HR Best Practice #2 - Tell someone exactly what you expect from them. Everyone wants to know what they're aiming for, and what you need them to be getting after. The clearer the expectations are around someone's role - whether paid or volunteer - the better you can expect them to "perform." Also...for most (not all) people, watch how their happiness factor will increase when you give them that clarity in the form of a well-thought out JD. And conversely, watch how nervous most (not all) people get when you give them an ambiguous and immeasure description of what you want them to do. Worse yet, give them no JD at all and tell them to get after it, whatever 'it' is. This will lose you staff and, for most churches in the US, precious volunteers.

Also, it's that sense of "I know the target" that blesses people with the ability to measure whether or not they're making a difference. Which then leads us to...

HR Best Practice #3 - Applaud your people when they're making a measureable difference.