A Thesis on Human Elements in Administration and Supervision

HUMAN ELEMENTS IN ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION People are the most important element in an organization whether it’s a business enterprise, a school, an army or hospital. School administrator and supervisors must be prepared to deal effectively with the people involved because they have the most difficulty in understanding and dealing with the human elements of administration. The administrator must understand certain fundamental concepts of motivation. He must have an insight into the nature of authority and influence. And most of all, he must have the ability to analyze specific problems and to carry out his intentions successfully. Technical skills, administrative skills and human skills are the three kinds of skills a successful administrator must possess. * Technical Skills – pertains to methods, techniques and processes. * Administrative Skills – ability to see the organization as an entity and the interrelationship of its various parts * Human Skills – refers to the ways of dealing effectively with people. 3 Distinct elements:
*Skill in understanding the basic human forces active in the organization.
*Skill in analyzing complex human situations.
*Skill in implementing a plan of action. It is said that man is a wanting animal. As soon as one of his needs is satisfied, another appears in its place. Man’s needs are organized in a series of levels or a hierarchy of importance according to the theory of Maslow.

Psychological needs - to be alive and to stay alive. Safety needs - to feel safe from accidents or pain, from competition or threat. of his behaviour. Ego needs - relate to one’s self – esteem and one’s reputation. Self – fulfilment needs - for continued self – development, for realizing one’s own potentialities. Understanding basic needs of an individual is important for the administrators and supervisors because deprivation of those needs has behavioural consequences on the part of one’s individual. It