The Proper Handling of People

As Taught By Messenger Elijah Muhammad

Chapter 1.
I. Fundamental Technique in Handling People

1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain.

2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
II. Ways To Make People Like You.

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

2. Smile.
3. Remember that a man's name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any
language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.
III. Ways To Win People To Your Way of Thinking.

1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.

2. Show respect for the other man's opinion. Never tell a man he is wrong.
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying, "Yes, yes" immediately.
6. Let the other man feel that the idea is his.
7. Let the other man do a great deal of talking.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with other person's ideas and desires.
10.Appeal to the nobler motives.
11.Dramatize you ideas.
12.Throw down a challenge.
IV. Ways To Change People Without Giving Offense Or Arousing Resentment.

1. Begin with praise and honest appreaciation.

2. Call attention to peoples mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about you own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other man save his face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be hearty in your
approbation and lavish in your praise.
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.
 Chapter 2

V. Things Important To People.

1. People were listed as concerned with the following in order of importance to them:
1. Security.
2. Treatment by people in authority over them.
3. Relationship to associates.
4. Physical surroundings.
5. Treatment by their job.
6. Compensation.
7. Appreciation of efforts.
8. Incentives.
9. Benefits.
10.Attention given complaints.
11.Opportunity for advancement.
12.Opportunity to make suggestions.
VI. Things Laborers Should Be Concerned With.

1. Job progress
2. How to do job.
3. Nations or Mosque's plans and results.
4. Recognition of achievement through:
• Advancement
• Credit from good job.
• Pleasant relations with people.
• Consideration of job is important.
A laborer who is effecient, is fair, gives full consideration to complaints, gives clear
orders and instructions, considers others personal problems, give subordinates
chances to make suggestions and opportunity to use initiative.

Chapter 3
VII. People Work Best

1. People work best when they feel that they and their efforts are important. You can make them
feel this way if you:
• understand that each believer is an individual
• find out what they want from their position or Islam
Situations in Dealing With People
2. You put this knowledge to work by the way you deal with each person in such situations as:
 • correcting mistakes
• praising
• dealing with personal problems
• resolving personal conflicts
• getting them to work as a group
• handling grievances
• giving orders
• introducing changes
VIII. Dealing With Authority

1. They are people too and so are other officials or laborers.

2. Your success as a person depends on how you get along with them too.
3. Maintaining good relations with authorities and other officials probably does not differ
much from dealing with some one who is not. They are all people.
4. If you can figure out how to handle them, you know it will pay off.
IX. Steps in Handling Personal Problems

1. Listen without judging or advising.

2. Help the person to clarify his thinking.
3. Assist him in carrying out his decision.
4. If you can't help, minimize the load
• lessen responsibility
• create new interest
• assure the individual of your sympathy and understanding
• emphasize the need to carry on
X Two Basic Goals

1. Security
2. Approval
• realize people need approval
• how and when depends on the individual and the situation
• a man wants respect for his ideas and opinions and a chance to excel, to show his ability

Chapter 4
XI Elements of Correction

1. Be sure it's necessary.

2. Correct in private, if possible.
3. Be matter-of-fact.
4. Start with a favorable comment, if possible.
5. Suit the correction to the person corrected.
6. Tell what's wrong, and why.
7. Give him a chance to comment.
8. Tell how to make the correction.
9. End on an encouraging note.
XII Types of Assistant's Responsibilities

FULL RESPONSIBILITY (No SHARED RESPONSIBILITY (Report NO RESPONSIBILITY (Refer to

referral to Superior) action to Superior) Superior for decision)

Checking set up before new project

Progress records Matters of discipline
begins
Checking attendance Quality reports Assignments
Progress of program
Routine maintenance Scheduling
schedules
Keeping performance charts up to
Training of new people Granting of privileges
date.
Advising setup man of needed changes Grievance handling
XIII How to Make Decisions

1. Define the problem exactly.

2. Canvass all possibilities.
3. Compare and evaluate each solution.
4. Select the best parts of each.
5. Implement the decision.
XIV How to Assist Your Assistant

1. Give specific training.

2. Help him establish good relations with group.
• prepare group
• prepare assistant
• define his authority
3. Define his duties:
• regular duties
• emergency duties
4. Define his responsibility:
• full
• shared
• none
5. Train him to make decisions
6. Tell him who to see for guidance.
 Chapter 5

XV Road to Satisfaction

Recognition as Individual Security Sense of Belonging

Learn person's name and Teach him Properly Make him feel wanted
use it
Put him on his own Criticize sparingly. Help him make friends
Listen to his ideas. Praise good work. Point out his contribution to the
Recognize him away from group.
Mosque life.
Show him his work is important. Make him feel your Mosque is a
team of which he is a respected
member.
 Make sure orders are understood.
Expect enough from him to
provide incentive but not more
than he can deliver
Don't let any change come as a
surprise
XVI Four Basic Problems

1. Health.
2. Finances.
3. Domestic Affairs.
4. Affairs of the Heart.
XVII Believer-Official Agreement

1. The welfare of the group comes first.

2. The official shall lead the group and be responsible for its welfare
3. The Muslim should follow the official's lead, obey instructions, directions, orders, etc.
4. The official shall not take advantage of his position to give harmful orders, play favorites,
etc.
5. The official and believers shall each do what he can to make it advantageous to belong to
the Mosque.
XVIII What do you Owe to Members of the Group

1. Ability to do your job.

2. Responsibility.
3. Fairness.
4. Advancement of group welfare.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 10/25/64 and 10/27/64

Chapter 6

XIX Good Laborers' Neighbor Policy

1. Time cutting: if laborers work smoothly together, they can interchange.

2. Muslim Morale: no use trying to put the team idea across to your people if they see there is no
team work on the Official level.
3. Emergency aid: if laborers are on good terms, one will jump in to meet the other fellow's
emergency.
4. Communication: a few warning words can save a lot of headaches and time.
Improving Relations With Fellow Official
1. Don't tear him down
• passing the buck
• encroaching on his authority
 • making the most of his mistakes
• digging at him in public
2. Build him up
• giving timely warnings
• keeping him informed
• saying a good word to him
• keeping competition friendly.
XX Basic Personality Types:

TYPE CHARACTERISTICS

1. Says "no" to everything

2. Changes his mind reluctantly.
3. Can't be swayed by argument.
Stubborn
4. Balks at instructions.
5. Resents taking orders.
6. Dislikes change.

1. Slow Always chews things over.

2. Slow getting started.
Slow
3. Not likely to go off half-cocked.
4. Can't be rushed.

1. Easily offended
2. Hurt by criticism
3. Can't be kidded
Sensitive
4. Magnifies complaints
5. Takes everything personally
6. Resents orders.

1. Crumbles under criticism

2. Too shy to ask necessary questions
Timid
3. Slow in making friends
4. Has little initiative

1. Quick and positive with suggestions

2. Impatient about complaints
3. Somewhat conceited
Bold
4. Argumentative
5. Leaps before looking
6. Apt to be enthusiastic worker.

MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/1/64 AND 11/3/64

Chapter 7

XXI Friction Points

1. Giving orders
2. Handling unjustified complaints.
3. Giving praise.
4. Correcting mistakes.
5. Making changes.
XXII Program for Induction, Orientation of New Muslims

1. Before he arrives
• prepare future associates
• get his place ready.
2. When he arrives
• greet him by name
 • show him around
• introduce him to the others
• tell him about the rules and routine
• tell him about his duties
• let everybody know he's arrived.
XXIII Reward kickback Areas

1. Resentful co-people.
2. Reaction of the rewarded worker himself.
3. Other associate group reaction.
4. Organizational conflict.
XXIV Some Type of Reward

1. Verbal approval.
2. Written approval.
3. Public praise.
4. Speacial priviledges.
5. Promotion.
6. Compensation.
XXV How to Reward

1. Aim your approval.

2. Select the reward.
3. Distribute rewards fairly
4. Explain the purpose
5. Inform the others.
6. Keep records.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/8/64 and 11/10/64

Chapter 8

XXVI Points of Being Friendly

1. Establish friendly relations with all your people.

2. Be completely impartial on the job or position.
3. Make your position clear to your friend.
4. Don't try to cover up the relationship.
XXVII Guide for Handling Conflicts

1. Approach the matter calmly.

2. Be strictly impartial.
3. Get to the bottom of conflict.
4. Make the individuals recognize their motivations.
5. Show why antagonism doesn't belong among Muslims.
6. Try to bring about a friendly relationship.
7. Follow up.
XXVIII Painless Disciplining

1. Beforehand
• give ample and definite warning.
• make sure it's his fault.
• see that no one is irreplaceable.
• consider compensating factors.
• decide who else must be told.
XXIX When You Discipline

1. Get your feelings under control.

2. Select the right time and place.
3. Make your decision final at the outset.
4. Back it up with facts.
5. Allow him to let off steam.
6. Help him to make a fresh start.
7. Help him to save face with others.
8. Help him to make final arrangements.
9. Safeguard group reaction.
10.Learn from each disciplining or firing how to prevent others
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/15/64 and 11/17/64

Chapter 9
XXX Detecting Personality Quirks

The Basic Question: How will a man's emotional make-up show up on

1. Some cautions
• Spread emotional stability questions throughout interview.
• Consider the facts in light of the circumstances, nature of job working conditions, and so
on.
• Don't overemphasize any one point. Evaluate the entire picture.
2. Behavior
• Is he inflexible; has he refused to change his work at all?
• Is he chronically dissatisfied Ñ was something wrong with every job?
• Did he consider himself too good for the job?
3. Relations with others
 • Other workers; was it always the other's fault?
• His foreman, did he resent authority? Was the laborer alwayspicking on him?
Was he always in trouble?
4. Inexperienced applicants
• Did he take part in outside school activities?
• Did he make friends in school?
• What did he think of his teachers?
XXXI Four Steps to Teamwork

Principal aim: To turn worker's attention toward the group

1. Relate individual purpose to group purpose.
2. Keep the group posed on its score.
3. Relate individual's job performance to group score.
4. Give group a part in planning and problem solving.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/22/64 and 11/24/64

Chapter 10
XXXII Troubles of the Insecure Laborer

1. He passes the buck.

2. He takes all the credit.
3. He doesn't give information to subordinates.
4. He surrounds himself with favorites or yes-men.
5. He gets panicky over having to make decisions.
XXXIII Troubles of the Sadistic Laborer

1. He tends to "take it out on his men".

2. He like to "see people eat dirt".
3. Picks on individuals.
4. He's overquick to punish.

XXXIV Factors Forcing the Neurotic Pattern

1. Sensitivity to domination.
2. Burdens of responsibility exaggerate insecurity.
3. Economic and emotional security depends on the relationship
4. Future status depends on it.
5. Frustrations of inadequate leadership.
6. Frustrations of inadequate assistance.
XXV Some Problems Laborers

1. Wishy-washy. Not sure of anything, least of all himself.

 2. Domineering. He runs the show, and wants everyone to know
3. Slave driver. Wages personal war with his people, and is to win.
4. Out-of-touch. Leave details and everything else to subordinates.
5. Palsy-walsy. He thinks, 'I can get the so-and-so's to work better by means of a little back-
slapping.'
6. Moody. Personal problems keep him out of the running.
7. Knows-it-all. Knows all the answers and nobody else knows any
8. On his way up. Has eye on the next rung and his foot on your neck.
9. Overburdened. Starts running the moment he wakes up, but hasn't caught up yet.
XXXVI Are You the Cause of the Laborer's Trouble?

1. Do you like to "show up" your superior?

2. Do you resent taking his orders?
3. Do you tend to by-pass him?
4. Do you get emotional in thinking or talking about him?
5. Do you think you should be in his shoes?
6. Do you depend on him too much?
7. Do you dislike him for "personal reason"?
8. Do you keep him in the dark as much as possible?
9. Are you afraid of him?
XXXVII Finding the Source of Error

1. Verify the extent of the mistake.

2. Find the reason.
3. Bring the situation out into the open.
4. Weigh a remedy.
5. Prevent reoccurences and rebuild damaged feelings.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 11/29/64 and 12/1/64
 Chapter 11

XXXVIII Three View-points of Grievances

1. The person involved

2. The Nation
3. The laborer's view
The Person Involved View
1. Grievance procedure gives him formal recognition in dealing with his superior. This gives
him status, prestige.
2. It provides him with the means of protecting his rights as an individual on the scene. This
tends to act as a guarantee of fair treatment.
3. He can get a hearing from top laborers. This means he has access to the ultimate authority
in the Mosque.
The Nation View
1. Grievances show the friction points of believer-laborer relations. Each case pinpoints an
area that bears watching, or treatment.
2. It's the safety valve that blows off before personnel pressures have a chance to build to the
explosive point. In this way, minor matters remain minor, before emotional irritations can
manify them.
3. A Mosque's grievances are a rough measure of supervisory performance. Because it's so
complex, supervisory job performance is difficult to measure. Success in handling
grievances is one of the indicators management uses.
The Laborer View
1. A means of Communication. The worker has a formal channel along which to broadcast
his viewpoints and his wishes directly to the laborer.
2. A means of satisfying the believer. He may or may not get what he wants, but at least he
 had his say.
3. The laborer can deal with irritations at the time they start. Thus, the grievance procedure
becomes a trouble-spotting device
4. As it is true of any contact the laborer has with his people, he has a chance of cementing
his relationships, getting to know them better, satisfying them further.
XXXIX Steps for Handling Grievances

1. Prepare yourself.
2. Prepare the believer.
3. Listen to his story.
4. Analyze the grievance.
5. Judge it.
6. Sell your opinion.
7. Follow up.
XL Essentials of the Effective Order

1. Make sure it's necessary.

2. Think it through.
3. Issue under proper conditions.
4. Decide who's to get the order.
5. Get cooperation.
6. Fit the details to the believer.
7. Select the best form of the order.
• the direct order
• the request
• the suggestion
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 12/6/64 and 12/8/64
 Chapter 12
XLI Possible Real Loss From Change

1. Additional work -- the believer feels he's turning out more work with no type of
compensation increase.
2. Lay offs -- increase productivity means few people to do the same amount of work.
3. Lowered prestige --job simplification makes believer's skill less important, he becomes less
valuable.
4. Less compensation --for simpler type of work.
XLII How to Overcome Resistance to Change

1. Alleviate real hardships.

2. Ally unjustified fears.
3. Deal with neurotic fears.
• let group help develope the change.
• start change off on a "fair trial" basis.
4. Be prepared to adjust to well-founded complaints.
5. Continue your anti-neurotic fear campaign.
6. Keep communication lines open.
XLIII Factors in Turnover

1. Costs
2. Training
3. Overhead
4. Waste
5. Prestige
XLIV Stated Reasons for Quitting

1. Family reasons
2. Poor health
3. Prosecution
4. Dissatisfied with laborers.
5. Thought would get compensation.
6. Dislike of laborers.
7. Transportation problems.
8. Housing difficulties.
9. Hours unsatisfactory.
XLV How to Combat Turnover

1. Discover the real reasons for person's leaving.

2. Eliminate the specific causes.
3. Build on the Mosque reason for the individual staying.
General reasons people quit
1. Matters of necessity
• Poor health.
• Marriage or pregnancy.
• Desire or need to live elsewhere.
• Transportation troubles.
2. Psychological factors.
3. Working conditions.
4. Poor supervision.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 12/13/64 and 12/15/64.
 Chapter 13
XLVI Leadership Qualities

1. Initiative
2. Determination
3. Courage
4. Intelligence
5. Aggressiveness
6. Integrity
7. Self-confidence
XLVII Contrasts in Leadership

CRISIS LEADERSHIP CONSTRUCTIVE LEADERSHIP

Dependence on leader. Individual responsibility.

Acceptance of leader's ideas Chance to develope own ideas.
Loyalty to leader. Group feeling.
Discipline as incentive Job satisfaction as incentive.
Orders Consultation.
Objective: obedience Objective: cooperation.
XLVIII Road to Constructive Leadership

1. 1. Respect the personal integrity of the people you lead. Each person is a worth-while
individual in his own right. The fact that one person is homelier, or less able than another,
doesn't make him less of a person.
 2. Help your people develope their talent abilities. Every one has a greater potentiality than
he ever realizes. It's a matter of degree, of course, but by encouraging your people to
further education, training, and so on, you increase not only their satisfaction, but their
accomplishment as well. This covers both their in-Mosque activities and outside interests.
3. Help them advance in the Mosque. You accomplish this not only by your own training
efforts, but by setting up objectives for their efforts. When you tell a brother: "Brother
John, I feel with a little more study and effort you'll qualify for the next grade in this
classification", your setting up a tempting target he's not likely to overlook. There's a
double gain. For the believer it's improved status. You benefit from having a better-
equipped believer.
4. Weld your people into a group. Besides the personal relationship between you and the
individual, you strive to create group feeling. This attitude, the individual developes as a
group member.
5. Make it possible for your people to contribute their ideas. By inviting suggestions, by
consulting with your people in your over-all planning, you give them the sense of
participation that makes the objectives of your Mosque their objectives.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 12/20/64 and 12/22/64

Chapter 14

XLIX Rules for Making Your Home Life Happier

1. Don't nag
2. Don't try to make your partner over.
3. Don't criticize.
4. Give honest appreciation.
5. Pay little attention.
6. Be courteous.
7. Read a good book on the sexual side of marriage.
LI. Rules for Overcoming Worry

1. Live in "day-tight comparments".

2. How to face trouble:
• ask yourself, "What is the worst that can possible happen?"
• prepare to accept the worst.
• try to improve on the worst.
3. Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health.
LI Techniques in Analyzing Worry

1. Get all the facts.

2. Weigh all the facts, then come to a decision.
3. Once a decision is reached, act!
4. Write out and answer the following questions:
• What is the problem?
 • What are the causes of the problem?
• What are all possibles solutions?
• What is the best solution?
LII How to Break the Worry Habit
1. Keep busy.
2. Don't fuss about trifles.
3. Use the law of averages to outlaw your worries.
4. Co-operate with the inevitable.
5. Decide just how much anxiety a thing may be worth and refuse to give it more.
6. Don't worry about the past.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 12/27/64 and 12/29/64

Chapter 15

LII Ways to Cultivate a Mental Attitude Leading to Peace and Happiness

1. Fill your mind with thoughts of peace, courage, health and hope
2. Always keep aware of things around you.
3. Expect ingratitude.
4. Count your blessings, not your troubles.
5. Do not imitate others.
6. Try to profit from your losses.
7. Create happiness for others.
LIV To Keep From Worrying About Criticism

1. Remember that unjust criticism is often a disquised compliment.

2. Do the very best you can.
3. Analyze your own mistakes and criticize yourself.
4. Ask others for constructive criticism.
LV Ways to Prevent Fatigue and Worry and Keeping Spirits High

1. Rest before you get tired.

2. Learn to relax at your work.
3. If you are a housewife, protect your health and appearance by relaxing at home.
4. Apply these four good working habits:
• Clear your desk of all papers exept those relating to
• immediate problems at hand.
• Do things in order of their importance.
 • When you face a problem, solve it then and there if you have the facts necessary to make a
decision.
• Learn to organize, deputize and supervise.
5. Put enthusiam into your work.
6. Don't worry about insomnia.
LVI How to Observe

1. You may see but not observe what you see.

2. It is important to observe because observations are the best ways to learn.
3. All sciences begin with observations.
4. You can learn a lot about how people behave.
5. Imagination can be creative thinking or day.
6. A new world awaits your discovery through observations.
7. Be alert.
8. Be interested.
9. Ask questions of big things and small things.
LVII How to Think

1. Concentrate on problems at hand. Define problem.

2. Apply logic to make coherent and revelent. Make your conclusions from facts you have
gathered from observations.
3. Get clear facts and sound information from observations.
4. Fit your various observations together; make them add up.
5. Imagination can be creative thinking or day dreaming.
6. Memory gives extra information for thoughts tucked away in our minds.
7. Judgement: with all facts at hand, you must judge wisely.
LVIII Kinds of Thinking

1. Good thoughts lead to wise actions; that is the purpose of thoughts.

2. Allah said think five times before we do anything.
LIX How to Remember

1. Two types of rememberance:

• In general--idea
• Word for word--memorize
2. Try to get meaning
• Understanding is the first step to remembering.
• Understand the material.
3. Get an overall view
4. Visualize things you want to remember.
5. Form associations.
6. Pick out key ideas.
7. Forget useless information.
8. Repeat and use what you have learned.
LX How to Concentrate

1. Concentration gets work done faster.

• Pick at one thing to concentrate on.
• Give it full attention. Shut out other things. Select out, from all things around, one thing to
concentrate.
• Take a few minutes rest. Relax before concentrating so intensively.
• Begin with question first. With good questions, attention then can be more fixed.
Distractions are not as active then.
• Relax....let your mind relax.
LXI How to Study

1. All at at time.
• Rapid reading - get hold idea
• Careful reading - slowly
• Rereading to fix material in your mind to relate it to things you know.
2. Organizing your work.
• Think of all you know about subject.
• Make list of things you do not know. Make questions; make search for information to
questions.
3. Check source for additional material.
4. Then get first hand material to substantiate book material.
• Skill in reading
• Skill in organizing
• Skill in locating material
Do more work in less time with less effort by practicing sound principles on "HOW TO
STUDY".
LXII Getting the Facts

1. To make an accurate and proper decision, you must get the facts.
2. Then consider different opinions based on facts.
3. Weigh facts depending on different circumstances.
• Our principle sources of timely information is the press, radio, T.V., weekly news
magazines, etc.
• One way to be sure you are getting the facts is to compare information you get from
different sources. Read more than one paper and listen to more than one source.
• Remember, newspapers, magazines, etc., are limited in scope and often reflect opinions of
others.
• The facts and opinions provided by experts on subjects are good sources. Sometimes
experts differ in opinion on the subject.
• Have an open mind.
• Do not form opinions until you get all the facts.
• Pool your information, then reach a decision.
LXIII How to Judge the Facts

1. Irrevelent facts are of little use.

2. Avoid false analogy. Two things may appear the same on the surface, but watch for
analogies.
3. Avoid an assumption. Examine your assumptions carefully to be sure.
4. Watch out for platitudes. "Old broom sweeps clean." "What's good for grandma is good
for me."
5. Think carefully about meaning.
6. Confused words give confused meanings.
MUST BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN 1/3/65 and 1/5/65