Everyone knows of an Imam or administrator that’s had a falling out of some sort based on ‘not performing’ job duties to satisfaction. Actually this ‘job performance’ is such a gray area it’s become the scapegoat to get rid of someone you don’t like.
The problem is simply a lack of common sense.
When adding someone to your organization, especially if you are paying them, make sure expectations are clearly defined.
Clearly defined answers the question (as Dave Ramsey says), “What does winning look like?” In other words, if an independent and unbiased third party came and saw an employees performance versus expectations, they would be able to tell if the job was performed properly.
If you hire someone to paint your wall, when the wall is painted, the job was done properly.
When we hire an imam for the masjid though, we don’t give a criteria for being successful. We simply expect them to don the Superman cape and get upset when they don’t live up to it.
Put down, on paper, ahead of time, the requirements. If your community has extra counseling needs, indicate a certain number of counseling hours that should be provided. If it’s programs, indicate a certain number of classes to teach in a given year. Whatever it is, make sure it is easily measured and accounted for. Yes, it’s really that simple. It’s just mind boggling that no one does it.
This prevents the inevitable fight of “No one appreciates the work I do!” against “You don’t do anything around here!”
About Omar Usman
Omar Usman is a founding member of MuslimMatters, Qalam Institute, Muslim Strategic Initiative, and Debt Free Muslims. He is a regular khateeb and has served in different administrative capacities in various national and local Islamic organizations. You can follow him on Google+ or on Twitter @ibnabeeomar.
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