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?

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. 

Behind The Scenes, or ...

so much to do, so little time.  Sorry I haven't updated this space in a long time - I keep meaning to but we're working on so many TBO projects I've neglected the blog.  From a personal perspective that's good - it's called being in the "flow" - so engrossed in your work that time just slips by.  In talent/strengths philosophy it's a part of employee engagement, getting to do what you do best (and love to do) 70% of the time.

So, I'm lucky, but delinquent in keeping you informed!

The beta-testing of a proposed new performance management process concluded this summer, although the participants are continuing to use the process until a decision is made by our leadership.  If you're curious, you can find a good deal of information on the Human Resources site under Performance Management.  About half-way down the page you'll find some of the forms being tested, along with a Job Aid tool, the 8 Essentials of the proposed program based on over a year of research conducted by the Training and Development Committee, a process flowchart, and a Department of Labor website we have utilized for competencies.

The proposed process eliminates any rating of competencies except during an employee's probationary period.  Manager's participating in the beta-testing requested that competencies be considered during that critical period, and each position will have a list of unique competencies based on the requirements of the role.

If you get a chance, look over the information on the Human Resources site and pepper me with questions!