Jackie O’Connell, CPRP Great Parks of Hamilton County

Beyond the Buzzwords How to Improve Culture

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How You Doin’?

In the beginning, there was

A Visioning Team

Leadership 2014I know my organization's vision (where it is trying to go in the future).

62%

My managers/supervisors use our organization's values to guide us.

64%

My managers/supervisors create a work environment that helps me do my job.

62%

My organization asks what I think. 57%

33% or less 34%-66%67% or more

Key

Strategic Planning 2014

My organization encourages totally new ideas (innovation).

42%

I know how to tell if we are making progress on my work group's part of the plan.

46%

My organization is flexible and can make changes quickly when needed.

33%

As it plans for the future, my organization ask for my ideas

59%

Leadership 2014 2017 DifferenceI know my organization's vision (where it is trying to go in the future).

62% 74% 12%

My managers/supervisors use our organization's values to guide us.

64% 78% 14%

My managers/supervisors create a work environment that helps me do my job.

62% 82% 20%

My organization asks what I think. 57% 65% 8%

Strategic Planning 2014 2017 Difference

My organization encourages totally new ideas (innovation).

42% 59% 17%

I know how to tell if we are making progress on my work group's part of the plan.

46% 54% 8%

My organization is flexible and can make changes quickly when needed.

33% 46% 13%

As it plans for the future, my organization ask for my ideas

59% 67% 8%

33% or less 34%-66%67% or more

KeyMeasurement, Analysis & Knowledge Management

2014

I know how to measure the quality of my work. 82%I can use information to make changes that will improve my work.

73%

I know how the measures I use in my work fit into the organization's overall measure of improvement.

50%

I know how my organization as a whole is doing. 52%

Measurement, Analysis & Knowledge Management

2014 2017 Difference

I know how to measure the quality of my work. 82% 90% 8%I can use information to make changes that will improve my work.

73% 80% 7%

I know how the measures I use in my work fit into the organization's overall measure of improvement.

50% 66% 16%

I know how my organization as a whole is doing. 52% 62% 10%

Workforce Focus 2014

The people I work with cooperate and work as a team.

82%

I have a safe workplace. 84%My managers/supervisors and my organization care about me.

58%

I am committed to my organization's success. 98%

33% or less 34%-66%67% or more

Key

Cultural Results 2014

I know how well my organization is doing financially.

56%

My organization removes things that get in the way of progress.

28%

My organization has high standards and ethics. 84%My organization is a good place to work. 85%

Workforce Focus 2014 2017 Difference

The people I work with cooperate and work as a team.

82% 85% 3%

I have a safe workplace. 84% 90% 6%My managers/supervisors and my organization care about me.

58% 69% 11%

I am committed to my organization's success. 98% 97% -1%

Cultural Results 2014 2017 Difference

I know how well my organization is doing financially.

56% 52% -4%

My organization removes things that get in the way of progress.

28% 36% 8%

My organization has high standards and ethics. 84% 90% 6%My organization is a good place to work. 85% 93% 8%

After the first survey came the

Culture Team (4A) (the lack of a real name is a long story….)

Approach • Select 7 Diverse Employees

from Different Departments

• Set Standing Meetings

• Analyze Survey Results

• Prioritize Hot Spots & Assign Team Leads

Priorities • Communication and Sharing • Valuing Each Other • Fostering Innovation • Flexibility and Removing

Roadblocks • Valuing Contributions • Improving People and Processes

Believe it or not, this was the easy part!

Ok, now what??

Let’s Talk to Everyone.

And Let’s Let Them Talk Back…

Art of Hosting

An approach to leadership that scales up from the personal to the systemic using personal practice, dialogue, facilitation and the co-creation of innovation to address

complex challenges.

www.artofhosting.org

Plainly…

It’s a way of harnessing the collective wisdom of a group by engaging a lot of people at once in meaningful conversations so all voices are heard and solid results are harvested.

AoH Concepts Used • Check-In • World Café (targeted discussions amongst 3-5 ppl)

• Open Space (participants decide on topics

& lead discussions)

• Harvests (reporting out and collecting all answers)

• Check Out

No technology!

It’s not as hokey as it sounds….

Overall Purpose Develop our capacity to work together, innovate and improve ourselves and our organization

Today's Purpose To build a shared sense of working together through real conversations about:

Communication and Sharing Valuing Each Other Fostering Innovation Flexibility and Removing Roadblocks Valuing Contributions Improving People and Processes

To empower each other to make meaningful changes.

World Café: Let’s try it….

What time is it in your organization?

World Café: Let’s try it….

Harvest

But, we needed to sustain it…

But, we needed to sustain it… • Initiative Teams • AoH Techniques in Meetings • Scorecard Updates in Employee

Newsletters/Emails • Recognizing Individuals

for Their Work

Then we needed to reinvent it…

Then we needed to reinvent it…

• Another Charting Change – new purpose

• New InPark Meetings

InPark Meetings Purpose: to work together across department boundaries to produce innovate solutions in the parks.

• Structure is meant to encourage dialogue and problem-solving at the park-level.

• One Team - Park District over Parks / No Silos • Take Responsibility for Self & Park • Make Decisions • Value Discussion - Listen & Be Present

InPark Meetings – The Prep

• Identify Team Leads • Build Teamwork Amongst Them • Build an Agenda Template • Select Each Park’s Core Team • Train & Teambuild Among Core Team • Communicate Process & Reasoning • Rollout!

Don’t be fooled, this took over 6 months to pull together…

Continued Reinvention

• Third Charting Change • Keynote speaker on

communication styles • Problem solving • Resources availability • More Open Space Topics!

• New Park Employee Engagement Team

ArtofHosting.org

• Listen more than you talk.

• Building trust is paramount.

• Don’t assume you know all the best answers.

• If you ask, be prepared to act.

• Include everyone – let them choose if they participate.

• Lead from the middle. It’s ok.

• Don’t just fix problems – you’ll create more.

• It’s not easy and requires constant attention and reinvention, however it is doable!

My two cents….

Questions? Comments? Takeaways?

Jokes?

Jackie O’Connell, CPRP Great Parks of Hamilton County joconnell@greatparks.org 513.256.8003

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