TBO and Strengths Chat: June 2012

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

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?

The KVCC Journey

KVCC's journey to become a talent-based organization (TBO) began in Fall 2004 when our President, Dr. Marilyn Schlack, was introduced to the benefits by a consultant from Talent Plus, a consulting firm for several other companies in the Kalamazoo area.

Over the next year, the Cabinet, many members of the Board of Trustees, and almost all Administrators, Directors, and key managers, along with several faculty members, participated in a variety of development activities to become familiar with TBO concepts. By December 2005 all Administrators and 35 faculty members had been profiled. By July 2006, all full-time staff had been profiled.

In December 2007, the Institution committed to incorporating the talents and strengths approach to student success; the decision was made to move to the Gallup Corporation as our TBO consulting firm; and VP Bohnet attended Gallup's Great Manager training program in Washington, DC.

Since then, 98% of our employees have completed Gallup's StrengthsQuest online assessment to identify their top five "Signature Themes" and completed the Strengths Discovery and Exploration workshop.

The next step is applying what we've learned so far, and discovering and exploring more TBO concepts such as "staff the work, not the job", "every role should have a career path", and the meaning and impact of Gallup's Q12 employee engagement assessment.

Employee Engagement Items (Q12)

Q12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.
Q11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
Q10. I have a best friend at work.
Q9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
Q8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
Q7. At work, my opinions seem to count.
Q6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
Q5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
Q4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
Q3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
Q2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right.
Q1. I know what is expected of me at work.