Change to Lead and Lead to Change

1. Change to Lead and Lead to Change SASBO-APRIL, 2007 864-423-5752

2. The Speed of Change Remember Alvin Toffler and “Future Shock”? • Population • 1858-4 cities of one million plus • 1960-141 cities of one million plus • 2005-437 cities of one million plus • Increasingly urban, which changes the way we live and “see” things; it also impacts how governments provide services

3. The Speed of Change Remember Alvin Toffler and “Future Shock”? • Speed of travel • 600 BC-8 miles per hour by camel • 1930-35 miles per hour by car • 1960-4,000 miles per hour by rocket • 2000-10,000+ miles per hour by plane • The world is becoming smaller and we are very mobile now; government must be more mobile and responsive (people expect more with less)

4. The Speed of Change Remember Alvin Toffler and “Future Shock”? • Information • 1500-1,000 years to produce 100,000 books • 1960-2 years to produce 100,000 books • 2000-100 days to produce 100,000 books • Information explosion is so great, you can’t even begin to keep up with it all as an individual; governments must have systems and teams in place to efficiently and effectively gather, evaluate and disseminate information. Individually, we must learn to deal with “information overload”.

5. The Speed of Change Remember Alvin Toffler and “Future Shock”? • Science • Over 90% of all scientists who ever lived are alive today • The knowledge explosion is continuous and will become even greater-get used to it! Government must adapt, change and stay up-to-date; can’t keep doing things the same old way.

6. Those who desire change, grab hold of the benefits of change, and make positive change happen are and will be the leaders in government.

7. Change But most of us don’t want to change and/or aren’t willing to acknowledge the benefit-why? • Comfort zone • Job, not vocation • Fear of taking risks • Fear of failure • Fear of success • No motivation to improve-intrinsic or external

8. Change But most of us don’t want to change and/or aren’t willing to acknowledge the benefit-why? • No commitment-to improve • Quit-let roadblocks become permanent instead of temporary • Don’t learn from our mistakes • Don’t take responsibility for actions

9. Change So if that is me-not wanting to change-what do I do? • Understand: • that feelings don’t change behavior, but behavior can change feelings • you have no choice; change is going to happen-either you have some control over change or change controls you • that most change is great • Start with your attitude-be honest • Attitudes can change-takes hard work

10. Those who desire change, grab hold of the benefits of change, and make positive change happen are and will be the leaders in government.

11. The Challenge • So what is required of me to lead (in excellence)? • And how do I take that understanding and actually change and improve myself, as well as my organization, department, group…? • How do I create a culture where everyone is challenged to seek innovation and improve the way we do things?

12. A leader is… • AUTHENTIC • Trustworthy, genuine, real • Be open about struggles, mistakes • Creates an organization, division or department where everyone is free to be open, try things (and even fail), be innovative

13. A leader is… • VISIONARY • Knows where going-personally • Passionate • Doesn’t have a “job” • Can then create shared vision that can be caught

14. A leader… • Leads by values-VALUESHIP • Must have personal values first • Helps create organizational values • These values govern behavior and enable people to make decisions • Helps provide balance between the vision and the resources

15. Let us suppose that we were asked for one all purpose bit of advice for management, one truth that we were able to distill from the excellent organization’s research. We might be tempted to reply, “Figure out your value system.” Decide what your organization stands for. Clarifying the value system and breathing life into it are the greatest contributions a leader can make. Peters and Waterman

16. A leader… • CARES • Know your people • Understand what motivates them • Want the best for them • Lead them to reach their goals-personally and professionally

17. The Challenge • So what is required of me to lead in excellence? • And how do I take that and actually change and improve myself and my organization, department, group…? • How do I create a culture where everyone is challenged to seek innovation and improve the way we do things?

18. To start… • Get away • Honestly evaluate yourself-attitudes, gifts and abilities… • Think about a personal vision • What are your personal values that guide and direct you? • Then set goals

19. To start… • FIND ACCOUNTABILITY!!!!!!!

20. As time goes by… • Evaluate and measure • Learn from mistakes • Adjust goals as needed • Celebrate your victories!!!!!

21. Organizationally… • Successful organizations • Know where they are going • Identify core values and train/develop people based on these values • Create a learning organization (requires authenticity in culture) • Continually improve

22. Organizationally… • Authenticity requires openness • Much easier to do when you know where you are going personally • You can guide your team, group, department…through a similar process

23. Organizationally… • Authenticity requires openness • Your team, group, department…should ask yourselves some questions and brainstorm • Do we understand how what our team, group, department… does relates to the mission, vision and goals of our school district?

24. Organizationally… • Authenticity requires openness • Your team, group, department…should ask yourselves some questions and brainstorm • Are we really passionate about wanting to improve and be the best at what we do? If not, why not? • How can we be the best team, group, department…at what we must do? • What would the best actually look like? • What is causing us not to be there? What mistakes have we made and what can we learn from them? • You must lead in this area by example!

25. Organizationally… • Authenticity requires openness • Some more questions to consider… • How would you rate your team’s, group’s…performance right now? • What organizations are out there that are leaders in what we do? • What technologies and other resources are available that would help us? • What have you wanted to change, experiment with, etc. but have not?

26. Organizationally… • Authenticity requires openness • This is not a one time brainstorm; this is the beginning of creating the kind of environment where this is happening continually • How much time do you take and do you encourage your people take to read, to research new ideas, to talk with your peers, to experiment?

27. Organizationally… • Examples from recent government retreat • Why no passion, Why do people not seem to enjoy their work? No vision, tyranny of the urgent, who is leading, what kind of communication is occurring… • Why not where we want to be? Too high of cost, lack of economic development, poor communication, no innovation about how to do things better…

28. Organizationally… • Examples from recent government retreat • What want to look like? Regular communication to employees and customers, no DHEC issues, have own facilities, constantly upgrading and improving, not afraid of technology… • What have wanted to do? Regular meetings with other local governments in area, not hold on to poor employees, focus more spending on technology…

29. Organizationally… • Examples from recent government retreat • So why aren’t we doing these things? Lack of leadership, poor culture, fear of “me looking bad”, negative attitudes, lack of motivation…

30. Organizationally… • What is the vision for our team, group, department…? • Again, what is the vision for the school district? • How does what our team, group, department does…related to that vision? • So what should be included in our team’s, group’s, department’s…vision? • Start with single words or phrases

31. Organizationally… • Examples from a recent government retreat • Safe, compliance, cost-effective, efficient • Development, clean, quick fix • Maintain, replacement, maximize citizen satisfaction, communication…

32. Organizationally… • VISION • Once it has been created-communicate it! • Provides a sense of purpose and direction • The basis for setting goals • Should cause you to create your “To Don’t List” (things that we are not going to do any more) that is just as important as your “To Do List”

33. Organizationally… • Government example • ABC Government will provide quality, reliable and efficient services, while: • Providing honest, consistent, accurate and timely customer service • Providing a safe work environment • Maintaining compliance with state and federal regulations • Expanding systems and services, according to a strategic plan, where economically feasible to meet current and future customer needs

34. Organizationally… • VALUESHIP • Identify core values of team, group… • Commonly held values critical to success • Prioritize those identified values • Communicate them throughout your team, group, department… • Enables people to confidently make decisions • Sometimes need to change some positions and find people that agree with those values • Live those values out-set the example

35. Organizationally… • Government examples • Accessibility and dependability of service • Integrity • Responsiveness • Safety of employees • Efficiency • Reliability

36. Organizationally… • The vision and values become the basis for setting goals and objectives

37. Organizationally… • Caring • How well do you know the people in your team, group, department…? • Length of service • Prior vocations • Hobbies and special interests • Children-names, ages, interests • Spouse-name, vocation, interests • Religion, politics • What things outside of work they want to do but have not done • Personality type, which leads to strengths, weaknesses, tasks and jobs for which better suited

38. Organizationally… • Caring • What motivates your people? • Achievement • Power • Affiliation • Autonomy • Esteem • Safety and security • Equity

39. Organizationally… • Caring • Care enough to expect the best • To have a disciplined team, group, department… that people enjoy being a part of • Mercer, Inc. study • On average, people said they could do 26% more work than they actually were doing

40. Organizationally… • Caring • 4 major reasons they were not doing more • Not involved in decision making • Lack of reward for good performance • Did not see enough opportunity for advancement • Lack of supervision, training and development

41. Organizationally… • Caring • Help them be successful personally and professionally • Must have balance over long-term • Encourage and even lead them through personal vision, goals, accountability… • Will result in learning new skills, developing new processes…

42. Organizationally… • Caring • Communicate • Be authentic-share about yourself-weaknesses as well as strengths, failures as well as accomplishments • If not sure or don’t know-ask • Get input and include in decisions as much as possible • Take the time!

43. SO WHAT?

44. So What? • School District in Maryland-each principal has 100% autonomy and authority with school budget; this gets passed down to other school employees; has significantly reduced administrative costs. • School District in California-costs have decreased in total dollars for each of the last three years (with increased student enrollment) and test scores have improved-ideas at all levels, change, technology

45. So What? • Other ideas and changes from government: • Departments get to keep 50% of savings below prior year expenditures-50% of that can be used on bonuses if department performance measures are met • If idea from any employee saves at least $x in money that is measurable, award of additional vacation day(s); if not measurable, names go into a hat for prizes and awards that are given monthly

46. So What? • Other ideas and changes from government: • Monetary and other awards given for reducing: • Amount of time and costs spent on compliance • Number of compliance reports issued (cut by 30%)

47. We like to talk about “thinking outside the box”, but do we really ever do it, and if so, do we ever really do anything about it?

48. Individually… • A leader… • Is authentic • Is a visionary • Leads by values • Cares • Loves and embraces change

49. Organizationally… • Successful organizations • Know where they are going • Identify core values and train/develop people based on these values • Create a learning organization • Continually improve through change

50. Excellence in leadership in any organization means you… • Care more than most people think is wise • Risk more than most people think is safe • Act on dreams more than most people think is practical • Expect more than most people think is possible