This is a frequent mantra from the folks at Gallup. Not only do they understand that individuals are unique in how they use and apply their talents and strengths, they know that organizations are unique as well. As a result, their consultants advise clients to look inward to find the "top performers" within our own organizations and study them. What are they doing to get good results within our organization's unique culture, processes and systems? Can others learn anything from these internal "top performers"? Can what they're doing be duplicated in any way?
I think we should take our consultant's advice, and so have been studying the institution's results to Gallup's Employee Engagement survey from October 2012. I've identified 4 managers at Kalamazoo Valley who, at this point in time, are leading the most highly engaged units. In fact, 3 are in Gallup's 75th Percentile (all organizations in their database), and 1 just missing that mark by .04 (average mean). I will remind readers that the survey is not a rating system for managers. Nor are managers solely responsible for employee engagement. We all are - at every level (more on this later).
However, perhaps we should "study" these managers - what are their talents and strengths and how do they use them as managers? What led their people to respond at such high levels to the questions? What is going on in these units that is different from other units? Is there anything we can learn and apply elsewhere?
Our first manager is Diane Finch of Career and Student Employment Services in the Student Success Center. Diane had 7 direct reports respond to the engagement survey and the unit scored a Grand Mean (average) of 4.60 (out of 5.0). All but 1 of the Q12 items averaged a score of 4.57 or greater.
Terry Hutchins, Vice President for Information Technologies, had a unit of 5 direct reports with a Grand Mean of 4.51. Questions Q1 and Q2 were given all "5's", and five of the remaining 10 questions received responses greater than 4.40: Q4, Q5, Q6, Q9, and Q12.
Lisa Cronkhite-Marks is an Education Professional in the Writing Center and had 6 direct reports complete the survey. The unit's Grand Mean was 4.43, with all respondents rating the Q1 at the highest possible level of "5". Seven other items were rated at 4.50 or greater: Q2, Q3, Q5, Q6, Q8, Q9, Q12.
Also under the Student Success Center umbrella is Cathy Colella, Office Manager in the Student Success Center. Cathy had 5 direct reports respond to the engagement survey, and they gave "high 5's" to both Q1 and Q5 and rated 4 other items at an average of 4.60 or greater (Q2, Q6, Q9 and Q11). The unit's overall Grand Mean was 4.32 - just a hair under Gallup's line for the 75th Percentile of 4.36 and above.
As mentioned earlier, we are all responsible for engagement - as individuals, as managers, and the overall institution. Since the institution is the "constant" in the current equation, it appears there is something worth studying about the individuals and the managers in these three units. Stay tuned!
12/30/12
8/7/12
Kalamazoo Valley Receives National Strengths Award!
Mark your calendars for 11:30 a.m. on August 14th to be on-hand when President Schlack is presented with this prestigious Gallup award in recognition of the institution's efforts to focus on the talents and strengths of our students and employees.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is the 2012 recipient of the Gallup Clifton Compass Award. The Clifton Compass Award is designed to honor institutions that best represent a Strengths-based campus, as evidenced by their strategic commitment to student, staff and faculty engagement and wellbeing through Strengths-based development.
“Kalamazoo Valley has displayed great leadership and a strong vision for how a college can impact an entire community with strategic strengths-based development” said Kyle Robinson, Director of Campus Engagement at Gallup, Inc., “We are proud of Kalamazoo Valley’s accomplishment and value their ongoing partnership to engage their students, staff and faculty.”
A formal presentation of the award will be made on the Kalamazoo Valley campus on August 14th at 11:30 am. by Mark Pogue, Gallup Vice President of the Education Practice.
For more information on Kalamazoo Valley's journey to become a talent-based organization, see TBO Journey Timeline under Related Links on this page.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is the 2012 recipient of the Gallup Clifton Compass Award. The Clifton Compass Award is designed to honor institutions that best represent a Strengths-based campus, as evidenced by their strategic commitment to student, staff and faculty engagement and wellbeing through Strengths-based development.
“Kalamazoo Valley has displayed great leadership and a strong vision for how a college can impact an entire community with strategic strengths-based development” said Kyle Robinson, Director of Campus Engagement at Gallup, Inc., “We are proud of Kalamazoo Valley’s accomplishment and value their ongoing partnership to engage their students, staff and faculty.”
A formal presentation of the award will be made on the Kalamazoo Valley campus on August 14th at 11:30 am. by Mark Pogue, Gallup Vice President of the Education Practice.
For more information on Kalamazoo Valley's journey to become a talent-based organization, see TBO Journey Timeline under Related Links on this page.
6/18/12
Embedding Strengths in Your Company's DNA
Great article from Jim Asplund in recent edition of GALLUP Business Journal!
Embedding Strengths in Your Company's DNA
Embedding Strengths in Your Company's DNA
F.O.C.U.S. Kick-off
The new F.O.C.U.S. performance management process for non-faculty takes effect July 1st, and June is the month to get ready. Sessions are available to assist both managers and direct reports contribute their best to the process AND get as much out of it as possible.
There's a saying in real estate that everything is "location, location, location". Well, in the workplace, everything is "relationships, relationships, relationships". Relationships built on trust, respect and understanding. F.O.C.U.S. is designed to encourage authentic conversations and important discussions around our mission, our vision of the future, our individual talents and strengths, and how each of us makes our own unique contribution.
F.O.C.U.S. supports a strengths-based employee community. That means we focus and build on what we do best - unrelentingly. The Institution wins, our students, visitors and clients win, our community wins, and YOU win. Are you READY?
There's a saying in real estate that everything is "location, location, location". Well, in the workplace, everything is "relationships, relationships, relationships". Relationships built on trust, respect and understanding. F.O.C.U.S. is designed to encourage authentic conversations and important discussions around our mission, our vision of the future, our individual talents and strengths, and how each of us makes our own unique contribution.
F.O.C.U.S. supports a strengths-based employee community. That means we focus and build on what we do best - unrelentingly. The Institution wins, our students, visitors and clients win, our community wins, and YOU win. Are you READY?
2/3/12
Valley Leadership Adopts F.O.C.U.S.
At the January 17th Cabinet meeting College leadership agreed to implement the F.O.C.U.S. Performance Management System. The new system will replace the current annual performance appraisal process with the more frequent, non-judgmental, future-focused F.O.C.U.S. process designed to encourage strong relationships between managers and their direct reports. As Gallup clients we know that these relationships are the key. F.O.C.U.S. will guide managers and enhance skills in identifying and utilizing talents and strengths, setting clear expectations and maintaining accountability, and motivating and recognizing direct reports through a process that enables them to learn more about each direct report, including how and where they can best contribute in achieving our mission and priorities.
The new process has been under development by the Training and Development Committee for 2 years, and 25 Kalamazoo Valley managers and their direct reports have been beta-testing it for about 14 months.
The official kick-off is July 2012, so stay tuned for more information and upcoming training on the new process. In the meantime, if you're curious you can get a sneak preview by visiting the Performance Management site under Human Resources where you'll find the beta-testing materials on the lower half of the screen.
The new process has been under development by the Training and Development Committee for 2 years, and 25 Kalamazoo Valley managers and their direct reports have been beta-testing it for about 14 months.
The official kick-off is July 2012, so stay tuned for more information and upcoming training on the new process. In the meantime, if you're curious you can get a sneak preview by visiting the Performance Management site under Human Resources where you'll find the beta-testing materials on the lower half of the screen.
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