• REF ID : A67 42 • 

HEADQUARTERS 

ARMY SECURITY AGENCY 

WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 

CSGAS-81 5 August 1948 

' 

lm.!ORANDUM FOR: Chairman, Army Security .Agency, Operational Survey Board 

TllRU: Chief, Personnel. and Training Branch J '/; j ' ..... 

SUBJECT: Development of Personnel 

The inclosed study represents the personal evaluation ot the undersigned of certain conditions existing in the Agency and suggests means for 

alleviating these conditions. It is submitted herewith to the Operational. 

Survey Board for consideration and action. 

1 Incl 

Study 

~6(J THOMAS R. CHITTENDEN 

Technical Staf .f 

Security Division 

@'pproved for Release by NSA on 04-11-2014 pursuantto E.O. 1352a 
REF ID:A6742. 

1. There has been considerable discussion and ferment within the 

Ag~ncy the past few months about the internal weaknesses of the organization. Although no organization can meet all problems and situations with 

equal strength and aplomb, it has been felt by several, myself included, 

that there are certain areas of difficulty and weakness. Scrne inefficient 

procedures have been noted; serious mistakes have been made and Ghe lack 

of coordination and initiative have, at tirr,es, been deplorable. But have 

these inefficiencies, errors, and -sterilities been entirely the fault of 

the organization, that is, of the present arrangement of functions? I 

think not. An organization is a combination of functions and attitudes 

or, more simply, work and people. -Tna arrangement of the functions constitutes the machinery for operat.ing whi.Le the attitudes of the people 

determine the manner or effectiveness of the operations. Unfortunately 

the greatest amount of attention is given to the machinery and practically 

none to the manner. Thus, when an organization begins to lessen in effectiveness the usual reaction iS:-to turn a suspicious eye upon the machinery and to ignore or forget tne attitudes governing it. This memorandum, however, looks the other w~~· It presents my reaction to some of 

the prevailing attitudes and suegeBts means for shoring up those which are 

weak. 

2. My reason for examining -Che.attitudes rather than the r:1achinery 

is simply that after surviving several agency, division, and branch reorganizations, I have never been able to find any :llnprovement in the effectiveness of the operations or the morale of the people. Usually, both 

are lower. As a result, it was not difficult to conclude that the real 

trouble lay in the less tangible half of an organization - the attitudes 

of its people, particularly its management people. Thus, I believe that 

the real difficulty in the Agency, is in its basic considerClj;.ion of individuals. Tt.is is not the same as-~~ts personnel policy, which is an 

arbitrary arrangement for caring £or.the administrative needs of the 

people and bears the same relation to the constructive development of a 

person as the grade-school procedure of forming lines of boys and girls 

outside the school building in order to get them into the bated structure 

bears to their education. In other~words, both insure that the person 

is in the proper position for instruction (developr.:ent) but neither insures that he will be given that -instruction. This assurance must come 

from a more basic policy. In the Jchool system this policy is the concept 

of education prevailing in a locality. In a production organization it 

is the concept of management. In other words, it is the attitude of management toward the direction and development of the people within the 

framework. Persons of average intelligence, if appealed to and directed 

properly, can make practically any organizational machinery work effectively. If managed in such a manner that they know WHAT to do and WHY they 

should do it, they will ~ means of making the machine work, however 

creaky it may be. 

J. It is the concept of management prevailing at ASA which I believe 

to be the source of the present difficulties. Specific examples of this 

concept are complicated to relate, difficult to lift free of entangling 

circumstances, and often embarrassing. It is not possible to relate all 

and it is unfair to put down onll_ a few. If specific examples are required 

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REF ID:A6742. 

before this line of reasoning can be accepted, then, as the ads say, they 

will be furnished upon request. Otherwise only the generalizations drawn 

frcm observation of specific incidents will be cited. There are three of 

these generalizations. Each will be stated and examined separately. 

4. The first generalization is that there is considerable responsibility without accountability. This lack of accountability for actions 

seems to arise mostly out of the ccmmendable desire to be good natured. 

However, whatever the merit of its source, the effect is that of lack of 

firmness. Or, to paraphrase a famous slogan, it is representation without taxation. It is not enough that persons have responsibility. There 

~ust be some regular and effective means for determining if they are 

rreeting their responsibilities in an effective manner. If they are, then 

t.hey should be so infonned. If they are not, they should be called upon 

to explain why not and what, in their opinion, is required to meet the 

difficulty. This is not a cry for more discipline or restrictive administrative measures. No. This is suggested in the belief that it is better 

to check regularly upon the rrEnner in which a person is discharging his 

responsibilities than to check only Vihen a mstake has been made or an 

oversight r.oted. They feel that they have important responsibilities to 

meet every day in the efficient conduct of their branch. However, they 

also feel that the only time the Agency is aware of them is when a mistake has been made or when sanething special is afoot. Whether or not 

this feeling has basis in fact is not the question now. It exists--and 

if the Agency is to function with that effectiveness which comes only 

from persons who are interested in being effective and not just in being 

here, it must be eradicated. To erase it will require persistent and 

deliberate pursuit of a policy of requiring all persons who have responsibilities to meet these responsibilities and of regularly and frequently 

checking upon their manner of meeting them. 

5. The second generalization is that there is no feeling in the 

Agency, of interest in the develoμnent of individuals. Perhaps this impersonal feeling is inherent in government service. Having worked only 

at this Agency, I am not competent to judge that. But certainly here 

there is no discernible policy of 11bringing a man along." This is a 

fatal weakness and one of the basic reasons, though mention of it is seldan found in the official reasons for separation, for the melting away 

from this Agency of top quality people. 

a. To be more specific, the development of which I speak is the 

developnent of the innate qualities of self-reliance, independence, and 

confidence which exist in varying degree in all persons. These qualities 

form three sides of the hexagon known as morale - the other three being 

interest, money, and work. Most of the positions in the AGency offer 

these latter three - but scant provision is rrade for the former. It is 

true that these are the most difficult qualities to bring out in a person. 

Certainly our standard American educational system does little to nourish 

them, and, if one reads the newspapers carefully, one must conclude that 

the averacie home doesn't offer much encouragement to them either. But if 

a person doesn't bring to the job the mental temper necessary to do it 

well, where can he get it1 The only alternative left is for him to get it 

on the job. 

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REF ID:A67422e 

b. Is this possible? Is it being done? The answer to the 

latter question is simple, - 11Uo. Not in ASA, or many other places for 

that rnatter.tt To the former I say "Yes - with qualifications." It can 

be done but the effort is enonnous and exacting. The course to be followed is as simple as that statement which I made in the mano of June 

1947, nThe course of action necessary is to develop self-reliance in the 

persons performing operational and supervisory functions •••• " Of course, 

actually following this is considerably more canplex than simply stating 

it. The difficulty of attempting it has been emphasized not because I 

am afraid that it cannot be done but because I realize that one 1 s first 

impression of this approach is that it is impractical and idealistic. 

In this instance the first impression is not a true one for when the 

practical side of it is carefully considered, it will be seen that it is 

not beyond the scope of any of us. 

c. The practical application of this idea consists of drafting 

a specific program for the positive and active development of the working and supervisory people. This paper recommending the adoption of the 

policy of develoflllent is not the place in wnich to attempt to draw up a 

detailed <Jlld specific progra.I'.l. The strength and chance for success of 

such a program is deterr.iined almost completely by the care and intellic;ence with which it is shaped for each type of work in each branch. It 

requires planning in each echelon for the different types of work performed on that echelon. Some concrete examples of actions which could 

be ta.ken in the implementation of a program of develoμnent might be helpful in clarifying the scope and means of such a program and of emphasizing 

its practical nature. Some examples follow: 

, 

(1) Institute the practice of work credits by having the 

name of the person preparing a letter, draft of a document, plan, or staff stuay appear on the work tmtil 

such time as it leaves a Division. 

This would acquaint each Division Chief with the type 

and quality of work performed by persons who at present 

are mere faces in the hallways or names on a roster. 

It would appeal directly to the pride and sense of responsibility of each person and would result in better 

quality work. It is only natural that work upon which 

a person's name would be appearing would assume more 

:importance to him and would be given more attention. 

(2) Invite personnel other than branch chiefs to raeetings 

at which policies or problems specifically affecting 

their work will be discussed or fonnulated. 

tepending upon the situation, such persons may or may 

not be asked to take active part in the ciiscussion. 

Whether they do or not will not matter a great deal in 

the effectiveness of the procedure. The important fact 

is that each is being permitted to see the complete 

action and interaction involved in the deterrnirl:ition of 

a policy under which he is goillb to have to work. Adoption of this develoμnent procedure alone would increase 

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REF ID:A6742. 

the effectiveness of a Division by eliminating the 

misunderstanding and cynicism on the working levels 

about the abilities of the persons on the managerial 

levels. Let them see and participate in (even if only 

as an auditor) the difficulties facing and the peculiarities of the forces exerted upon a Di vision. In other 

words, bring the persons concerned, not indiscriminately, 

into the picture at the start rather than at the end and 

I guarantee that the results which he will produce will 

excel any produced in the past. Furthermore, after a 

few such sessions, a pattern of the ability of each 

person to respond to the stimulus of development activities will be discernible. This pat tern can then be 

used in furthering or changing the developnent programmed for each. 

(3) Inform persons concerned when their work is rejected 

or changed by higher authority and, if known, why it 

was rejected or changed. 

It is appreciated by most persons that a portion or 

all of a piece of work subTii tted to higher authorities 

may not be acceptable or express exactly what is desired. What is not appreciated by anyone is to have 

the work altered or rejected canpletely without being 

inforned of the action or the reason for it. It is 

possible that the pofo.t llpon which the rejection was 

made could be avoided in the future - but this is possible only if the preparing party is inforr..ed. 

(4) Adopt a policy of telling workers the WHY of a project 

as well as the WHAT and F.CJ.1, whenever it is possible to 

do so. 

It is the WHY of a project which stimulates thinking. 

If it is not nade known, then the possibility for working personnel contributing suggestions or ideas concerning it has been eliminated. Certainly many of the 

projects in this Division are difficult enough without 

restricting the possibility for ideas concerning them 

to emanate from the operating levels. 

(5) Invite persons whose work is concerned to meetings at 

which personnel from .ASA field units present their problems or comment upon operations in general. 

At this sort of meeting particularly, the participation 

of working persons can be limited to listening without 

reducing the effectiveness or the benefit of the meeting to him. By attending such meetings he will gain an 

appreciation of the scope of .ABA activities and the difficulties being wet by ASA outside of Washington. 

(6) Encourage individual ~orkers to attend trade schools 

or colleges particularly in the study of subjects related to their work here. 

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REF ID:A6742. 

Extend help in the cases warranting it by putting the 

weight of the Agency behind the efforts of an individual 

to enter a particular qchool; or, more practically, by 

making adjustments in the working schedule of the person when such can be made without detriment to the work. 

(7) Institute courses of instruction in technical subjects 

having direct relation to the work. 

Courses in granmar, mathematics, electronics, and practical machine work would have direct application to 

the operations of the Division. The course in electricity 

presently being conducted by AS-81 is an excellent start 

in the right direction. Other branches should be urged 

to fallow suit. 

d. Thus the essence of this developnent program is recognition, 

encouragement, and opportunity for experience. The actual initiation of 

it requires careful planning and adaptation to the type of work and individuals performing it for probably each person will react differently 

to overtures of developn.ent. In some sections development will take the 

form of increasing a person's skill or introducing him to new skills. 

In others, it will be aiTUed at increasing the person's initiative, experience, judgment, and sense of responsibility. 

e. The program cannot be accomplished or even launched by a 

directive. In fact the publishing of a directive would have an undesirable 

effect because it would produce So much the air of a reorganization or new 

personnel policy that it would. be received with CJ!licism by the many, 

many persons who have seen several reorganizations blaze and fade without 

having improved the operations or ti1E!ir status. No, a directive would 

only abort it. And so would a campaign of printed platitudes. large signs 

bearing the word 11DEVELOF" would be as laughable and ineffectual as Ii3M 1s 

11THINK" cards. Implenentation of the program must be accomplished by 

gradual absorption of it by all supervisors from a tivision Chief to the 

head of a sub-unit. Its effectiveness depends upon active and continual 

pursuance of it, intelligent application of it, and unccmpromising faith 

in it. 

6. The third, and last, generalization is concerned with the selection of supervisors. One of the major problems which has confronted the 

Agency since its first expansion in 19~2 has been the problem of choosing 

supervisors and training them in the tricky business of employee relations. 

a. During the tine I have been at Arlington Hall Station there 

have been at least five drives to overcane the problem of poor supervision. There have been formal lectures. There have been six hour 

training courses for supervisors conducted by local experts. There have 

been experts imported from industry to conduct a two weeks course in 

employee relations. Unfortunately each of these courses was ccmpletely 

unrealistic and superficial; the industry one was particularly bad, based 

as it was on a back-slapping, Rotarian approach to employee-supervisor 
REF ID : A67 42. 

relations and ignoring completely the fact that most of the persons 

working at this Agency are a bit more intelligent, perceptive, and sensitive than the average drill-press operator. These courses merely 

scratched the surface of this complex problem and in doing so scratched 

the supervisors into irritation and resistance to all fonnal lecture 

methods of attempting to overcane the problen. Oddly enough there was 

very little doubt in anyone's mind that the problem existed and that it 

was a serious one, but all agreed that a finger pointing lecture, or even 

a buddy-buddy one, was not the solution. 

b.. As bad as these courses were, they were at least an attempt 

to meet the supervisor-employee relation problem. The more basic problem 

of instructing the top manage:nent in the selection of supervisors has 

never been faced, to the best of my knowledge. It is certain that some 

of the employee-supervisor relations problems would be eliminated if the 

supervisors were chosen with i::;reater care. Viewed fran the outside, 

the basis upon 1mich supervisors have been chosen seems to be a curious 

mixture of seniority, sex, and default. In other words, the senior member of a group is chosen; many times if' the senior rr..ember is a woman she 

will be passed over in preference for the senior ~ale me~ber; and oftentimes, supervisors chosen pro tem will becane the permanent supervisor 

because the person making the choice forgets after a Yihile that Henry was 

only to serve until the permanent supervisor was selected. 

c. Of course, this is only the view from the outside. What is 

it from the inside? Is there a written policy which stipulates how a 

supervisor shall be chosen? Are examinations given to determine the 

psychological and technical fitness of the canp,idates to supervise, lead, 

and direct others? Are the persons to be supervised permitted to express 

their views on the candidates? Is final commitment withheld until the 

person selected has given some evidence of his supervisory ability? I 

cannot give an unequivocal 11no11 to each of these questions - but I have 

never seen these procedures or anything similar to them employed here. 

They may have been used in isolated instances, but they are not used 

regularly. They should be. The selection of supervisors and, when selected, the developnent of their abilities to administer, Je ad, and direct 

are among the most important actions of the top level administrators. 

Actions of such importance should be guided by a definite, progressive 

policy and not be left to the vagaries of each administrator. 

d. Unlike the discussion about developnent, this one is not as 

difficult to reduce to a specific policy. Furthermore, it lends itself 

readily to pranulgation by directive. In fact the primary action required is the drafting, adoption, and publication to all members of the 

Division of a policy governing the selection of supervisors. Regardless 

of whether the policy is ir.iaginative or based on straight seniority, 

this action alone, by defining for all to see what the policy of the 

Division is, would be a stabilizing influence. The present doubt which 

most persons have regarding their possibilities for advancement to 

supervisory positions would be replaced by the facts. However, in the 

interests of not only removing doubt from people's minds but also giving 

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them a Goal and hope, I recommend the adoption of the following five point 

program for choosillb and training supervisors: 

(1) Choose supervisors frcra the ranks whenever possible. 

(2) Select supervisors on the basis of facts gained fran 

competitive exmninations. Give tests designed to examine the technical abilities, knowledge, and judgment 

of the cornpeti tors. Give tests designed to examine 

their psychological fitness for supervising. Tests of 

this latter type are obtainable fran universities and 

such private institutes as "the Institute of Human 

Engineering in New York. 

(3) Give the persons in the section a voice (not the final 

or even :r;najority opinion - but at least a chance to be 

heard) in the selection. Anonymous ballots or ratings 

could be used to avoid any possibility of unfairness or 

reprisals. 

(4) Require that supervisors selected denonstrate ~y perfonnance on the job for a trial period that they are 

capable of being assigned pennanently. 

(S) Personal interest be taken by the management in the 

persons selected as supervisors. 

7. To summarize this discussion, I believe that the basic fault lies 

in the prevailing concept of mana;;ement and that most of t..'rie troubles 

could be eliminated by altering the present concept in three specific ways. 

These are: 

a. The adoption of a policy requiring persons having responsibilities to be accountable for the adequate discharge of them. 

b. The institution 0£ a program to develop self-reliance in the 

individual workers by widening their work experiences, by penni tting 

limited participation in the formulation of policies affecting their work, 

and by encouraging improvement of their technical sld..lls. 

c. Tho adoption and statement of a planned policy governing the 

selection of supervisors on a basis of tested and proven technical, supervisory, and human relations abilities. 

It is realized that there may be some hesitancy about acc~pting any of 

these proposals but I sincerely believe that once the plunge is made, the 

untried waters will be found to be exce tionally invigorating. 

THOMAS 

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