Blueprint for Leadership Pipeline
Engaging Leaders at all Levels
The workplace has changed. No longer do managers expect to simply tell employees what to do. No longer is it enough for employees to know only their limited job roles and merely wait until they’re told what to do. Today’s complex work environment and demand for high quality customer service requires engaged employees who bring their best ideas and efforts to solving problems and offering suggestions for improvements. Managers need to know what employees hear from customers and suppliers. Employees need to know from managers how their responsibilities fit into the big picture purpose and goals of the organization.
Strategies to engage employees in sharing their ideas are being used with increasing frequency in our organization. Descriptions of some of these are included below.
City College
Description:
This program focuses on understanding the "products and services" of the City, developing networking skills, and preparing employees to be ambassadors for the City.
- Learning about the City organization
- Making connections with people in other departments
- Familiarity with all City departments and services
- Visits to City operations sites
Target audience - Everyone. Frontline employees through department directors.
Time frame - One day per month (5 months)
Faculty and format
Faculty is directors, assistant directors and managers from within various City departments. Content is delivered through a variety of methods, including presentations, discussions, and tours.
Primary lead partner - Organizational Development, City Manager’s Office
What’s happening now and what’s needed?
Two City Colleges are held each year, with approximately 20 participants in each session.
The first annual Alumni Event was held in 2006. This event brought graduates from all City Colleges together to build new relationships across departments, provide departmental updates, and enhance skills as ambassadors.
This is a very successful program that is strongly supported by the City Manager. All employees are encouraged to place their names on the waiting list and supervisors are urged by the Manager’s Office to support participation.
For additional information and to contribute ideas and energy
Contact:
Vicki Atkison 560-4222 x 225
City Raps
Description This meeting between the City Manager and a small group of employees allows them to have face-to-face interaction with the City Manager in an informal setting. This allows the City Manager to hear directly from employees what is on their minds.
Target audience - Employees are randomly selected from a list generated by Technology Solutions. Invitations are sent out from the City Manager’s Office.
Time frame - City Raps are planned to occur at least every quarter.
Format
Meetings are held in the City Manager’s conference room with 10 to 15 employees. Conversations are open and free flowing.
Primary lead partner - City Manager’s Office
What’s happening now and what’s needed?
City Raps are ongoing. Employees need to use this opportunity to convey their concerns and ideas to the City Manager.
For additional information and to contribute ideas and energy
Contact:
Eddie Aikins 560-4222 x 225
Large Scale Meeting Methods
Description
Several methods have been developed that enable very large groups of people to contribute to problem solution, idea generation, and action planning. These methods provide the structure for employees to be engaged to a much greater degree than they have been in the past.
Target audience - Groups as large as 1000 people
Time frame
These meeting methods can be used for meetings lasting a few hours to several days, depending on the purpose to be accomplished.
Format
Open Space Technology
Based on four principles of interaction and the “law of two feet,” Open Space Technology creates a setting and expectations where passion and responsibility lead employees to tackle problems and improvements. The meeting begins with a question and ends with many, many ideas for moving forward. Employee initiated action teams often form to turn ideas into reality.
World Café
The café format is flexible and adapts to many different circumstances. The guidelines foster collaborative dialogue, active engagement and constructive possibilities for action. Small group responses to questions, frequent mixing of the groups with “table hosts” and “travelers” provides a setting in which common themes, important to the group, arise.
Other large group methods that could be productively used in this organization to increase employee participation are Future Search, Appreciative Inquiry, and Wisdom Council.
Primary lead partner - Organizational Development, City Manager’s Office
What’s happening now and what’s needed?
Open Space Technology has been used in the City of Durham to identify next steps for DurhamFirst, to look at leadership needs, and to help improve internal customer service. The world café format was used at the City College reunion to solicit ideas and energy for preparing employees to be ambassadors for this organization.
More opportunities for large numbers of employees to engage in dialogue through these approaches are needed.
For additional information and to contribute ideas and energy
Contact:
Vickie Atkinson 560-4222 x 225
Employee Roundtable
Description
This meeting method brings together frontline employees and management for the purpose of sharing concerns and capturing ideas for improvement in a department or work unit. The roundtable differs from a traditional management style in that employees tend to be responsible for sharing their ideas and crafting solutions, rather than receiving information from management.
Target audience - Managers, supervisors and frontline employees
Time frame - Varies – often monthly
Format
One or two employees from each division or work unit participate in meetings and assist in setting the agenda.
Primary lead partner - Managers and supervisors who want to establish stronger partnerships with employees
What’s happening now and what’s needed?
Some departments are recognizing the value of greater employee participation and are using meeting methodologies that encourage and support this kind of engagement.
For additional information and to contribute ideas and energy
Contact: Vickie Atkinson 560-4222 x 225
Contact: Karena Neal 560-4186 x238
Committees and Task Teams
Description
Various committees and task teams are formed on a regular basis to address problems and improvement opportunities throughout the City. Past teams have addressed issues such as business practices, performance management, customer service, performance measurement, and employee recognition.
Serving on a task team or committee is a good way to demonstrate talent, hone leadership skills and develop cross departmental relationships.
Target audience
Any city employee. Frontline employees are especially encouraged to consider these opportunities since task teams often desire but lack the viewpoints of these employees.
Time frame - Time frames vary with the purpose of the committee or team
Format
Teams are composed of employees from various departments and levels of the organization. They clarify issues, do research, make recommendations and conduct pilot projects. They also make recommendations to the City Manager’s Office and department directors.
Primary lead partner - Organizational Development, City Manager’s Office
What’s happening now and what’s needed?
Several action teams formed in February 2006 to implement internal customer service improvements. Some have completed their work, others are continuing.
The STARs selection committee is ongoing and new members are welcome.
The DurhamFirst Steering Team is ongoing. Frontline operations representation is especially needed.
The 7 Stars committee coordinates the citywide fundraising effort every year.
Department directors and supervisors are strongly encouraged to find ways to free up frontline employees so they can participate on the teams – both the employee and the City benefit from their participation.
For additional information and to contribute ideas and energy
Contact:
Vicki Atkinson 560-4222 x 225