4. Staff Empowerment

Good communication must exist among program staff for your implementation to be successful. If staff responsibilities are unclear, you risk the chance of having a program that will not operate smoothly. Likewise, if your program staff does not fully comprehend the reasoning behind the methods to achieving your goals, they may not fulfill them properly or may not put forth their utmost effort. Make sure your staff knows what should be given the priority. Do not assume this is obvious, as for many people, it will not be, especially if your staff does not fully comprehend the full picture. Reinforce the importance of the volunteer, ensuring that staff communicate, and work effectively with them. Most importantly, your staff must at all times clearlyunderstand the objectives of your program. Knowing the objectives, as well as how to specifically accomplish them, will ensure that your program is run efficiently; it will also ensure that the key elements of your program’s methodology that cannot be altered will not be altered. Have clearly stated guidelines, and generously distribute copies of these, weekly if necessary. In addition, establish a means to enhance your staff’s ability to promote community mobilization and public health advocacy. You may have to provide educational materials, set up workshops, or act as a mentor; whichever method you choose, continually reinforce the idea that outside communication is necessary for your survival. Similarly, you should establish a regular means of communicating with outside professionals working on other smoking cessation programs. Not only will this allow you to obtain suggestions about how to modify your program for the better, it also provides a means of networking , enhancing community mobilization, and promoting the idea that your program is both serious and successful. Once you have established a means of clear and effective means of communication, do not hesitate to provide positive feedback. Constructive criticism is always necessary, but itmust be balanced with positive feedback in order to prevent feelings of incompetence. Promote a sense of teamwork, allowing individuals to devise their own ideas. This permits a sense of ownership on the plan, boosting feelings of passion and creatingan individual’s sense of momentum.

Skills Areas:
A Ability to promote a network of information exchanges between program staff and other public health professionals working on programs with similar goals

B Ability to help staff develop and maintain a sense of passion about their work by recognizing accomplishments, building on momentum, and supporting effective staff teamwork

C Ability to strategically develop staff skills related to community mobilization

D Ability to strategically develop staff experience related to public health advocacy

E Ability to strategically develop staff skills related to working effectively with volunteers

F Ability to communicate clearly to colleagues program guidelines and to identify those parts of programs that cannot be modified or changed (the “givens”)