I worked closely with 100 people in the six Human Resource Departments and with many other stakeholders at university with a staff of 16,000.

Six months.

Problem presented:

Campus departments were critical of the Human Resource Division’s customer service and leadership. All three managers left the Training Department at about the same time leaving a staff of five without a manager. Underlying this mass exodus was the Training Managers’ frustration with the Director’s leadership style.

The Director of HR defined a need to (1) assess other departments’ training needs and their perceptions of all HR’s services, (2) improve HR’s teamwork and customer service, and (3) support the Training Department staff until a new manager was hired.

Each of the three components of this consulting engagement had its own project design with fact finding, analysis, recommendations and/or implementation. They were pursued simultaneously during the six-month period.

• Conducted individual interviews of deans, VPs, department heads, key management service officers, HR Department managers and other stakeholders to assess their perceptions of HR service and training needs.
• Provided the Director with feedback from these interviews.
• Coached the director on leadership, collaboration and listening.
• Facilitated a series of small group meetings in which the Director had an opportunity to learn directly about other’s perceptions, needs and suggestions (and to improve relationships).
• Analyzed the data from the interviews and meetings, reported findings and provided alternative recommendations for training approaches.
• Coached the HR-IT manager who was perceived as obstructing communication and service.
• Conducted individual and small group HR staff interviews to assess teamwork and service skill building needs.
• Designed and delivered customer service and teamwork sessions for the whole HR department staff.
• Provided ongoing team support for the Training Department staff, attended weekly staff meetings, and handled training issues as they arose.

The HR Department improved relationships with customers. The Director was viewed by his campus customers as more open and collaborative. Teamwork improved in and between HR Divisions. The Training staff kept the training programs running without a full-time manager for five months. The new manager came into his new job with a motivated staff and a recent assessment of issues and recommendations. Several years later, the staff reported that they attribute the Director’s more open management style to this intervention.

I worked closely with about 110 people in the five offices over three years to improve leadership, teamwork and customer service.

Three years.

Problem presented:

As part of a Quality Improvement process the Chief and other veterinarians/ researchers identified a need to improve management, customer service and teamwork in the laboratories located throughout California. I was initially engaged to design and facilitate their annual off-site management retreat. This led to three years of ongoing consulting to improve customer relations, leadership, communication and teamwork.

Steps in resolving the problem:

• Reviewed documents of their ongoing Quality Improvement Process.
• Interviewed selected Chiefs, researchers and staff members to assess current concerns and needs.
• Collaborated with the Chief and Associate Director to design an issues-focused management retreat.
• Facilitated a week-end off-site retreat for the Lab Chiefs and managers.
• Designed and delivered Managing Customer Service training for all lab managers and supervisors.
• Designed and delivered Customer Service Strategies trainings for all labs.
• Customized team building sessions for each lab (different content).
• Provided coaching for selected managers and staff members.
• Facilitated meetings between staff and management in five labs to help open communication and address festering issues.
• Provided ongoing telephone support to managers throughout the system.
• Facilitated small group meetings and one-on-one sessions to help resolve conflicts.
• Responded to requests by both manager and employees to help when they encountered organizational and interpersonal problems at the labs.

Results achieved: Improved awareness of customer requirements, fewer customer complaints, better teamwork and communication within and between labs, higher employee satisfaction survey results.

Over the years, when executives, managers or staff members experienced problems with productivity, customer service or teamwork, they requested my consulting services. I was pleased to create this level of trust and rapport with all levels.

I worked closely with fifty people on many projects over four years to improve leadership, teamwork and customer service.

Four years.

Problem presented: A customer survey demonstrated wide-spread dissatisfaction with service levels in purchasing and the warehouse. Motivation and morale in the department were low.

• Conducted a needs assessment by interviewing key stakeholders and reviewing survey results.
• Consulted with managers to restructure the department.
• Collaborated with the new Manager to plan Town Hall meetings which he facilitated.
• Facilitated sessions with warehouse supervisors and employees to clarify roles, responsibilities and expectations.
• Designed and delivered basic communication and teamwork sessions for the warehouse staff.
• Designed and delivered customer service trainings to buyers and warehouse workers.
• Designed and delivered supervisory training to all supervisors.
• Coached the manager and selected supervisors.
• Facilitated problem solving sessions.
• Participated in meetings which the manager led to create a report that would prevent outsourcing of Purchasing and the warehouse.
• Provided conflict resolution among selected employees.

Key changes in the management team, improved clarity about roles and responsibilities, improved communication skills, better communication and coordination with hospital departments, better morale, and improved customer service measures.

I worked closely with five doctors and a staff of 19 people to address conflict and low morale and improve management style and employee retention.

Three weeks.

Problem presented:

Several laboratory staff members complained to the Chief about the management style of the Nurse Manager. Key people were threatening to leave. The Chief had not properly documented her performance problems and she openly objected to a "Below Standard" performance appraisal. None of the doctors or the Nurse Manager was trained in management. The Chief did not want her openly identified to the staff as the "problem." Instead, he asked to approach our intervention as a team-improvement process in preparation for the upcoming grant application.

Steps in resolving the problem: I

• Met with the Chief twice to define issues and create a plan.
• Interviewed all doctors and team members individually. Analyzed data.
• Met with the doctors to report findings (including team concern, suggestions, and Nurse Manager-specific issues) and to consider alternatives.
• Met with the Nurse Manager to provide her with feedback and coaching.
• Coached the Chief on writing the Performance Review and confronting the Nurse Manager.
• After the performance review was delivered, facilitated a meeting between the Chief and Nurse Manager to clarify feedback and develop an improvement plan
• Presented the findings and suggestions from the interviews (without referring to individuals) to the whole team at a staff meeting and facilitated a discussion.
• Provided individual feedback and coaching in person and on the phone to both the Nurse Manager and the Chief.
• Recommended the hospitals internal resources for coaching and supporting the Nurse Manger’s development. Briefed the internal consultant on the case.
• Supported the Chief in writing and delivering further documentation of the Nurse Manger’s performance.

Results achieved: The doctors better understand the impact the Nurse Manager is having on others. They have discussed their responsibility for providing her and others with clear direction, feedback and documentation. The Nurse Manager has received necessary feedback and an appropriate performance review. The Chief and Nurse Manager have formulated an improvement plan. The Nurse Manager has hired a private management coach and continues to struggle with communication and micromanaging.

The team has had an opportunity to discuss their feedback and suggestions about general department issues. The doctors have adjusted roles to give others more authority and autonomy. The nurses who were threatening to leave are waiting to see how things evolve during the months ahead. The doctors are considering alternative approaches to suggestions and a possible restructuring of the department. I will return in six-months for follow-up assessment.

I worked closely with about 12 people in the office to resolve conflict and low morale that impacted productivity and customer service.

Two weeks.

Problem presented:

The District Office Manager, who had taken my five–day corporate-wide leadership training, identified that her staff productivity and motivation was low. Two people were not speaking to one-another, one man spent much of the day on computer games and the supervisor was not taking charge. The manager defined a need to open communication, get people to be more proactive and improve customer service.

• Met with the Manager to define needs and issues and to get a brief profile of team members
• Faxed her, the supervisors and several employees a needs assessment questionnaire and then interviewed them by telephone
• Designed and facilitated a day-long Saturday team building session. Started with a dynamic ice-breaker, administered the Myers’-Briggs Type Inventory and led exercises to interpret the results. I brought up the specific team and interpersonal issues in the context of interpreting the MBTI. I then led a discussion in which two usually quiet members surprisingly opened up to share their needs. Conflicting members reinterpreted their differences. Group projects in the afternoon gave them successful examples of working together to build upon back at work. I facilitated a discussion of expectations about covering the front counter and formulated group agreements.
• Surveyed the group for immediate feedback.
• Called the manager, supervisor and others to check on progress during the weeks and months ahead.

The staff and supervisor described their results to five nearby offices which engaged me for similar consulting. This work then improved inter-office sharing of employees to improve customer service coverage in all offices.