Evaluating SPC Staff and Moving Forward

This summer, a small group of SPC staff and volunteers started an exciting new tradition - staff evaluation and feedback! Our current staff members have been organizing, agitating and educating for peace for over four years without a formal evaluation process. Now, an annual tradition has begun.

One not-so-surprising discovery was that we have an incredibly communicative, cooperative and flexible team of staff members. They have worked through the daily difficulties of a staff collective on their own, smoothing over momentary frustrations, offering constructive criticism, and making very difficult decisions about how to parcel out SPC's limited but ever-growing time, money and people power resources. Sometimes the task is overwhelming and you may have seen one of them appear a bit stressed. A non-judgmental ear, a thoughtful nod and a word of support may be just the recharge they need to regain balance and grounding on a hectic day.

Of course the best way to help our staff is to volunteer more hours! There are always more projects and plans than we have hands for and always something to suit your own time and talents. In order to educate, agitate and organize on our myriad issues of concern, we need your input to help prioritize programming, your hands for mailings, your voice for calling, your legs for marching.

Additional not-so-surprising findings were that our staff is productive and appreciated by all who work with them. Since the revitalization campaign six years ago that brought Andy and Carol on as paid staff, SPC has seen tremendous growth in programming, media exposure, organizational growth, collaboration on community issues, and numbers of active members - an impressive and commendable list!

An essential goal for next year's evaluation process is to include the voices of more SPC members. Dotti Barraco-Hetnar or Karen Hall, of the Personnel Committee, will ask each working group for an assessment of the staff members with whom they work most closely. The Personnel Committee will also make personal contact year-round with SPC members for input regarding staff performance, so look for us at Plowshares and bend our ears. When we all contribute, our staff will grow even more resilient, wise and responsive. Help us imagine new traditions of community and accountability; take time out to share your thoughts with us.

­-Karen Hall.