . r t r t 3 3 3 3 J It 5 a a r t i B » a rt 9 It fffly a 9 A 3 3 3 rt 1 r t 3 i OB 3 fl 3 9 ff» B ft f f r t r t r t f l 3 3 H f l r t 3 3 3 Hft 3 * 0 ft* I t » B » 3 r t 3 I n 9 9 rt < 3 r t f t » S it rt 0 h b d «3 I t t » w 3 r t < rt 3 0 r t 9 rt* 3 IT f t rt a 0 < * 3 9 3 n 9 » 1 9 n n 1 3 3 r t rt 0 9 3 r t r t I ! rtrt*< 9'3'OOt rt r t rtOrtrt3IOrt i 3 '9 9 r tC r t3 r t3 9 r t 0 0 f t • f t o 3 3 r t ftrt3 rt3 3 0 0 rt ft 0 M l B 3 3D 9 rt9"< s y o r t o 3 3 5 i 0 1 r t fl Hi C 3 0 rt 3 < Hi rt ft3 rt r t C r t r t f l f l 6 A 3 3 3 3 p r t r t 3 r t r t 0 r t 0 0 r t 9 9 a | rt ' 3 I J rt o 3 3 ____ 3 9 3 H i 3 rt 1 a 3 fl a 3 0 3 9 f t I r t a o B 3 9 5 3 f l 9 * 3 rt rt rt ft g y y rt D 3 3 3) 3 v 0 3 D H D 9 0 3 0 t * 9 3 f f 0 rti ft 3 3 fl B 3 9 ftftft n ft p S Q s n r tS r tS S fr t y rt y ft rtD C D rtO fla O O 0 0 3 r t 3 3 9 3 O > 3 3 0 3 CHift9rtrtrtrtrt3 rtrtO rt 3 fl ftflyD 3 uff3 0 f l r t 0 3 3 3 0 t* O' HO* 0 3 rt 3 rt fl . „ I T 3 rt 0 9 0 rt 0 3 > 3 0 rt 9 3 rt 0 H i H i rt fl 0 3 rt 0 3 rt 3 3 a 3 rt o r t 9 rt 0 y o rt IT 3 rt i A 3 y o 3 i * r t r t r t 0 3 0 r t r t h 9 *rt < rt 3 3 r t O ' 0 0 3 3 rt 0 H i H i rt rtHi o rt a3 9 ny r t f l 3 rtO 3 9 f t 6 r t 0 ft 3 M ft 0 3 rt rt rt ftfl 3 rt t* 3 g o rt D 3 D 9 3 >ty 0 0 It 0 H 3 H i a u 3 3 o 1 a 0*3 3 3 fl 3 rt rt 0 3 0 9 3 rt rt rt 3 rtD rt 3 0 3 3 rt 3 rt* 3 n g y rt a 3 0 0 3 r t 3 r t r t 0 3 1 8 8 K 8888882 88 8 8 8 888 5SC 5 C ? GS 85 * ^ k h h h h h 01 O' M M M (S G O C O 00 00 OJ 0) 03 C O c o c o a * • « f * « • « « « « « « p o o 0 O r t 0 1 \o ft ft io ’ o N C 'w u i o' !r <t ft ft cocoa 0 !o to u lo u ft ft ft f t a a a totoft ft a o to to u u w ft ft ft ft ft ftft ft ft ft f t f t * ftftft ft ft * f t * f t * * * * ftftft ft ftft rt f f ffHtOtOIOLO 1 0 H ID rt L O WWW WWW rt N 1 0 tO 1 0 UN 1 0 LO W 1 0 tO 1 0 L O 1 0 L O ^ rt rt rt rt N ) U U rt rt rt L i) W W rt U rt rt M W rt 1 0 L O N U H MU t) tO N HlOH t) H rt W W N to to U rt rt M 1 0 rttO rt 1 0 to rt to N rtrtt) to rt rt rttO rtrt rt rtrt NrttO rt tot) a y (I H * 0 9 a a < 0 1 m a H Hi 3 fl ft n H ft r t r t 3 0 fl 3 rt D 3 t* Rule Weighted score I w t e r i i l V e r b a l b i t t e n V e r b a l anil W r i t t e n C a s u a l H e a t i n g s individual C o n f e r e n c e s Announcenenti r t f ft fU U U U W W f Lo t) U) f t o f f to to to u w U tou uo to w luto im to ft IV toto w to 1 0 rt rt to rt 1 0 to L O toto W rt t) rt to K ) rt to u to to to rtto to L O M rtio rtrtto L O rtrt to L O U U f r t l O f f t ) r t r t r t to r t flO rt f t r t r t r t r t r t LOrt r t r t r t LOrt fLOrt r t f f f r t r t tO to f f r t r t r t us, f t f t W Wl-U LOftft f t f t f t f t f t f t f t f t f t f t Wt,U f t U U rt 1 0 f f f L O L O L O L O 1 0 UN rt 1 0 U S S S f f tO rt tO f LOrt rt L O U f f f U f t f f f to f 1 0 1 010 tO to to t) 1 0 rtrt tO f to LO IO tO L O rt rt u rt to ION rtto to LOrt L O to to to LO U U H H r t r t f r t r t r t r t (O f L O r t r t t o r t 1 0 t O U I O t ) S U rtU U f f t o t o t o f w U t o t ) 1 y to to to to rt f f lo f f t o f to f rt to rt r t t o f f u rt f f f r t t- r t u r t r t r t rt r t r t Handbooks I n f o r m a l Note Formal Heaorandta B u l l e t i n s 350 following distribution of methods was found by tallying the four ’’ method" columns: Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Immaterial 0 2 3 32 Verbal 5 8 20 4 Written 17 8 11 1 Verbal and written 15 19 3 0 1 Total 37 37 37 37 The preferences of assistant principals followed very closely the staff consensus. Guidance personnel. Judgments and preferences of those working in guidance are exhibited in Table 43. Here the 37 kinds of information are rearranged in rank order of importance as rated by guidance personnel. Concerned staff persons will find the detailed reactions of guidance workers to specific communication situations to be of value in planning and carrying out communications programs. The following distribution was found in tallying the preferences pertaining to the listed methods of communication: ft 1 f 0 fl 1 0 H 0 0 0 0 0 H W« « H h .i ? C 0 0 ft H 0 a :0 at 0 a t 8 1 Hi 3 0 0 Hi 0 0 ai 0 0 0 0 0 aft 0 fl I H H 0 0 ft < < I 0 H H 0 • 8 a :( on 0 0 a 10 V 0 0 1 act H 0 y.* o 0 a A ft :ff Z 0 9 A 1 I f 0 C H Ifl 0 0 0 0 1 0 H 0 I ft a 01 1 H « • yo a v 0 s r * a a i H 0 HI H 0 I 0 : h 0 0 * 0 10 l H fl f f 0 1 I O-Jt 0 0 0 at ft a 0 0 9 0 0 a» it 0 I : h H * h O 0 0 H 0 0 H H O 1 H ( 0 H H 0 P ft* H < < It t : m C I D i H i (t 0 if H h O n e ► « H > 1 1 » (1 0 & f f y it a 0 01*1)00 000 ff0Hl a o h i i o I n i oly 0 fl a o „ 0 0 0 fl y i 0 aff c o h 1 0 C 0 C H i 0 ft H I H ' 0 1 0 0 0 HO H 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 ft I 0 0 C 1 0 MiD f t < H B iy ft f t noy 0 H0 H 0 H o a ff i Wfl H 0 0 I H 0 » y » ft 0 0 0' 0 ff ft S 0 0 Hit a0 o 0 ro i •o « i » > tZflfl It « t f l » » o Ofit m m 00 r s o 00J 2 C 5 ntflKnw o it £ 0 f t « o 0 0 0 it 0 0 0 H C 0 0 0 OOM it c 0 H0 ? H c 0 * 0 ff 0 ft 0 ft 0 H i f l f t 0 0 O 0 i H C « i O 0 0 n 0 0 t o r ) a 0 B 0 O 0 H 0 H f t u H 0 p n 0 0 a o o y 0 0 0 ) a o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 H 0 f t ' O f f ( t 0 0 y lOl‘ H 0 l l 0 t 0 ,0 H 0 0 0 » i n | f t O 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 ,0 0 0 ,0l ‘ On0 0 0 ' O 0 0 H H 0 f l 0 H fitHO0aofii‘0i*i*0ai“toi0»)0it0H!<00fiaf!0fffia»oa3'tOHC0ai-ooiM0i-0»5 i-H^al0<0ft0S0a itftflgnaoftioiftpH i-tn* a 0000 | M f l i f j n i f l H 0 0 0 0 0 ho 0 j 0 < 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01*0 hhb 0 00 00 0 fto ft H0 0 0 0 ao 0 0 0 010 0 0 0 ft 00000 0 *H0 000 0000000 000 0 8 00 0 0 ffH0 a 0 n a t ; 0 0 0 j ao o o h o o h ' 0 , H O H 0 H B 0 B 0 f l O o * 0 H 0 » y 0 y to p « H H * n S 0 0 0 A 0. h 00h0a t h o 000 • 00 H i 0 0000 Q MiOl* H 0 0 -g HO •» -0 ff 0 0 * O™O03 0' B 0 ft H O § H 0 “ * - 0 J hh 1 0 I 3 I n f l 0 0 ho ffffftO 0 HO ffff 00 Off ' ‘ J - - h ! 0 H 0 H y H H O H H O H O H O Hi H H o o * h 8 1 0 an O 0 0 0 0 O O f t H n y 1001* ff ff ff 0 H 0 o 0 aoo 0 n 0 0 00H00OO 000 0 ao 0p H0c H 8 H 0 0 oo 0 ff0 0 0 0 0 0 hOO 0 0 0 h o 0 0 0 H a H I I 0 0 8 ff 0 a 1 0 0 < 0 I 40 0 f i l l 00 0 o i Jr00 0 HHft o HH0 0 I 0 H “ * “ HO 0 < | 0 1 H 0 0 T 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o a a i a f f o 0 0 0 H P ff 0 0 0 ff H H H 0 Hit 0 0 t I 0 0 0 0 0 H ft 0 H H 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 H H ao 0 o ► i 0 B 0 0 H ft y * a I i 0 n o n 0 0 0 0 0 0 a 0 0 8 o 0 o 0 P 0 0 0 0 it h O 0 ff i r ft 0 0 H H 0 0 0 0 0 ff a t o 0 o o o a w l ft H 0 0 H 0 H H 0 0 n 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 !y > H H 0 h o 3 0 300 0 0 0 fl 0 0 ff 0 0 0 ft | h0O 0I to o h 0ob aofl00f f f l00 ff h o 0h o _ o0 O O H f f 80&My 0 0 W ff H ff H 0 H P “ ' -■*-■■ ft 0 ff H H H J H 0 ft 0 0 H0 p I 0 H0 H ' 0 0 p 0 H o 0 0 0 i f f h i 0 0 0 0 H H 8 H 0 I f 0 0 0 <0 * 0 H H ff 10y H o H H a0 00 0 | 0 H C 0 a ? 0 0 It I n I 0 0 0 an 0 3 0 0 0 OflOOO H O O h O | O O 0 H H 0 0 H | 0 0 O y o h o 5 0 h 0 I f f OI 0 0 H i C h h h h h J P h 0 H 0 0 t-y i i yo 3 I 0 P < a Hfl a 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 y c 0 ff 0 0 0 < n 1 e 3 I ft y h o o C 0 0 HO 0 H CO 0 ff H 0 0 H I H 0 H 0 0 0 0 0 P 0 0 0 a i 10 y ft 0 o H i c o 0 on H 0 y uu U W W W W W M M M MM M M M M M 0 0 0 0 r H H 0 - I- H MO* uiffWM hOOOOO ff ff Ui 0* W M H O t f i OC * * J Off ff WM h CtC i - M ff ui ff lo M H u i f f M M M ( T 0 0 O c O C 0 0 a O C 0 0 f f t i : ti i i i i i i i i * • • MM If f U 1 0 M M W W ff ffff 00000 03 0 ® Kioto i f f 1C to K K K tt K K K 0 0 0 0 0 00 ff)KH M M W ffff ff Ifff ff ffff 0 to tO 0 W M ff ff Mff MffMW WWWff ff ffff ff ff ffffff ffffff ffff ff ffff ff ffff W ff ff ffWWffW 0* 1 ( 1 ffHWff ff ff ff 0* M IIU H W WWW U M h low W UN M UN ff U l W WffffWW ^ p p to H H WWWW W H 0* U H 0 0 N 10 W W WM M MW W MW 0* M M M HM HM ffN WUWM M M M M H MM M M MWH HH M H H H H 0* H 0* H M H H WM h MH ffff t* w ff w ff W ff U N MW ff ff WWff WWW W W W ff w ff H U ff ff ff ffff ffffff Casual mh h n m h h h Nh M HM H M MHM HHH HM M M H M W M H M M H H H H M Meet Inga HU NHUff UffWM H ff H M H Wff H MMM MH H H M H M H M H H WWWWH Individual Conferences w w Wff WM NklH f ff Wff W W WMU ffffff Wff ff Wff w ffff W w w MMMMW Announceienta H U H 1 0 U WUH g u t i NU u t i t i t i t i Inforaal Note Foml > 0 H NNHU wwfog K u> w > H IOIOUI W K * HN N H K t i K H MOUtofO Heiorandui U N N K) P ^ W to u u t i HNIO PWN u tt K u u ro Murouu Bulletins PPNN H H H * llPt' H UK U £ K f ' K K H K K Handbooks * 0 J n 0 H H P < a 0 a o H H 0 H 3 1 H 0 0 0 H P H 0 H H 0 0 3 1 H Hank W eighted Score** l o u t e i i a l V e rb a l Written Verbal and Written 0 0 0 0* f t H 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 t 0 • 0 0 1 JO H i » 1 0 f t f t 0 a 0 0 o a n a ♦ a H 0 H 0 0 0 0 t r a o 0 H 0 f f c 0 0 H I 08 08 0 0 0 0 HH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o a ft * » 352 Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Immaterial 0 3 8 26 Verbal 6 7 16 8 Written 15 12 10 0 Verbal and written 16 16 4 1 - Total 37 37 37 37 Again, the preference is marked for written communications rather than for those orally transmitted. Attendance personnel. The judgments and prefer ences of those working in attendance on high school staffs are summarized in Table 44, the 37 kinds of information being arranged in rank order of importance as judged by attendance personnel. Concerned staff persons are directed to a detailed examination of the data, particularly as they reflect the preferences of this group of staff members as to the best * • method and technique to use in conveying different kinds of information. The following is the distribution of methods as preferred: rt 1 t o « s fl A H i A ffffff A ff ffM fl H i rt- 7 ft A A rt rtrt ft :A A A A ft 3 fl fl rt ftA 3 rt A fl A ftA A 9 A 0 A rt ftft rt A » rt rt A rt < < A ■0 rt rt A A 0 ft :{ rtM A A A A ft I rt 0 A fl * O ’ ® 3 1 y o A A a ff rt : n A ffj fl A C ff ZD A 9 rt 9 A A 1 A C rt ft A Iff OA ff 0 ff U i A a fly vft rt > • ff t p . 0 ff A rt A A 3 : rt rt rt » » A 1 9 fl A rt V 03 A T 0 - M fl fl rt ftfl rt ft A 9 7 A fl ftA rt rt A :rt H 1 ff o 9 ff A ff rt Q rt I rtli : A rt H A 9 rt* : rt A < < tr A fl h : ff 9) C sr 1 A t t A * ff rt • rt 0 V rt f * 0 r > rt H i rt 0 A C A t rt H ff rt < t i t rt ti ff rt rt C 9 V AM A A rt rt 7 A 8 . C O i A A a It it 0 A ff ft n} fl <f ff rt A y 24 it a. 7 A A H i A A H i M rt A rt A A 0 rt e rt < V * s » w m * t t o ? » r > * f t o o * n o n r j t # > o o p m b a m ? 5 " t S a c fl o o m i i o a a e o 5 i c i a f f c c h a 3 « 7 3 a h a a r> 3 f f r t ’ ,o # r t f l c ( » » n n | p f f f f c o o i r o M ,9 i t ! r s a t 8 r t S 9 f f ' i a » P » t O f f r t 3 i » t a » f f f f i t h f f rtdiffrtflj f f 3 «3a3 * * tp if i * > * a f f <» haha **a . ft*; j •*» •» iioni a l d * f l M » ! * f l » H f f ' » < c » c c o O f f f f f f f l f f t t i f f H c o o i a a 1 1 n a a a i o a 0 0 n H t O 3 A I 9 9 A Art ff flrtflrtfldflfl ffA -C »0 t i i 71 ( ffrt rtfl ff ftrt 3 3 rtftCrtflflflfffl "niff S1 1 ii opv:»»*< 0 fl * ff ff >*9 ff »o ffff »uo i-phs » rtj(* 91 MffffS 0 fl ff . a a >ha 1 * • b 0, o' * 1 fl 0 p - f l - f f 1 (0 fl hi) fl nfl rn i Q»*» 1 n 0 ffifl ff0 1 t f l f f « T j | H ' o &^ M ’i o c a 6 6 ,a iffiB O « B S , H^ ffOfflffffff^fldff rtfffftj rt 0-5050 rt C 0 f t i rt 0 f t r t f f . f f f f f l P ? - f f IlffO ff AffOflflAAAflA Ortff A II fl ff 10 flnCfldffCfl Off«>ffff? OflffffffltffffflffflAAO- < 0 A f l « I ff A ) - 0 0 9 j 1 - 9 f f 0 2 f f f f 3 I I f f it r t Oy f l c 9 f f 0 a ff T I ff ft fl ff ff'OQ ) A fl ff ffrt ff » ff IT A 0 (I r a » « ffd rtfl rtrtfl fl A OH f f f l f f f f O f t II DM A A < <0 A rtfl A A ffff ffffO rt I fl rt I t ' d > r t 0 f f f f f f f f ff 0 l " i ff ff A A 0 rt 0 " “ 9 ft « A rt < 1 3 rt fl A ffffff 0 rt I A A 9 0 r t 9 1 A fl f t n h n it h rr 0 h 3 3 0 5 f t m 9 0 ffOfl ' 3 f f 0 ‘ 1 f l I f f f f 0 r t ft rt ff A ff 0 f l 0 9 > 9 • 0 t f f 9 > a 9. a < 8 »£ 31 n e 3 *< rt . T y 0 0 0 ff- C f f f l f f 9 r t I Uff 0 A fl er 9 < ft rt A 0 f f f f 0 A r t 0 9 ? ff A A ff r 0 r t r t « 7 A f f D r t 0 f f • f f r t f l rtfl 0 rt ffA A nOO » 9 ffrthffOOJO fl 0 10)1 A 0 rt 0 ff< A 8 A rt fffl ff A A 9 9 rtrt ffff i*| A ff flflff* flirt 0 A 0 C rt A ff • f l C * « f f f l 9 f l ffOOff r t f t A O O f f f f f f f l f f f f f l f l ff A ffO fl A A ff 3 Off# >09' fftfly rtffO rtOffO ff 0 0 y 0 C 0 f f f f 3 f f 3 (toy q ff » » ( 0 9 9 t fl Hft ft rt 3 ft ftA rt A ftA p . 00 C-0 A A A A c r ( rt fl rt A rt rt ff HO ff A A ftfl 0 1 fl A fl fl A < 1 A 9 A Art rt A f f A rt ( 0 A ff A 9 9 A y A 0 f t C • f f ff A A rt ( K » A ff A C 9 > rt y ff 0 0 C 3 fl 3 ft 3 ff A rt fl • y 9 fl COM ff ff A 0 « ft A C A ff r t f t 3 ff C a ff y » A 0 A C 0 ff r t 0 r t n » 0 r t A ff < ff 3 - ' f f 9 0 f f 0 » r t i f f f f 0 r t ff ff rt 0 ■ • ff ft 9 a A ny ff » ffffff 0 » n U l tn A f f f f ff flO ff rtff c f f 0 f f 9 A A M A A ft rt C > 0 ff 3 A ft y 1 0 WWWW U U W WWNWW W NNN W W ff ff ffffffff ffffff ff ■UffUi® W W ff 010 ct M O ' U i OWW ff 0 B 0 0 ffffO® WWff 0® 0 . M O ' in OWW ff ff ff U A 0 rt 7 0 fto C ff rt ff ff A Ay 1 fl 3 ft 000-J M 'J w u f f s t t C c 000 0 5 C O 0 5 O ft I I I I I • • - - - * - 1 * 1 * * * * * 0 ft®0 W w ( E C c f t 10 0 f f u i ONM f t 0010 I ® (t ® ® ® I 0 \ 0 ® ® ® ® ® • I I I l i t I t I I ® 0 f f f f WWW WO 0 f t ffffff 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 p I® P * p. M ff ff OOOOH 1 0 ff O'ff Nfl-U) W W U W t 0 GUI ® f f W W W W O W W W W W O W O ' U I U O ' U ) U I U i O ' O ' W U i O ' O ' U ) O ' O ' O ' O ' O ' O ' O ' O ' O ' O ' W O W O O ' M 0 O ' O ' U I M U O ' U J U I O U l O O W W W O O U I U I O ' U I W U I U ) U I U I W W W U l O ' f f U ) f f f f U I f f f f f f f f f f U l I U W f f W N f f f f 0 W f f W W W W W I U W M M W f f f f f f f f f f U i u i f f K ) U l f f I U l U W N W f f f f f f f f f f f f I U M f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f I U I U I U N NO'NUI 0 U l U ) UIUIIUUJU) u i 0 i u u j 0 U l U l U l OIUUIUI WOUl UIO I U W M U l 000 0 UlfflUN U ) I U I U UMffMIU f f I U ff f f ffffff ff ff f f f f N N ff N I U IU I U M W f f ff f f I U N U J U l ff U l c s e M U O U I f f 0 U l f f f f u i f f 0 O ' I U U l 0 U l N M U l I U 0 I U 0 O ' U l 0 U > U l 0 f 0 O ' N I U N f f f f W f f M f f f f I U W C W I U f f f f U l I U U l W O O f f W N 0 f f f f O W W U ) W W W 0 0 0 0 0 t O t O W f f W W f f 0 W 0 U J W U l f f o w W U l U l U l W O U I W W U I f f f f f f f f f f f f w W W i u U l U ) f f 0 U ) 0 U l W f f f f W f f U ) W W W W f f f f f f W f f f f f f W w w o W W U l W W W W W W w o o f f o w o o w w i - o o O ' O f f f f o w w o o w w o O f f w w o u o o h i“ f f f f w M A a n A rt r t 9 < ft A f t f l r t r t r t H § s I r t f l * II r t 3 r t A r t r t 0 V 3 f l f f Rank Weighted Score** I m a t e r i a l V e r b a l Written V e r b a l a n d W r i t t e n C a s u a l M e e t i n g i I n d i v i d u a l C o n f e r e n c e s A n n o u n c e m e n t s I n f o r m a l N o t e F o r m a l M e m o r a n d u m B u l l e t i n s H a n d b o o k s 0 A 1 0 f t r t r t rt f l A 3 A A A f l t A A ^ *2 J O rtA fl A rt it rt 7 A rt 0 f t A f t ♦ f t rt p . 3 ff A 0 A fl rt 7 ft 9 ff A ff rti ft 0 8 ha rtfl rtfl rt rt t A A HH rt A A rt rt p . A rt 9 A it A ft A < rt A A 9 354 Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Immaterial 1 7 11 18 Verbal 0 6 17 14 Written 17 14 4 2 Verbal and written 22 12 3 0 Total 37 37 37 37 It should be observed that this group of staff »rs was unique in its deviation from the all*•staff consensus, and that (1) it was the only group to reject verbal methods of communication completely as first- preferential methods, and (2) only two other staff groups found it "immaterial" how any of the listed kinds of communication were transmitted. It is evident that attendance personnel have a strong preference for written communications; even when verbal messages are received, they must be accompanied with written confirmation. Department chairmen. The judgments and preferences of department chairmen are summarized in Table 45, the items being arranged in rank order of importance as judged by this group of staff members. Concerned staff persons will find interesting clues to effective communication in the preferences of this S S E rt I r i t PHP ft PH p.. 7 I r t a :» » a > ft It M| I at f l 0 o a r t 1 ft ft II < < • ft t a .< t t a 11 ii o#» ><.. o f rt : r * 76 t t C P t 3 3 • t ( I ‘ t i t I I rt 0 PI p t > : p 1 * t I 3 t p fl 9 9 0 ■ ■ K 9 at r t »3 3# s a t t» 1 :h . p O 3 h t p : ! t p f l 3 ff OB p fl 0 2 r t e it i t i p p O 0 s t n p m < t t r t p p e d tn 1 i rt r t r t 3 3 • t 0 ’ r H t t p» 01 Pt va p 9 1 I A IT p 00 IT t I rt V rr 0 I I f l I rt t a f f fl rt ff t 00 1 o c fl An#??!* into to jjz w a AO BflflOj r tf fl p n J? ? 3 ® ? if it ■ i o o o 0 *0 fl to M ft n n c h C * ft f ^ ft c i n ffCrtft ft 9 r t f f f f ( t f l f l ! r j f l t C 9 0 | P t n i l f l C f l i l 0 J C 3 0 P 9 t f l f l 3 9 9 I 9 9 t f l f 9 ® t f l J t M J J t r * flflOOOppoVSpflPaffrtrtiiiipoiiriitrttriflHpatlpaflapaflflOOOOtflOtlttPttl p j 1 as fl < » 9 I 0 ft I " *" fl I 0 II I ft 9 P H| I I 19 3 0 ft I ■ ft B p u w i i ii p n " i p f t f l P ! P ' P l s< l t O C r t » 3 » ( t f l l r t t f l ! f t P P P P t ■ a flIO -fl flPp ffrtp f l i p >19 I • ft ft „ . „ ■ ; >0 Afftgntffa >p crot o o ao 9 1 pD#® » p g » i fl ftfl ft? ■ ■ ‘ 0 OfOflflflpptPflPff pt | fl 0 rr 0 rr ff I p 0 > 0 p fl ITppC t 0 0 0 ftfl fffl I t tP 0 1 f t 0 f t < f t 0 9 l O l P t n i n C f l l O i r c o o P f l t r t f l B B S f l J P ^ p p w ^ j j B n j j j p L f f f t n t p t * t t e t i f l i p a i > p a f l a p a f l f l O O « t f l o t t » p t t i 3 i > ptfl 1 1 ah as i t p- rt * np p 11 > a r t t i i f l t o l j f l p I o l o M C t C n i t flC ftOCfliflaflftHlfl fltlflloiCJflOft > 91 99 11 11 ft 3 fl > 3 ( ffpl t c I 3 1 ff > J at 0 1 fl ag 3 fl'JSJP )f t l 3 lftfl»ft«fl|ftftHftft» O O P f l O t | 3 C > B . f l t P C f l f l t O . . . . . ja 5 c ^ i p. « p 0 t • fl fl 10 1® • p < 0 » fl. ft ff p I 0 0 ft i fl 91 0 p t s afl po 1 0 C 9 1 9 f l f l t 0 f f 0 I f l f l 9 | fl ft p > O f l f t f t t PO 0 0 < 9 i I 9 ft t p S p rt p 5 fl o p t ff 9 p P t 9 t po > a 1 f t 9 f l f l o - 9 Pt 9 ph I 0 f l I > t t rr 3 0 I oc fl 0 PI aff pflfl anO t p® Sa « 1 9 a p ft 3 ff ppg t TOP# t 3 f l f f t Ifl f t 0 f t f t f l ( 0 f f p 3 fl rt p t o t 3 Pt a t 1 a f t 3 f l f l f f I rt p ft t 0 t 9 < t » 1 ® t a 11 f l f l •8 3 p rt a t e t Ii 11 rt > p 3 9 a® t M i : o ' S ' a m o 3 0 t p 9 ft ft ' 9 9 9 B r t l p C r t f l l O t fl ft 9 5 ftfl f f I 9 f f 0 f f 0 0 f f > 1 1 at 111 ftt f f O 3 fltftftfl0 P P f t O f l l t p f l O ftt ftftfl 9 t p a 9 H O P HP - - 0 g o fl ® i ft f l ® t p 3 t a p 9 n i 11 pppit n fliflfl pfl^ I P g 111 n P o I f f P r f f i p o a ( t i9fl ptatOfttg 1 9 t U > o t ff 3 a n 0 1 t na fft t p 1 0 fl ff.. t 9 1 ft I A ftff fl 3 0 1 t PA 0 0 ft ft fl 0 3 a® 0 rt C 1 f t 0 o - I t 3 3 f t 1 O l P f l P l P l f l f t I I I f f f l 3 f l f f O f l Hpp ® A ff ftt a 11 1*7 1 1 9 p a i tfl i 0 ffOfl ® ia 1 1 1 fl oo t ffO ft ff I 0 ft p H to 0 t Ht 3 B t a* i 9 1 3 as a > o at ai t a < fffl p> 3 t t 0 3 t I I 9 fl t 11 t a 9 fl t < t p p t ff p t I 3 a > 9 0 PO 1 1 P j I 3 0 1 1 1 p p 3 3 ft 0 3 a 3 p ft l “ ft 0 9 1 0 3 t t A A ft 1fl fl rr po o at t o i P 3 3 t pt 3 0 1 Ifl 0 It! t p < rt rt p I B fl p p | I 0 3 9 1 t I ft t rt 0 ft' 1 0 3 1 fl t 0 a p 3 PI p t fl I fl 0 1 p fl f l fl ffl fl I 0 3 0 Hfl OHflO 1 IP < p u fl 0 1* ff t ® 3 H I ft P 0 3 I U U U U U U U WNff MM UN 10 N UN ftPPHft P P H M ff v f U N p 0 rO ff MOi v 9 W N p o CrOSWUW 9 W lo UlffMNMCCff ffffff ffff ffff ff ff I I I 0 0 I t 1 0 0 0 0 * * * * O ' O ' W ff tO 0 0 H N U WW ffff ff ^ i0 Or w f f v 9 ff ro ft p p p 10 tO ifl iflifl Ifl oco j ( toioifliflifl ifl ifl Ifl Ifl Ifl , , . . . I , .................................. K O O O P f f f f 9 v v v v v ff ff fl ifl 0 p lo N U 9 U U 9 U 9 ff 9 9 9 U9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 W 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 U 9 9 P P P 9 9 ff ff W 9 ff ffff ffff P ff ION WWWUW U W 9 U N ff W ff W ff ffffffff {.HffftPftP i O p K ftp ftp ff to ff 10 Iff ff ff W P P W P M ff 10 10 10 P W PffPff U 9 N W W ff N P l O P MM 10 N 10 P P P P P P P P 10 P 10 P P P P P H P W ft W P pWN9999 W 9 9 ff 9 99 9 ff 9ff ff999ff 9 W 9 ff W 99 ff 9ff 9999 u h m p m h p p m t o wro Pio H P H9 p p w n n n p p io io tow n p n h p p n M tO 9 K ) ff U ff 9 ff p 9 p ffP )0 ff WP ff 10 p p P P W ff p p p p P ffp NUffft 9 9 ff U P ff ff ff p ff pff NU W 9 ffff W W ff ff 9 U 9 W 9 ff Wff ff fff ffffffff p U 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 p ffff 9 9 ff U ffff Wff9NW ff ft 9 N N 9 N W f1 N 9 9 9 U ffffffffffffff ffffff ffff ffff 9 9 f f h MflNHff p 9 f f 9 f t pp h up ffffffff ff f f 10 ff p r o ff r o p ff p 9 ffff f f p p ff p ff p w f f f f ff ff w ff wff f f low ffffffff 9 P P H W P P P U 9 9ft pp P 10 9 9 9 h ff 9 h 9 w h p 9 N9 9 p 9 p p p p J O t n n t p p 3 < a « ao ft H i 1 H s : 0 Hi :i 3 fl o p P 0 3 3 t p Weighted Score** Ianaterial Verbal Written Verbal and Written Casual Meetings Individual Conferences Announcement* Informal Note Formal Memorandum Bulletins Handbooks 0 f l 1 o® rt p 1 I f l f l I f l I 1 f l X ® f t f l I f l f l f l f l ? f l 1 0 a u a * a < fl 1 p 9 H O ' II O f l t 1 7 a g p « p i ® 3 0 II f t i " 9 ifl 1 1 t II II f t f t 1 « II 1 1 p II 1 3 t f l 0 a i i • n » 356 group. The following is the distribution of their prefer ences for various methods of communication: Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Immaterial 0 1 9 27 Verbal 4 7 21 5 Written 16 12 8 1 Verbal and written 20 15 1 1 - ■ ~ ' ■ Total 37 37 37 37 It will be observed that verbal techniques were preferred in cases only when little Importance was attached to information. This staff expressed a strong preference for written methods of communication and preferred to have verbal communications backed up by written messages. Teachers. Teachers' judgments and preferences are summarized in Table 46 in rank order of importance as judged by this staff group. Concerned staff persons will undoubtedly wish to examine these reactions in some detail; while teachers followed staff consensus in general, their preferences were unique in some instances. With respect to communication methods which they prefer to have the principal use, it is interesting that teachers prefer to receive verbal informa tion about the explicit definition of their job duties and a I 1} FHI* HHR h - 7 a ft b :3 II b 8 3 HI bii n (I 0 bit II r t r t I < < • r t H . » : S b 1 9 II ff» y .. 0 3 rt : n P’d « II C h II 3 3 I II t ft b I H 30 3 • b* i * 3» 0 H I H II I : h 1 R 3 I 3 I H 3 {-3 O-R 3 b l ft I 3 3 3 b l ft • : h • HO 3 H I H 2S I H f l 3 ft* H < < I I H ,C» H 9 i ft o n 3 I it H H ft 0 » c HI < 1 3 I Hit C H I 3 I K it I 3ft 6,2 13 I 0 3 ft l i 3 I in 1 H I I It ft H < I 0 3 HI' I ft H 1 I I I I I 33 i a I I i i « I Z ft H 13 0 1 Nl H Ml ' I JJSItSt S !S .. . I » 3 303 3 0 003 lit 33 30 31 WO Q« ftn J DRW I I 101 I 3 hC3 3 1C 1C i l *5 33 i n C i n n H e M ' l i i O 3 | l l f t | l 0 » O l H | H ( t O I M 3 i n i 3 b O 3 3 H | b O ( t ' < l 3 l M 3 « 3 n b l H M 3 ( t n 3 3 3 i r i r i f t H B e i n i | | B H l t 3 B B I l C f t 3 l 3 H B 3 l l 3 3 0 i t O I 3 n 3 M I « l H f t n 3 1 1 l | O H B O I i l l < C O O H 3 l 3 ( t H ( t O n C I I I I 3 C I I l l C 0 l H b 3 l H l 0 f t l » ' “ III I I 3 3 ft I 1 3 1 3 h 3 l l r t b < C | H r t b M B 8 3 - - ' I I I 3 h B HOI 1 - - - I 0 I I I 0 I I It ft« I 30 n j I *3 3 I 3 I I 3 3 ft I H l f t H 0 H ' 3 H l l f t 9 O 0 3 l l l 3 H | ■ it h i bO h n o ho h3 ■ ■ t • 3 0 0 I 3 0 3 0 9 3 HiBrtl I I a t»0 I r t 3 I 0 h h i 3 | y ■ 0 h 3 I 3 0 I n h 3 I h I I Q I H 3 3 ! - - flH^qser H033 . . . C I 3 3 I 3 H3 3 h OOh CB 3 I n h I h I ft 0 ft 013 • 0 ft ft • | I 0 bP It i»3 0 h < H3 3 H 3 l O B H 3 3 3 3 l l ' B 3 b O H 3 3 I h 0 3 I 3 00 ............................................. ' * * I I H9 P H ( HH I H S 3 I 0 b I 0 C H 3 I 1 6 ft h 0 0 0 I I 3 3 it n 0 h 1 H 0 H I I h < g o s o * 9 3 b I • Hit I I H h h ! 03 I ft r I 3 HI 3 H I I I H I b 0 I ny ft 3 y 0 B 3 C l i o 0 1 3 3 h 3 ft I H 0 H ' n ■ ( i n g < n i 3 | n H » - H 3 hC h | 6 1H HH • m i n i i n y o o M hh cbhiqii n i o on 3 co o I 3 0 8 0 I I 0 I o 8 I I Hi Hi I I 1 3 E 3 h 3 1 3 I 80 I h 3 H I , o o y 9 l o I n sr n H I H 0 0 3 3 300 ■ R I 9 9 0 0 it I ■ II I I I 0 9 C b 1 I I H I 0 A c c H H 1 I | I r n i 3 3 0 79 0 uy y 0 0 n 30 0 3 H H h * b I I C I I h n b b 3 u h C C n 01 n o 1 O'! I I 1 ft n I I H H 3 13 0 0 bn b3 3 ■ o 7 HI i • f l bn | i o n | ff 0 h It h3 H 0 3 I ft I H 31 ‘ S0SHi933R3rtrt 3 RI ‘ ■'“ O f t i l l l O n n i l H 1 1 C 11 0 3 h 3 0 I • I Hi HI rtl 0 i o o m 3 o h i e i h o h h h h h h ? | 9 B h " s i y 3 I 3 H 0 I I 28 a H 3 0 0 I I 1 I ( H II h n n 31 y » o 7 3iO l o 0 n 3 h 0 1 h 3 b b l b9 H i o e ? i y y ftfllOO j o I c c Hi t*y l ho o y hc h 0 n n n e o h i 11 I bO I C n n h 11 0 3 1 I I b I 0 I H < Hi H H o C 11 n 0 h 1 0 3 3 I I 0 ' 0 0 I . I n I H I 0 3 I* 3 b l b u I 3 I 0 I I I H< I H • n H 0 I I I H C b H H Obi H I I 8 h h ny o o i i Oh h OB? n t O I C 0 0 l l H l l l O O II H H 9 HO 0 0 I n ii h ft t H3 0 H 3 0 1 R h S H I I ltd I ft oy 3 n I II 11 n • 8 o 3 0 n 3 U U U U W U U U N HU 00 to to N N to M HHH H MO'l/if'UtOHO V O IX H J Ut W f'UN H 0 lOfcN O ' 03 1 31 C b8 I C I I n b HC I I I 3 l i b l I I 3 I b R C H I n H 0 3 I H H H H H H Ul {■ UK HO to 0 S3 Vdi1 U ton UiOOsssfcO: tc O C C P 0. It 11305 O J 3 B O O c a C o v01 0 V O to V O to v O V O V O v O v O v C V O 0 0 .............. < < i i • ........................ • 1 11 aMOiURNOH H NN to 10 U U O ' S S s 00 3 C O OH HtO U U Mol O ' s V O C X « 4 0 KU U U U U M ii M l f I H I 0 C - M U {“ M M {“0 I 1 3“ '*'{• £ 0 i 1 M H j ' N M f ’ Hi' U P N U U to to 10 to U to to f1 U UH UU U U l UU M l UU H uu j i p p p H H t l H H HU) H H H U U V O tO U U H tO N U HtO tO tO tO tO HH HH U HH U N f N N N U N to ton to to UIHH H H H H tO H HtO 10 H HH HH tO 10 NN tO (0 tv ) H M M C ' t U t ' | I I I | It to 10 O ' U ) N t - M {• Ul tO M U l W M M U t {■ MO U ) fO H H tO H H H tO HtO H tO H H H tO H H H tO 10 fO H HtO 10 tO tO tO tO H HtO (0 HH to u o to U l £ U l M o H U)H 10 H MON H {> U ) N H H HU UH HH HH UN {■ H H U f H t ' N H N U N U N3> U * U M £ U N U U U M NU M UU HU NU U NN H C ' N M M t ' {• t o N U M U N U U M N HH £ N UN UN £ fi M P PP N U U N N U M U UN H N U N £ U N NNH H NU NH HH HH NN NH N UU U H M h N N h 10 HU U N t H > £ HHN N UN UU NU NU HU UN U NN t M H H t H H N H N(- {• H HHN H H M B ' {> M H f i> t> I f UH H {> H HH R II 3 R I I H H 9 ia ao Hi Hi H H 'j 3 I t* 3 n n h H o 3 3 I H Rank Weighted Score** Imuterlel Verbal Written Verbal and Written Casual Meetings Individual Conferences Announcem ents Infernal Note Fonal Kenorandun Bulletins Handbooks 0 3 1 OR nil il 3 11 11 1 Hi II Run 11 7 m b 0 0 b a a I- < a h H 9 H 3 a o n 1 H 7 a p H a H * > 1 3 c o a ttii 3 3 1 9 I a a H i hi 1 a a 9 9 H a 9 9 a n n b a > r t * a 3 358 responsibilities and about the principal's ideas on new ideas and suggestions. The following is the distribution of teachers' preferences for receiving messages about the 37 different kinds of information: Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Immaterial 0 1 9 27 Verbal 4 8 17 8 Written 19 9 8 1 Verbal and written 14 19 3 1 — Total 37 37 37 37 The preponderance of preference for written communication is evident in teachers' responses. Librarians. The judgments of importance, and the preferences for certain methods of communication of the group of librarians are summarized in Table 47, items being arranged in rank order of importance as rated. The following distribution of responses concerning methods of communication preferred shows less unanimity than was evident in all-staff or in most staff-group responses: 6 « * rt 1 £ * r t l t A rt 1 rtrtrt VA rt rtOt 1 rt rt.. V t A A rt 1 1 b : A rt A A b * ° t rt 3 ft 9 rtl 1 A a it n n o rtl a ft i Z t rt rt A n < < • 1 ft rt A 9 a :t *01 A A h 1 b 11 V A . | VO o 1 1.. n ft A rt : l A ffifl K a c e 9 1 rt 1 P l A A C na • 1 rt 1 VO V A 101 a 1 1 Vt rt 0 rtl 9 rtt 1 : rt 1 1 01 t A 1 P 1 rt 9 0'S O.-t) & 0 9 1 b | n a A 9 V A 8 a t i ft ■ :rt rt • rt 0 1 3 h 0 A rt 0 rtO rt( A rt H ft p rt* rt rt < < V A 1 rt : rt C 1 A 5 ft 1 I rt rt . rt V 0 Z ft rt 0 6 v § A , 1 rt rt 0 n e A 1 1 rt i < t 1 1 1 i I- H - ft e p V A* . 1 1 t rt rt 1 VA 3 9 1 1 1 t .. rt 0 A V a ft : t < V rt A 1 8 4 ft b V A A . t : 0 9 1 A 1 A ft 0 rt c rt 9 i A 0 • f l w > 1 no t w n a f t rttait3ftA9l9iArtlOil|lrtltOrti1l9rtltlrtllO|w.Hlt01M9bOrtaiHilbO - - --“-'“‘"“ ■•,i9peinsiOffH3‘ 0P033lrt0trt0*®ift9A93|)iAHftA9 H r t M n i ' C i i H o a p S . n a H i i f f r t i s a i i i f i t i H i o o M o j ' o o 31 * 0 a i t n to i joi xve a I naa n i t P ' O n o g n no i« t S i » a h i i i . . . , .,. . _F -3-a- ... h« n j 3 at < 1 5 r t ni ap p nttanfi g«a t h itrtj v*"?** ntrtiti llldl HrtOClOjACrtrtil <09310 r t h 11 bl K OirtOOICAIAIlOfttlA IP PP 0 l-PHCAUrt A 1 t rt » rtrt s ( t 7 • C t C II 9 I 0 0 Vrt 2 I I rt bO ij p rtP rt a HrtOtrtirttrt'Hrtrtpprtti'pnOHptHeirtH'Pt t Hiijrtrtini if s e 11 o f t 0 ■ -• - “ - - - - - - »j na oo.p,< p i i - p o i l m »p in bOf 9rtAltrtOlrtO9AV rt033r tv 0 9? H i Vi I IIMIMMI bftlOPrtOrtrtt I I HO ftt r t V rt9 r tO 0 PHbrtrt 1 9 • 9 0 f t r t ---- 9 t r t f t I 0 f t c n • rt I p I- 1 rt 9 ! I ft tots c 9 r tr tlr tr t Hrt n no r t i b r t rti ■ i to VOVnVPrtrtt 0 10 h 1 r t h ‘ 9 r t r t A1 I rtlH9 h 1 0 r t r t 0 C I C r t r t C t r t t o h it i n i o p 0 t n rt rt t n i r t 0 0 b rt B it r t S i r p t it H i I f t r t I * ? P 0 9 b V rt r t b rt 0 rtO t I t t r t r t f t r t r t r t O O P It 90 t i t It rt rt rt X < 0 < r t r t 9 r t 1 r t r t t rt 0 rt ft t Hit C t t 1 1 0 c 1 Hit n *6 J O t Hit 111 o o 0 1 9 H i ObO ivtscrtrv iDipoi f t r t 9 <0 rtibioolrtrt 0 • r t n 8 I po n r t p B r t 11 1011- v entrtli 1 1 9 0 10 10 rt t I r 0 It 1 rt 9 * I i rtlrtiirtortc ...... r t 9 t f l 0 P r t O r t O j - r t 1 9 0 9 9 9 91 0 0 I I I O V r t l t 9 i r t IV' 0 I r t t r t I t t r t 9 r t 0 bO 9 - a o a » h t bO 0 to 3 V 1 I It V 1 • I t 0 I t bO rt 9 Hi? 1 ( 0 P 0 r t bt rt t P o t 0 9 0 n r t ? i o r t 0 0 9 h 1 1 * t I f t n n t it ObrtO < r t 0 r t I r t s (t 9 I B t n < 8 A 9 P 0 r t n n I 1 t ftp b b it t 9 I It 1 t 0 9 3 It I It rt b 3 C f t n I I rt t rt 0 0 b P 1 0 91 0 1 0 1 o e It V I i r t •15 1 1 1 9 r t bO C 1 t §■0 1 A I t 0 1 It 0 it. b t 0 I 0 0 bp 0 rtC 1 » 9 0 rt rt t 9 £ p n O r t r t O O r t i b i t t r t r t r t i n i t tVrt trttrt it c 1 1 n rtrtQ V O » ■ 1rt9rt»b1rtt A j ! A 3 0 f t 1 0 It rt r t t l r t 1 r t 0 3 0 0 It b r t C 0 1 It 1 t 0 c 1 u 0 V o 11 vt eiio r t C rt rt rt i n h f t u 09 VO r t rt rt 0 0 1 r t V It 0 r t V It 1 1 1 6 It rt- 9 1 n 3 111 r t ft rt 0 b t C it rt 19 oSI H i f t f t r t 0 1 rt it It 0 9 1 A ft t r t b 3 u C 0 111 v e t o rtt c at i e ■ rt i t A 3 i a A W W W W W W W W W W W W W W I N Wrt rtrtrt rtrtrt rt rt rtrt N V Ui { W W r t O lOCtwOiU- Mrfrt rtiO V N V Ui {- W W r t O C O I 1 P A bo c h t rt rt 0 3 I o- ui t- u w rt y ijiv jv j VJSMVJ 0 0 ft 0 0 C r O c E t t t t 0 0 o o # t t 051010 Ij I( Ifi Ii 1 C 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 till I I t I t I I 1 I l i t t I 111 I I I I 1 I * 1 * 1 * 1 1 W {• W W W V K i O 0 rt rt W {• {• W W ui On ui O' 05 lOrtrt W W U U W O W 0 0 £ rt rt rt 0 00 I I I rt M W m N w {- o-wc-o- *• ^ {WW WO- O-O-O- W { { U ( H t t t t t f M t WHWW M 10 K) 10 WWrtWW rtWN fO rt WWW WWW rt W W W W10 W U W W W W W f. U rt rt H f - t H W rt W rt W W { { 0^ 10 W W W { W W 0- rt rt W rtW W rt W W 10 rtW W { { W W W W W rt W W W rt Wrtrt rtW rtrtrt rtrtrt M 10 N rt W rt rt K) rt rt rt 10 rt W { W { W { { { { { W { W WW W WW W W W { { { W { { W { { W { { { { { { W rt W W Wrt Wrt W rt rtr trt P r t U rtrt rt rt W W W W rt W rtW rt W W W W W W rtW rt W W rt W W W W r tWO- WW { W h { W W t r t rt rtrt W rt W rt W rt rt rt rt rt rt W rt { W r t W rt W rt W W W W N { U W O ' W O ' {•WW WW W { W W{> WW {- W w W W WW r t W W { W W W { W { W { r t { W r t { N { { W r t W W rt { { { { w w w w W W { W W { - W r t W r t W W r t W W W W W W W W r t W W r t W r t W {■ W W W W w rt rt rt rt rt W rt W W r t W r t W r t W W W W W {• W r t W rt O' W W W W { { W W W W N { W W W N { W W { rt { W W {- W rt { r t r t r t W H W { W W r t r t { { - W r t W rt rt rt rt rt { { • { ' { • W rt {■ 7 ) A ! * A H* H-P < b A a o rt Hi 1 H n 0 9 1 r t 3 n n r r t o 9 3 t r t Rank Weighted Score** Imaterial Verbal Written Verbal and Written Casual Meetings Individual Conference! Announcements Informal Note Formal Memorandum Bulletins Handbooks 0 ? 1 O K r t H i 1 t A 3 A n A 1 9 1 1 „ JO * ? t A rt rt 1 V A 1 0 a a a * b h 3 S O A I V a p A rt I i 3 0 A r t 1 I I 1 1 A A rt rt A A 1 1 A 1 3 A n a a < t 360 Method Number of 1st places Number of 2nd places Number of 3rd places Number of 4th places Immaterial 1 2 6 28 Verbal 5 21 11 0 Written 13 9 9 6 Written and verbal 18 _7 10 _2 Total 37 37 37 37 It was apparently Immaterial to the librarians how the principal expressed his personal likes and dislikes, since they considered these matters to be of little or no importance; the same applied to his words about their com- munity obligations, the background and composition of the community, the community's philosophy of education, and future plans for the school and personnel. School nurses. Nurses' judgments and preferences were in line with the staff consensus, as is exhibited in Table 48. Their preferences concerning how messages are received from the principal are summarized in the following distribution: it it 0. :lt it a A Hi 3 H i I a it n ao art h HHl < < » I * 3 M a 13 a era s a ft : fi 3 C C It it 3 I » IS* j o a 0 3 S H A C T P i 0 PA H i 0 I : h i t a A I 3 1 H ■ 0 a 3 o»a 9 at n A 9 3 g a a it A : hi < HO 9 h A P H i 0 Hl( A H n 9 ita H < < A t : H C I A A H . It 0 2 n V H I-' H i n PH A A A * 0 x H i 3 A 1 H i 0 A S'A n PA A 9 C 1 A * 1 n A p I 3 a A A I I I A A a M vX ■ 0 A A A A < A I * t t ) p It ft CP V A 9 «a It I K • 3 0 a A t ; a H ^ S 9 A A A A at! a t > A t A A a t A A h a A H A I 9 C H 0 H < A a n a n o « j » x a a > n n «a a t i n i a t t m r t t i n ro><»x g » A P'AAX AA O O te aO C CA A A IT C 9 A A fl A A H A 0 a A AAAC A A | X H A A hX A A A 3 A 3 A A I x a X A ] O O I O A A 9 0 0 0 1 0 A X X A h A 9 h X x XA XA1 IA AXX h u p 9CA9A90AAO'AXKl C 9 | X A X H A 3 C 0 9 lAA IX AX A X3 0A gg 9,A 9 X j 9 9 A 3 | A A H A H O A a p i a A A A A A O H H a A a c H i P A H A a A O A A A ' g o ' O O H e A a A A i n q y a o i a p A A p i g a A A O A i n A O j a 9 A A A A 9 A A H A A a R a a 9 9 A A I | I A j H H < A A j I I ■ A O K • p. A l O l A X C O A A IO I HC 9 A I < 9 A e A HA A A A A P I A A ‘0'0 OX H9 a PA a a I A OA 0 A 3 91 3 9 3 0 PCX A p l l l t X A I X A 9 A A a A a A 9 9 A A H A • < a i 99 A 9 9 ( 9 h I 9 It 0 I HAPHt A Hl Hj HOA ( 9 3 A A A 9 X a ' < l I l A A R P H p h i a A A O A A H I O A I ! h h s -ah o a oa h -6 o a a a a h a oa lt 0A n3 3 a * 9 A - o o h< ahc a a o i n a o n a t g 1 h9 a o os a 9 a 9 a a a o a a n a a 9 n x h o a h o o a a ah S PS H A h h OOAAAA o ax A HO H ia a o 9 A A AA 0 HA ha AQA H l l H H r . _ _ _ — OpO X I P |0 H 9 AXhO A O l O A P C a 9 30 g c n c s a H S X P O a n A a aa o i t a a a a a x r x r p aAAAOHHAOC 3 0HHAafl<9 K h| hAAAA • • " ‘ ■“ IOHAIOAA h 9 I A 0 C p O h CAA O H H P 3 A C H 0 I 3 S I HAAaHOH AA IItXQ _ O A H H l t A ? t H 9 A 9 A I 0a a o ox ga 0 9 0 A A H HH u s A 9 A A P| A 0 I A h h AX aA 0 I X 0 < 9 0 A X It a 3p i i a a a A A H i AS 0 A H H A A A X 0 A 0 A 9 n a i 0 p 9 A A 00 £ A H ixpgrtaooHAOHAHA 90 H9HHHH39gagH " “ 9 A A 9 c < as AA h as AS H oa i p o a j a A 9 9 9 A » A* 3 A A 0 < A j AA X h 9 p PH A A A H 9 A 9 A A A A • 9 A A A A 3 9 0 a AAXXX S HAA 0 A 0 0 A P3 A 9 9 H A I AAA 9 x a A A hc A 0 P aA a a a a A A A as i < a i a A OX a A Pe A A 3 9 PA A at a a It It 3 0 A9 9 A A 0 H H H 3 A 0 A H A A A 0 H H H 3 A 0 H H 0 ag H A pp H A P S H r at A A A 1J H 3 9 3 0 1 A 3 I 3 9 p B a I X t 0 A A 9 0 A PH p H 3 HO 3X • pita a S H 0 A 9 P H a r 3 A a t Sc H P 0 A 9 A a A A A A \ ' t A p 9 A ft S H 0 0 9 3 A o i ax h 3 3 ha AS • ai a ho 0 a h A 9 A 0 A A A A A PH P P 3 U AX AX 0 a a a a H 0 X 0 3 3 0 a a a pp ant A c 3 0 AS A S A 0 9 A U U U U U U U U N N N N N N N 1 0 1 0 N p p p p p PP p P P vj O ' ua wN p o to ii m a ui u n p o io« p a ui a w p p osi a . s a ui o w t o p p p p p p p u i a sjvjvjm Mpaaaaaaa aa a aaa i o * ioo x « ica i o oo oooo o I I l i l t A I » I I * I I I II I I I I I I II • • II • II li l t I u i u i ooato 10'COPNNut'U aa a t c t o « p w aa a a aa a oo opnn m a ui u a a a u u a a a u a u u wo- a a a a a a u a u a aw a a a a u a a a ui p p m u i u i a a u p M u u a u aiu n u m u u u aw p u u u u u u u a u u n N O' UUNN P P P U 1 U IP P P P P U ) U ) MUIP N 1 0 PN a 1 0 N P 1 0 p p PPNN Ul p 10 NP PP NNN NpN NNN N p p p p m p p Mp M p p M p MM MMpp p ui a u a a a a a a w N u a a a a a a u a a a a a u u ui mm u a a a a u u u M M P P W M P M P P P M P P M p m p M p M m m m m p m u p m p m P P M M m P P N U P P N U U U a U l U N P U H M p Ul P P P Ul P M P p a P Ul P Ul Ul P P P a ui a ro M u u ip M a u ip M u iu i m u u u m u u u p a a a au a io u MMaa a p m a a u a a a a u a u a a w a a p n u p m m u m p u p a to a a a a a a u U P U U P U P M u a P l O U I U P M P M P N a P P N P M M M U M P M M U U M M M a M M M M U P N N U P M N N N U u apN U U P U u a N N a U U P N N U a a u p p u p N U P P N a p p a hn a u>aui a a u a a p a p p n p u p p p p » A !E H9 r C L 0 Hi H i * 1 M l\ 9 A 3 H h 0 X 3 A p Sank Weighted Score** Inaterial Verbal Written Verbal and Written Caiual Meetings Individual Conferences Announcesenti Informal Note Fowl Memorandum Bulletins Nandbooki o J A O R AHA A A 9 A 3 A A X A 1 n X HA A A A A A V A A 0 0 A 0 ♦ a 9 H A 0 3 A V 0 9 A H A i 9 0 A H A X X A A A A HH A A A A A A 9 A 3 0 A * A ixn 362 Method Number of 1st places Number of 2nd places Number of 3rd places Number of 4th places Immaterial 0 0 13 24 Verbal 4 6 20 7 Written 15 12 8 2 Verbal and written _18 19 _0 _0 Total 37 37 37 37 This staff group, too, exhibited a preponderant preference for receiving communications via written media. Again, it was only relatively unimportant kinds of information that they felt should be communicated orally. Clerical personnel. The judgments and preferences of clerical personnel are summarized in Table 49, listed in rank order of importance assigned by this group of respond ents. It will be observed that clerical workers expressed an even greater preference for written methods of communi cation than did other staff groups, and that only in a single instance (and that the one of least consequence) was it immaterial to them how the information was received-- i.e., the statement of their community obligations. Preferences concerning how messages are received from the principal are summarized in the following distri bution : I 0 r t ( • 0 ■ r S'S H Hh HHft h.. tr 0 n a : (i 0 a 0H i 0 Hit a n n n o a m r t h 0 < < • h It a : ( It It a 1i it era s - o 7 h : rt 74 t it e h It 0 a a i t h a r* 0 7 II O S 1 0 7 t 0 HI h It I : h rt ‘ It * 7 O ' 0 a t r> It 0 7 0 a i t rt 1 : rt • h O g h It H :! it r n g ftft rt < < It 0 : h C 1 0 • H ■ r t 0 z r t Z? r t r t h O n e t r t H r t < 0 t H H h C 0 not i ■ rt rt 70 07 « I I 0 7 r t : » < h 0 u a i t ( H i I t H i r t I I I t 0 rt h 0 7 r t r t t > H i It 0 7 rt 0 It 0 0 H 1 1 It II H 0 r t r t t h 11 0 h » 9 H» 0 7 0 t rt rt 1 it 0 0 0 0 K 0 7 H rt 0 « l zx 1 Cl u s v » n A cr h ' n u ii m na n 3>3 7 #X330ii)0S 13 33 77 px o 3 » 3 M r , n o 3 B ohm r t rt0O 0Rrt r t 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 00 00 r t r t 0 0 7 r t 7 0 C h 7 7 r t I t 0 r t r t 0 r t 0 0 B 0 0 t h a o n a n 0 7 r t 0 r t 0 7 r tn u h r t0 O h 0 R i t7 0 h ' < 0 a o 0 7 0 g 0 0 r t0 a o 0 r t H i 0 0 rt0ittrlg000rt0ttt7rthrtOrt7rti,hO00000007Og0Ort07rt700Sn0907rt0hnrt 0 i! ii i t0 aH a0 h0r t0O hH 0hh hO lr t7r trt tt0 ft aH Or tai t0i t7O 0H a0a gtg q7O M 0i 1 7 B r t 3 rt0 h0 a g r t a g0 g0 n n < t g 0 h0Rah an h B t a i t h 0 7 0 0»j 7 h1 O 0 O h r t l 0 7 < 0 h 0 0 f t H 0 0 h 0 J 0 0 0 7 07 0 07 I 0 r t 0 0 0 no It ho 0 r t 0 0 0 r t I ggggrta 0 01 g 110 e phi ' i t 0 07 0110 010 g 0 0 n g n at 0 7^70 g nagpngg f t a n g t < it 0 0 ng 0t«y H | 0 H7 10 hh« g n 1 Hit 0 Hit 0 g h O O H0 it S 0 0 ip! naonrt h a * o h i rti - o ftftrtn|»o i t 70h«.h<art«.g <000 n 0 f . g J r> p -g 0 70 a| a0rtSto77O7 ton ango up po a ao 0 7nP7 07 a n c r 9707 00 r t i h f t 0 Isa aooooo ap 0 r t a 07 ( 1 7 a g r t 11701 Hint a r t t r t ps i t 0 h r t 01* r t h 0 7 0 0 7 7 rtOaJOthOHih J r t 7 007 htartt 00 pOpOhJ g Hh y hy a7O 0 0 0 l f i 7 h7 o h o 7 o 0 o h H7 Oa hit S3ftrt0gogOrt07Rart aa 0<OHiO>f h- O h h rt g g h r t a 010 h ft i n B t 7 Hi 0 rt g o rt o h a n h » i o I 0h0 OHt p . a 0 a rt it rt g 0 7 a o t frt g 0 n ► * n it 7 a j ar t 0O9 9HH0f t r t 0Or t h n 07OORrt0 gp'Op*rtHHirttg 0 K 0 7 g O Q I- 0 0 ft 0 0 < <ng ! r t * 70 0 a 0 hO rt7 r t rt70 r t p * *< a 0 h n t i t r t 7 i t o 0rt rt7P' bO HO r t O t h Ot Jrt H07 0 h * 9 7 I a na a a 0 n 1 ? t n 0 r t 0 0 0 H r t 0 r t 0 rto a 0 H0 0 n HO t t 0 r t rt i rt h g r t r t 3 ft 7 h rtt 7 0 1 0 g rt a . ‘It g g h it a a 0 b a 0 0 rt a 0 a ft H rt rt 0 7 ft 0 a a H a l s 0 0 ft o rt7 ft 0 g 10 r t rtrtrt a n 07 t i n s g o o n a r t g 7 i 0 n r a a 0 h r t 0 rt g o t g t t o o a a r t a 0 p i n o 7 h r t H 0 < 0 0 It a S 0 0 0 n r ,r - 0 r t 7 o U 0 0 r t 7 t rt g o a rt p . 7 r t 0 a 0 7 r t 0 7 rt 0 a r t 0 0 g H O 97 f t 7 S P' ao 0 H i 0 a 0 a 1 0 0 n a t H r t ’ 0 g 0 a rtd g h h o f t a a 0 9 r t pan r t 0 c 0 hi 7 a H rt 0 as o i t o 3 h 0 0 0 r t r t f t r t 0 0 r t < 0 0 0 > H S 0 0 o t a 0 rt < r t rt 0 o g u g it o 0 7 I 0 r t 7 g g rt g o 0 s f t hO r t 0 0 a a S H r t H r t h n g h t ft r t rt S rt H aa h rt g n 0 rtS ft a 0 o a 07 r t 0 H 0 r t rti n rtS UU U U U U U U N N N N N 10 N N N NH HH HH H H H H H si 7 u ( U N h O 4 7 N 7 U ( ' N N h 0 4 t r t 7 in ('U N H 0 4 a u O ' yi 0101 O ' sj sj S J SI N I t I « I I I I HH 4 U U ( '( ' 7 N N N f f i o t a f t t t a O t a t * • ( « < * • * t I l< ft l i t I 7 N 4 0 H H H H U U ( U 7 sjsj 4 4 0 0 o 0 0 a i n g n g nri rt 0 hits n n 0 r t t00 rt0 r t |H o a a H o 7 7 r t i r t h 7 r t 7 0 0 a n r t a o Q o 0 - 1 7 > 7> g a 0 » rt rt i rt 0 0 H H U 0 17 70 rt HO 0 0 0 0 a 0 rt. a I* g 0 r t i 100 ft a t 0 g h a t n h o 0 a (• U N H H H H 0 7 7 7 7 7 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 40 00 N U U t ’ U U O H N U h u (■ft' u u u (■ u t - g u u u u u u ( ( ( u ( ( ( ' ( ' ( ' ( ' ( ■ ( ( ■ ut ’ ( ( NU H U N (■ H (■ U ( ■ U U ( 'U ( '( '(- ( U NN UU U U H U H U U N U U ( U U U UH NHU h(>n h hhhnhhhh hh u u nh NNU N U H N U N N H H H H ( N U N h N N h N N N h h N N NN NN h h h N HHN h N N h h h H N N N N NU NNrt UNU ( ( U N ( U ( K ( (• ( U N(- NNU N N (■ N- N U rt W ( (- (■ h N h h N NUN N U N U H H H N H h N h h h N U(>H U U U h U N N h h Uh UH (•(■ (• (■HH H N 0 H N N U U U UH NN UH h h N H H H ( - H H U N U N U (■(■ UUU H (■ ( U H H ( N ( N P H NU U ( ( U (US' ('('P, U ( ' ( ' ( ' ( ' 0 ) h N NN ( '( • H UHH U P U P U M ( ( ( (• N (■ N U ( NUH N N U U h NN ( ' ( ' ( ' ( ' UH UUU NNU H ( -H N N U U U U U (• NU (■N H N U H H N N N H H N N U U UU N N ( HUN N N N U H H N H H HN HH HU ( H U U U h ( U U U U U N N 3 0 n n 0 1- rtg < a 0 ao rt rti rt H n 0 3 rt rt 0 ft 0 rt hO 7 9 0 H Rank Weighted Score** Imnaterial Verbal Written Verbal and Written Casual Meetings Individual Conferences Announcements Informal Note Formal Memorandum Bulletins } I 1 Oft f t rti rt 0 0 3 0 n 0 t 7 a it. 0 X 3 rti 0 0 0 rt r t r t 7 0 r t 0 00 a »a HU HHN ( ' ( ' ( ' (• U ( ( ( ( H V W NH U ( N h U ( ( (- (> * h U (■ ( HH HH Handbooks < 0 rt rt 9 H 7 0 On t 1 1 ? 09 H 0 rt 14 0 0 0 rtl 33 rt rt t 0 0 rtrt rt 0 0 rt rt rt 0 rt 9 0 rt n a 0. rt 0 0 9 7 0 7 n n n 3 H 3 < » 364 Number Number Number Number of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 4th Method places places places places Imnaterial 1 1 12 23 Verbal 4 5 19 9 Written 19 10 7 1 Verbal and written 14 20 2 1 ■ ■ — ■ Total 37 37 37 37 Custodians. Custodians' expressed judgments and preferences concerning how the principal communicates information to them are summarized in Table 50, arranged in rank order as rated. 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Concerned staff members will find interesting clues to effective communication with this group of staff workers in their preferences as to techniques to be used in dis seminating various kinds of information. Summary of the Chapter In this chapter, two pertinent aspects of principal- to-staff communication were considered: (1) the importance to staff members of the information they receive from their principals, and (2) the methods they prefer to have the principals use in transmitting each of 37 listed kinds of information to them. The relative importance of the dif ferent kinds of information was ascertained by means of ascribing weighted scores and arranging the items in rank order as scored. With respect to the importance of information received from the principal, it was found: 1. Of primary importance to staff members are communications regarding proposed and current changes in office or department personnel and procedures, in job duties and responsibilities, and clarification of policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. 2. The eight top-rated items all pertained to the above-named topics: (a) proposed changes in your office or 367 department personnel, (b) changes in your duties or job responsibilities, (c) proposed changes in your office or department procedures, (d) definition of your job duties and responsibilities, (e) statement of the rules and regu lations of your school, (f) district policy, (g) school procedures, and (h) legal provisions relating to your job and your duties. 3. Also of great importance to staff members are explanations that enable them to find themselves on the job: (a) channels of communlcation between themselves and the principal, (b) statement of their progress, and where they stand, (c) lines of responsibility between themselves and the principal, (d) the principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions, and (e) opportunities for promotion. 4. Least importance was attached to benefits of the job (hospitalization, workmen's compensation, retire ment benefits), to community matters (their community obligations), and to chatter about the principal's likes and dislikes (the lowest-rated item of all). 5. Among response discrepancies it was noted that as a group the nurses were most individualistic, giving lowest rating to the information about changes in duties and responsibilities, an item rated in second place in the staff consensus. They also gave tenth place to the very lowest-rated item in the consensus--the principal's likes and dislikes. They thought the most important item to be 368 the one that others rated in fifteenth place--the relation ship of their job to others in the school. With respect to the methods preferred for receiving information from the principal, the following findings were reported: 1. Written methods were preferred; when verbal messages were communicated, it was preferred that they be accompanied or confirmed in writing. 2. Among four listed written techniques, handbooks were given greatest preference, but handbooks were also given low preference in many instances. Bulletins and formal memoranda were also preferred for many kinds of information. Least preference was expressed for informal notes, except for sending messages about such things as channels of communication, the principal's likes and dis likes, his attitudes toward new ideas and suggestions, or pupils who have special problems. 3. Among verbal techniques, meetings were the preference for most forms of communication, and individual conferences were preferred for the second largest number of situations. In a few instances, announcements were thought to be appropriate, but in no instance did staff members give preferential rating to casual techniques. 4. In most cases, verbal methods of communication were preferred only for kinds of information which staff members considered to be of little importance. CHAPTER XIII SOURCES OF INFORMATION RECEIVED BY STAFF MEMBERS Introduction The source from which a person receives important information is considered to be vital to the impact of the communication. It was assumed that the source of the information was an essential element in the communication process. Sources of information were studied from two points of view: (1) the source from which each kind of information is now being received, and (2) the source from which staff persons would prefer to receive such informa tion. Staff members were asked to indicate the source from which they now receive each kind of information and their preferences concerning the persons from whom differ ent kinds of information would be received. The results of this part of the inquiry are summarized concisely in table form; again the reader will find the data-presentation in the tables and not in the textual discussion. The questions were so structured (see page 6 of the questionnaire shown 370 371 In Appendix D) that ten possible sources of information were listed and the respondent could Indicate by a check mark (1) from whom he is currently receiving each type of Information, and (2) from whom he would prefer to receive it. Responses were tallied for each item and then arranged in rank order according to frequency of mention, number "I" indicating the largest number of responses and "10" the smallest number. A scanning of the tables reveals at a glance both the existing and the preferred "senders" of information of various sorts. As before, the summariza tion of all staff responses is given first, followed by the responses of each of the nine staff groups. All-Staff Responses The combined responses of all 1,464 members of staffs are exhibited in Table 51, showing the relative frequency with which each of the ten listed sources pro vides information regarding each of the 37 kinds of information, as well as the staff preferences regarding the source from which they would like to receive such informa tion. Over-all examination of the results reveals some striking relationships: (1) There is a striking similarity of response concerning existing and preferred sources; a summarization of the number of items now being received TABLE 51 372 SOURCES FROM WHICH STAFF MEMBERS RECEIVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFORMATION, AND STAFF REFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rank Ore of Existing Sources of Inforution Rank Order of Preferred Sources of Information Kindi of Information k h k k a » p a N UH P H a p a H h « 0 k h 4 P 4 a p a a a h a H w o t UH 4 IIH Oh P k UH a 4 b 1 4 UP k * 5 4H OH p k UH b 0 < u H P H 4 * k w k d pp a u 0 fl 4 k H P H 4 H •d ‘ A X * u a k h u a a k k 4 0 H 0 H H 0 4 k a kH a I 0 k 0 afl k u p H P 4H X « u k a a u k a a t u a 0 u ii a p OP a a v d a h &4 H k 4 a k k a V 0 bP a a H 1 9 2 2 3 a n u h a 0 it) k b r : I I 12 a H h a Ob 3 b on mu 3 a n k i a Q It) k b k H 91 k H ( U h S I h \i k k «h !i ij ' j! b« h k M W H t is H 0 k « a k h it on. Legal provision! relating to your job and duties 5 3 1 4 2 6 7 9 1 0 8 6 4 1 5 3 7 8 1 0 9 Statement of dlitrict policy 9 2 1 5 3 4 * 6 7 1 0 8 6 2 1 4 5 7 9 1 0 8 Community's philosophy of education 6 3 1 4 2 5 9 8 7 1 0 5 3 1 4 8 8 9 7 1 0 Background and composition of the community 6 3 2 4 1 5 9 7 8 1 0 4 5 2 3 6 8 7 9 1 0 Statement of school procedures 1 0 4 2 5 1 3 7 8 9 8 9 4 2 5 3 8 7 1 0 8 Statement of school rules and regulations 9 4 2 5 1 3 b 7 1 0 6 9 4 2 8 3 8 8 1 0 5 The principal's philosophy of education 1 0 8 2 4 1 3 5 9 7 6 6 8 2 4 3 5 10 8 8 Definition of your job duties and responsibilities 6 4 2 5 1 3 6 7 1 0 9 8 8 2 4 3 5 7 9 1 0 Relationship of your job to the other jobs at school 1 0 7 2 4 1 3 5 6 8 9 9 7 2 4 3 5 6 1 0 8 Statement of your extra-curricular responsibilities 8 5 3 4 1 2 7 9 1 0 8 9 4 3 5 2 8 8 1 0 7 Statement of your conunity obligations 9 4 2 5 1 3 b 1 0 7 8 6 4 2 5 3 7 9 8 1 0 Lines of responsibility between you and the principal 8 7 2 4 1 3 5 9 1 0 6 7 4 2 8 3 5 9 1 0 8 Channels of communication between you and the principal 8 1 0 2 6 1 3 5 7 9 4 8 9 3 8 2 5 7 1 0 4 The principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions 1 0 9 3 8 1 2 4 7 5 6 9 10 3 7 2 4 5 8 6 Procedures for making ideas and suggestions known 1 0 9 2 8 1 3 4 7 8 5 9 10 3 7 2 4 8 8 5 Procedures for making complaints and grievances known 9 10 3 7 1 2 4 8 5 8 9 10 3 7 2 4 8 5 6 Results of your suggestions, ideas, and recommendations 1 0 9 3 5 1 2 4 8 8 7 1 0 9 3 5 2 4 8 7 8 The principal's personal likes and dislikes 1 0 9 3 7 1 2 6 8 5 4 1 0 9 2 7 2 5 8 6 4 Changes in your duties or job responsibilities 9 7 2 5 1 3 4 6 1 0 b 8 7 3 5 2 4 6 9 1 0 Proposed changes in your office or department procedures 1 0 6 2 5 1 3 4 7 9 8 9 7 2 5 2 4 8 1 0 8 Proposed changes in your office or department personnel 1 0 7 3 5 1 2 4 6 9 8 1 0 8 2 5 3 4 8 7 9 Special school activities 1 0 9 4 8 1 2 3 6 7 5 1 0 8 5 9 2 4 8 7 3 Routine school activities 9 10 5 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 10 4 8 2 5 7 8 3 Agendas of staff or department meetings 9 1 0 6 8 1 2 3 5 7 4 1 0 9 5 7 2 3 8 8 4 Current problems of the school 1 0 9 3 8 1 2 4 5 8 7 1 0 9 3 7 2 4 5 8 8 Future plans for the school and its personnel 1 0 7 2 5 1 3 4 6 8 9 1 0 8 2 4 3 7 5 6 9 Curriculum of the school 1 0 7 3 4 1 2 6 4 8 9 1 0 3 4 5 2 8 3 8 9 Pupils with special problems or needs 9 10 5 7 2 3 6 1 4 8 8 10 5 7 3 6 1 4 9 Budgetary, financial matters concerning your office, department 1 0 8 2 4 1 3 5 7 9 6 9 8 3 4 2 5 7 1 0 6 Supplies and equipment available, and status of orders 7 9 3 6 1 2 5 8 1 0 4 9 7 5 4 2 8 8 1 0 3 373 TABLE 31 (continued) SOURCES EBON WHICH STAFF MEMBERS RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND STAFF PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rink order of exiiting tourcei of Inforution Rink order of preferred tourcei of Inforution U Ii U U U U « C I H UH fl H H t t t H UH fl H H u u o i u u o i «<i i (I i i i j i m q u g u u h A i a j i o n u ih ou cu «h a i M j u o m in u e u u o u ( h u h u I cb e up fli u u p u * u uu u lac « on UU U < h « Uu O 10 M G » 0 £ HO uu m M MH u « « U M 0 £ ho Kindi of Inforution mo m »* uu n u s a u 11 o ui » u m s i i u u o u c a u t » o m UII 15 ad m h au m hu < «u u « an an a a u an as u u a «u a a do n « h a u a u t£ 3 a o h • a a O'* 3 • h a o I M P • *[« 6 m 4 m « u d « a <a ou Oa h ua o« nm «u oa a, ^a fiu Oa h Method and baiii of your evaluation 2 7 1 4 5 3 6 9 10 8 9 7 2 4 1 3 5 6 10 8 Stiteunt of your progren and where you itand 8 7 2 4 1 3 5 10 9 6 8 5 3 2 1 4 7 9 10 6 Opportunltiei for promotion and advancement 8 5 2 3 1 4 7 10 9 6 8 4 2 3 1 5 7 9 10 5 Method of pay computation for your check 6 5 2 1 3 7 8 10 9 4 6 5 2 1 4 7 8 10 9 3 Hoipltilltation plant and beneflti available 6 4 2 1 3 8 9 10 7 5 6 5 2 1 3 8 9 10 7 4 Uorkmen'i compeniation and lick leave provision! 6 5 1 2 3 7 9 10 8 4 6 5 2 1 3 7 9 10 8 4 Retlreunt provisions and requirements 6 3 1 2 4 8 9 10 7 5 6 3 2 1 5 7 9 10 8 4 Note: Respomei of 1,464 staff meiberi ire combined in thil tabulation, Included in this total ire: 220 iiiiitut prlncipili and deim 97 guidance personnel 96 department chairmen 111 teicheri 40 attendance peraonnel 76 libnrlini 82 ichool nuriei 88 clerical personnel 32 custodians 374 from each of the ten sources (given in Table 32) and a similar summarization of items preferred from the same ten sources (given in Table 33) reveals this remarkable simi larity. The two distributions are almost identical, the only differences being a desire to receive fewer communica tions through the department chairman and slightly more from the board of education and the school secretary. (2) One sees at a glance that staff members now receive most of their information from the principal (28 of 37 kinds) and that this is how they prefer to receive it. (3) Next in importance as sources of information are the superintendent of schools and the assistant principal, but staff preferences reveal that the former now serves as primary information source for six kinds of information but that this is twice as many as staff members would like to hear from this source. (4) While staff members now rely upon district specialists for two kinds of information (workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions, and retirement provisions and requirements), they would also like to receive information from this source on two addi tional kinds of information--the method of computation for their paychecks, and hospitalization plans and benefits that are available. (3) It is perhaps surprising to observe that teachers provide practically none of the 37 kinds of information here considered, that outside special ists provide practically none (except for some information TABLE 52 EXISTING SOURCES OF 37 DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFORMATION, IN RANK ORDER OF PREVALENCE OF USE Rank Source of Information Upper Kinds and Lower Rankings of 10 Sources from Which 37 Different of Information Are Now Being Received by Staff Members* Rank** Order 1 Rank Order 2 Rank Order 3 Rank Order 4 Rank Order 7 Rank Order 8 Rank Rank Order Order 9 10 1 Principal 28 3 4 1 0 0 0 0 2 Superintendent of Schools 6 17 9 1 0 0 0 0 3 Assistant Principal 0 12 16 2 2 2 0 0 4 District Specialist 2 2 1 11 3 5 0 0 5 Department Chairman 0 0 3 9 4 2 5 0 6 Board of Education 0 1 4 5 8 2 7 5 7 Secretarial Staff 0 0 0 7 2 8 4 2 8 Guidance Personnel 1 0 0 1 9 6 5 7 9 Outside Specialists 0 1 0 0 0 6 8 14 10 Teachers 0 0 0 1 8 6 8 9 * Rankings refer Co Che upper four and lower four items, as presenCed in Table 51. ** Numbers in columns indicate the frequency with which 37 listed kinds of information were received from the indicated source. 375 TABLE 53 PREFERRED SOURCES OF 37 DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFORMATION, IN RANK ORDER OF PREFERENCE Upper and Lower Rankings of 10 Sources froe Which Staff Members Prefer to Receive 37 Different Kinds of Information* Rank** Rank Rank Rank Rank Rank Rank Rank Rank Source of Information Order Order Order Order Order Order Order Order 1 2 1 Principal 29 3 2 Superintendent of Schools 3 17 3 Assistant Principal 0 16 4 Districtt Specialist 4 1 5 Board of Education 0 1 6 Secretarial Staff 0 0 7 Department Chairman 0 0 8 Guidance Personnel 1 0 9 Outside Specialist 0 0 10 Teachers 0 0 3 4 7 8 9 10 3 1 0 0 0 0 11 2 0 0 0 0 12 1 3 1 0 0 2 9 7 0 1 0 2 7 5 4 5 5 4 6 1 7 5 5 1 9 5 3 3 0 1 0 6 7 6 5 0 1 1 8 12 8 0 1 • • * 5 10 4 14 * Rankings refer to the upper four and lower four items, as presented in Table 51. ** Numbers in columns report the frequency with which 37 listed kinds of information were preferred ^ to be received from the indicated sources. on 377 on how staff members are evaluated), and that, except for Information about special problems and needs of students, guidance personnel furnish little information to staff members. (6) In no case was the department chairman looked to for primary information about school and department matters; as a source, he received no first- and second- place nominations. (7) One matter about which staff mem bers received least information from their principals (a statement of their progress and where they stand) is one they wish the principal would discuss with them more fre quently. (8) Although assistant principals were not desig nated as the most-preferred source of any kind of informa tion, they were cited as desirable alternates, being named second for 16 kinds of information and third for an addi tional 12 kinds. Ratings by Nine Staff Groups A more detailed analysis of staff responses is given in the individual analyses of the nine separate staff groups which contributed to the all-staff summarization just presented. The nine tables which report the reactions of each group will be of particular interest to persons concerned with these various staff areas as well as to administrators. Assistant principals. It will be observed in Table 378 54 that most information is received directly from the principal, and that the assistant principals would prefer to have the principal replace the superintendent as the source of information pertaining to (1) lines of responsi bility between them and the principal, and (2) channels of communication between themselves and the principal. They now look to district specialists for much of the informa tion they need with respect to job benefits (hospitaliza tion plans and benefits, retirement provisions and require ments, and the method of computing their paychecks) but would prefer to receive this information from the superin tendent. They would also like to hear about the community’ s philosophy of education from the superintendent. Except for information about individual student problems and needs received from guidance workers and teachers, assistant principals preferred not to receive any information from the following sources: clerical person nel, teachers, guidance personnel, department chairmen, board of education, and outside specialists. Instead, except for eight specialized items, they relied completely upon the principal for all job information. Guidance personnel. Guidance workers, too, received most of their information directly from the prin cipal, and desired to receive even more from this source. They now receive all but ten kinds of information from the TABLE 54 379 SOURCES FROM WHICH ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DEANS RECEIVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rink Order, Existing Information Sources (N*220) Rank Order, Preferred Information Sources (N*237) Rind of information u 4 f v n • e d M « U U C a U | 1 U H oh c u v h u h 9 u 4 1 4 M I I M H U U I T ) l i e m n a e t u qi 9 « h a a u « U Q ID H 4 a H u c ■ v d n a u U H 0 9 4 II 9 4 a 9 j U H u p • V H H 6 4 H a n a m 4 W « A <0. Q U H II I I u e 0 C 4 O 1 a H U 9 I I U 0 u ii £ 0 4 < 1 H H H I I 4 C 0 9 H O W 4 4 W H 4 U 0 u 4 u 4 H 41 4 •H H 4 U U 4 9 a 0 ID u 9 4 « { 1 U H O H 9 U UH U H 9 H 4 1 4 w 4 U H U U 4 1 u u 4 9 & 0 4 4 0 1 9 4 HO, i u a u Q w u H U H 9 H 4 9 4 4 9 4 4 a 4 a Bl U 9 H U H u 1 9 9 u 4 4 h C 4 0 9 H 9 4 H 1 4 H O H 04 H h 4 4 4 49 9 4 a 3 a a u u a 4 4 J 0 4 5 H * V 38 H O U 4 « u H I I u a Legal provisions relating to your job and duties A 3 1 5 2 6 o 7 8 10 5 3 1 4 2 b 8 7 8 8 Statement of district policy 0 2 1 4 3 5 b 6 b' b 7 2 1 4 3 5 7 7 7 5 Community's philosophy of education 4 3 2 o 1 b 9 7 5 10 5 2 1 4 3 7 9 7 6 9 Background and composition of the community 5 3 2 4 1 7 10 5 b 9 3 5 2 4 1 7 9 b 8 9 Statement of school procedures c 4 2 b 1 3 b 5 9 9 8 4 2 8 1 3 5 5 8 7 Statement of school rules and regulations 8 4 2 7 1 3 7 5 10 0 9 4 2 7 1 3 b 5 9 7 The principal's philosophy of education b 4 2 . 4 1 3 b b b b 5 5 2 3 1 3 5 5 5 5 Definition of your job duties and responsibilities 7 3 2 5 1 4 b 7 9 10 d 3 2 4 1 5 b 6 8 8 Relationship of your job to the other jobs at school & 4 2 4 1 3 u 7 8 8 10 b 2 5 1 3 b 8 8 4 Statement of your extracurricular responsibilities b 4 3 5 1 2 b 10 6 b 8 5 3 4 1 2 8 b b b Statement of your community obligations b 3 2 4 1 4 i i 6 8 8 8 3 2 5 1 3 b 8 8 b Lines of responsibility between you and the principal b 4 1 3 2 5 9 9 b b b 4 2 4 1 3 4 8 4 8 Channels of communication between you and the principal b 4 1 4 2 3 b 6 b b b 3 2 4 1 3 4 8 8 4 The principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions b b 2 b 1 3 b 5 4 b 8 8 3 o 1 2 3 b 5 b Procedures for making ideas and suggestions known 9 7 3 b 1 2 4 9 5 7 10 b ■ 2 9 1 3 4 5 5 7 Procedures for making complaints and grievances known b b 2 b 1 3 5 d 4 b 6 b 2 8 1 3 4 8 5 8 Results of your suggestions, ideas, and recommendations 10 d 4 2 1 3 b 7 5 9 10 b 2 8 1 3 4 5 b 8 The principal's personal likes and dislikes 7 7 2 7 1 3 b 7 4 5 0 8 2 4 1 4 4 4 3 8 Changes in your duties or job responsibilities 7 b 2 5 1 3 3 7 7 7 b 4 2 4 1 3 b 8 8 b Proposed changes in your office or department procedures 10 7 2 4 1 3 5 b 9 7 10 7 2 b 1 3 4 5 8 8 Current problems of the school 10 8 4 b 1 2 5 5 3 7 8 b 3 8 1 2 5 5 4 7 Proposed changes in your office or department personnel 10 b 2 3 1 3 4 b 8 7 o 7 2 4 1 3 5 b 8 8 Special school activities 10 7 3 7 1 2 5 b 4 7 9 9 3 7 1 2 5 6 3 8 Routine school activities 10 1 2 4 7 3 b 9 9 b 8 1 2 4 7 3 b Agendas of stall or department meetings 9 9 7 o 1 2 4 4 3 b 9 9 6 7 1 3 2 4 7 5 Future plans for the school and its personnel 9 b 2 5 1 4 3 7 8 10 8 4 2 3 1 6 b 5 8 10 Curriculum of the school 9 7 2 2 1 4 5 b h 10 9 7 2 3 1 3 5 6 7 10 Pupils with special problems or needs 7 10 7 4 2 4 5 1 2 9 8 10 7 5 3 4 5 1 2 9 Budgetary, financial matters concerning office, department b 3 4 1 2 5 10 9 7 7 b b 2 4 1 3 5 7 10 7 Supplies and equipment available, and status of orders b b 3 4 1 2 5 10 9 7 7 b 2 4 1 3 5 7 10 7 Method and basis of your evaluation 9 4 2 4 1 3 b 9 7 7 7 5 2 4 1 3 5 9 9 8 Statement of your progress and where you stand 7 5 2 4 1 3 5 7 7 7 7 5 2 4 1 3 5 o 8 8 Opportunities for promotion and advancement b 4 2 3 1 5 b B B 8 5 3 2 3 1 5 5 9 9 5 Method of computation for your paycheck 5 3 4 1 2 b 6 b b 6 6 5 2 1 4 7 8 8 8 3 Hospitalisation plans and benefits available 5 b 2 1 4 3 9 9 8 7 3 4 2 1 b 8 9 10 7 4 Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions b 5 1 2 3 7 9 9 8 4 b 5 3 1 4 7 9 9 8 2 Retirement provisions and requirements 4 b 2 1 3 7 9 9 7 4 4 b 2 1 3 7 10 9 8 5 380 principal and would like to receive all but eight directly from the school administrator. Items not now received but desired are: budgetary and financial matters that concern their departments, legal provisions affecting their func tions, and the community's philosophy of education. They now look to the superintendent for policy interpretation on six legal and district matters, but would prefer to hear all but one of these matters directly from other persons: legal provisions and the community's philosophy of educa tion from the principal; and the method of paycheck compu tation, workmen'8 compensation and sick leave benefits, and retirement provisions and requirements all from the district specialist. Although this group now receives information about hospitalization from the district specialist, guidance respondents thought this to be a rela tively poor source; instead, they would prefer to hear about it from the school secretary. These rankings are summarized in Table 55. Attendance personnel. Except for matters affecting job benefits and job security, attendance personnel would prefer to rely upon the principal for all but three of the listed kinds of information: (1) district policy, desired from the superintendent; (2) special school activities, desired from the assistant principal; and (3) special prob lems and needs of students, desired from the guidance TABLE 55 SOURCES FROM WHICH GUIDANCE PERSONNEL RECEIVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rink Order, Existing Intonation Sourcei (W?) Rank Or Kind of Intonation u a H OH n HH au U| 9a On u S a « ( I UH 0 * Co oh U HO H a - qa hi wh 00 11 u u as as a a 01 sa na nu no on u H OH o H a ea no «« o . i d U - . c h o an i a h an aa h ' 0 a ea a . aa I a uo OH 0 1 00 au wG ao H O an 1 «h aa h 3 Legal provliiom relating to your Job and duties Statement of district policy Conunity's philosophy of education Background and composition of the cosmunity Stateaent of school procedures 6 3 1 : 2 1 A 3 1 b 3 2 9 4 2 2 3 2 1 1 8' 7 9 9 7 9 9 i o 8 7 10 8 9 7 9 8 3 7 3 4 2 3 3 7 4 2 5 1 4 5 1 4 2 5 7 3 5 1 6 8 2 7 1 6 8 3 8 1 2 4 9 9 7 7 8 8 9 9 7 7 Statenent of school rules and regulations 6 4 2 1 8 8 b 5 2 6 1 3 6 6 6 Principal's philosophy of education 7 7 3 1 7 4 7 4 4 2 4 1 3 4 4 4 Definition of your ]ob duties and responsibilities 6 5 2 1 5 8 8 8 7 2 6 1 3 5 8 8 Relationship of your Job to the other jobs at school H 5 2 1 5 8 o b b 3 5 1 2 6 6 6 Statement of your extracurricular responsibilities d b 3 1 5 8 8 5 4 3 5 1 2 5 5 5 Stateaent of your comaunlty obligations 9 4 2 1 6 b 9 5 3 2 5 1 4 5 5 5 Lines of responsibility between you and the principal 7 7 2 1 4 7 7 5 5 2 5 1 3 4 5 5 Channels of comunication between you and the principal 7 7 2 1 4 7 7 6 b 2 5 1 3 4 6 6 Principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions 7 7 3 1 7 5 5 4 4 2 4 1 3 4 4 4 Procedures for asking ideas and suggestions known 9 9 3 1 4 7 4 7 9 2 5 1 3 4 5 5 Procedures for asking complaints and grievances Known 9 9 3 1 4 b 0 7 7 3 7 1 2 5 4 7 Results of your suggestions, ideas, and recosssendations 9 9 4 1 3 4 8 7 7 3 6 1 2 5 7 7 Principal's personal likes and dislikes 9 9 2 1 4 4 4 7 7 2 7 1 3 5 5 4 Changes in your duties or Job responsibilities 9 9 2 1 5 7 7 b b 3 6 1 2 5 5 6 Proposed changes in your office or department procedures t 7 3 1 4 8 8 7 7 4 6 1 2 4 7 7 Proposed changes in your office or department personnel 8 2 2 1 5 8 6 7 7 3 6 1 2 5 7 7 Special school activities 9 9 4 1 4 6 8 7 7 3 5 2 1 7 5 3 Routine school activities 9 9 5 2 b 3 4 7 7 4 7 2 1 7 5 3 Agendas of staff or department meetings 9 10 6 1 3 8 5 9 9 6 8 1 2 3 7 5 Current problems of the school 9 9 3 1 5 5 7 o 8 3 7 1 2 4 6 8 Future plans for the school and its personnel 10 9 2 1 3 8 6 8 5 4 3 1 2 5 9 9 Currlculua of the school 9 b 4 1 6 7 10 8 8 5 4 1 3 5 7 10 Pupils with special problems or needs 8 6 10 3 4 7 8 8 7 4 2 6 4 1 8 Budgetary and financial matters concerning your office, department 9 9 4 5 3 7 8 9 9 4 5 1 2 6 8 6 Supplies and equipment available, and status of orders 10 1 9 1 5 7 3 8 8 5 6 1 2 6 8 3 Method and basis of your evaluation 9 6 2 1 5 9 4 7 7 2 4 1 7 3 5 7 Statement of your progress and diere you stand 6 6 3 1 4 b b 8 b 2 6 1 3 8 8 3 Opportunities for promotion and advancement b 5 2 1 5 8 8 7 5 2 3 1 4 7 7 7 Method of pay computation for your check 5 4 1 3 9 9 6 7 5 3 1 4 6 6 6 2 Hospitalisation plans and benefits available 4 4 2 3 10 8 6 4 5 3 7 2 8 9 6 i Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions 5 4 1 b 10 7 3 6 5 2 1 3 7 6 8 3 Retirement provisions and requirements 3 5 1 b 10 8 4 4 7 2 1 5 5 9 8 3 H HI ao ue HO ha ah h a oa u u u a c a H u h s H H o i (JH 1 SI IS e a S| «H OH SU UH a 1 1 H S H| H UH ul H H ia Ml UH u au wG au wu ai UU 9 HS |H U 1 19 am aa H an aa 2 a on 1 1 9« nu h a Qn w a aw QU er, Preferred Intonation Sourcta (N-109) H V I I HO h a a e u o H o w a a w h a o a 382 staff. These responses are summarized in Table 56. Department chairmen. The current and preferred sources of information received by department chairmen are exhibited in Table 57. A striking similarity between the two is evident and, except for preferring to receive infor mation about legal provisions affecting their jobs and duties from the superintendent instead of from the princi pal, as at present, preferred sources almost paralleled existing sources. Teachers. Teachers1 responses summarized in Table 58 reveal that they now receive all but nine of the listed 37 kinds of information from the principal, and that they would prefer to receive two of these kinds from other sources. Legal provisions affecting their jobs and duties, they feel, should come from the superintendent rather than the principal; and information about changes in duties and job responsibilities, and about the personal likes and dis likes of the principal should be received from the assistant principal rather than from the principal. In no case is information sought or received primarily from clerical personnel, department chairmen, members of the board of education, or outside specialists. Guidance personnel were looked to for information about the special problems and needs of individual students. TABLE 56 383 SOURCES FROH WHICH ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rink Order, Exiitlng Inf omit ion Sources (H«40) Rink Order, Preferred Inforutlon Sources (M2) Rind of Information u I C IIH O* Vt U hh VI iu bn u ii i s 3 6 , O T ) Ou i UH UH H I bn u u < 1 1 HO. on u UH C C 4 y • a I UH U tu b H S |H «h a (b <fc I I i i s w Legal provisions relating :o your Job and duties 4 2 1 6 7 8 8 8 1 5 1 1 6 7 8 8 8 Statement of district policy 2 1 4 3 6 8 8 8 7 2 1 2 7 5 7 7 5 Cominity's philosophy of education 3 1 2 5 6 8 6 8 4 4 2 1 4 4 9 4 9 Background m d composition of the comunity 3 2 1 3 7 8 7 7 7 5 2 1 5 7 4 7 7 Stateaent of school procedural 4 3 1 2 7 7 7 4 6 5 3 1 1 6 6 6 6 Statement of school rules and regulations 3 5 1 2 8 6 6 8 6 5 3 1 1 6 6 6 6 Principal's philosophy of education 4 3 1 2 4 7 7 7 8 8 2 1 3 3 6 6 6 Definition of your Job duties and responsibilities 4 3 1 2 8 8 8 7 5 5 3 1 1 4 5 9 9 Relationship of your Job to the other Jobi at school 5 3 1 2 5 5 5 5 7 7 3 1 2 7 5 7 5 Stateaent of your extracurricular responsibilities 4 3 1 2 4 8 8 8 6 6 3 1 2 3 3 6 6 Stateaent of your conunity obligation! 4 2 1 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 2 1 2 5 5 4 5 Llnei of responsibility between you and the principal 4 2 1 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 1 3 4 4 4 4 Channels of comunicition between you and the principal 5 1 3 2 5 5 5 4 5 5 4 1 2 5 5 5 3 Principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions 5 5 1 2 4 5 3 5 4 4 4 1 2 3 4 4 4 Procedures for asking ideas and suggestions known 8 1 2 3 5 5 8 4 6 6 4 1 2 5 6 6 3 Procedures for making complaints and grievances known 6 5 1 2 5 8 3 3 4 7 7 1 2 3 7 4 3 Results of your suggestions, ideas and recommendations 7 3 1 2 5 7 7 . 4 5 5 3 1 2 5 5 5 3 Principal's personal likes and dislikes 5 5 1 3 5 5 4 2 4 4 4 1 3 4 4 4 2 Changes In your dutlei or Job responsibilities 4 3 1 2 4 8 8 4 8 6 3 1 2 5 6 6 6 Proposed changes in your office or department procedures 4 3 1 2 4 8 8 4 7 4 3 1 2 4 7 7 7 Proposed changei In your office or department personnel 4 3 1 2 4 7 7 4 8 6 3 1 2 4 6 6 4 Special ichool activities 7 5 2 1 3 7 5 3 7 7 5 2 1 3 7 5 3 Routine ichool activities 6 4 1 1 4 6 8 3 8 8 4 1 2 4 9 9 3 Agendu of staff or department neetings 7 5 3 3 6 7 2 7 7 7 5 1 3 3 5 7 2 Current problems of the ichool 4 3 1 2 6 7 7 4 7 7 3 1 2 4 7 7 4 Future plans for the ichool and iti personnel 4 2 1 3 5 5 7 7 5 5 3 1 2 5 4 5 5 Curriculum of the ichool 5 4 1 2 6 3 10 3 6 8 6 1 3 4 2 10 6 Pupils with special problem or needs 6 5 2 2 8 1 4 8 8 8 5 3 2 9 1 3 6 Budgetary and financial sitters concerning your office, department 5 2 1 2 5 9 9 5 8 5 2 1 2 5 8 8 7 Suppliei end equipment available and status of orders 7 4 1 6 4 8 8 2 9 5 5 1 3 5 8 9 2 Method and basis of your evaluation 4 3 1 2 5 5 7 7 7 5 3 1 2 5 3 7 7 Statement of your progreis and where you stand 4 3 1 2 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 1 2 5 5 5 5 Opportunities for promotion and advancement 5 2 1 3 6 7 7 7 7 3 1 2 5 6 7 7 7 Method of computation for your paycheck 3 4 2 8 6 8 8 4 7 4 2 2 7 5 7 7 5 Hospitalisation plans and benefits available 3 4 2 8 7 8 5 5 8 3 3 2 9 6 9 6 5 Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions 2 2 2 7 7 9 8 5 8 2 2 2 9 5 9 5 5 Retirement provisions and requirements 2 3 3 8 8 10 5 8 5 2 2 4 6 6 10 6 6 mi ,1 • H U 4 HU ic uc HO b< lib H II ua u u < c < H HO I UH IIH OH CU UH V t U H HH Tl< <U bU (IV u u« j 3 3 a On 5(/i 31) H II < u 0 u UH B H " UC nil !l ii |H I I as Hb IS si H II t e V c H 0 b I II b h II u a TABLE 57 SOURCES FROH WHICH DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES 384 Rank Order, Existing Intonation Sources (N«9s) Rank Order, Preferred Infonut Rind of Infornation i i u w U 4 B c « H u-t c * H 4 0 1 H 44 0 H H •H m o I u* « 04 ue «« 04 ue HJ| •H 4 0 i 44 4 04 li SI 4 « 4M O-H flu (H a 4 & u 40 4H 04 04 44 0. 4 fa 4 40 w wfl w<9 t * 2a 00 4 40 0 4 4 4 0 4 4 4 44 HP ss I I 40 •H tI M U-H u • u l<G 40 £ *0 4 ^ 04 U« 44 4 44 LG 40 A 40 0 U u u 4IT) u u c *0 4* 0 4 0 hi « U hU 40 4 4 0 40 44 T)l 4 40 U t l 0 3 ad nv •H 0,4 * h 4 44 4 4 43 ao 4 4 4 44 0.4 44 4 44 A' 341 tflu C l CM u f a «U <fc <?C) Ofc 4 H H4 Ufa ?« SS 34 104 4 0 Otf 4 f a H 111 u s 40 Ufa Legal provisiom relating to your Job and duties 4 3 1 4 1 b 9 10 6 6 7 3 1 4 2 5 7 7 5 7 Stateaent of district policy 7 3 1 7 2 7 7 5 5 4 7 2 1 4 3 7 4 7 7 4 Coaunity'i philosophy of education 7 3 1 4 2 7 10 7 4 6 5 3 1 4 2 6 6 6 6 6 Background and composition of the coanunity 6 2 3 b 1 5 9 8 4 9 3 3 2 5 1 7 5 7 7 7 Stateaent of school procedures 7 5 2 9 1 3 b 9 8 4 5 4 2 9 1 3 5 5 9 5 Stateaent of school rules and regulations 7 5 2 6 1 3 7 7 7 4 6 4 2 9 1 3 4 6 9 6 Principal's philosophy of education 7 9 2 3 1 3 7 9 6 3 4 6 2 6 1 3 4 6 6 6 Definition of your job dutiei and responsibilities e 4 2 6 1 3 4 6 8 6 6 4 2 6 1 3 5 6 9 9 Relationship of your Job to the other jobs in the school E 3 2 8 1 10 4 4 4 4 1 3 4 6 9 9 Stateaent of your extracurricular responsibilities 9 4 3 5 1 2 9 8 5 5 5 4 3 6 1 2 6 6 6 6 Stateaent of your conunity obligations b 3 2 b 1 5 10 6 4 6 4 5 2 6 1 3 6 6 6 6 Lines of responsibility between you and the principal 10 4 2 5 1 3 6 6 6 6 5 3 2 5 1 5 4 5 5 5 Channels of coaaunicatlon between you and the principal C t 2 6 1 3 5 6 6 4 5 5 2 5 1 4 3 9 9 5 Principal1! attitude toward new ideas and suggestions 8 10 3 8 1 2 4 4 4 4 4 7 2 4 1 3 4 7 7 7 Procedures for asking ideas and suggestions known 9 10 2 6 1 2 4 4 8 7 6 10 2 5 1 4 3 6 6 6 Procedures for asking coaplaints and grievances known 9 9 3 7 1 2 4 4 4 7 6 9 2 9 1 3 4 6 5 6 Results of your suggestions, ideas, and recoaaendations 9 10 5 4 1 2 3 6 8 6 7 9 2 7 1 4 2 7 5 6 Principal's personal likes and dislikes 9 7 3 6 1 2 7 9 4 5 9 6 2 6 1 3 3 9 6 5 Changei in your duties or job responsibilities 7 7 2 4 1 3 6 7 10 5 4 4 3 4 1 2 4 4 9 9 Proposed changes in your office or department procedures 9 6 3 4 1 2 5 9 6 6 6 6 2 5 1 3 4 6 6 10 Proposed changes in your office or department personnel 10 5 3 4 1 2 6 7 7 7 7 7 2 5 1 3 4 7 5 7 Special school activities 9 10 3 5 2 1 6 6 3 3 7 9 3 4 5 9 Routine school activities 8 10 8 5 2 1 4 7 5 3 8 10 3 8 2 1 3 5 5 5 Agendas of staff or department meetings 9 10 5 5 1 2 3 5 5 3 7 7 6 7 1 3 2 7 4 4 Current problems of the school 9 10 5 5 1 2 3 5 5 4 7 7 3 7 1 2 4 5 6 10 Future plans for the school and its personnel 9 10 3 7 1 2 6 4 5 8 9 6 2 4 1 3 6 6 4 10 Curriculum of the ichool 9 6 4 3 1 2 6 5 9 8 9 7 6 3 1 2 5 4 8 9 Puplli with special problems or needs 9 10 4 7 2 3 4 1 6 8 7 9 5 3 3 2 7 1 6 9 Budgetary and financial matters concerning your office, department 7 9 5 3 1 2 6 7 9 4 7 9 5 2 1 3 4 7 9 6 Suppliei and equipment available and status of orderi 7 9 4 4 1 3 6 8 9 2 7 7 6 2 1 3 3 10 7 5 Method and basis of your evaluation b b 2 4 1 4 6 6 10 3 9 7 2 3 1 5 5 7 7 7 Statement of your progreis and where you itand 6 6 2 4 1 4 8 6 8 2 3 6 2 4 1 8 6 9 9 4 Opportunities for promotion and advancement b 5 2 4 1 7 7 9 9 3 4 7 2 3 1 7 7 6 7 4 Method of computation for your paycheck b 5 2 1 4 7 8 10 8 3 4 8 2 1 3 8 8 5 5 5 Hospitalisation plans and beneflti available 4 7 2 1 6 7 9 9 4 3 5 6 2 1 7 7 10 7 4 3 Workmen's compensation and lick leave provisions 5 7 1 1 4 8 9 10 5 3 8 4 2 1 5 6 8 6 6 3 Retlroent provisions and requirements 5 5 2 1 5 8 9 9 3 3 5 5 2 1 5 8 8 6 4 3 TABLE 58 385 SOURCES FROM WHICH TEACHERS RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR FREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rank Order, Exliting Information Sourcei (H"711) Rank Order, Preferred Infonation Sourcee (N85) Rind of Information u u c c i H HO I UH 0- OH til UH u hc hi h h tj» ho bn I U bU VO uu u« IP ao « i i on oo on ' - f t On «w tou qvi u u u u H UH 0 h i 0 1 H 0 H H i 01 n i « H I H HO 1 OH 4 i l a • a 00 0 40 IIH OH OH a b 40 •i UH w 1 CO I 00 0 4 u H I H u 1 00 V 00 0 10 uu 40 £ HO H H 0 4 OH 0 bb 40 £ HO e Hfi % * 0 1 0 bi I 0 00 U 0 e 4 h 01 0 b ■ H • H £l« H 0 4 lb 01 43 I I H a4 Hb 4 l b a a l b <a < 1 H rill o a 014 SS ■ h a On b a iS it £ H I o a Legal provision* relating to your job and duties A 7 2 1 2 10 7 9 5 3 1 4 2 ( 7 8 9 9 Stateaent of district policy 9 3 4 2 5 10 7 8 7 3 1 4 2 5 6 10 8 8 Coaaunity's philosophy of education 8 3 5 1 6 6 4 10 7 3 2 4 1 5 9 9 8 6 Background and composition of comaunity 7 3 5 1 8 9 4 10 5 3 2 4 1 6 9 6 8 10 Stateaent of school procedures 10 5 7 1 3 6 7 9 10 5 3 7 1 2 4 6 9 7 Stateaent of ichool rules and regulations 10 3 8 2 7 7 5 9 10 5 3 6 1 2 4 6 9 8 Principal's philosophy of education 10 8 7 1 3 9 5 8 10 5 3 8 1 2 4 9 7 7 Definition of your job duties and responsibilities 10 6 5 1 4 7 8 9 8 8 4 5 1 3 2 7 9 10 Relationship of your job to the other jobi in the ichool 9 8 5 1 2 7 5 10 9 5 3 5 1 2 4 7 8 10 Stateaent of your extracurricular responsibilities 10 5 7 1 2 8 6 9 10 5 3 7 1 2 4 6 7 9 Stateaent of your coawnity obligations 10 4 7 1 3 9 8 8 8 4 2 8 1 3 5 9 8 9 Llnei of responsibility between you and the principal 9 8 8 1 3 10 8 5 10 5 2' 7 1 3 3 8 9 6 Channels of cownication between you and the principal 10 9 7 1 4 8 6 2 10 8 4 7 1 3 2 7 7 5 Principal's attitude toward new ideal and suggestions 10 8 9 1 2 7 4 6 10 7 4 8 1 2 3 9 5 6 Procedural for asking ideal and suggestions known 10 9 8 1 2 7 5 6 10 9 4 8 1 3 2 6 5 7 Procedural for aaklng coaplalnts and grievance! known 8 10 7 1 2 5 8 6 10 8 4 8 1 2 3 7 5 8 Results of your suggestions, ideas, and recowndatlons 10 9 8 1 2 6 5 7 10 8 4 8 1 3 2 6 5 6 Principal's personal likes and dislikes 10 8 8 1 4 7 2 8 10 5 3 7 4 1 2 5 9 8 Changes in your duties or job responsibilities 10 9 5 1 2 7 8 8 10 5 3 7 4 1 2 5 9 6 Proposed changes in your office or departaent procedures 10 9 5 1 3 6 8 7 10 6 4 5 1 3 2 6 8 8 Propoied changes in your office or departaent personnel 10 9 6 1 3 8 5 7 10 8 4 5 1 3 2 6 8 8 Special ichool activities 10 9 8 2 1 7 6 4 10 9 5 7 2 1 3 7 6 3 Routine ichool activities 10 9 8 2 1 7 6 4 10 9 5 8 2 1 3 6 7 4 Agendai of staff or departaent aeetings 10 9 8 1 3 8 7 4 10 8 5 7 1 3 2 6 8 4 Current probleaa of the ichool 10 9 8 1 2 5 8 7 10 9 3 6 1 2 4 5 7 8 Future plans for the ichool and its personnel 10 8 4 1 3 5 7 9 10 7 2 4 1 3 5 6 8 9 Curricula of the ichool 10 8 8 1 2 3 7 9 9 7 8 5 1 2 4 3 8 10 Pupils with ipecial problem* or needs 9 9 6 2 3 1 4 8 8 9 7 8 2 3 4 1 5 10 Budgetary and financial aatteri concerning office or department 10 9 5 1 4 7 8 8 8 9 3 5 1 4 2 6 9 6 Supplies and equipment available, and status of orders 10 9 8 1 4 7 8 3 9 5 6 8 1 4 2 8 10 3 Method and bails of your evaluation 10 8 5 1 3 8 8 7 10 8 2 4 1 3 5 6 8 7 Stateaent of your progren and where you stand 10 8 5 1 3 9 8 8 9 6 2 4 1 3 5 8 10 7 Opportunities for proaotion and advancement 9 7 8 1 8 10 8 4 6 4 2 3 1 5 7 9 9 6 Method of computation for your paycheck 7 5 1 2 8 10 8 3 8 5 2 1 3 6 9 10 7 4 Hospitalisation plans and beneflti available 8 7 1 3 8 10 5 4 6 7 2 1 3 8 9 10 5 4 Workaen's compensation and sick leave provisions 6 4 1 3 7 10 5 8 7 5 2 1 3 8 9 10 6 4 Retireaent provisions and requirement! 7 5 2 4 8 10 6 3 5 5 2 1 3 8 9 10 7 4 386 Librarians. More than any other staff group, the librarians received and preferred to receive information directly from the principal. Their responses, displayed in Table 59, revealed that, except for four single items of information, their communication was solely with the prin cipal and the superintendent. While they currently receive 30 different kinds of informa-tion, they would prefer to receive 32 kinds from the principal. In addition to the kinds now being received, they would like to add informa tion about school rules and regulations, about hospitaliza tion plans and benefits, and about retirement provisions and requirements as part of the principal's communication task. • Nurses. Although school nurses as a group tended to agree with the staff consensus on most matters, as may be seen in Table 60, they did differ slightly in the number and kinds of information they preferred to receive from the principal. While they now receive 30 kinds of information from this source, their preferences were to receive only 27 kinds, excluding the following items: (1) the community's philosophy of education, (2) the background and composition of the community, and (3) special school activities. The first two, they felt, should come directly from the super intendent, and the third from the assistant principal. Except for the latter item, and expecting SOURCES FROH WHICH LIBRARIANS RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORM, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rank Order, Exliting Infonation Source* (N«76) Rank Order, Preferred Infonation Sourcei (N«?7) Rind of Infonation U u u U U u i c 1 H UH e H 4 0 1 H UH 0, H H * wo i UH 4 04 US tin H« H H 0 i UH 4 04 IIS M H 4 1 0H OH Cu UH a 4 a US b 40 4H OH Ou UH a oa 1 s i U Sd ^ 4 u Hfl H4 u UH up sc II US 44 U ufl H 4 ■H UH HP 0 U 0 no b« bH u IU b b 40 £ HO HH 04 b4 bn u «u bb 10 jd H U 1 U bu uu O wC | H TJ« U b i IU bU 40 uu 0 HO |H *01 u b I 13 Hfi i j H »H a* H b < 4b U 4 43 ao 14 H «H 04 HU ll it d 4 b O T J Oil on MU DM b b l b <b flu o i « H 4 Ub 04) am 34 MU t a a« b a l b <a £ H 4 00 Legal proviilom relating to your job and duties 4 3 1 5 2 6 6 6 8 6 5 3 1 4 2 6 7 7 7 7 StatMent of diitrict policy 6 3 1 4 2 5 6 6 6 6 4 2 1 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 Coninlty'i philosophy of education 5 3 1 4 2 6 7 7 7 7 5 3 1 4 2 6 6 6 6 6 Background and cooposition of the coanunity 5 3 2 5 1 3 7 7 7 7 3 3 2 5 1 6 6 6 6 6 Stateaent of ichool procedural a 4 2 6 1 3 8 8 6 4 7 4 2 7 1 3 7 7 5 5 Stateaent of ichool rules and regulations 8 5 1 5 3 2 5 8 8 4 6 3 3 6 1 2 6 6 6 5 Principal'i phlloiophy of education 6 6 2 4 1 3 4 5 6 6 5 5 2 2 1 2 5 5 5 5 Definition of your job duties and responsibilities 6 4 2 5 1 3 5 8 8 5 7 4 3 4 1 2 7 4 7 7 Relationship of your job to the other jobi in the ichool 6 9 3 4 1 2 6 6 9 5 5 5 4 2 I 3 5 5 5 5 Stateaent of your extracurricular reipomibilltiei 5 5 3 4 1 2 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 4 1 2 5 5 5 5 Stateaent of your coanunity obligation* Linea of reiponelblllty between you and the principal Channeli of comnmication between you and the principal Principal'i attitude toward new ideal and luggeitions 5 7 A 2 5 1 3 5 5 5 5 2 7 I 3 5 7 7 4 d 2 6 1 4 5 a 8 3 3 3 7 2 7 1 5 4 7 5 6 1 3 2 6 3 2 5 1 3 6 6 6 4 5 2 5 1 3 5 5 5 5 7 2 5 1 3 7 7 7 5 5 2 5 1 3 4 5 5 6 6 4 6 1 2 3 6 6 Procedure! for asking coapleinti and grievance! known 7 7 3 7 1 2 5 7 5 8 5 3 8 1 2 3 8 5 5 Remits of your suggestions, ideas, and recomendatlons 7 7 4 7 1 3 2 7 6 6 6 2 6 1 2 4 6 5 6 Principal's personal likes and diilikee 8 8 2 8 1 3 5 7 5 6 6 2 6 1 3 5 6 3 6 Changei in your dutiei or job reipomibllitlei 9 9 2 6 1 2 4 6 4 7 7 2 5 1 3 4 7 5 7 Propoied changes in your office or departaent procedures 9 9 2 7 1 2 5 6 4 9 9 2 4 1 2 6 6 8 4 Proposed changei in your office or departaent personnel 9 9 3 6 1 2 4 6 5 9 9 3 5 1 2 7 3 5 7 Special ichool activltiei 7 7 3 7 1 2 3 6 5 6 6 6 6 1 2 3 5 6 3 Routine ichool activities 9 9 4 6 1 2 3 7 5 8 8 4 6 1 2 3 6 8 4 Agendai of itaff or departaent meetings 6 6 6 6 1 2 3 5 3 8 8 8 5 1 2 4 5 5 3 Current probleai of the ichool 10 9 3 7 1 2 3 5 5 9 5 3 5 1 2 5 4 5 9 Future plant for the ichool and its personnel 9 9 2 5 1 3 5 5 8 4 6 8 2 8 1 3 6 3 6 Curriculua of the ichool 10 7 4 5 1 2 5 3 9 7 7 6 3 5 1 4 7 2 7 Pupil* with special problems or needi 9 9 6 3 2 4 7 1 5 7 6 6 3 4 2 5 6 1 6 Budgetary and financial nutters concerning your office, departaent 9 5 2 2 1 5 7 9 8 4 9 5 4 2 1 5 9 5 5 Suppliei and equipment available and itatui of orden 9 5 4 2 1 2 7 7 9 4 8 5 3 3 1 5 8 5 8 Method and baiii of your evaluation 9 6 2 2 1 2 5 6 9 6 7 7 2 2 1 5 7 4 7 Stateaent of your progreii and where you stand t > 8 2 2 1 5 5 8 7 4 8 5 4 2 1 5 5 8 8 Opportunities for proaotion and advanceaent 10 5 2 3 1 5 5 9 8 4 9 5 2 3 1 6 6 9 6 Method of coaputation for your paycheck 8 4 5 1 1 8 7 10 6 1 7 4 4 3 2 6 8 8 8 Hoipltaliiatlon plant and benefiti available 8 3 1 2 5 7 8 6 6 3 8 4 2 2 1 6 8 8 6 Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions 7 4 1 3 1 6 10 9 7 4 7 4 2 3 1 5 7 7 7 Retireaent provisions and requirements 7 2 1 2 4 7 7 7 6 5 6 3 3 2 1 7 10 7 7 TABLE 60 388 SOURCES FROM VHim SCHOOL NURSES RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES 1 ^ ■ — I - '..- . * — M . I . - -nil. ■ ■ . - .'1 .... I,,.- .JS g a .., M I II I — - - .1 — ■ . Rank Order, Exliting Infonation Sources (H«82) Rank Order, Preferred Infonation Sourcei (N*80) u u U u u U t o I H UH fl H H ( 0 I H UH fl H h h uo i e ei to uo h« u wo i uh < oa id ti hi I H OH CU UH b t b R i UP H <0 IIH OH flu UH b to. I t Off U I B VI U Hfl H I - UH ui 00 II 0 0 0 1 U Hfl H I H UH U l 00 I UO HH U I Ul uu U t o uE 10 X u 0 h h I I U | OH 0 10 00 10 X HO 10 00 IV U l 0 HO I H O t 0 O t t o 00 lit UO 0 Hfl | H 0 1 0 O t ui in bd ti h ih at ho i io ui in bfl tt h ih bi ho i 10 Rind of Infonation 52 «* o« £ 3£ So Sol h oio S w m u 5 m £ £5 $£ £ o£ Legal proviiiona relating to your job and duties 2 2 2 2 6 7 8 10 9 5 3 1 2 7 7 9 9 Stateaent of diitrict policy 7 3 A 2 5 6 7 9 9 6 2 1 2 6 8 8 8 Comwnlty's phlloiophy of education 6 3 A 1 7 8 8 A 10 5 3 1 2 6 8 8 8 lackgroufld and coipoiltion of the conaunity A 3 6 1 5 9 7 7 9 5 3 1 2 6 7 9 9 Stateaent of ichool procedures 7 4 2 5 1 3 5 7 10 7 7 A 2 1 3 6 8 8 Stataeent of ichool rules and regulation! 6 A 3 9 1 2 6 5 9 6 5 A 3 1 2 5 7 7 Principal1! philosophy of education 9 5 3 9 1 2 5 5 5 3 A A 3 1 2 A A 4 Definition of your Job duties and responsibilities A S 2 3 1 5 5 7 10 9 A 7 2 1 5 8 9 9 Relationship of your job to the other Joba in the school 6 10 3 6 1 2 A A 6 9 6 8 3 1 2 7 6 10 Stateaent of your extracurricular responsibilities 7 b 6 A 1 2 7 A 9 9 6 6 3 1 2 8 8 8 Stateaent of your coaunity obligations 6 5 2 3 1 6 A 6 10 6 A 8 2 1 6 7 8 8 Linei of responsibility between you and the principal 5 7 2 A 1 3 6 7 9 9 A 7 2 1 3 7 7 7 Channels of cosnunication between you and the principal 7 « A 8 1 2 A 6 8 3 6 8 A 1 2 6 8 3 Principal's attitude toward new ideal and suggestions 8 5 3 6 1 3 8 5 5 2 7 7 2 1 3 5 5 A Procedures for liking ideas and suggestions known 9 9 3 8 1 2 5 5 7 A 9 10 3 1 2 6 6 A Procedural for liking cosplalnti and grievances known 9 9 3 6 1 2 A 6 A 6 6 10 3 1 2 9 A 6 Resulti of your suggestions, ideas and recommendations 10 6 3 5 1 2 5 5 A 8 9 9 3 1 2 7 5 8 Principal's personal likes and dislikes 10 5 3 5 1 3 5 5 5 2 6 5 2 1 A 6 6 2 Changes in your duties or Job responsibilities 6 7 3 3 1 2 5 7 9 9 6 7 2 1 3 7 9 9 Proposed changes in your office or departaent procedures 6 8 3 A 1 2 5 6 9 9 5 8 2 1 3 7 8 8 Proposed changes in your office or department personnel 6 8 3 A 1 2 5 6 9 9 5 8 2 1 3 7 8 8 Special school activities d 9 6 9 1 2 6 A 3 A 8 9 A 2 1 3 A A Routine school activities 7 8 5 8 1 2 3 3 6 3 6 8 A 1 2 5 6 3 Agendas of staff or department meetings 9 9 8 5 1 3 2 5 8 A 9 9 6 1 2 5 8 A Current problems of the school 10 9 5 6 1 2 7 3 3 8 10 8 3 1 2 A A 8 Future plans for the ichool and its personnel 7 5 2 A 1 3 7 5 9 9 6 2 1 3 6 6 10 Curriculum of the school 9 8 3 5 1 2 7 A 5 9 7 5 1 2 3 5 7 Pupils with special problems or needs 6 10 8 5 A 3 9 1 2 6 6 9 A 2 1 2 8 Budgetary and financial natters concerning office or department 10 7 3 2 1 A 5 7 7 6 8 2 1 A 8 8 6 Suppliei and equipment available and status of orders S 8 5 2 1 3 6 7 3 A 7 5 1 2 7 7 3 Method and basis of your evaluation A 9 3 2 1 A 6 7 7 9 6 3 1 5 7 7 9 Statement of your progress and where you stand A 7 2 3 1 6 A 8 8 8 5 3 1 5 9 7 9 Opportunities for promotion and advancement 5 3 2 5 1 7 3 8 8 8 6 2 1 7 8 8 8 Method of computation for your paycheck 6 A 1 3 A 8 7 9 9 2 A 1 6 8 10 8 2 Hospitallast ion plans and benefits available 3 3 1 2 3 8 8 10 7 6 A 1 5 8 9 3 7 Workmen1! compensation and lick leave provisions 6 2 1 2 2 8 8 10 7 5 3 1 3 7 10 7 3 Retirement provisions and requirements 3 6 1 ,l» .. - IITKiaPEBgg 2 A 7 7 ii n 1 1 , i.uKCCTPeaaaac 10 9 A 3 1 7 5 8 10 8 A 389 information about student problems from guidance staff members, the nurses wished to receive all information from the principal, and the superintendent. Clerical personnel. Clerical workers were perhaps more selective than other groups in some of their responses to these questions, as may be seen from the summarization of their rankings in Table 61. Like other groups, they received most of their information from the principal (all but six of the 37 listed kinds), but there were ten kinds of information which they felt they should receive from other sources. Instead of first place, second place was accorded the principal as a source for the following kinds of information: (1) the community's philosophy of educa tion, preferred from the superintendent; (2) proposed changes in office personnel, preferred from the superin tendent; (3) special school activities, preferred from the assistant principal; and (4) a statement of their progress and where they stand, preferred from a district specialist. Clerical personnel preferred to make greater use of the services of district specialists than did other staff groups, wanting to receive five kinds of information per taining to the benefits, status and rate of pay of their jobs from this source. They preferred to look to the superintendent for five items pertaining to broad matters of policy. TABLE 61 390 SOURCES FROH WHICH CLERICAL PERSONNEL RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rind of Infonation Rank Order, Existing Information Sourcei (N«88) Rank Order, Preferre nforaation Sourcei (N»94) a 0 ■ e d IH SU HU uu Ull c U 0 0* u se uu • 3 OS Sid u 1 1 UH f l i t UH H 0 H* U I I UH IIS UU afl uu 3 v na uu au U H UH S u ce ob o. ea jji H UH U 1 u uu U h C H f l h uh aa U II II IH dtU flU UU UB 0 H U A u a fl H H U a c UB HO U u U H H U un id 0 * 0H 0(1 ii 0 | Su f l HO 1 OH BU U Hfl sa h u uu as an no OS BU nu uu u u UH UH na H H uu au 2 a flu ■ 1 5 i UU HH Hfl an ii i s : HU H IB U UB A h0 i St fl 5* Legal proviaiona relating to your job and dutiei 6 3 1 9 2 5 7 7 7 7 6 3 1 4 5 7 7 7 Stateaent of diitrict policy 6 2 1 9 9 3 6 8 8 8 5 3 1 4 6 7 7 7 Comunity'i phlloiophy of education 6 3 2 9 1 8 8 6 4 8 4 3 1 4 6 6 6 6 Background and coipoiltion of the comity 5 3 2 9 1 5 9 5 8 9 3 3 1 3 3 7 7 7 Stateaent of ichool procedure! 6 9 3 9 1 2 7 7 7 7 5 5 2 4 3 7 7 7 Stateaent of ichool rulei and regulations 5 5 2 3 1 9 5 5 5 5 6 6 2 4 3 6 6 4 Principal'i phlloiophy of education 6 6 2 3 1 9 5 6 6 6 5 5 2 4 2 5 5 5 Definition of your job dutiei and reipomibllitiei 7 5 2 9 1 3 5 7 10 7 5 8 2 4 2 5 8 8 Relatlonihip of your job to the other jobi in the ichool b 9 2 5 1 3 3 5 6 8 7 7 2 3 3 5 7 7 Stateient of your extracurricular reipomibllitiei 8 9 3 8 1 2 9 4 8 7 9 3 3 3 2 3 9 3 Stateaent of your comity obligation! 8 3 6 7 1 2 3 8 8 3 6 4 2 5 3 6 6 6 Linei of reipomibility between you and the principal 8 5 2 8 1 3 5 5 8 4 8 4 3 4 2 8 8 4 Channels of comication between you and the principal 7 7 2 7 1 3 9 4 7 4 7 7 4 5 2 7 7 3 Principal'i attitude toward new ideal and luggeitiom 7 7 9 5 1 3 2 5 7 7 8 8 4 5 2 5 8 5 Procedure! for aiking ideas and luggeitiom known 9 7 3 5 1 2 3 5 9 7 8 8 3 4 2 4 8 4 Procedural for naklng cooplainti and grievance! known 9 7 3 5 1 2 9 7 9 5 8 8 3 3 2 6 8 3 Results of your luggeitiom, ideas, and recoasendations 8 9 1 9 1 3 9 8 8 4 6 6 4 3 2 6 6 4 Principal'i personal llkei and dislikes 7 7 2 7 1 2 9 4 7 4 5 5 5 3 2 5 5 5 Changei in your dutiei or job reipomibllitiei 0 5 2 5 1 2 7 4 6 8 6 8 3 4 2 6 6 6 Proposed changei in your office or departaent procedures 9 2 2 6 1 9 b 5 9 8 7 7 3 2 4 7 7 Proposed changei in your office or departaent peraonnel 9 8 3 8 1 2 9 5 9 6 7 7 1 4 3 4 7 7 Special ichool activitlei 9 9 5 8 1 2 3 4 6 6 8 8 6 1 3 6 5 Routine ichool activitlei 6 6 9 6 1 3 2 6 6 5 7 7 4 3 2 4 7 4 Agendai of staff or departaent meetings 8 p 5 7 1 2 2 6 8 4 8 8 4 6 2 3 8 4 Current problem of the ichool 7 7 2 7 1 3 6 4 7 4 6 6 2 4 2 6 6 6 Future plena for the ichool and iti personnel 6 8 2 5 1 3 5 4 8 5 8 8 3 5 2 8 5 5 Curriculum of the ichool 8 8 9 2 1 5 6 2 8 7 6 6 4 3 3 6 6 5 Pupils with special problem or needs 6 8 2 6 1 9 2 4 8 7 7 7 4 7 3 4 7 6 Budgetary and financial natters concerning office or departaent 7 6 9 2 1 3 7 5 9 10 8 9 3 3 2 3 9 3 Suppliei md equipment available, and status of orden 9 7 2 9 1 3 5 8 9 5 7 7 5 3 2 3 7 5 Method and bail! of your evaluation 9 8 2 2 1 4 7 6 9 5 8 8 3 5 2 3 8 5 Stateaent of your progress and where you stand 7 5 9 2 1 3 7 9 9 6 8 3 5 1 3 5 8 8 5 Opportunitiei for promotion and advenceaent 7 9 2 3 1 6 8 8 8 4 7 4 3 2 6 7 7 10 4 Method of computation for your paycheck 6 5 3 1 2 6 8 8 8 4 6 4 2 1 6 8 8 8 3 Hospitalisation plans and benefits available 6 3 2 1 3 8 6 8 8 5 5 3 2 1 7 8 8 8 4 Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions 6 2 1 3 5 8 7 8 8 3 5 3 2 1 7 8 6 8 4 Retireaent provisions and requirements -! . 1 , = —1 , i t - ■ k L - . J l l l M l I I I 1 ■ 1 6 2 1 9 .HLTlril'!ll8 3 8 7 0 8 4 4 3 2 1 7 .7 7 7 4 391 Custodians. As may be seen in the rankings summa rized in Table 62, the custodians had (and preferred to have) only two major sources of information--the principal and the superintendent. While most information now comes from these sources, he felt that a number of items of information could be delegated to the assistant principal and mentioned the following: legal provisions affecting his job and duties, lines of responsibility and channels of communication between themselves and the principal, proce dures for making complaints and grievances, changes in duties and responsibilities, and pupils with special prob lems and needs. In general, the custodians relied less on the principal and more on the superintendent than did any other staff group. Summary of the Chapter This chapter has presented an analysis of staff members' reactions concerning current and preferred sources of information. Staff members Indicated the sources from which they were currently receiving 37 different kinds of Information, as well as their preferences regarding sources from which they felt that each kind of Information should be received. Among ten different sources, four were representa tive of district personnel (outside specialist, board of TABLE 62 392 SOURCES FROM WHICH CUSTODIANS RECEIVE DIFFERENT RINDS OF INFORMATION, AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING THESE SOURCES Rind of Information Rank Order, Existing nformition Sourcei (N»52) Rink er, Preferred Infonation Sourcei (N«33) u i e H H 0 1 UH OH Cu v < t u uu mm uu III UU u u u o an 3 a om 3 # on AM nu u 1 u h UH m e UH uu ■ u HO, u UH 0 H c up OU ta 1] u 3 UH ul OS uu uu to Hfl »H ,fl» i h am h u <£ £u :• H U u me u uo A HO U Ul 1 uu U HU ft UOU u i •0 « ■W id ' a u u « u 1 1 UH fiU UH Hfl H | UU UH urn uu ao iu flU Hfl. uiu on H i a u C w d u f t u UH f l 0 f go (ft If UH U l I U UU Hfl |H IH ft! <ft £8 H H u U HU uo u «fl ee u ve <0 A HO mi u ui HU u uu 3U U HU Oft ft oft Legal proviiiona relating to your job and duties / 4 1 4 3 8 6 6 4 3 4 1 8 8 8 4 Statement of district' policy 6 2 1 3 5 7 7 / 5 1 5 3 7 7 7 7 Community1! phlloiophy of education 4 4 I 3 6 6 6 6 3 1 5 3 5 5 5 3 Background and composition of community 4 4 1 3 b 6 6 6 3 1 5 3 5 5 5 5 Statement of ichool procedural 6 5 2 4 3 6 6 6 5 1 5 2 5 5 5 5 Statement of ichool rules and regulation! 7 4 I 4 3 7 7 6 6 2 6 3 6 6 b 5 Principal's philosophy of education 5 5 2 4 3 5 5 5 4 2 4 3 4 4 4 4 Definition of your job duties and responsibilities 7 1 i 4 5 6 7 7 4 1 5 2 5 5 5 5 Relationship of your job to the other jobs in the school b 6 1 4 3 5 6 6 4 1 4 2 4 4 4 4 Statement of your extracurricular responsibilities 6 4 2 5 3 6 6 6 6 2 b 3 6 b 6 3 Statement of your comaunity obligations b 4 2 5 3 6 6 6 5 2 5 3 5 5 5 5 Linas of reiponiiblllty between you and the principal 1 I 2 4 3 5 7 5 6 3 4 1 6 6 6 b Channeli of coonunicatlon between you and the principal 6 6 3 5 2 6 6 4 5 2 5 1 5 5 5 4 Principal's attitude toward new ideal and suggestions 5 5 3 4 2 5 5 5 4 2 4 2 4 4 4 4 Procedures for making ideas and luggeitiom known I 7 3 5 2 4 7 5 5 2 5 I 4 5 5 5 Procedures for making complaints and grievance! known 6 6 3 4 2 4 6 6 6 2 4 1 4 b b b Results of your suggestions, ldeai, and recoasendations b ; 2 4 3 5 6 6 6 3 5 2 3 b b b Principal's personal likes and dislikei 5 5 2 4 2 5 5 5 5 3 4 2 5 5 5 5 Changei in your duties or job responsibilities I 5 1 4 3 5 7 7 2 4 1 2 4 8 8 Proposed changei in your office or department procedures I 6 1 4 3 4 7 7 7 2 4 3 4 7 7 7 Propoied changei in your office or department perionoel 7 5 1 5 3 4 7 7 7 2 4 3 4 7 7 7 Special ichool activities 8 5 3 5 2 7 8 3 7 5 7 2 5 7 7 3 Routine ichool activitiei I I 5 6 2 4 7 3 6 5 b 2 4 b b 3 Agendai of itaff or department meetings 1 7 3 6 4 2 7 5 6 2 b 2 4 b b 4 Current problemi of the ichool 7 7 2 4 3 4 7 4 5 2 5 3 4 5 5 5 Future plans for the ichool and lti personnel 7 4 2 4 3 6 7 7 6 1 b 2 5 b b b Curriculum of the ichool 6 4 2 4 3 6 6 6 b 3 b 2 3 b b b Pupili with ipecial problemi or needi 7 7 1 4 3 4 7 7 5 3 5 1 3 5 5 5 Budgetary and financial matteri concerning office or department 8 4 1 4 3 4 8 7 7 2 7 2 5 7 7 5 Suppllas and equipment available, and status of orden 7 6 1 4 2 5 7 7 7 3 4 2 4 7 7 7 Method and basis of your evaluation 7 5 2 3 3 6 7 7 b 2 4 4 6 b b b Statement of your progresi and where you stand 7 5 2 4 3 5 7 7 6 2 3 6 3 b b b Opportunities for promotion and advancement 5 5 1 3 4 5 b 8 4 2 3 4 4 7 7 7 Method of computation for your paycheck 6 3 1 2 3 6 9 6 3 1 1 b 3 b b b Hoipltaliiition plant and benefiti available 5 3 1 2 3 8 9 5 4 1 2 5 5 8 8 8 Workmen's compensation and sick leave provisions 7 3 1 2 4 7 9 5 3 1 2 4 4 8 8 8 Retirement provisions and requirements 7 3 1 2 — I Hi > 1 1 1 4 7 9 9 4 4 1 2 4 4 8 8 8 393 education, the superintendent, and district specialist), six represented school personnel (the principal, assistant principal, guidance personnel, department chairmen, teach ers, and secretarial personnel). The actual situation with respect to how each group now receives information, and each group's preferences as to how they would like to receive each of 37 important kinds of communications was presented in a series of tables. The findings indicated: 1. There was a striking similarity between exist ing and preferred sources of information, the only differ ence being a desire to receive fewer communications indirectly through the department chairman. 2. Most information is now received by staff members from their principals (28 of 37 kinds), and this is how they prefer to receive it. 3. Second in importance as a source of Information is the superintendent who now furnishes 6 different kinds of information. Staff preferences, however, are to receive only one half as many kinds from this source. 4. While staff members now rely upon district specialists for two kinds of information (workmen1s compen sation and sick leave provisions, and retirement provisions and requirements), they would also like to receive communi cations about two additional kinds of information--method of paycheck computation, and available hospitalization 394 plans. 3. Teachers provide practically none of the 37 kinds of information to staff members; outside specialists provide practically none (except explanations of how staff members are evaluated); except for information about stu dents' special problems and needs, guidance personnel furnish little information to staff members; and the board of education, assistant principals, department chairmen, and clerical personnel furnish none. 6. Although in no case was the department chairman looked to for primary information, he was cited as a pre ferred alternate for many kinds of information ordinarily supplied by the principal: he was named second for 16 kinds of Information and third for an additional 12 kinds. 7. Staff members currently receive least informa tion from their principals on their own progress and status; this is a matter they wish the principal would discuss with them. 8. Staff members would like to receive three kinds of Information directly from the superintendent: legal provisions affecting their jobs and duties, a statement of district policy, and an explanation of the community's philosophy of education. 9. They prefer to receive from the district specialist the following kinds of information: the method of computing their paychecks, hospitalization plans and 395 benefits available to them, workmen's compensation and sick leave benefits, and retirement provisions and requirements. 10. Guidance personnel were the preferred source of information about students' special needs and problems. 11. Librarians wished to receive more information from their principals than did any other staff group; custodians wanted to receive the least amount from their principals. CHAPTER XIV ADEQUACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PRINCIPALS' COMMUNICATIONS, AND STAFF SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT Introduction Finally, in a less formally-structured query, staff members were asked to express their opinions regarding some of the problems which are basic to the achievement of good communication between principals and staff persons. As may be seen on the last page of the questionnaire (see Appendix D), five free-response questions were asked: (1) kinds of information staff members would like to hear more about, (2) kinds of information they hear too much about, (3) factors that make for effective communication with the principal, (4) factors that make such communication diffi cult, and (5) recommendations for improving communication between the principal and themselves. The ideas, viewpoints, and suggestions of the 1,483 staff members who participated in this phase of the study are presented in such a way that it may be easily ascer tained which points of view were of greatest concern to 396 397 them, both as personnel groups and as a combined staff. Responses were analyzed for essential content and the message of the thought condensed into as few words as pos sible; they were then categorized and arranged in rank order of frequency with which each idea was mentioned. They are presented in this chapter in tabular form. Additional Information Desired Summarization of All Staff Responses In Table 63 are summarized the kinds of information about which the 769 staff members desired more communica tion than they were currently receiving. These 37 different kinds of information, they thought, would help them to perform their duties more efficiently. It will be observed that the range of frequency of response varied from 2 to 100, and that each of the kinds of information that ranked among the top ten received at least 30 mentions. The following items were mentioned by more than fifty staff members: district philosophy and policy, curriculum development and revision, future plans for the school and district, clearly defined duties and responsibilities, financial and budgetary matters affecting the position, personal evaluation and opportunities, and problems of students. It may be surprising to some princi pals to learn that these are the things that staff members 398 TABLE 63 ADDITIONAL KINDS OF INFORMATION DESIRED BT THE STAFF AS A WHOLE (N-769) Frequency of Mention Rank Order Information Desired by Staff Num ber X of Total 1 District philosophy and policy 100 13 2 Curriculum development and revision 79 10 3 Future plans for school and district 71 9 4 Clearly defined duties and responsibilities 70 9 5 Financial and budgetary matters 56 7 3 Personal evaluation and opportunities 56 7 7 Problems of students 55 7 b General problems of school and staff 32 4 9 Official action of the board of education 31 4 10 Future plans for personnel 31 4 11 Education law and legislation 24 3 12 Activities of other departments 23 3 12 The principal's philosophy and attitudes 23 3 14 New trends in education 16 2 15 School policy regarding rules and regulations 15 2 16 Fringe benefits for educators 9 1 17 Student activities b 1 17 Pertinent data in the field of specialisation b 1 17 Future plans for own department b 1 20 Effectiveness of the school and staff 7 .9 21 Disciplinary action on referrals 6 .b 22 Relevant data on student absences 6 . b 23 Reasons for administrative decisions 5 .6 24 Future plans regarding own duties 4 .5 24 Advance notice regarding meetings 4 .5 24 Changes in plans or procedures 4 .5 27 Morale of the staff 3 .4 27 Details of various assignments given 3 .4 27 Results of suggestions made 3 .4 30 Significant data regarding students 2 .3 399 TABLE 63 (continued) ADDITIONAL KINDS OF INFORMATION DESIRED BT THE STAFF AS A WHOLE Frequency of Mention Rank Num- % of Order Information Desired by Staff ber Total 30 Causes of student misbehavior 2 .3 30 Suspensions 2 .3 30 Medical needs of the staff 2 .3 30 Public health progress 2 .3 30 Total school social activities 2 .3 30 Significant data concerning special duties 2 .3 30 Changes in policies 2 .3 400 want to hear most about. Information Desired by Different Staff Groups Table 64 reveals the kinds of information desired by persons performing specific staff functions. Assistant principals, it is seen, felt that their greatest needs were for further information regarding curriculum development and revision, and district philosophy and policy (15 per cent mentioned each item). Third rank was given to clari fication of duties and responsibilities, 12 per cent men tioning this need. Guidance personnel expressed greatest interest in receiving more word about official actions of the board of education (21 per cent); for more specific definition of their duties and responsibilities (18 per cent); for word about future plans for the school and district (15 per cent) ; and for information about curriculum development (15 per cent). Attendance personnel desired to receive more information about school law, and student suspensions. A wide variety of information was desired by department chairmen, chiefly concerning clearly defined duties and responsibilities (13 per cent), curriculum development and revision (12 per cent), and financial and budgetary matters (12 per cent) . The 407 teachers wished to receive more information TABLE 64 401 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DESIRED INDIVIDUALLY BY NINE STAFF GROUPS e— — ——bess—ran iimi a a e a a a ^ B M — — ^ ■ b m — a s a Frequency of Meat Lon ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS: 1 Curriculum development and revision 20 15 2 District philosophy and policy 19 15 3 Clearly defined duties and responsibilities 15 12 4 Financial and budgetary matters 11 8 5 Future plans of school and district 8 6 6 General problems of school and staff 7 5 7 Official action of the board of education 6 5 7 Educational law and legislation 6 5 9 Principal's philosophy and attitudes 5 4 9 Activities of other departments 5 4 9 School policy--rules and regulations 5 4 12 Effectiveness of the school and staff 4 3 12 Personal evaluation and opportunities 4 3 12 Problems of students 4 3 12 Changes in plans or procedures 4 3 16 Reasons for administrative decisions 2 2 16 Morale of the staff 2 2 16 Details of various assignments given ___2 2 Total 129 GUIDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Official board of education action 7 21 2 Clearly defined duties and responsibilities 6 16 3 Future plans for school and district 5 15 3 Curriculum development and revision 5 15 5 Personal evaluation and opportunities 2 6 5 Problems oi students 2 6 5 Activities of other departments 2 6 5 Disciplinary action on referrals 2 6 5 Changes in policies _2 6 Total 33 TABLE 64 (continued) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DESIRED INDIVIDUALLY BY NINE STAFF GROUPS Rank Order Information Desired Frequency of Mention Num ber I of Total ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Educational law and legislation 2 Causes of student misbehavior Total 4 22 6 67 33 DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN: 1 Clearly defined duties and responsibilities 2 Curriculum development and revision 2 Financial and budgetary matters 4 Future plans for own department 5 Future plans for school and district 6 District philosophy and policy 6 Future plans for personnel b Personal evaluation and opportunities 8 School policy--rules and regulations 8 Disciplinary action on referrals 11 Effectiveness of the school and staff 11 Results of suggestions made 13 General problems of school and staff 13 Relevant data on student absences 13 Reasons for administrative decisions 12 10 10 8 7 6 6 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 13 12 12 9 8 7 7 5 5 5 3 3 2 2 2 13 Significant data regarding students 13 Causes of student misbehavior Total 2 _2 86 2 2 TEACHERS: 1 2 2 4 5 5 7 8 District philosophy and policy Future plans for school and district Personal evaluation and opportunities Curriculum development and revision Financial and budgetary matters Problems of students Clearly defined duties and responsibilities Future plans for personnel 64 42 42 35 30 30 29 24 15 10 10 8 7 7 7 6 403 TABLE 64 (continued) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DESIRED INDIVIDUALLY BY NINE STAFF GROUPS Rank Order Information Desired Frequency of Mention Num ber X of Total 9 General problems of school and staff 20 5 10 New trends in education 19 5 11 Official action of the board of education 16 4 12 Education law and legislation 12 3 12 Activities of other departments 12 3 14 The principal's philosophy and attitudes 11 3 15 Fringe benefits for educators 8 2 16 Student activities 7 2 17 Pertinent data in the field of specialisation 4 1 Total 407 LIBRARIANS; 1 Curriculum development and revision 2 The principal's philosophy and attitudes 3 District philosophy and policy 4 Financial and budgetary matters 4 Official action of the board of education 4 Changes in plans or procedures 7 Future plans for personnel 7 Educational law and legislation Total 13 8 6 4 4 4 2 2 43 30 19 14 9 9 9 5 5 NURSES: 1 Problems of students 2 District philosophy and policy 3 School policy--rules and regulations 4 Relevant data on student absences 5 General problems of school and staff 5 Official action of board of education 5 Pertinent data in field of specialisation 5 Medical needs of staff S Public health progress Total 17 8 5 4 2 2 2 2 2 44 39 18 11 9 5 5 5 5 5 404 TABLE 64 (continued) ADDITIOHAL INFORMATION DESIRED INDIVIDUALLY BY NINE STAFF GROUPS Frequency of Mention Rank Num- X of Order Information Desired ber Total CLERICAL PERSONNEL: 1 Future plans for the school and district 5 46 2 School policy--rules and regulations 4 36 3 Clearly defined duties and responsibilities _ 2 Id Total 11 CUSTODIANS: 1 Advance notice regarding meetings 4 40 2 Clearly defined duties and responsibilities 2 20 2 Total school social activities 2 20 2 Significant data regarding special duties _2 20 Total 10 405 related to district philosophy and policy (15 per cent), future plans for the school and district (10 per cent), and their own personal evaluation and opportunities (10 per cent). Librarians had their own peculiar information needs: curriculum development and revision (30 per cent), the principal's philosophy and attitudes (19 per cent), and district philosophy and policy (14 per cent). Nurses' responses also reflected individualized interests: problems of students was a concern to 39 per cent; district philosophy and policy to 18 per cent; and school rules and regulations to 11 per cent. Almost one half of the clerical personnel (46 per cent) wanted more information about the future plans for the school and district. Of second greatest concern was school rules and regulations (36 per cent). Third was information defining their duties and responsibilities (18 per cent). Two fifths of the custodians strongly wanted more advance notification about meetings and school activities. One fifth of their number wanted a clearer understanding of their special duties, and an equal number felt the need for definitive explanations of their job functions and responsibilities. So that comparisons may be made between staff-group responses, Figure 8 was prepared to display only the. 406 FIGURE 8 RINDS OF INFORMATION NEEDED BUT NOT RECEIVED BT DIFFERENT STAFF GROUPS Rank Order, as Rated by Each of Nine Staff Croup* Rank Order Information ALL-STAFF RATINGS: District philosophy and policy Curriculum development and revision Future plans for the school and district Clearly defined duties and responsibilities Financial and budgetary matters affecting your department Personal evaluation and opportunities Problems of students > UH e e • a w * «u * c « ■H t l I I u a 1e 4 0 V < u } o 0 f c t l tM 0 tl 4 0 f l c 6 0 I I I u U u ( l < f c M H I I < 0 U 0 • H 0 M » I I U h I I U 0 L | OTHER ITEMS RANKED BT INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS AS AMONG THE MOST-NEEDED RINDS OF INFORMATION:* Official action of the board of education Activities of other departments Disciplinary action taken on referrals Changes in policies Educational lav and legislation Causes of student misbehavior Future plans for the department Future plans for personnel The principal's philosophy of education and attitudes Changes in plans or procedures School policy regarding rules and regulations Relevant data on student absences Advance notice regarding meetings Total school social activities program Significant data regarding special duties ♦All items lilted were mentioned by more than 5 per cent oi respective staff groups, 407 top-ranked information needs of the combined staff and of each respondent group. Free responses made by at least 5 per cent of the group are indicated in rank order of fre quency of mention. In addition to the staff consensus, the data reveal clearly the uniqueness of responses of several of the groups: among others, (1) nurses' first-ranked information need (the problems of students) which was seventh in the staff consensus, as well as other needs not shared by more than one other group; (2) attendance person nel and custodians whose needs were unlike those of other groups; and (3) the diversity of needs of guidance person nel. Information Received Too Often In contrast to the preceding findings were those that pertained to information which is "over-communicated" to staff persons. Respondents were asked to name the kinds of information which was communicated too often. Nineteen different kinds of information are summarized in Table 65-- topics on which they were surfeited with communications of various kinds. This summarization of staff consensus reveals that they hear much too much about activities of students and school, routine matters, details of directions and proce dures, rules and regulations, activities of other depart ments, and minutes of irrelevant meetings. In fact, these 408 TABLE 65 KINDS OF INFORMATION THAT STAFF MEMBERS BELIEVE THEY RECEIVE TOO FREQUENTLY Rank Order Kinds of Information Over-communicated Frequency of Mention Num- % of ber Total 1 Activities of students and school 62 28 2 Routine matters 28 13 3 Details of directions and procedures 25 11 4 School rules and regulations 16 7 5 Activities of other departments 13 6 6 Minutes of irrelevant meetings 12 6 7 Chronic complaints 11 5 7 "Junk mail" and advertisements 11 5 9 Public relations 8 3 10 Philosophy and desires of the district 7 3 10 Professional organisations and literature 7 3 12 Trivial complaints ■ I 2 13 Civil defense procedures 2 1 14 General bulletins 2 1 14 Library materials 2 1 14 General data regarding students 2 1 14 Routine reports 2 1 14 Activities of teachers 2 1 Total 218 98 409 six items accounted for more than 70 per cent of staff responses. Table 66 presents an analysis of staff-group responses to this question, and reveals that assistant principals expressed annoyance over receiving too many communications concerning routine matters (17 per cent), detailed directions (14 per cent), junk mail and advertise ments (10 per cent), and student activities (10 per cent). Department chairmen disliked the overabundance of information they received about student and school activi ties (39 per cent), and about numerous trivial complaints (17 per cent). Teachers objected strenuously to the many communi cations about student and school activities (29 per cent), routine trivia (13 per cent), and overly-detailed direc tions and procedures (12 per cent). Other groups supported these reactions. Factors That Facilitate Effective Communication Thirty-one different factors were identified which staff members thought contributed to effective communica tion between the principal and themselves. Table 67 reports the viewpoints of the 1,623 staff members, the items being ranked in order of frequency of mention and percentage of response. 410 TABLE 66 KINDS OF INFORMATION THAT INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS THINK IS RECEIVED TOO FREQUENTLY Frequency of Mention Rank Kinds of Information Num- X of Order Received Too Frequently ber Total ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS: 1 Routine matters 5 17 2 Details of directions and procedures 4 14 3 Activities of students and school 3 10 3 "Junk mall" and advertisements 3 10 5 Minutes of irrelevant meetings 2 7 3 Chronic complaints 2 7 5 Public relations 2 7 5 Trivial complaints 2 7 5 General bulletins 2 7 5 Disciplinary problems 2 7 5 Library materials _2 7 Total 29 GUIDANCE PERSONNEL: I Routine matters 2 100 Total 2 ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Minutes of Irrelevant meetings _2 100 Total 2 1 Activities of students and school 7 39 2 Trivial complaints 3 17 3 Details of directions and procedures 2 11 3' Activities of other departments 2 11 3 "Junk mail" and advertisements 2 11 3 General data regarding students 2 11 Total 18 TEACHERS: 1 Activities of students and school 2 Routine matters 44 19 29 13 411 TABLE 66 (continued) KINDS OF INFORMATION THAT INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS THINK IS RECEIVED TOO FREQUENTLY Frequency of Mention Rank Kinds of Information Num- X of Order Received Too Frequently her Total 3 Details of directions and procedures 18 12 4 School rules and regulations 16 11 5 Activities of other departments 12 8 6 Chronic cosq>laints 9 6 7 Minutes of irrelevant meetings 8 5 8 Philosophy and desires of the district 6 4 8 Professional organisations and literature 6 4 10 "Junk mail" and advertisements 4 3 11 Public relations 2 2 11 Civil defense procedures 2 2 Total 146 LIBRARIANS: 1 Activities of students and school 8 73 2 Routine matters _3 27 Total 11 NURSES: 1 Details of directions and procedures 2 30 1 Public relations _2 50 Total 4 CLERICAL PERSONNEL: 1 Minutes of irrelevant meetings 2 33 1 "Junk mail" and advertisements 2 33 1 Activities of teachers _2 33 Total 6 CUSTODIANS: 1 Routine matters _7 100 Total 7 412 TABLE 67 ALL-STAFF VIEWS: FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Facilitate Nutn- % of Order Comnunication ber Total 1 Rapport and friendliness 301 19 2 Mutual respect and understanding 276 17 3 Availability of the principal 243 15 4 Personal contact and chats 146 9 5 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by principal 101 6 6 Relaxed and informal manner of principal 65 4 7 Mutual cooperation 54 3 8 Honesty and sincerity on the part of principal 48 3 9 Mutual confidence and trust 45 3 10 Common philosophy and educational goals 35 2 11 Fairness and objectiveness of principal 34 2 12 Interest demer.strated by principal 33 2 13 Mutual interests in general 30 2 14 Effective listening on the part of the principal 29 2 15 Staff meetings conducted regularly 20 16 Location of the principal's office 19 17 Individual conferences with principal 18 17 Professional attitude and conduct of principal 18 19 Compatible personalities 17 20 Long association with one another 16 20 Bulletins 16 22 Principal's decisiveness and follow-through 15 23 Administrative meetings conducted regularly 14 24 Notes and memos from the principal 8 , 5 25 Attitudes and desires of principal made known 6 .4 26 Clear definition of dutues, responsibilities 4 .3 27 Adequate time for communicating 3 .2 27 Small sise of school 3 .2 29 Principal who respects confidences 2 .1 29 School phone 2 .1 29 Desire of principal to communicate 2 .1 Total 1,623 Combined Views of the Staff The factor mentioned by the greatest number (301, or 19 per cent of the total) was the principal's ability to establish rapport and friendliness with the staff. It is to be noted that more than half of all responses (51 per cent) were related to three factors: (1) rapport and friendliness, (2) mutual respect and understanding, and (3) the principal's availability. An additional three factors accounted for another 19 per cent of the responses: (1) personal contacts and chats, (2) the principal's encouragement of ideas and sug gestions, and (3) the principal's relaxed and informal manner. These six attributes of effective communication thus comprised 70 per cent of the total response. Among the other 25 factors mentioned, it is worth noting that a majority were related to the human relations aspects of communication, relatively few being concerned with the techniques or content of the message. Individual Staff-Group Responses In Table 58 the views of each staff group are sum marized separately. In lieu of a detailed analysis of each group response, inter-group comparisons are presented graphically in Figure 9. Again it is seen that in several instances, staff-group responses reflect the function of the department or area in which the members work: (1) the TABLE 68 414 VIEWS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS; FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Facilitate Nub* 1 of Order Coswinication ber Total 5SISTANT PRINCIPALS; 1 Mutual respect and understanding 54 18 2 Rapport and friendliness 49 17 3 Personal contact and chats 41 14 4 Availability of the principal 38 13 5 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by principal 21 7 6 Professional attitude and conduct of principal 14 5 7 Comson philosophy and education goals 12 4 8 Location of principal's office 11 4 9 Regularly conducted administrative meetings 9 3 10 Mutual cooperation 8 3 11 Honesty and sincerity of principal 6 2 11 Effective listening of principal 6 2 13 Mutual confidence and trust 5 2 13 Clear definition of duties and responsibilities 5 2 15 Adequate time for comnunieating 3 1 15 Small sise of school 3 1 Total JIDANCE PERSONNEL: 285 1 Rapport and friendliness 30 23 2 Mutual respect and understanding 24 18 3 Availability of the principal 22 17 4 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by the principal 12 9 5 Mutual confidence and trust 10 7 6 Common philosophy and education goalB 7 5 6 Regularly conducted staff meetings 7 5 8 Effective listening of principal 6 5 9 Personal contact and chats 5 4 10 Honesty and sincerity of principal 2 2 10 Attitudes and desires of principal made known 2 2 10 Adequate time for communicating 2 2 Total 129 TABLE 68 (continued) 415 VIEWS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Facilitate Num- X of Order Communication ber Total ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Availability of principal 8 27 2 Mutual respect and understanding 4 14 3 Personal contact and chats 3 10 4 Rapport and friendliness 2 4 Relaxed and informal manner of principal 2 4 Fairness and objectiveness of principal 2 4 Effective listening of principal 2 4 Regularly conducted staff sieetings 2 4 Location of principal's office 2 Total 27 DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN: 1 Rapport and friendliness 29 22 2 Mutual respect and understanding 25 19 3 Availability of the principal 20 15 4 Personal contact and chats 17 13 5 Effective listening of principal 9 7 6 Honesty and sincerity of the principal 7 5 6 Mutual confidence and trust 7 5 8 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by the principal 5 4 9 Fairness and objectiveness of the principal 4 3 10 Compatible personalities 3 2 11 Interest demonstrated by the principal 2 1 U Regularly conducted staff meetings 2 1 11 Long association with one another 2 1 11 School phone 2 1 Total 134 TABLE 68 (continued) 416 VIEWS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Facilitate Nun- X of Order Communication ber Total TEACHERS: 1 Rapport and friendliness 148 19 2 Mutual respect and understanding 124 16 3 Availability of the principal 105 14 4 Personal contact and chats 70 9 5 Relaxed and informal manner of the principal 56 7 b Mutual cooperation 46 6 7 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by the principal 38 5 8 Mutual interests in general 25 3 9 Mutual confidence and trust 24 3 10 Fairness and objectiveness of the principal 22 3 11 Common philosophy and educational goals 16 2 11 Honesty and sincerity of the principal 16 2 13 Interest demonstrated by the principal 15 2 14 Bulletins 14 2 14 Principal decisive and follows through 14 2 16 Long association with one another 8 1 17 Regularly conducted staff meetings 7 1 17 Individual conferences with the principal 7 1 17 Compatible personalities 7 1 Total 764 :BRARIANS: 1 Availability of the principal 19 22 2 Mutual respect and understanding 16 18 3 Rapport and friendliness 13 15 4 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by the principal 11 13 5 Personal contact and chats 8 9 6 Long association with one another 4 5 6 Notes and mesios from the principal 4 5 8 Honesty and sincerity of the principal 3 3 6 Interest demonstrated by the principal 3 3 8 Principal respects confidences 3 3 417 TABLE 68 (continued) VIEWS OF MINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Facilitate Num- X of Order Coanunication ber Total 11 Mutual confidence and trust 2 2 11 Fairness and objectiveness of the principal 2 2 Total 88 NURSES: 1 Availability of the principal 15 21 1 Rapport and friendliness 15 21 3 Mutual respect and understanding 12 17 4 Interest demonstrated by the principal 7 10 5 Ideas and suggestions encouraged by the principal 5 7 5 Individual conferences with the principal 5 7 7 Mutual confidence and trust 4 6 8 Relaxed and informal manner of principal 2 3 8 Common philosophy and educational goals 2 3 8 Mutual interests In general 2 3 8 Effective listening of principal _2 3 Total 71 CLERICAL PERSONNEL: 1 Rapport and friendliness 19 24 2 Mutual respect and understanding 12 15 3 Availability of the principal 11 14 4 Location of the principal's office 8 10 5 Fairness and objectiveness of the principal 7 9 6 Relaxed and informal manner of the principal 5 6 6 Individual conferences with the principal 5 6 8 Notes and memos from the principal 3 3 9 Honesty and sincerity of the principal 2 3 9 Compatible personalities 2 3 9 Long association with one another 2 3 9 Bulletins _2 3 Total 80 TABLE 6b (continued) 418 VIEWS OP NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Facilitate Nun- I of Order Communication ber Total CUSTODIANS: 1 Mutual respect and understanding 15 35 2 Rapport and friendliness 7 16 2 Personal contact and chats 7 16 4 Interest demonstrated by the principal 4 9 4 Regularly conducted staff meetings 4 9 6 Availability of the principal 3 7 6 Honesty and sincerity of the principal _3 7 Total 43 419 FIGURE 9 FACTORS THAT STAFF MEMBERS BELIEVE ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PRINCIPAL Rank Order, at Rated by Each of Nine Staff Groupi Factori ALL-STAFF RESPONSES: Rapport and friendlinets Mutual respect and understanding Availability of the principal to his staff meabers Personal contacts and chats OTHER ITEMS TOP-RANKED BT STAFF GROUPS:* 9 Mutual confidence and trust Id Effective listening by the principal b Relaxed and informal manner on the part of the principal 7 Mutual cooperation 12 Interest demonstrated by the principal 17 Individual conferences with the principal lb The location of the principal's office 11 Fairness and objectiveness of the principal 13 Staff meetings conducted on a regular basis S Honesty and sincerity of the principal ♦All items listed were mentioned by more than 5 per cent of the respective staff groups. « w * C 4 4a u * i u * n » It II b I H C tl 41 C II n u e 4 C 6 1 ■ 0 f l u i 4 0 e o b G t 1 i i « 4 »l it b b b a 4 it U II <fc u 1 ,3 H r l « 4 6 u e * o w * «h H 4 1 0 it 420 teachers were concerned over establishing a relaxed and informal atmosphere, and mutual cooperation; (2) custodians in the principal's interest in their problems, in regularly- conducted staff meetings, and the principal's honesty and sincerity; (3) department chairmen in the principal's learning to be a good listener. Factors That Make for Ineffective Communication An important part of any program of improvement is identification of factors that can destroy its effective ness. It was desired to identify the factors that detract from the principal's effectiveness in communieating with members of his staff. Combined Staff Views Staff members identified twenty-five different factors which they thought detracted from the effectiveness of communication between themselves and the principal. As classified, the factors identified by the 740 staff members who contributed to this part of the study are exhibited in Table 69. It will be observed that three factors accounted for 72 per cent of the total response: Inadequate time (reported by 37 per cent of respondents), the principal's unavailability (reported by 19 per cent), and the princi pal's being always too busy (mentioned by 16 per cent). 421 TABLE 69 ALL-STAFF VIEWS: FACTORS THAT DISCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Discourage Num- 1 of Order Communication ber Total 1 Inadequate tine 274 37 2 Unavailability of the principal - 142 19 3 Principal too busy 118 16 4 Mutually too busy 52 7 5 Sise of the school 25 3 6 7 Personality of the principal Principal's lack of Information and under 23 3 b standing Principal's indecisiveness and failure to 22 3 follow through 15 2 9 Having to conaninicate through channels 8 1 9 Location of principal's office 8 1 11 Preoccupied attitude of principal 7 1 12 Interruptions 6 .8 12 14 Principal's lack of authority Principal delegates responsibility without 6 .8 authority 5 .7 15 Disagreement over educational philosophy 4 .5 15 Principal acts superior 4 .5 17 Role and status difference 3 .4 17 Distrust of administration 3 .4 17 Principal's excessive paper work 3 .4 20 District communiques 2 .3 20 Inadequate school meetings 2 .3 20 Information delayed in transit 2 .3 20 Failure to have a conference period 2 .3 20 Lack of personal contact 2 .3 20 Interference by teachers Total 2 740 .3 422 The first four factors, indeed, were so similar in content that classification was difficult--they could easily have been combined into an immense category of "too little time, too much work" which would have included all but 21 per cent of the responses. In fact, it would appear that the principal's major task is that of organization, so that an impossibly busy person can still make himself available to the many persons and groups whose work he must direct and encourage. Individual Staff-Group Responses In Table 70 the views of each staff group are sum marized separately. Again, in lieu of a detailed analysis of each group response, inter-group comparisons are illus trated in Figure 10. A remarkable uniformity of viewpoint is seen in the responses of groups, particularly striking in view of the fact that these were free responses. Almost all of the groups reinforced the staff consensus, falling within the first four items: inadequate time, unavailability, too busy, and mutually too busy. Except for scattered single items, the teachers were the only group that mentioned points other than the top four. They also mentioned the difficulty of trying to communicate in a large school, the necessity of having to communicate indirectly "through channels," and three personal-relations factors--the 423 TABLE 70 VIEWS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT DISCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Discourage N u b j- X of Order Cotamunicat ion ber Total ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS: I Inadequate tiste 54 44 2 Principal too busy 16 14 2 Mutually too busy 16 14 4 Unavailability of the principal 15 13 5 Interruptions 4 3 6 Principal's excessive paper work 3 3 7 District comsamiques 2 2 7 Inadequate school meetings 2 2 7 Principal's lack of Information and understanding 2 2 7 Principal's indecisiveness and failure to follow through 2 2 7 Location of principal's office __2 2 Total 116 GUIDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Inadequate time 25 57 2 Principal too busy 10 23 3 Unavailability of the principal 5 11 4 Slse of the school 2 5 4 Information delayed in transit _2 5 Total 44 ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Inadequate time 10 72 2 Principal too busy _4 28 Total 14 DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN: I Inadequate time 28 49 2 Unavailability of the principal 15 26 3 Principal too busy 6 11 4 Personality of the principal 2 4 4 Principal's lack of authority 2 4 4 Failure to have a conference period 2 4 4 Lack of personal contact 2 4 Total 57 TABLE 70 (continued) 424 VIEWS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT DISCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Discourage Nun- X of Order Communication ber Total TEACHERS: 1 Inadequate time 115 34 2 Unavailability of the principal 65 18 3 Principal too busy 47 13 4 Mutually too busy 29 8 5 Sice of the school 22 6 6 Personality of the principal 19 5 7 Principal's lack of information and understanding lb 5 8 Principal's indecisiveness and failure to follow through 16 4 9 Communicating through channels 15 4 10 Preoccupied attitude of the principal 7 2 11 Principal delegates responsibility without authority 4 1 12 Principal's lack of authority 3 1 12 Disagreement over education philosophy 3 1 14 Principal acts superior 2 .8 14 Role and status difference 2 . 8 Total 367 iBRARIANS: 1 Unavailability of the principal 12 29 2 Principal too busy 11 26 3 Inadequate time b 19 4 Mutually too busy 3 7 3 Slse of the school 2 4 3 Principal's lack of information and understanding 2 4 5 Location of office 2 4 5 Principal acts superior 2 4 5 Interference by teachers 2 4 Total 42 TABLE 70 (continued) 425 VIEWS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS: FACTORS THAT DISCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PRINCIPAL AND STAFF Frequency of Mention Rank Factors That Discourage Nun- X of Order Communication ber Total NURSES: 1 Mutually too busy 16 33 2 Inadequate time 15 31 3 Unavailability of the principal 9 19 4 Principal too busy 4 B 4 Location of office _4 8 Total 48 CLERICAL PERSONNEL: 1 Unavailability of the principal 17 55 2 Inadequate time 8 26 3 Principal too busy 4 13 4 Interruptions __2 6 Total 31 CUSTODIANS: 1 Inadequate time 7 37 2 Principal too busy b 32 3 Mutually too busy 2 11 3 Principal acts superior 2 11 3 Interference by teachers _2 11 Total 19 426 FIGURE 10 FACTORS THAT HAKE FOR INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON THE PART OF T l PRINCIPAL Rank Order, as Reported by Each of Nine Staff Groups V u £ u R V £ u w 0 I I I 4 6 C 0 tl A > W ■ H 4 Rank Order Fac ors u w a | u u f i u * 4 4 U U a u ALL-STAFF RESPONSES: 1 Inadequate time 2 Unavailability of the principal 3 Principal always too busy A Principal and staff members mutually too busy 5 Site of the school b The personality of the principal 1 The principal's lack of information and understanding b The principal's indecisiveness, and lack of follow-through OTHER ITEMS TOP-RANKED BT INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS:* V Having to communicate indirectly through channels 10 Inaccessible location of the principal's office 12 Interruptions 16 "The principal acts superior" 23 Interference by teachers R U A 0 4 4 a W - > 4 1 u «t a* R k 4b M v I I 0 c e e 4 0 V 4 'H |4 Si 4 (M C 4 4 0 fl 6 f i 0 II R u k W tl <a u k 4 t4 a4 55 A A « 4 C u e A 0 k R 4 k A 4 ua ♦All items listed were mentioned by more than 5 per cent of the members of the respective staff groups, 427 personality of the principal, his lack of information and understanding, and his indecisiveness and lack of follow- through. Two "factors" that stood out to unhappy custodi ans were the facts that the "principal acts superior" and that there was "interference by teachers." Recommendations for Improving Principal-Staff Communication The final step of this survey sought to ascertain the thinking of high school staff persons with respect to the ultimate question: "What can be done to improve communication between staff members and the principal?" Respondents were asked: "What recommendations do you have that would most Improve communication between you and the principal?" All-Staff Suggestions The 376 recommendations offered by staff members were classified according to twenty-four separate cate gories, each a recommendation for improving communication with the principal. As may be seen in Table 71, the three recommendations submitted by the greatest number of persons comprised more than two fifths (41 per cent) of all responses. They were: (1) increased time (16 per cent), (2) Increased personal contacts and chats (14 per cent), and (3) regularly-scheduled staff meetings (11 per cent). The next three accounted for 23 per cent of the 428 Frequency of Mention Num- X of ber Total 1 Increased time 61 16 2 Increased personal contacts and chats 54 14 3 Regularly scheduled staff meetings 41 11 4 Regularly scheduled individual conferences 34 9 5 Regularly-conducted administrative meetings 30 t i 5 Increased availability of principal 30 6 7 Increased visitations by the principal 23 6 t i More delegation of responsibility by principal 19 5 9 Increased conferences during the school day 11 3 10 Additional help for principal 10 3 10 Direct communication with the principal 10 3 12 Principal show more Interest in specific fields t i 2 13 Principal act decisively, and follow through 7 2 13 Principal encourage new ideas and suggestions 7 2 15 Nurse permitted to attend staff meetings regularly 4 1 15 More informal and social kinds of contacts 4 1 15 Clear definition of duties and responsibilities 4 1 15 Uninterrupted chats or conferences 4 1 19 19 Principal improve rapport and relations with staff Principal improve planning and organisation of 3 .ti meetings 3 .8 19 Decrease the site of the school and staff 3 .6 22 Visitations followed up by a conference 2 .5 22 22 Increased praise by the principal Principal increase his information in specific 2 .5 fields Total 2 376 .5 TABLE 71 ALL-STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL Rank Recommendations of Order Combined Staff 429 total number of responses: (4) regularly-scheduled indi vidual conferences (9 per cent), (5) regularly-conducted administrative meetings (8 per cent), and (6) increased availability of the principal (8 per cent). In addition, 6 per cent suggested more visitations by the principal, and 5 per cent more delegation of responsibility. Thus, one third of the 24 recommendations made accounted for 77 per cent of all responses. Individual Staff-Group Suggestions The recommendations offered by each of the nine staff groups are presented, group by group, in Table 72. It is seen that assistant principals strongly recommended regularly conducted administrative meetings (36 per cent), increased time (16 per cent), Increased personal contacts and chats (16 per cent), and delegation of responsibility by the principal (13 per cent). Other groups, too, reflected their specific inter ests and functions in some of their recommendations. Guidance personnel suggested increased time (37 per cent), regularly scheduled staff meetings (21 per cent), and a clear definition of duties and responsibilities (21 per cent)• Attendance personnel thought that increased time and regularly scheduled staff meetings were needed. Department chairmen recommended more personal contacts and 430 TABLE 72 RECOMMENDATIONS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL Frequency of Mention Rank Recommendations of Nun- X of Order Nine Staff Groups ber Total ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS: 1 Regularly conducted administrative meetings 30 36 2 Increased time 13 16 2 Increased personal contacts and chats 13 16 4 More delegation of responsibility by principal 11 13 5 Increased availability of principal 6 7 6 More encouragement of ideas and suggestions by the principal 3 4 6 Principal improve planning and organisation of meetings 3 4 8 Regularly scheduled individual conferences 2 2 8 Uninterrupted chats or conferences __2 2 Total 83 GUIDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Increased time 7 37 2 Regularly scheduled staff meetings 4 21 2 Clear definition of duties and responsibilities 4 21 4 increased availability of principal 2 10 4 Uninterrupted chats or conferences 2 10 Total 19 ATTENDANCE PERSONNEL: 1 Increased time 2 50 1 Regularly scheduled staff meetings _2 50 Total 4 DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN: 1 Increased personal contacts and chats 9 35 2 Increased time 6 23 3 Regularly scheduled staff sieetings 5 19 4 Increased availability of principal 2 8 4 Visitations followed up by a conference 2 8 4 Increased praise by the principal _2 8 Total 26 431 TABLE 72 (continued) RECOMMENDATIONS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL Frequency of Mention Rank Recommendations of Nun- X of Order Nine Staff Groups ber Total TEACHERS: 1 Increased tine 35 20 2 Regularly scheduled staff meetings 26 14 3 Increased personal contacts and chats 25 14 4 Increased availability of principal 17 10 3 Increased visitations by principal 16 9 6 Increased conferences during the school day 11 6 7 Direct communication with the principal 10 6 a More decisive action and follow-through by principal 9 5 9 Principal show sure personal interest in specific fields 8 4 10 More delegation of responsibility by principal 7 4 11 More encouragement of ideas and suggestions by the principal 5 3 12 Clear definition of duties and responsibilities 3 2 13 Decrease the sise of the school and staff 2 2 Total 174 LIBRARIANS: 1 Regularly scheduled staff meetings 8 38 2 Increased visitations by the principal 4 19 3 Principal isiprove rapport and relations with staff 3 14 4 Increased personal contacts and chats 2 10 4 Principal show more personal interest in specific fields 2 10 4 Principal become better informed in specific fields _2 10 Total 21 ISES: 1 Regularly scheduled individual conferences 17 57 2 Nurse permitted to attend staff meetings regularly 4 13 TABLE 72 (continued) 432 RECOMMENDATIONS OF NINE INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL Frequency of Mention Rank Recommendations of Nuat- X of Order Nine Staff Groups ber Total 3 Increased time 3 10 4 Increased personal contacts and chats 2 7 4 Increased availability of the principal 2 7 4 More visitations by the principal _2 7 Total 30 CLERICAL PERSONNEL: 1 Regularly scheduled staff meetings 7 78 2 Increased personal contacts and chats _2 22 Total 9 CUSTODIANS: 1 Regularly scheduled individual conferences 8 80 2 Increased time 2 20 Total 10 433 chats, Increased time, and regularly scheduled staff meetings, as did the group of teachers in almost the same order. Librarians recommended regularly scheduled confer* ences, and more visitations by the principal. School nurses felt that communications could be improved by regu larly scheduled individual conferences; clerical personnel by regularly scheduled staff meetings; and the custodial staff by regularly scheduled individual conferences. These group-by-group recommendations are arranged in Figure 11 so that comparisons can be made between groups, and between individual groups and the all-staff consensus. Summary of the Chapter This chapter has reported the viewpoints of staff members concerning five aspects of the problem: (1) the kinds of information that they receive too seldom and need to hear more about, (2) the kinds that they receive too frequently, (3) factors that they believe encourage effec tive communication between principal and staff, (4) factors that make effective communication difficult, and (3) recom mendations for improving communication between the princi pal and his staff. The responses were free and unstructured, and fell naturally into distinct categories. Categories were ranked according to frequency with which each was mentioned, and were analyzed according to composite staff consensus and FIGURE 11 STAFF GROUP SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PRINCIPAL 434 Rank Order, ai Suggested by Each of Nine Staff Groupi u a H 4 a ■ H u c ■ w u a Rank Order Suggestion a j * B 4 4 a U «o ■ H C 4 « 4 U <fc ALL-STAFF SUGGESTIONS: 1 Increased tine 2 More personal contacts and chats 3 Regular staff meetings 4 Regularly scheduled individual conferences with stafi members 3 Regularly scheduled administrative meetings 6 Increased availability of the principal 7 More claseroon visitations by the principal d More delegation of responsibility by the principal 5 More conferences during the school day 10 Additional help for the principal 11 Direct communication with the principal OTHER SUGGESTIONS HADE MOST FREQUENT!! R INDIVIDUAL STAFF GROUPS:* 17 Clear definition of duties and responsibilities 14 Encouragement of ideas and suggestions from staff members 20 Improved planning and organisation of meetings 22 Visitations followed by a conference 23 More praise by the principal 13 More decisiveness and follow-through by the principal 15 Improvement of rapport with the staff members 15 Nurse permitted to attend staff meetings regularly H o u V B 0 B 4 0 V 4 •H U 3 ( I tic. I I (H B C l 4 B T J B B 0 C l 4 J M y ( <'fc U V 4 ' H a 4 H H C l 4 B U B ' H 0 h 4 4 W ^ C l C IO , *All suggestions were mentioned by more than 5 per cent of the members of the respective staff groups, according to staff groups. The major findings obtained from the analysis of responses were the following: 1. Staff members desired to receive from their principals a great deal more information than they now receive; 37 different kinds were identified as being needed to help them perform their jobs more proficiently. 2. The kinds of information desired by the great est number of staff persons were: (a) district philosophy and policy, (b) curriculum development and revision, (c) future plans for the school and district, and (d) clearer definition of duties and responsibilities. 3. In contrast, 19 different kinds of information were identified as being received much too frequently. 4. Most serious objections pertained to (a) the tremendous amount of information received concerning stu dent and school activities, (b) the large amount of information about routine matters, and (c) the many detailed directions and procedures of a superfluous nature. 3. Among the 31 factors identified as facilitating effective communication, the following ranked highest: (a) rapport and friendliness between principal and staff, (b) mutual respect and understanding, (c) the principal's availability to his staff, (d) personal contacts and informal chats, (e) the principal's encouragement of ideas and suggestions, and (f) his relaxed and informal manner. 436 6. The greatest number of factors, and those men tioned by the greatest number of staff persons were related to the principal'8 personal relations with his staff, or to his personal characteristics, rather than to the techniques or content of his communications. 7. Among 25 factors seen as deterrents to effec tive communication between principal and staff, the follow ing three constituted 72 per cent of the total response: (a) inadequate time, (b) the principal's unavailability, (c) the principal's being too busy. 8. Also contributing to the ineffectiveness of communications were these other factors: (a) the size of the school, (b) the principal's personality, (c) his failure to understand his staff, and (d) both he and the staff members being mutually too busy. 9. Staff members offered 24 recommendations for improving communications between the principal and the staff, the following three being mentioned by 41 per cent of the respondents: (a) increased time, (b) more personal contacts and informal chats, and (c) regularly scheduled staff meetings. 10. Other suggestions were for (a) regularly sched uled individual conferences, (b) increased availability of the principal, (c) regularly conducted administrative meetings, (d) increased visitations by the principal, and (e) the principal's delegation of more responsibility. CHAPTER XV SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary The Problem This research sought to analyze the problem of communication between the high school principal and high school staff members with a view to improving communication between them. Answers were sought to the following specific questions: 1. To what extent are various techniques of commu nication used by high school principals and high school staff members? 2. How effective do high school principals and their staff members consider each of these communication techniques to be? 3. What is the relative importance of various kinds of school information in the judgments of high school principals and high school staff members ? 437 Which avenues of communication do high school principals and high school staff members prefer for receiving specific kinds of school informa tion? From whom do high school principals and high school staff members now receive specific kinds of school information? From whom would high school principals and high school staff members actually prefer to receive specific kinds of school information? Concerning what types of school Information would high school principals and high school staff members like to receive more communica tions ? Concerning what kinds of school information would high school principals and high school staff members like to receive fewer communica tions ? What factors are considered to be important in effective two-way communication between the high school principal and his staff members? What are considered to be the significant problems that interfere with effective communi cation between high school principals and their staff members? What recommendations for improving communications between them are made by high school principals and high school staff members ? Hypotheses Six hypotheses were basic to the design of the present investigation. They were: 1. A positive relationship will be evident between the person's position on the high school staff and his point of view concerning the frequency of use and the effectiveness of various methods of communication between staff members and the principal. 2. The person's rating of importance of different kinds of information received will vary accord ing to the rater's position on the high school staff. 3. Principals and staff members will exhibit distinguishable preference patterns with respect to the method of sending and receiving various kinds of information. 4. Principals will exhibit distinguishable prefer ence patterns, as will staff members, with respect to the kinds of information they wish to receive, and the persons from whom they wish to receive them. 440 5. Depending upon the kind of information trans mitted, principals and staff members will feel that there is either too much information or too little information communicated between them. 6. Certain factors will be identified which facilitate effective communication between principals and staff members; others will be identified that make for ineffective communica tion between them. Procedure The investigation employed a threefold approach to the problem: (1) a search of pertinent literature and research, (2) a preliminary survey of effective and ineffec tive communication experiences of secondary school staff members, and (3) a comprehensive inquiry concerning the central problem of the investigation. The facilities of eight major libraries were used in the first phase in an effort to provide background understanding and a frame of reference for the undertaking. Mo writings or research were found which bore directly on the specific problem; for this reason, the second phase was planned so as to provide needed firsthand information in terms of which the major study could be structured. It was desired to obtain unstructured experiences 441 and viewpoints of those most intimately concerned with problems of communication between high school principals and high school staff members. For this purpose, a crit ical Incident approach was employed to elicit the reports of staff members' experiences with respect to effective and ineffective communications received from the principal, their explanations of why the communications were effective or ineffective, and their suggestions concerning ways in which the principal could improve his communication with them. The results of this preliminary phase of the study provided the information needed to devise the instrument for the second, or more comprehensive survey phase. The instrument was a questionnaire submitted to 3,500 persons in 250 California high schools selected by random strati fied sampling. The data were provided by 1,665 respond ents, of whom 132 were principals, 241 assistant princi pals, 99 guidance personnel, 106 department chairmen, 708 teachers, 71 attendance personnel, 79 librarians, 82 nurses, 91 clerical personnel (secretaries or registrars), and 56 custodians. The sampling provided representative numbers from each of four school size categories. Information concerned the following aspects of the problem: (1) frequency of use and methods employed to convey information between principals and staff members; (2) the degree of effectiveness of these methods; (3) 442 frequency of use and methods employed by staff members in communicating with the principal; (4) the importance of various kinds of information communicated to principals and to staff members; (5) their preferences regarding the methods of receiving each kind of information conveyed; (6) sources from which principals and staff members cur rently receive specific kinds of information; (7) their preferences concerning these sources; (8) kinds of informa tion about which principals and staff members would like to receive more communication than they do; (9) kinds of information about which they now receive too much informa tion; (10) factors that enable principals and staff members to communicate effectively with each other; (11) factors that detract from effective communication with each other; and (12) their recommendations for improving communication between them. The data were analyzed in terms of frequency of response, percentages of response, and rank-order listings of quantitative and qualitative findings. Summary of Findings The concepts gleaned from the literature, and the firsthand insight into actual communication situations gained from the preliminary survey were considered to be fundamental to the primary purpose of the investigation and, therefore, the results of these two phases of the 443 study are not summarized here. In a sense, they were essential and valuable tools. The detailed and comprehensive nature of the inquiry required the reporting of findings largely in the form of tables to which the reader will wish to refer directly, according to his field of major Interest and area of professional concern. Some of the more general findings are here summarized under the headings: (1) reactions of high school principals, (2) staff ratings of importance of information received, (3) staff preferences regarding methods of communication, (4) sources of information, and (5) staff views concerning adequacy and effectiveness of communications received. Reactions of High School Principals 1. Verbal techniques were used most frequently and were thought to be more effective than other communication methods. Rated highest were conferences by appointment with staff members, personal chats, staff meetings, depart ment meetings attended by the principal, and messages to staff given through the department chairman. 2. There was little agreement between the written techniques used most frequently and those that principals thought to be most effective, (a) They made greatest use of daily bulletins, personal notes and memoranda, hand books, and the sharing of professional literature. (b) In 444 contrast, they rated the following techniques as most effective: personal letters, special bulletins, notes and memoranda, and the daily bulletin. (c) Although they saw little value in the sharing of professional literature, bulletin boards, weekly bulletins, and handbooks, they used these media frequently. 3. Least value was attached to the school grape vine, social gatherings, and school assemblies among verbal media, and to the written techniques of the suggestion box, the school paper, and newsletters. 4. Reversing the conmunication process, principals reported that the verbal techniques used by staff members to communicate with them were generally those that they had rated as most effective: personal chats, channeling messages through the department chairman, conferences by appointment, attendance at department meetings, and staff meetings. 5. Written techniques used by staff members, how ever, were very different from those that principals thought to be most effective (except for informal notes, the most-used and highest-rated technique). Although prin cipals gave high ratings to personal letters and official reports, staff members made little use of these media. Instead, they made major use of dally and weekly bulletins, media which were rated low in effectiveness. 6. Least value was seen in staff use of such 445 verbal media as public-address announcements, the grape vine, and social gatherings; and in such written techniques as the suggestion box, bulletin boards, and newsletters. 7. The most important kinds of information received from the staff were thought to be items pertaining to definition of job duties and responsibilities, district policies, school curriculum, legal provisions affecting the position, changes in procedures, staff morale, and staff recommendations. 8. Of least interest was information regarding pay check computation, workmen's compensation and sick leave, hospitalization, personal likes and dislikes of staff mem bers, and retirement and other benefits. 9. Preferred methods for receiving information from the staff were written or verbal-and-written. Tech niques preferred were the formal memorandum, informal notes, and bulletins; or individual conferences by appoint ment, and meetings. 10. Principals prefer to receive most listed kinds of information from certain designated persons--primarily from teachers, the assistant principal, department chair men, guidance personnel, district specialists, and the superintendent of schools, in that order. 11. Principals think that they currently receive too little information about such matters as curriculum revision, classroom activities and problems, public and 446 parental opinions about the school, student progress and activities, the effectiveness of the school, and sugges tions for improving the school. 12. They feel that they receive too many communi cations of the "junk mail" variety, unimportant problems and complaints, questionnaires, and trivia about extra curricular activities. 13. They believe that communication is facilitated when there is rapport and friendliness, mutual availabil ity, personal contacts and informal chats, mutual respect and understanding, regularly-conducted staff meetings, and a high morale factor. 14. The following factors, they believe, impede effective communication: inadequate time, overly-large size of school, busy schedules, lack of personal contact, and lack of staff cooperation. 13. Principals recommend that (a) more time be allowed for conmunication, (b) more informal chats and personal contacts be arranged, (c) more clerical assistance be provided for the administrator, and (d) fewer meetings and less trivia be included in the communication program. Staff Ratings of Importance of Information Communicated 1. To staff members, the most important kinds of information received pertain to proposed and current changes in office or department personnel and procedures, 447 job duties and responsibilities, and clarification of policies, procedures, rules, and regulations: (a) proposed changes in office or department personnel, (b) changes in duties or job responsibilities, (c) proposed changes in office or department procedures, (d) definition of job duties and responsibilities, (e) statement of rules and regulations of the school, (f) district policy, (g) school procedures, and (h) legal provisions affecting the job and duties. 2. Also of great importance are job-orientation types of information: (a) channels of communication between themselves and the principal, (b) statement of their progress, and where they stand, (c) lines of respon sibility between themselves and the principal, (d) the principal's attitude toward new ideas and suggestions, and (e) opportunities for promotion. 3. Of least importance were communications about benefits of the job (hospitalization, workmen's compensa tion, retirement benefits and sick leave), about community matters (their community obligations, the community's back ground, composition and philosophy of education), and about the principal's likes and dislikes--the latter the lowest- rated item of all. 4. Numerous discrepancies between staff consensus and individual staff-group responses were observed, the nurses being perhaps the most individualistic: they gave 448 lowest rating to information about changes in duties and responsibilities, an item rated second in the staff con sensus, and tenth place to the very lowest-rated item in the consensus--the principal's likes and dislikes. They also thought that the most important kind of information was the relationship of their job to others in the school, an item ranked fifteenth in the consensus. Staff Preferences Regarding Methods Used in Communicating 1. Written methods were greatly preferred over verbal methods by all staff groups; when verbal messages were used, it was preferred that they be supported in writing. 2. Among written techniques, bulletins, formal memoranda, and handbooks were given preference, depending on the kind of information being communicated. Least preference was expressed for informal notes, except for sending messages about such things as channels of communi cation, the principal's likes and dislikes, his attitudes toward new ideas and suggestions, or pupils who have special problems. 3. Among verbal’techniques, meetings were the preference for most forms of communication, and individual conferences were preferred in the second largest number of situations. In a few instances, announcements were thought to be appropriate, but in no instance did staff members 449 give preferential rating to any casual technique. 4. In most cases, verbal methods of communication were preferred only for kinds of information which staff members considered to be of little importance. Sources of Information 1. Staff members now receive most of their infor mation from their principals. This applies to 28 of 37 kinds of important information received. They prefer to receive most communications from the principal, and some groups would like to receive even more information from this source. 2. There is a striking similarity between existing and preferred sources of information, the only noticeable difference being a desire to receive fewer communications indirectly through the department chairman, and fewer directly from the superintendent. 3. Second in importance as a source of information is now the superintendent, who furnishes six different kinds of information to staff members. Preferences of the latter, however, are to receive only three kinds: legal provisions affecting their jobs and duties, statements of district policy, and information about the community's philosophy of education; and to delegate the other three to district specialists or the principal. 4. While staff members now rely upon district 450 specialists for two kinds of information (workmen's compen sation and sick leave provisions, and retirement provisions and requirements), they would also like to receive informa tion from this source about (a) the method of paycheck computation, and (b) available hospitalization plans. 5. There are few other primary sources for infor mation that is essential to the job. Teachers provide practically none to staff members; outside specialists provide only information about how staff members are evalu ated; except for information about students' special prob lems and needs, guidance persons furnish little information to staff members; and the board of education, assistant principals, department chairmen, and clerical personnel furnish none. 6. Although in no case was the department chairman looked to for primary information, he was cited as a pre ferred alternate for many kinds of information ordinarily supplied by the principal: he was named second for 16 kinds of information and third for an additional 12 kinds. 7. Staff members currently receive least informa tion from their principals on their own progress and job status; this is a matter they wish the principals would discuss with them. 8. Librarians as a group wished to receive more information from their principals than did any other staff group; custodians wanted to receive the least amount of information from their principals. 451 Adequacy and Effectiveness of Comaunication Between Principal and Staff 1. Staff members desired to receive a great deal more information from their principals than they now receive; they identified 37 different kinds of information they need in order to be able to perform their jobs profi ciently. The kinds of information desired pertain to (a) district philosophy and policy, (b) curriculum development and revision, (c) future plans for the school and district, and (d) clearer definition of duties and responsibilities. 2. In contrast, 19 different kinds of information were identified as being received much too frequently. Staff members objected most seriously to (a) the tremendous volume of information received about student and school activities, (b) the overabundance of minutiae about routine matters, and (c) the many detailed directions and proce dures they considered to be superfluous. 3. Among 31 factors they identified as facilitat ing effective communication, the following were mentioned by the greatest number of respondents: (a) rapport and friendliness, (b) mutual respect and understanding, (c) the principal's availability to his staff, (d) personal con tacts and Informal chats, (e) the principal's encouragement of ideas and suggestions, and (f) his relaxed and Informal manner. 452 4. The greatest number of facilitating factors, and those mentioned by the greatest number of staff persons, were related to the principal's personal relation ships with his staff or to his personal characteristics, and not to the techniques or the content of his communica tions. 5. Among 25 factors seen as deterrents to effec tive communication between principal and staff, the following three constituted 72 per cent of the total response: (a) inadequate time, (b) the principal's unavailability, and (c) the principal's extreme "busy-ness.” 6. Also contributing to ineffectiveness of commu nication were these factors: (a) an overly-large school, (b) the principal's personality, (c) his failure to under stand his staff, and (d) being mutually too busy. 7. Staff members offered 24 recommendations for Improving communication between the principal and them selves, the following three being mentioned by 41 per cent of the staff: (a) increased time, (b) more personal con tacts and informal chats, and (c) regularly scheduled staff meetings. 8. Other suggestions were that provisions be made for (a) regularly scheduled Individual conferences, (b) increased availability of the principal, (c) regularly conducted administrative meetings, (d) increased visita tions by the principal, and (e) the principal's greater delegation of responsibility 453 Validation of Hypotheses All six hypotheses formulated for this investiga tion have been well supported by the findings (see pages 439 and 440). Each hypothesis has been supported in some detail, particularly in the presentation and analysis of the data, Chapters IX through XIV* Conclusions The following conclusions are based upon the find ings of the two surveys, and upon pertinent viewpoints expressed by educational authorities. 1. Of growing concern to all persons involved in the education of young people is the effectiveness with which staff persons communicate with each other. No longer is '’communication" a question of technology or theory--it is a vital part of the American culture; it is fundamental to good interpersonal relationships in almost every con ceivable human endeavor; it is also an integral part of the effectiveness of educational programs. Some evidence of the extent of this concern was seen in various aspects of the present Investigation: (a) the high percentage of response, (b) the thoroughness and perceptiveness of the responses given, (c) the wide representation of personnel who participated, (d) the 454 intense interest in the problem of staff-principal communi cation in their schools, (e) the wealth of suggestions offered, and (f) the ability of all to understand and analyze the problem— the latter point undoubtedly a reflec tion of previous thought and awareness of the problem as it concerned their welfare, working conditions, and job satis factions . 2. To all staff members, communication is a highly personal, subjective, and individualistic matter. Through out the study could be seen a thread of major concern for the personal relations aspects of the communication process. For the principal to lose sight of the immense personal impact of all principal-staff communications is to fail to perceive the possibilities for building an excellent climate within the school by means of written and verbal contacts. 3. It is of utmost importance for an administrator to keep in close touch with all staff members; to ascertain their interests and preferences; to communicate by means of techniques and media which, through study, have been deter mined to be of greatest effectiveness for the particular kinds of messages to be communicated; to learn when and how to work through most appropriate channels; to be sensitive regarding how much to communicate (underexposure of an idea carries no meaning, while overexposure soon becomes "junk 455 mail”); and to be available to all staff members no matter how busy he may think he is. 4. The busy administrator might well ask himself whether he is as busy as he thinks he is--whether good organization, judicious delegation, and a fresh viewpoint might not help him to solve most of the problems which beset his communication efforts. Inherent in the responses and recommendations of staff persons is the suggestion that in this direction might lie the solution to his gravest problem--his unavailability, his aura of "busy-ness," his lack of time. 5. Essential to effective communication with staff members is the principal's awareness that, in spite of per sonal and group differences in point-of-view and interest, there is a common denominator, i.e., a comnanality of feel ing about the importance of most kinds of information. All employees desire to know more about themselves and their duties and responsibilities, regardless of their positions. All are eager to know how well they are doing, how to do a better job, and how to keep in touch with peers and superiors. Intergroup differences are very minor. 6. It is the responsibility of the principal to see to it that upward channels of communication are kept open, that all staff members know how to use them, and that they be encouraged to do so. The initiative must come from 456 him. 7. Staff members view the communications they receive from the principal basically in terms of three interrelated factors: its personal implications for them, the content of the communication, and the way the informa- tion is transmitted. Their primary concern is the personal relations between them and the principal, and they are con stantly seeking to establish good rapport, whether they express this desire in terms of "establishing mutual respect and understanding," "friendliness," "mutual confi dence and trust," "availability," "mutual cooperation," as a "relaxed and informal manner" or as a "demonstrated interest" in whatever is of primary concern to them. Recommendations The findings of this investigation are replete with implications for persons who work professionally or in classified positions in the schools. These implications are basic to the recommendations offered here. It is recommended that: 1. Studies of communications programs in all schools be conducted on an individual school basis to ascertain the effectiveness of present communication programs. 2. Such studies be initiated preferably at the district level, using district specialists so as to lend 457 objectivity to the research and to assure anonymity to those who take part. 3. A preliminary survey similar to that followed in the present investigation be conducted to determine existing patterns and needed improvements or modifications. 4. Major emphasis in the evaluation be placed on staff views of the importance of communications received, preferences concerning methods of communication, views concerning effective and ineffective procedures and factors, and suggestions for improvement. 5. Where no sensitive situations exist, follow-up and in-service educational programs be planned as outcomes of the study. 6. The kinds of information communicated between principal and staff be developed in line with the findings of this study. 7. Principals take into account the preferences and thinking of staff members, assess the importance to them of messages from the principal, and visualize the desired outcome of each message before transmitting it. 8. Principals look inward with respect to the prob lem of being too unavailable, busy, lacking in time, and bedevilled by the myriad demands of the position--it is not unlikely that a new level of organization, delegation, and commitment to the needs and wishes of the staff are in order. 458 9. Principals keep in close couch with staff mem bers, ascertain their interests and preferences, make use of the most effective techniques in their communications, check periodically to learn what is on the minds of staff persons, and remain available to them at all times. 10. Principals make note of the points that are of greatest importance--not to them--but to the members of the staff. 11. Principals take the initiative in developing additional channels of communication so that upward chan nels are kept open to all staff groups; and that principals Instruct and encourage all staff members to use these channels freely. 12. Principals re-plan their communications, taking into account the vast potential for building and rebuilding the morale of the staff and the climate of the entire school. 13. Staff groups take more initiative in making use of the channels of communication open to them, particularly with respect to greater use of informal notes, personal letters, and other appropriate written media, following each verbal exchange of information with a written con firmation of word of thanks. 14. Staff members keep in mind that communication is a two-way and not a one-way process, and that effective communication techniques, principals' preferences, relative 459 importance of different kinds of information, and appropri ate sources and channels are considerations that enhance their relationships with the administration. 15. Serious consideration be given to the findings of this investigation in the planning and execution of com munications within individual schools. B I B L I O G R A P H Y BIBLIOGRAPHY Books 1. Allport* Gordon W., and Leo Postman. The Psychology of Rumor. New York: Henry Holt and Company* 1947. 247 pp. 2. Babcock, C. Merton. The Harper Handbook of CoaMunica- tion Skills. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1957. 4ffTpp"---- 3. Benge* Eugene J. Dynamics of Good Supervision. New London: National Foreman's Institute, 1955. 194 pp. 4. Berelson, Bernard. Content Analysis in Communication Research. Glencoe, 111.: The Free Press Pub- Ushers, 1952. 220 pp. 5. Bittel, Lester R. What Every Supervisor Should Know. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company* Inc., 195*1. 451 pp. 6. Borden, Richard C. Public Speaking--as Listeners Like It. New York: Harper and Brotners* 1933. Ill pp. 7. Boyd, Malcolm. Crisis in Coianunication. Garden City, N.Y.: Double'day and Company, Inc., 1957. 128 pp. 8. Bragdon, Lillian J. Words on Wings. New York: Farrar and Rinehart, 193HT 136 pp. 9. Britton, Carl. Cofunication. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1939. 220 pp. 10. Bryson, Lyman. The Communication of Ideas. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1948. 296 pp. 11. Burke, Redmond. Culture and Communication Through the Ages. Chicago: Detauw University, 1953.’ lo8 pp. 461 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 462 Bursh, Edmund C. Human Relations for Management. New York: Harper and Brothers, 195b. 372 pp. Cady, Edwin. Creative Communication. New York: Reinhold Publishing Company, 1956. 158 pp. Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1936. 24b pp. Cartwright, Dorwin, and Alvin Zander. Group Dynamics Research arid Theory. Evanston, 111.: ftow, Peter son and bompany, 1953. 642 pp. Carver, George, and Ellen M. Geyer. Communication Experience. New York: Thomas Nelson and Sons, I W L . ' Z m pp. Chase, Stuart. Power of Words. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1954. 308 pp. Cherry, Colin. On Human Communication. New York: John Wiley and £>ons, Inc., 19 5 /. 333 pp. Chisholm, Cecil. Communication in Industry. London: Business Publications, Ltd., 1955. 284 pp. Communication Research Center, University College, London. Studies in Communication. London: Martin, Seeker, and Warborg, 1955. 182 pp. Dale, Edgar, Wilbur Schramm, and Paul A. Witty. Mass Media and Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1954. 290 pp. Davies, Daniel R., and Kenneth F. Herrold. Communica tion and the A*fa>* niatrator. New London: Arthur C. droft, 1956. 45 pp. Make Your Staff Meetings Count• New London: Xrthur C. Croft, 1954. 59 pp.------- Davis, Keith. Human Relations in Business. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1957. 557 pp. Dean, Howard H. Effective Communication. New York: Prentice-Hail‘ d Inc., 19S3. 669 pp. Dooher, M. Joseph, and Vivienne Marquis. Effective Communication on the Job. New York: American Management Association, 1956. 278 pp. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 463 Douglass. Paul. Communication Through Reports. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Pretit ice-Ha li7 Inc., 1957. 410 pp. Drewry, John E. Communication Problems and Progress. Athens: University of Georgia, 1956. 179 pp. Dublin, Robert. Human Relations in Administration. New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc/, 1951. 571 pp. Education Policies Commission. Mass Communication and Education. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1958. 137 pp. Flesch, Rudolph. How to Make Sense. New York: Harper and Brothers, l954• 202 pp. The Art of Plain Talk. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1^46• 2lb pp. Gardner, Burleigh B., and David G. Moore. Human Relations in Industry. Homewood, 111.: kichard D. Irwin, Inc., 195^. 427 pp. Gordon, Thomas. Group Centered Leadership. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 19^5. 366 pp. Gowers, Sir Ernest. Plain Words: Their A B C. New York: Alfred A. ftiopf, Inc.", 1957• 298 pp. Grace, William J., and Joan Carol Grace. The Art of Communicating Ideas. New York: The Devin-Adair Company', 19'32.— 5F7 pp. Gray, Lillian, and Dora Reese. Teaching Children to Read. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 195 7. 773TPP. Gray, Stanley J. Communicative Speaking. Boston: Expression Company, 1928. 299 pp. Gunning, Robert. The Technique of Clear Writing. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1952. 289 pp. Harris, Robert T., and James L. Jarrett. Language and Informal Logic. New York: Longmans. Green and Company/ lgSST 274 pp. Hayakawa, S. I. Language in Thought and Action. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company" 1940. 307 pp. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 464 Henne, Francis, Alice Brooks, and Ruth Ersted. Youth, Communication and Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association, 1947. 233 pp. Hoch, Paul H., and Joseph Zubin. Psychopathology of Communication. New York: Greene and Stratton, T75B";— 305 "pp. Hovland, Carl I. The Order of Presentation in Per- suasion. New Haven: Vale University Jhress, T?57. 192"pp". , Janis J. Irving, and Harold H. Kelley. Communication and Persuasion. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1958. 300 pp. Industrial Relations Center, University of Minnesota. Communications in Employment Relations. Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown Company, 1953. 48 pp. Janis, J. HeroId. Business Communication Reader. New York: Harper and brothers, 1958” 366 pp. Learned, Edmund P., David N. Ulrich, and Donald R. Booz. Executive Action. Andover: The Andover Press, Ltd., 1951. 2T5 pp. Lee, Irving J. Customs and Crisis in Communication. New York: Harper and brothers, 1954• 334 pp. How to Talk with People. New York: Harper inra Brothers",' 176 pp. . Language Habits in Human Affairs. New York: Harper ana Brothers, 1941. 278 pp. Maier, Norman R. Principles of Human Relations. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1955. 474 pp. Marrow, Alfred J. Making Management Human. New York: McGraw-Hi11 Book Company, inc., 1957• 241 pp. McBumey, James H., and Ernest J. Wrage. Guide to Good Speech. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1960. 342 pp. McGrath, Earl James. Communication in General Educa- tion. Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown Company ~ T959. 244 pp. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 465 Meerlo, Joost, and Abraham Maurits. Conversation and Communication. New York: International University Press, Inc., 1952. 245 pp. Murphy, Dennis. Better Business Comnunication. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1957. 306 pp. Nichols, Ralph G., and Thomas R. Lewis. Listening and Speaking. Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown Com- pany, 1954. 250 pp. Oliver, Robert T., Dallas E. Dickey, and Harold P. Zelko. Essentials of Conmunicative Speech. New York: The bryden Press, 1949. 338 pp. Opdycke, John Baker. Say What You Mean. New York: Punk and Wagnalls Company, 1944. 581 pp. Packard, Vance. The Status Seekers. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1951. 339 pp. Parker, Willard E., and Robert W. Kleameier. Human Relations in Supervision. New York: MeGraw-kill Book Company, Inc., 1951. 472 pp. Peters, Raymond W. Communications within Industry. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1950. l98 pp. Phillips, David. Oral Communication in Business. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1955. 229 pp. Pigors, Paul, and Charles A. Myers. Personnel Admin istration. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1956. 711 pp. Pfiffner, John M. The Supervision of Personnel. New York: Prentice-tiall, Inc., 1951. 454 pp. Redfield, Charles E. Communication in Management. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1953. 290 pp. Richards, I. A. How to Read a Page. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1942. 246 pp. Riesman, David. Individualism Reconsidered. New York: Doubleday Anchor Books, 1955. 302 pp. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 466 Rogers, Carl R. Client-Centered Therapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company^ 1951. 560 pp. Roy, Robert H. The Administrative Process. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1958. 236 pp. Ruesch, Jurgen, and Gregory Bateson. Conmunication, the Social Matrix of Psychiatry. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1951. 314 pp. Ruesch, Jurgen, and Weldon Kees. Nonverbal Communica tion. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1956. 205 pp. Schlauch, Margaret. The Gift of Language. New York: Dover Publications^ Inc., 1955. 342 pp. . Schramm, Wilbur. Communication in Modern Society. Urbana, 111.: University of Illinois Press, 1948. 252 pp. Schurter, Robert L. Written Communication in Business. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 195V• 490 pp. Smith, Dora U. Communication: The Miracle of Shared Living. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1955. 105 pp. Smith, Henry Clay. Psychology of Industrial Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1955. 477 pp. Tead, Ordway. The Art of Administration. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1951. 223 pp. Thelen, Herbert A. Dynamics of Groups at Work* Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1954. 379 pp. Triggs, Frances Oralind. Improve Your Reading. Minneapolis: The University of Minnesota Press, 1942. 127 pp. Walpole, Hugh R. Semantics. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1941. 264 pp. Weaver, Andrew Thomas, Louise Gladys Borchers, and Donald Kleise Smith. The Teaching of Speech. New York: Prentice-HalT^ Inc., 1952. 565 pp. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 467 Whyte, William H., Jr. Is Anybody Listening? New York: H. Wolff Book Manufacturing Company, 1952. 239 pp. Yourglich, Anita. The Dynamics of Social Interaction. Washington, D.C.: Public Affairs Press, 1954. ”* * 128 pp. Zelko, Harold P. Successful Conferences and Discus sion TechniqueTI New York: McGraw-Hill book Company, Inc., 1957. 264 pp. and Harold J. O'Brion. Management-Employee Communication in Action. Cleveland: Howard Allen, Inc., 1 9 5 7 .— 177 ppT--- Periodical Articles Arnow, Harriette Simpson. "Language, the Key that Unlocks All the Boxes." Wilson Library Bulletin. 30:683-685, May 1956. Austin, Myrtle. "What Is Good Communication?" Education. 76:459-462, April 1956. Babcock, Merton C. "A Dynamic Theory of Communica tion," The Journal of Communication, 2:64-68, May i952. . "A Rationale for Communication Skills," School and Society. 78:4-6, July 11, 1953. Baltimore Committee on Communications. "Report of Committee on Communications," Baltimore Bulletin of Education. 31:20-28, October 1953. Barrun, Jacques. "Architects of Babel," The Saturday Review of Literature. 27:7-9, July 1, 1944. Bavelas, Alex, and Dermot Barrett. "An Experimental Approach to Organizational Communication," Personnel. 27:366-371, March 1951. Benevento, Philip, and Richard C. Lonsdale. "Your Job Approach to Organizational Communication May Be Jamming Your Communications Signals," School Executive, 77:62-64, November 1957. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 468 Benjamin, Robert L. "Communication Barriers Between Employee and Employer," The Journal of Communica tion, 3:124-126, November 1953. Benne, Kenneth D. "How Does Communication Take Place?" Religious Education. 50:331-334. Septem ber 1955^ Bennett, W. E. "The Need for Effective Speech in a Technological Society," The Journal of Communica tion. 1:16-20, May 1951. Bird, Donald E. "Listening," National Education Association Journal. 49:31-33, November 196U. Bricker, June A. "Communication Through a Memoran dum," Journal of Economics. 50:351-353, May 1958. Campbell, Walter H. "The Daily Bulletin in Action," Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. 41:219-228. February 1957. Carroll, John B. "Communication Theory, Linguistics, and Psychol-linguistics," Review of Educational Research. 28:79-88, April 1958. Cauley, Thomas. "How Would You Say It?" The English Journal. 39:322-325, June 1950. Champlln, George R. "Communication Within," Nation*s Schools. 24:45-46, December 1939. Chase, Stuart. "Communications, Up, Down, and Side ways." Reader’s Digest. 61:97-101, September 1952. ________. "Why Some Companies Have No Labor Trouble," Reader’s Digest, 60:16-20, June 1952. Cieslak, Edward C. "Blueprint for Understanding," Phi Delta Kappan, 35:141-143, December 1953. ________. "Communication Snags Are Eliminated," School Activities. 29:102-103, November 1957. Cook, Luella B. "Values and Goals in Communication," College English, 17:253, February 1956. Corson, John J. "The Role of Communication in the Process of Administration," Public Administration Review, 4:7-15, Autumn 1944. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 469 Crocker, Lionel. "Good Speech Is Good Business," Vital Speeches. 19:298-301, March 1, 1953. Crossley, John B. "Using Faculty Meetings to Effect Correlation." California Journal of Secondary Eduction. i6:43Ei«3y, Fowler-W U " -------- Culbertson, Jack. "Here's One that Did," School Executive. 76:68-69, April 1957. Dale, Edgar. "Clear Only if Known," Baltimore Bulletin of Education. 26:15-17, June 1949. . "What Does It Mean to Communicate?" Audio- " Visual Communications Review. 1:3-5, Winter 1953. Davis, Hallowell. "Auditory Communication," Journal of Speech and HearinK Disorders. 16:3-8. Kerch T9TTT------ 5 ------------- Davis, Keith. "A Method of Studying Communication Patterns in Organizations," Personnel Psychology. 6:301-312, Fall 1953. "Uses of the Grapevine," Fortune. 54:98, December 1956. Demos, Raphael. "The Art of Communication or Rhetoric," The Journal of General Education. 1:136-142, January 1947. Dolch, Edward William. "Depth of Meanings," Education, 69:562-566, May 1949. Editorial Staff. "The Pitfalls of Communication," California Journal of Secondary Education, 2 6 :1 3 3 -0 4 , T Siarch 1951.----------------------------- Ehrensberger, Ray. "An Experimental Study of the Relative Effectiveness of Certain Forms of Empha sis in Public Speaking," Speech Monographs. 12:94-111, 1945. Elfenbein, Julien. "Communication Failure," Vital Speeches, 13:529-532, June 15, 1947. Fearing, Franklin. "Toward a Psychological Theory of Human Communication," Journal of Personality. 22:71-88, September 1933. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 470 Fehr, Howard F. "Communication of Scientific Thought." Teacher< College Record. 57:86-94, November 1955. Festinger, L., and John Thibout. "Interpersonal Com munication in Small Groups," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 46:92-99, 1951. Fridell, Lee D. "Are Teachers Afraid to Speak Up?" School Executive. 75:51-53, April 1956. Froman, Robert. "How to Say What You Mean," Nation's Business. 45:76-78, May 1957. Gannon, Edward J. "Getting the Message Across With out Static," Business Week, 54:59, April 23, 1955. "Give It the Right Treatment and Grapevine Can Be a Friend," Business Week, 88, October 27, 1956. _______ . "Group Dynamics as Related to the Adminis tration of Educational Personnel," Education, 75:264-268, December 1954. Goy, Naidene. "Principal's Bulletin Solves a Prob lem," Nation's Schools, 38:45, October 1946. Gracey, Harry F. "Effective Communication--One Road to Productivity." The Journal of Communication. 2:15-19, May 1952. Hall, Hiram S. "Coimnunication with Our Employees," Personnel Journal. 30:85-90, July-August 1951. Hayakawa, S. I. "Can You Hear the Difference?" California Teachers Association Journal. December 1959” pp. 10-12.------------------------ Hinds, George L. "The Communication Behavior of the Executive," The Journal of Communication. 7:29- 34, Spring 195/. Hoslett, Schuyler Dean. "Barriers to Communication," Personnel. 28:108-114, September 1951. Hovland, Carl I. "Social Communication," Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 92:371- 375,U ov«a>er"1948. -----* -------------------- 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 471 Industrial Relations Division of National Association of Manufacturers. "Casebook Bnployee Communica tions in Action," October 1950, pp. 1-27* Irvin, Charles E. "Activities Designed to Improve Listening Skill," The Journal of Communication, 4:14-16, Spring 1954. Johnson and Johnson Company. Rules for Comnunication. New Brunswick, N.J.: The Company, n.d. 24 pp. Katz, Daniel. "Psychological Barriers to Coumunica- tion," The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 250:17:25, March T O ------------------------------ Kleiler, Frank M. "Putting the Grapevine to Work." New York Times Magazine. 104, October 31, 1954. Kubik, Robert M. "Superintendent-Staff Conmunica- tion." The American School Board Journal. 129 :21-22,,"JuTy~1957r; LaBrant, Lou. "The Individual and His Writing," The English Journal. 39:185-189, April 1950. Leavitt, Harold J. "Some Effects of Certain Communi cation Patterns on Group Performance." Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 46:38-50, 1951. Lecoq, John P. "The Function of Language," The Modem Language Journal. 39:177-180, April 1955. Lillywhite, Herald. "Communication In Education," Phi Delta Kappan, 34:67-68, November 1952. "Toward a Philosophy of Comnunication," The Journal of Communication, 2:29-32, May 1952. Lindseth, Elmer L. "Management Communications," Vital Speeches. 20:684-688, September 1954. London, Jack. "The Development of a Grievance Proce dure in the Public Schools," Educational Adminis tration and Supervision. 43:1-18, January 1957. Lorge, Irving. "How the Psychologist Views Communi cation," Teachers College Record, 57:72-79, November 1VST. -------- 472 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158. 159. 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. Markel, Lester. "The Future of the Printed Word," Vital Speeches. 22:381-384, April 1956. McCormick, C. F. "Three Daily Uses of the Sound System at Jarrett Junior High School," The Clearing House. 13:458, April 1939. McGill, E. C. "Break Through the Communication Barrier," School and Co—minitv. January 1960, pp. 19-20. McKeand, Charles A. "Employee Information from A to Z," Personnel Journal. 28:254-261. December 1949. McSwain, E. T. "Do We Understand Each Other?" Childhood Education. 33:148-150, December 1956. Mearns, Hughes. "Tone Up Your Voice and Personal ity," Reader's Digest, 44:15-17, June 1944. Moorman, Cassie. "How Can We Communicate?" Childhood Education, 29:263-266, February 1953. Murray, Elwood. "What Are the Problems of Communica tion in Human Relations?" The Journal of Communication. 1:23-26, May 1951. Nichols, Ralph, and Leonard Stevens. "You Don't Know How to Listen," Collier's, 132:16-19, July 25, 1953. Nordberg, Robert B. "Words Get in Our Way," America, 100:400-401, June 3, 1959. Olson, Clara M. "What Is Comnunication?" Childhood Education, 32:55, October 1955. Osgood, Charles E. "The Nature and Measurement of Meaning," Psychological Bulletin. 49:197-237. May 1952. Phenix, Phillip H. "A Philosophic View of Communica tion," Teachers College Record. 57:80-85, November 1955. Planty, Earl, and William Machaver. "Upward Communi cation: A Project in Executive Development," Personnel, 28:304-318, January 1952. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173- 174. 173. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 473 Pooley, Robert C. "Comnunication and Usage," The English Journal. 24:16-19, January 1945. Ramsey, Frank E. "The School Administrator as Commu nicator," The American School Board Journal. 129:53, October 1954. Rathe, Alex W. "Communications--the Responsibility of Management and the Management Engineer," Journal of Engineering Education, 43:524-527, May 1953. Reeve, Frederic. "Toward a Philosophy of Communica tion," Education. 72:445-455, March 1952. Reeves, Katherine. "What Is Communication?" Child hood Education. 33:147, December 1956. Riley, Matilda W., and John W. Riley, Jr. "A Socio logical Approach to Communication Research," The Public Opinion Quarterly, 15:455-460, 1951. "Say It Again," Time, 67:42, January 16, T756. Lowdermilk, R. R. "School Uses of the Central Pro gram Distribution System," Educational Research Bulletin, 20:1-60, May 1941. Schramm, Wilbur. "The Effects of Mass Communica tion," Journalism Quarterly, 26:397-409, December 1949. Shaw, Marvin E. "Random versus Systematic Distribu tion of Information," Journal of Psychology. 25:59-69, September 1956. Sondel, Bess. "Communication as Crucial in Educa tion," School and Society, 67:443-445, June 12, 1948. Steibel, Gerald L. "John Dewey and the Belief in Communication." Antioch Review, 15:286-299, September 1955. Story, M. L. "Keeping the Staff Informed," The Bul letin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. 36:58-61, January 1952. . "Teacher Suggestions and Administration," ffte Clearing House, 25:274-277, January 1951. 181. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 474 Strang, Ruth. "What Is Comnunication/' Educational Forum. 18:15-19, November 1953. Strong, LaVerne. "We Find Many Ways to Communicate," Childhood Education. 27:247-251, February 1951. Strykler, Perrin. "A Slight Case of Overcommunica tion," Fortune. 49:116-117, March 1954. ________. "Telling the Employees," Time. 66:98, September 19, 1955. Timmerman, Hazel B. "Communication in Personnel Administration." Wilson Library Bulletin. 32:222- 224, November 1957. "TVo-Way Information Flow Pays Off," Factor^Management and Maintenance. 108:112, Vavra, Catherine. "Barriers to Communication," The Journal of School Health, 27:58-60, February T9T71-------------------------------- Wade, Mrs. William H. "Ten Commandments of Good Communication," P.T.A. Bulletin, 35:4, November 1958. " Weaver, Warren. "The Mathematics of Communication," Scientific American. 181:11-15, July 1949. Williamson, Arleigh B. "Safeguarding Channels of Communication," The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 250:1-TT, March 1947:------------------------------ Witte, Paul. "Effective Communication in Curriculum Development," Teachers College Record. 51:286- 295, February 195b. Zelko, Harold P. "An Outline of the Role of Listen ing in Communication." The Journal of Communica tion, 4:71-75, Fall 19&Z 475 Unpublished Materials 193. Gerbner, George. "Toward a Theory of Comnunication." Unpublished Doctor's dissertation, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1955. 433 pp. 194. Jones, Samuel Paul. "An Analysis and Interpretation of Industrial Communication with Special Refer ence to a Metal Fabrication Company." Unpublished Master's thesis, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1957. 96 pp. 195. O'Connor, John. "Philosophical Aspects of Communica tion." Unpublished Master's thesis, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1953. 196. Selitzky, Audrey Louise. "Group Dynamics and Group Working Possible Factors in an Interdisciplinary Relationship." Unpublished Master's thesis, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1954. 50 pp. 197. Williams, Hal E. "A Unit Communication for General Business." Unpublished Master's thesis, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1952. 110 pp. Survey and Public Document 198. Melbo, Irving, and staff. Survey of Pomona Unified School District. The University of Southern "CaTTforTiTa," Los Angeles, 1957. 199. New York Times. Newspapers December 31, 1955. 200. New York Time8, January 1, 1956. 201. New York Times, May 16, 1957. 202. New York Times. December 10, 1958. 203. New York Times. September 1, I960. 204. New York Times, April 9, 1961. 476 Articles on Critical Incident Survey Technique 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. Flanagan, John C. "Improving Personnel Selection," Public Personnel Review, 14:3:107-112, July 1953. "The Critical Incident Technique," Psycho logical Bulletin. 51:4:327-358, July 1954. . "The Critical Incident Technique in the Study of Individuals," Modern Educational Problema. American Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1953. . Army Air Forces Aviation Psychological I^rogram Research Reports, Tfto. 1. Washington, D.cT: United States Government Printing Office, 1947. "Problems and Procedures in Obtaining Crit ical Requirements from Critical Incidents. Paper read at a joint meeting sponsored by the Psychometric Society and Division Association, Denver, September 1949. AP PENDICES APPENDIX A CORRESPONDENCE REQUESTING PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEY 479 April 8, 1959 Dear Fellow Educator: We all like to be kept fully informed of important school matters, especially when they affect us directly and individually. In fact, sometimes when communication is ineffective, or absent, the entire educational process suffers, as we are unable to function at our best. Your school principal has agreed to have your school participate in this study of improving communication from the principal to his staff and has selected you as one of the staff members to help. The enclosed questionnaire provides space for you to record incidents of both effective and ineffective communi cation, or absence thereof, and recommendations for improvement of communication from the principal to you. In order to organize the data it is necessary to know only your official position at your school and the enrollment of the school. All of the individual replies to this survey will be treated confidentially. When answering the ques tions, please be specific and exact and give examples that are coanected with your own official duties. An analysis of the data will be made for the purpose of formulating specific suggestions to assist high school principals to improve communication to all of their staff members. All of the participating principals will be pro vided with a summary of these major suggestions contributed by persons, like yourself, participating in the study. Communication, for this purpose, is defined as a verbal or written message, pertaining to official school business, received by you from the principal. Please mail your own completed questionnaire prior to May 1, 1959. With sincere appreciation, Walter D« St. John 480 Name of your school Address I (would) (would not) like to have my school and staff participate in the proposed study. Your name Hr. Walter St. John 837 West 36th Place Los Angeles 7, California APPENDIX B CRITICAL INCIDENT INSTRUMENT USED IN PRELIMINARY SURVEY 482 April 8, 1959 Dear Fellow Educator: We all like to be kept fully informed of important school matters, especially when they affect us directly and individually. In fact, sometimes when communication is ineffective, or absent, the entire educational process suffers, as we are unable to function at our best. Your school principal has agreed to have your school participate in this study of improving communication from the principal to his staff and has selected you as one of the staff members to help. The enclosed questionnaire provides space for you to record incidents of both effective and ineffective communi cation, or absence thereof, and recommendations for improvement of communication from the principal to you. In order to organize the data it is necessary to know only your official position at your school and the enrollment of the school. All of the individual replies to this survey will be treated confidentially. When answering the ques tions, please be specific and exact and give examples that are connected with your own official duties. An analysis of the data will be made for the purpose of formulating specific suggestions to assist high school principals to Improve communication to all of their staff members. All of the participating principals will be pro vided with a summary of these major suggestions contributed by persons, like yourself, participating in the study. Communication, for this purpose, is defined as a verbal or written message, pertaining to official school business, received by you from the principal. Please mail your own completed questionnaire prior to May 1, 1959. With sincere appreciation, Walter D. St. John Effective and Ineffective Communication Vour bfiicial Position School Enrollment I. Please think back over the past few weeks and give an example of an effective communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its effec tiveness. (If you need additional space for any of the questions, use the back of this sheet and clearly identify the question being answered.) II. Please give a recent example of an absence of communication from the principal to you, which, if received, would have helped you to perform your duties better. III. Please give a recent example of an ineffective communication from the principal to you. Explain the reason for its ineffectiveness. IV. Now kindly recommend one or more methods for improving communication from the principal to you. APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED TO PRINCIPALS January 1, 1962 Dear Principal—— ________________ Comini cation between the principal and his staff is, and always has been, a highly important aspect of school administration. Our professional organization C.A.S.3.A. has authorized and endorsed this study entitled, Condition* Affecting Cnmmnication between the High School Principal and his Staff. All of the participating principals will be provided with the major findings of the study. (None of the data will be identified with any school or individual.) You are requested to distribute the enclosed questionnaires to the following specified personnel at your school, and to encourage each to complete them: Assistant Principal or Dean of Boys Assistant Principal or Dean of Grrls Director of Guidance or a Counselor Audio-Visual Coordinator Head Librarian or Librarian Registrar or Secretary Director of Attendance or Secretary a Department Chairman Head Custodian or a Custodian School Nurse an experienced teacher-academic subject an experienced teacher—non academic subject a new or relatively inexperienced teacher If one or more of the above positions are not included on your staff, please designate an appropriate alternate so that the 13 questionnaires will all be completed. An analysis of the data will be made for the purpose of formulating specific Suggestions to assist high school principals to improve conmunication with all of their staff members. A stamped and addressed envelope is enclosed for each person included m the study. Your guidance and encouragement of this, the final phase of the study, at your school, will be most helpful and greatly appreciated. CA L 1 FO I N 1 A A S S O C I A T I O N OF S I C O N D A I Y SC H O O L A D M I N I S T R A T O R S t i n n x i o n a n - •■•■h i t . a » h b • > r r a - n n P m U rm l Publisher* of ( HAtLU 5 Mouu, J* L * M ' . r m * 4 )o**+d o i SwoaJm7 C d M o r w S t k c o l D w m to n f m t k t f a mo* I t i g h S*Aoo/ JVM ' /" i r m i Ear*A*. Cdtformm S m r tu r j W illia m N. U c G o v a n A u u tm t S u rm m r H- B vcrn MuecLfn OJE« M m m ftr U u M asgauti Zim a J L in e i , 195 9 M r. W a lte r S t. John 837 Went 36th P lace Loe Angelaa 7, C a lifo rn ia D ear M r. S I. John: You m ay uae thia le tte r u y o u r a u th o riz a tio n fo r CASS A aup port co n ce rn in g y o u r d la a e rta tio n q u e s tio n n a ire . V e ry tru ly .jw u ra t w i l i t . - W illia m N . M cGow an F xe cu tive S e c re ta ry W N M cG /m c Sincerely yours, Walter D. St. John, Administrative Vice—Principal Clovis High School Clovis, California Principal__________________________________________________________________________ Position Size Category CONDITIONS AFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND HIS STAFF DIRECTIONS The following methods are used in conveying information, in general f to_ staff members from the principal. In the frequency of use section please indicate hew often you use each method to convey information by checking the appropriate column. In the effectiveness section please indicate how effective you consider each method by checking the appropriate column. If you use methods other than those listed below please list them under other and rate them by checking the appropriate column, (if a method isn!t used, leave it blank) METHODS OF CONVEYING INFOiMATION TO STAFF MEMBERS (Verbal) / Frequency ^ b / * 7 i V / * * / < 5 / / / / / < > 7 * , of Us i / V / X / ? A la n e / V V / Effectiveness A / / / V $ / £ / v / S / * / f j CASUAL Personal Chats School Phone School Grapevine Social Gatherings MEETINGS Department — Principal present Staff (Faculty) School Assemblies INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE By appointment with Staff Member Through Department Chairman ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Address Student Messenger OTHER: (Written) INFOMAL Note Personal Letter Suggestion Box Sharing Professional Literature FOfMAL Memorandum Official Reports BULLETINS Bulletin Board School Paper Newsletter Daily Bulletin Weekly Bulletin Special Bulletin HANDBOOKS (MANUALS) OTHER. Principal Position DIRECTIONS Size Category School principals receive information, in general, from staff members by one or more of the folloving methods. In the frequency of use section, please indicate hov often you receive information by each method by checking the appropriate column. In the effectiveness section. please indicate hov effective you consider each method by checking the appropriate column. If you use methods other than those listed belov, please list them under other and rate them by checking the appropriate column, (if a method isn't used, leave it blank) Effectiveness Frequency of Use METHODS OF RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM STAFF MEMBERS (Varhs1) CASUAL Personal Chats School Phone School Grapevine Social Gatherings [fiiS§_______________________ Department—Principal present Staff (Faculty) School Assemblies___________ Grievance Committee INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE_____________ by Appointment with Staff Member through Department Chairman ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Address Student Messenger OTHER: (Written) INFORMAL Note Personal Letter Suggestion Box__________________ Sharing Professional Literature Official Reports BULLETINS Bulletin Board School Paper Nevsletter Daily Bulletin Weekly Bulletin HANDBOOKS (MANUALS) OTHER:______________ Principal Position DIRECTIONS Size Category Please read carefully the following list relating to types of information connnunicated to principals of schools. Rate each type as to importancj and preference in the spaces provided at the right hand side of the page. In the columns under importance, please indicate the degree of importance of the information to you in performing your school duties by checking the appropriate C 01 nmn . . . In the columns under preference, please indicate how you would 1 ike to receive each type of information by checking the appropriate column. / Impor TYPES OF j </ / *-7 £ INFORMATION /> $7// * / . \ & / 0 / K ■tance /Pr //// / eferen m Legal Provisions relating to your Job & Duties Statement of District Policy Conminity1* Philosophy of Education Background 4 Composition of Community Statement of Deut. 4 Office Procedures Statement of Dept. Rules 4 Regulations Staff Members’ Philosophy of Education Definition of vour Job Duties 4 Responsibilities Statement of vour Extra-curricular Responsibilities Statement cf your Community Obligations Lines of Responsibility between you 4 Staff Members Channels of Coimnunication between vou 4 Staff Members Staff Members' Attitudes toward new Ideas 4 Suggestions Results of vour Suggestions. Ideas. 4 Recommendations Staff Members’ personal Likes 4 Dislikes Morale of Staff Members Staff‘s Suggestions. Ideas. 4 Recommendations Changes in your Duties or Job Responsibilities Proposed Changes in your Office Procedure Proposed Changes in your Office Personnel Special School Activities (Times 4 tvpes^ Routine School Activities (Time 4 tvoes^ Agendas of Dept, or Committee Meetings Current Problems of the School Current Problems 4 Complaints of Staff Members Future Plans of the Depts.. and their Personnel Curriculum of School Classroom Activities Pupils with Special Problems or Needs Budgetary 4 Financial concerning your School Supplies 4 Equipment available 4 status of Orders Method 4 Basis of your Evaluation Statement of your Progress and where you Stand Opportunities for Promotion 4 Advancement Method of Pay Computation forjrour Check Hospitalization Plans 4 Benefits available Workmen’s Compensation 4 Sick Leave Provisions Retirement Provisions 4 Requirements Othe r Principal Position Size Category DIRECTIONS Please indicate the methoda you would moat prefer to receive the following types of information from your staff. In the verbal section, please indicate how you would most prefer to receive the information verbally by checking the appropriate column. In the written section, please indicate how you would most prefer to receive the information in the written form by checking the appropriate column. Methods of Receiving Information Verbal Written TYPES OP INFORMATION 7 a - ' / a W M v W V S - ' ' Legislative Changes concerning Curriculum Recent Develooments in Curriculum Scheduling Problems 4 Needs Recommendations for Course of Study Revision School Testing Program & its Results Graduation Activities 4 Problems Basis for School Groumng & Results Staff Evaluation of Texts 4 other Instructional Supplies fbacAiit Developments in Teaching 4 other Educational Aids Teacher 4 other Staff Member* Needs, Desires, Problems Materials Used 4 Needed for Instruction Condition of Equipment 4 availability of Supplies Facilities in need of Repair or Replacement Request for Special Use of Facilities Hazards 4 potential Dangers in 4 around School $tudent Health Problems 4 Needs Cafeteria Problems 4 Needs School Transportation Problems 4 Needs Balances remaining in various Budgets 4 Categories Classroom Load 4 Pupi1-Teacher Ratio Classroom Activities Staff Morale Staff Members Philosophy of Education Staff Members Training, Experience 4 special Abilities Staff special Interests 4 Assignment Desires Staff Members Complaints, Problems 4 Needs Staff Members Suggestions, Ideas, 4 Recommendations Results of your Ideas, Suggestions 4 Recomnendations Extra-curricular 4 Community Responsibilities of Staff Staff Members methods of Discipline 4 Grading Future Plans of Departments 4 Personnel Office 4 Dept. Procedures. Rules 4 Regulations Attendance Problems 4 Needs Students1 Academic Progress 4 Grades Students with special Problems or Needs 4 Accomplishments Routine 4 Special School Activities Extra-curricular Activities Cnmmity Philosphy of Education 4 Attitude toward School Burkground 4 Composition of Cnmmunitv Principe Position Size Category PISECTIONS School principals receive information from the following sources. Please indicate who you are currently receiving each type of information from by writing the number 1 in the appropriate column. Please indicate who you would like to receive each type of information from by writing the number 2 m the appropriate column, PleaBe note that numbers 1_ and 2 may be placed in the same column square j_f you so desire. (e.g. 1-2) Sources of Information TYPES OF INFO MAT ION Legislative Changes concerning Curriculum___________ Hecent Developments in Curriculum____________________ Scheduling Problems & Needs_____________; _____________ Ran n— end at ion s for Course of Study Revision________ School Testing Program A its Results_________________ Graduation Activities A Problems_____________________ Basis for School Grouping & Results__________________ Staff Evaluation of Texts A other Instr. Supplies Recent Developments in Teaching & other Educ, Aids Teacher h other Staff Members Needs, Desires, Prob. Materials Used A Needed in Instruction_______________ Condition of Equipment & availability of Supplies___ Facilities in need of Repair or Replacement_________ Request for Special Use of Facilities________________ Hazards 4 potential Dangers in & around School______ Student Health Problems A Needs______________________ Cafeteria Problems & Needs ' _______________________ School Transportation Problems A Needs_______________ Balances remaining in various Budgets & Categories Classroom Load & Pupil-Teacher Ratio_________________ Classroom Activities________________________________ Staff Morale___________________________________________ Staff Members Philosophy of Education________________ Staff Members Training, Experience A Abilities______ Staff’s special Interests & Aggiwwnt PeBires______ Staff Members Complaints. Problems & Needs________ Staff Members Suggestions. Ideas & Recommendations Results of vour Suggestions. Ideas t Recommend._____ Extra-Curricular & Community Responsibilities-Staff Staff Members method of Discipline & Grading________ Future Plans of Departments & Personnel______________ Office & Dept. Procedures. Rales <k Regulations _____ Attendance Problems A Needs__________________________ Students" Academic Progress ft Grades_________________ Routine & Special School Activities__________________ Extra-curricular Activities__________________________ Occupational A Scholarship Opportunities available Cpulinjtv Philosophy of Educ. & Attitude toward Sch. Background & Composition of Community ___________ Principal Position H L R E C 1 1 Q N S Size Category Please gimiy carefully complete the following items. Use the reverse side of this page if it is necessary. What type (s) of information would you like to receive more communication about concerning the school? What type (s) of information do you receive too much communication on? What do you consider the most important factor (s) that enables you and the staff to communicate effectively with each other? What do you consider the most serious problem (s) that makes effective communication between you and the staff more difficult? What recommendation (s) do you have that would most improve coimnunication between you and your staff members? PLEASE HAIL TO: Walter D. St. John Administrative Vice-Principal Clovis High School Clovis, California APPENDIX D QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED TO STAFF MEMBERS January 1, 19f>2 Do.ir Fellow Educator: We all like to be kept informed of important school matters, especially when they affect us directly and individually. When communication is ineffective, or absent, the entire educational process suffers. Therefore, it is essential educators continually strive to improve the effectiveness of comriunication. The nneiples of effective communication developed from the findings of this study will aid educators to improve communication in their schools. This will help revent ineffective communication from occurring at your school. Your school principal has approved participation in this study, entitled, Conditions Affecting Coimminteation between the High School Principal and his Staff, and he has selected you as one of the staff members to assist. Ai1 of the individual repl1es to this study will be treated confidentially. A stamped and addressed envelope is enclosed for your convenience. With sincere appreci:*ti on , Walter D. St. John, Administrative Vice-Principal Clovis High School Clovis, California c a u f o « N I A A SSOCIATIO N OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS m o u n c i o m ■ 111« 111 r 4 • inti P rgiU * iu Publishers o< ( S M o u rn . J» /k r fs W 0/ P w f J C J rfa rm i School D w HiStboci 1 9n ■ r $ * • * * June 4 , 1 959 M r . W a lte r S t. John 837 W est 36th P lace Los Angeles 7, C a lifo rn ia Dear M r. S t. John: You m ay uae th is le tte r aa your a u th o riz a tio n fo r CASS A s u p p o rt c o n c e rn in g your d ia a e rta tio n q u e s tio n n a ire . V e ry t r u ly . jr o u r i. H i t U V j I l l * 1“ '-------- W illia m N. M cGow an F.xecutive S e c re ta ry W N M cC /m c E a v tm M *# % 4 c * t u r y W llX tA M N . M CG siVaN Sirrnap M . E u g b n i M u b h litz M as U a u a i i t i 7 j P H i i'osi 1 1 o n Size Category CONDITIONS AFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOL P HI NCI PAL AND HIS STAFF DIRECTIONS The following methods are used in conveying information, in general, to_ the p m ncipal from his staff members. In the frequgncy of use section, please indicate how often you use each method to convey information by checking the a pro riate column. In the effectiveness section, . lease indicate how effect 1 ve you consider each method by checking the a pro,riate column. If you use methods other than those listed below, please list them under other and then rate them by checking the appropriate column. (i_f a method 1 sn11 used, leave blank) Effectiveness Frequency of Use METHODS OF CONVEYING 1 NFOHMATION TO PRINCIPALS (Verbal ) CASUAL Personal Chats School Uhone School Grapevine Social Gatherings MEETINGS Department-Principal present Staff (Faculty) School Assemblies Grievance Committee individual confluences With Principal by Appointment With Dept. Chairman who Advances it ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Address Student Messenger OTHER (Written) Note Personal Letter Suggestion Box Sharing Professional Literature FOlfrlAL Offical Keuorts BULLETINS Bulletin Board School Pape Newsletter Daily Bulletin . WeeklY.-BuU s .tiu ----------- HANDBOOKS (MANUALS) Po Hi t i on Size Category DIRECTIONS School .staff membe r a ret ei ve inf ormat i on . in general one nr more of the following methods. f rom Pn nc i a 1 s by In the f requencv of use sect 1 on. please indicate how often yon recc ive information by each method by checking the appropriate column. In the eifec 11veness sect 1 on lease indicate how effective you consider each method by checking the appropriate column. If you use methods other than thos listed below, please list them under other and then rate them by checking the appropriate column, (if a method 1sn1t used, leave it blank)______________________ Effectiveness Frequency of Use METHODS OF RECEIVING INFOIMATION FROM PRINCIPALS T CASUAL f Pe rsonal Chat s School Phone School Grapevine Social Gatherings MEETINGS .. j " i Department-Principal present Staff (Faculty) — 1— 1 [ School Assemblies t - - - r Grievance Committee INDIVIDUAL CONFEitENCE f i ! — - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - With Principal by Appointment Through Dept. Chairman ANNUU N C IFtENT S l*ubl ic Address Student Messenger OTHER- — - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ( W'r 111 en ) i ! i INFO ilMAl. Note Personal Letter Suggestion Box -..-. - - - - - - - - - - Sharing Professional l-iterature , . , . . - - - FUHMAL - - - - - - - - - - 1 _ . . Memo randum Official Reports BULLETINS Bui 1et in Board School Paper Newsletter Daily Bu11etin Spec tal Bui 1etin HANDBOOKS (MANUALS) OTHER- ' ‘ t . . . . . . . . . j ; 1 Posit ion DIRECTIONS Size Category Please read carefully the following list relating to types of information communicated to staff members in schools Rate each type as to importance and preference in the spaces provided at the right hand side of the page. In the columns under importance, please indicate the degree of importance of the information to you in performing your school duties by checking the appropriate column In the columns under preferenct , please indicate how you would 1ike to eceive each type of information by checking the appropriate column / Importance /Pref erent TYPES OF / / a * / / K f * / / ?/ / / INFORMATION f a V * r / •/l j X o / h / o p y * / & / * * / ,v/w k /e* r*l Lecal Provisions relating to vour Job & Duties Statement of District Policv Cnmnnini tv ‘ s Philosophy of Education Background & Composition of Community Statement of School Procedures Statement of School Rules & Regulations Principal's Philosophy of Education Definition of your Job Duties & Responsibilities Relationship of your Job to the other Jobs at School Statement of your Extra-curricular Responsibilities Statement of your Community Obligations Lines of Responsibility between you & the Principal Channels of Communication between you & the Principal Principal's Attitude toward new Ideas & Suggestions Procedures for making Ideas & Suggestions Known Procedure for making Complaints & Grievances Known Results of your Suggestions, Ideas & Recommendations Principal’s personal likes & Dislikes Changes in vour Duties or Job Responsibilities Proposed Changes in your Office or Dept. Procedures Proposed Changes in vour Office or Dept. Personnel Special School Activities (dates & types) Routine School Activities (dates 8c types) Agendas of Staff or Department Meetings., Current Problems of the School Future Plans for the School 8t its Personnel Curriculum of School Pupils with Special Problems or Needs Budgetary & Financial concerning your Office or Dept. Supplies 81 Equipment available & status of Orders Method & Basis of your Evaluation Statement of your Progress and where you Stand Opportunities for Promotion 8t Advancement Method of Pay Computation for your Check Hospitalization Plans & Benefits available Workmen s Compensation 8i Sick Leave Provisions Retirement Provisions & Requirements 0 Iher i i Pos it ion DIRECTIONS Size Category Please indicate the methods you would moat prefer to receive the following types of information from your principal In the verbal section please indicate how you would moat prefer to receive the info rmation ve rbally by checking the appropriate column, In the w ritten section please indicate how you would most prefer to receive the info rmat i on in the written form by checking the appropriate column. Methods o /Ve TYPES OF / 1 / j / *? / * < INF01MATI0N / £/ $ f Rt rba */• /? J / ■ ? 0 / \ c it ei y V/ £7 ^ < a It LVing —J t r r — £ /> / £ I* /• ' M r A inf Wr */ ‘ i v /J arm itt */ / ■? at i on [ en / h I * / & / <?/ > j Legal Provisions relating to your Job & Duties Statement of District Policy Community a Philosophy of Education Background & Composition of Community Statement of School Procedures Statement of School Rules & Regulations Principal a Philosophy of Education Definition of vour Job Duties & Responsibilities Relationship of your Job to the other Jobs at School Statement of your Extra-curricular Responsibilities Statement of your Community Obligations Lines of Responsibility between you & the Principal Channels of Communication between you & the Principal Principal s Attitude toward new Ideas & Suggestions — — ------- Procedures for making Ideas & Suggestions Known Procedures,for making Complaints & Grievances Known Results ol your Suggestions, Ideas & Recommendations ------ Principal s personal Likes & Dislikes Changes in your Duties or Job Responsibilities Proposed Changes m your Office or Dept. Procedures Proposed Changes in your Office or Dept. Personnel Special School Activities (dates & tvpes) Routine School Activities (dates & types) Agendas of Staff or Department Meetings Current Problems of the School Future Plans for the School & its Personnel Curriculum of School Pupils with Special Problems or Needs Budgetary & Financial concerning vour Office or Dept. Supplies & Equipment available & Status of Orders Method & Basis of vour Evaluation Statement of your Progress and where you Stand Opportunities for Promotion & Advancement Methods of Pay Computation for your Check Hospitalization Plans & Benefits Available Workmen s Compensation & Sick Leave Provisions Retirement Provisions & Reauirements Other. Position DIRECTIONS Size Category School staff members receive information from the following sources. Please indicate who you are currently receiving each ty, e of information from by writing the number 1 m the appropriate column. Please indicate who you would like to receive each type of information from by writing the number 2 in the appropriate column,, Please note that numbers 1 and 2 may be placed in the same column if you so desi re (eg 1-2) Sources of Information TYPES UF INFO MAT I ON 4 /o h K / I K-U K /?< /a •» L V* */ ^ ' /> o / v y *7 -I J /*u ' d # e M ' f oo/ ^ * * / % 1*1 Legal Provisions relating to vour Job & Duties Statement of District Policy Communitv s Philosophy of Education Background & Comuosition of Communitv Statement of School Procedures Statement of School Rules & Regulations Principal’s Philosophy of Education .Definition of vour Job Duties & Responsibilities Relationship of your Job to the other Jobs at School Statement of vour Extra-curricular Responsibilities • Statement of your Community Obligations Lines of Responsibility between vou & the Principal Channels of Communication between vou & the Principal Principal's Attitude toward new Ideas & Suggestions Procedures for making Ideas & Suggestions Known Procedures for making Complaints & Grievances Known Results of your Suggestions, Ideas & Recommendations Principal's personal Likes & Dislikes Changes in vour Duties or Job Responsibilities Proposed Changes in your Office or Dept. Procedures Proposed Changes in your Office or Dept, Personnel Special School Activities Routine School Activities Agendas of Staff or Department Meetings Current Problems of the School Future Plans for the School & its Personnel Curriculum of School Pupils with special Problems or Needs Budgetary & Financial concerning your Office or Dept. Supplies & Equipment available & status of orders Method & Basis of vour Evaluation Statement of vour Progress and where vou Stand Opportunities for Promotion Sl Advancement Method of Pay Computation for your Check Hospitalization Plans & Benefits available Workmen's Compensation & Sick Leave Provisions Retirement Provisions & Requirements Other, Position Size Category D I I t E C T I O N S Please study and carefully complete the following items. Use the reverse side of this page if it is necessary. 1. As a staff member, what type (s) of information would you like to receive more communication about? As a staff member what type (s) of information do you receive too much communication on? P What do you consider the most important factor (s) that enables you and the principal to communicate effectively with each other? lr What do you consider the most serious problem (s) that makes effective communication between you and the principal more difficult? What recommendation (s) do you have that would most improve communication between you and the principal? Please Mail To Walter D St. John Admi ni st rat 1 ve Vi ce-1’rinn pa 1 Clovis High School Clovis, California

Asset Metadata

Creator St. John, Walter Douglas (author)

Core Title Communication Between The High School Principal And The School Staff

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag education, administration,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Advisor LaFranchi, Edward H. (committee chair), Carnes, Earl F. (committee member), Nelson, D. Lloyd (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c18-334199

Unique identifier UC11359197

Identifier 6409623.pdf (filename),usctheses-c18-334199 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier 6409623.pdf

Dmrecord 334199

Document Type Dissertation

Rights St. John, Walter Douglas

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA