• REF ID:A72197 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 

PROPOSED EXECUTIVE APPRAISAL - COUNSELING PROGRAM 

A formalized program of Executive Appraisal - Counseling will be 

established in NSA. This program has two goals: 

(1) Help management personnel improve their present 

perf orir.a.nce. 

(2) Insure an adequate supply or executive reserves. 

How Appraisal - Counseling Works 

The appraisal and its follow-up counseling session is a very simple 

device. A group of people who have intimate lmowledge of a person and 

his work sit down and in an info:nnal discussion agree on this person's 

strong and weak points. 

The written sumr.ia.ry of this appraisal session is used by the superior 

in discussing the results of the appraisal with his subordinate. Once 

the main points of the appraisal have been covered in the counseling 

session, the superior and his subordinate discuss and agree on a specific 

plan of development for the subordinate. 

The Appraisal. 

The appraisal board shall consist of three people. This board shall 

include: 

(1) The direct organizational. superior of the person being 

appraised. 

@'pproved for Release by NSA on 02-06-2014 pursuantto E.O. 1352a 
- - ----

REF ID:A72197 

(2) A person selected by the individual being appraised. 

(3) A third person selected by th~ superior. 

(4) Both nd.litary and civilian members. 

All members of the appraisal board should lmow the person being 

appraised and be familiar with his work. All should be on a management 

level higher than the person being appraised. Generally, all of the 

appraisers should be on the same l.' '"l'l.agem.ent level. 

The immedio.,'b: .. superior of the man being appraised should act as 

the conference leader. One other member of the appraisal board will be 

appointed to act as recorder. 

The recorder will be responsible for summarizing the ratings and 

statements ma.de during the appraisal. He will note all points which 

get unanimous agreement. After the session, he will prepare his summary 

or the discussion using pages 2, 3, and 4 on the attached Appraisal.-

Counseling Farin. He will circulate two copies to the panel members. 

All members of the appraisal panel will be given the opportunity 

to read the appraisal sumir.ary in its final form &nd sign only if they 

agree with its contents. Both copies of the signed forms are then 

returned to the immediate supervisor of the person appraised. 

The Counseling 

The cou.~seling session is the discussio."1 of the results of the 

appraisal between the superior and the person appraised. 

Once the appraisal has been discussed, the subordinate and his 

superior l·1ork out a rievelopment program on which they can both agree. 

From this point individual developmant may begin. 

- 2 -
REF ID:A72197 

At the conpletion of the cowiseling session, the superior fills 

out the Qepartmental Action section of the Appraisal-Counseling Form. 

This is his evaluation of the individual's current status as to promotability, a review of the counseling session, and the 'development 

program agreed upon. 

The immediate superior conpletes pages 5 and 6 on both copies of 

the Appraisal-Counseling Form. One copy or the entire torm re~s in 

the superior's possession, and the other copy is sent to the Recorder 

of the Executive Development Board far its confidential. files. This 

copy will be used in making necessary administrative arrangements t'or 

putting the development plan into action. 

Getting the Program Started 

The first round or appraisal will begin on a pilot project basis 

in areas where the Office or Div-i.sion Chief is willing to inaugurate 

the program. 

The pilot projects will be conducted vertically; that is within 

the division or office and not by selecting a certain level of executives across office or division lines. 

The Office or Division Chief sponsoring a pilot appraisal program 

will determine how rs.r down into his organization he wishes the appraisal to extend. This should usually be at least one level below those 

presently holding executive positions. 

- 3 -
' Branch I 

REF ID:A72197 

How Aperaisal Might Work in ·the TrainiM Division 

Organization Chart 

Chief 

Deputy Chief 

' . ' . Branch II Branch III Branch IV 

/I" /\ /'"' Sec., /~ A 

Sec. 

B 

Sec. 

c 

Sec. Sec. 

D E 

Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. 

F G H .I J K 

Section heads in Branch I will be appraised by a board consisting 

; of the chief of Branch I, a person the section head selects who is on 

the br2.11ch head's level (not necessarily in the Training Division), and 

one other, selected by the branch chief, who is on his mana.gement level 

and knows the section head's work. Here again, this person may be from 

the Training Div:isicn or :from another office or staff division. 

When the section appraisals are completed, the branch chie:f's will 

ba apprais.;id. The S.P!Jra.isal board in this case might consist or the 

division chief and/or his deputy, one person on the division chief or 

deputy chief level selected by the branch chief, and one other person 

selected by the division chief. 

These appraisals and the follow-up counseling sessions would result 

ir.. i."ldividual dev·elopment progra.'ns for .fifteen section and branch heads 

in the Training ~ivisicr-. 

- 4 -
REF ID:A72197 e 

USING THE APPRAISAL - CO~LING FORM 

Aiwraisal Summarz 

The appraisal board rates the individual on six personal d'taracteristics, discusses his perfonnance and met.hods, and suggests a P,W'gram 

:• 

of development for him. 

The first page and one-half of the form is a rating scale on the 

following personal characteristics: Adaptability, Delegating Responsibility an.Cl Authority, Responsibility, Vision, Initiative, and Judgment. 

The. evaluation of Performance covers two main areas -- Results and 

Methods. 

The "Results" section o! the appraisal asks the appraisers to consider how well the individual acconpJishes his assigned responsibilities. 

The appraisal board members ask themselves these questions: 

How completely are his assigned duties carried out? 

How are his assignments carried out in respect to time? 

Are his accomplishments free of frequent or costly errors? 

To what extent is quality mainta.ined. under all conditions? 

How conscientious is he with regard to cost and ooq:>ense reduction? 

The "Methods" part of the appraisal concerns "how" the individual 

gets things done. 

How effectively does he organize his personnel to discharge 

their duties? 

ll'IW does he anticipate and prepare tor changing conditions? 

How does he seek to improve his methods and procedures or 

operation? 

How does he get along with associates in his and other areas? 

How well does he provide tor free communication between him- · 

self and others~ 

To what degree does he develop :7.nltiati ve in others? 

How does he delegate his responsibilities? . 

What is his ability in recognizing and developing others? 

- 5 -
REF ID:A72197 

The final part of the appraisal is the board's recormnended action 

for the in.di vi.dual' s improvement. This training program may include any 

of the following: 

Agency Croup Development 

Management Conference 

Executive Seminars 

Tours 

Public Speaking Course 

Reading Inprovement 

On-the-Job Activities 

Coaching by Superior 

Observer Assienments at Conferences 

Leading Supervisor Development Meetings 

Broadened Agency Experience 

Job Rotation 

Multiple ~Ianagement Boards 

Special Conmdttee or Staff Assignments 

Understudy or Assistant-To Positions 

Training Assignments 

Participation in Policy Development 

Outside Educational Programs 

University Management and Executive Development Program 

College •rraining Program 

Correspondence Courses 

Professional Activities 

Membership and Participation in Professional. Societies 

Attendance and Participation in Outside Conferences, 

Conventions, and Workshops 

Reading Program 

D!ffiartmental Action 

This section is to be filled out by the appraisee' s inanediate superior· 

after the counseling session. 

-6-
• REF ID:A72197 

Since the immediate superior is in the best position to know the 

person being appraised, he rates the individual on hie "Current status," 

or promotability status. (See the form tor these five ratings.) 

The results of the counseling session are summarized as well as 

the training program agreed to by- both the superior and his subordinate. 

The form lists some of the types of training which JDaY' be scheduled.