The raw power of NIAMS deputy director Dr. Steven Hausman sent splinters flying at a recent institute awards ceremony, an innovative celebration to recognize staff members who are a part of the Administrative/Personnel Improvement Initiatives Program. His demonstration that a single wooden board was much easier to split compared with multiple boards lashed together was dramatic proof of the value of administrative teamwork. Teamwork, he emphasized, is crucial, making possible projects one individual could not achieve alone.

NIAMS deputy director Dr. Steven Hausman (l), takes a crack at explaining his thoughts on teamwork through a karate exercise at an NIAMS awards ceremony. Acting NIAMS Associate Director for Management and Operations Melvin Broadus looks on.

The ceremony — only in its second year — featured awards to staff members who helped implement new initiatives that the institute has undertaken in the last year. These include restructuring to improve administrative services, augmenting new-employee orientation, taking on new information and technology projects, and doing a better job of managing property and travel requests. NIAMS began its concerted effort to develop new administrative initiatives in April 2000, and held its first awards ceremony in 2002.

The awards were presented by Melvin Broadus, NIAMS acting associate director for management and operations, and Bradford Felton of the institute's Management Policies, Programs, and Initiatives Branch. Broadus, who won the NIH Mentoring Award in 2002, has made recognizing the work people do to keep the wheels turning a top priority.

"The procedures that we have instituted at NIAMS and the teamwork that has been shown toward making these programs effective are an essential part of keeping the institute running," he said. "I am mostly proud of the enthusiasm and the diligence our people bring to these tasks and their everyday commitment to make our institute better."