THE VITAL ROLE OF PEOPLE SKILLS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSION INTERNATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES & ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS LTD

NASAP 10 YEARS CELEBRATIONS AND LAUNCH OF THE NASAP SACCO

A BRIEF COMMENT ON SACCOS  I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE CREATION OF THE SACCO AND ON GETTING THE PRESIDENT TO LAUNCH YOUR SACCO

HOWEVER, THIS IS WHAT I HAD HOPED TO AVOID WHEN, IN 2006 I SUBMITTED THE CABINET PAPER TO MAKE SACCOS GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR FINANCIL INCLUSION

SACCOS  I HAD HOPED THAT SACCOS WOULD BE A VEHICLE FOR  SAVINGS AND CREDIT BY THE POPULATION

SACCOS  BUT NOT A VEHICLE FOR GOVERNMENT DONATIONS TO THE POPULATION

FOR MORE ON SACCOS PLEASE READ:  ADVANCING THE UGANDAN ECONOMY: A PERSONAL ACCOUNT BY  EZRA SURUMA  ( Brookings Institution Press: Washington DC )

NOW LET US TURN TO PEOPLE SKILLS  WHEN I WAS HEADING THE MANAGEMENT SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY AND FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY IN THE USA,  EVERY BUSINESS STUDENT WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE A COURSE ENTITLED:  “HUMAN RELATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR ”.

WHAT IS THE HUMAN RELATIONS PROBLEM?  “People differ from each other in their needs and values.  Group effort eases their task of achieving organizational goals effectively.  Human relations can be defined as motivating people in organizations to work as a team.  Although human relationships have existed from quite some time in the past, the study of human relations has developed only recently. Social sciences like sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics and political science have contributed to the development of OB and human relations.”  %20Relations%20Chap2.htm

needs and values  The purpose of any good human activity is to meet human needs  If you do not meet human needs soon or later you will be revealed to be useless

Why am I here? 1. to earn income 2. To do a job 3. To advance my career 4. To please my boss 5. To please God 6. It is the only opportunity I have

WAKING UP ! (ARISE FROM THE DEAD!) MAKING THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITY (OF TIME): HAVE A PURPOSE FOR EACH DAY

GIFTS (PRICELESS TREASURES WE GOT FREE) 1. TIME 2. LIFE 3. FAMILY 4. COUNTRY/ and fellow citizens 5. PEOPLE ( those God gave you) – family, neighbors, fellow workers) 6. SPACE (OFFICE, HOME, PEACE, WEATHER ETC.)

ATTITUDE: ENJOYING THE GIFTS  HOW CAN YOU GIVE WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE?  DO YOU HAVE JOY?  OR PEACE?  OR LOVE?

ARE PEOPLE SKILLS MAINLY TO MANIPULATE OTHERS? 1. ARE WE LOOKING FOR SKILLS TO MANIPULATE OTHERS SO WE CAN ADVANCE? 2. OR IS IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE A BETTER WORLD IN WHICH WE SHALL ALL BE BETTER OFF?

Group effort  Group Effort eases the task of achieving organizational goals effectively.  Lessons:  Not just personal goals  When we achieve organizational goals we also advance personal goals  We must work with others  We must respect others  We must value others  We must love others

Team work  Human relations can be defined as motivating people in organizations to work as a team  It is difficult to achieve consensus  But it is worth struggling for it  We often have to make compromises  We must have the eyes to see others and their needs  Self-centeredness is the CHIEF enemy of cooperation and teamwork  Incentives will help people to be better focused on the goals

ORGANIZATION AND UNITY  SOCIETY NEEDS INSTITUTIONS IN WHICH PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COLLECTIVE GOALS.  ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE MEANS FOR LEADERS TO COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED PEOPLE TO ACHIVE CERTAIN OBJECTIVES  ORGANIZATIONS TRY TO UNITE PEOPLE TO WORK TOWARDS SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES  ORGANIZATIONS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE IF MEMBERS AGREE AND ACT AS AGREED  ORGANIZATIONS ARE LESS EFFECTIVE IF MEMBERS PUT PERSONAL INTERESTS ABOVE ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS AND GET AWAY WITH IT

ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP  LEADERSHIP MAY BE DEMOCRATIC, AUTOCRATIC AND DICTATORIAL  HUMAN ORGANIZATIONS REQUIRE RULES, REGULATIONS, LAWS AND CULTURAL PRACTICES TOGETHER WITH LEADERSHIP  LEADERSHIP THEREFORE OCCURS WITHIN CERTAIN ACCEPTABLE LAWS AND CULTURAL PRACTICES  WHEN LEADERSHIP DOES NOT LEAD TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE INTERESTS OF MEMBERS THEY WILL DEMAND CHANGE  THE CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP CAN CAUSE THE ORGANIZATION TO BREAK UP IF THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS FORMED IS NO LONGER STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE MEMBERS TOGETHER

CONCLUSION  In a world of good and evil we must be committed to what we believe to be good and just and right  The more consensus we build as a society about what is good and just and right the easier it will be for us to work together in institutions and organizations  The most important human skill is the maturity to love God and to love others and therefore to use the gifts God has given us for mutual benefit wherever we find ourselves.

Thank you very much for listening to me.