CACCRAO

May 1, 2012

Steve Erwin, Degree Audit Evaluator

Noelia Borcherding, Assistant Director

Admissions & Records

College of the Canyons

Introduction

The crazy places we work. Fast paced, overwhelming, rigorous,

disheartening. Stuck in “old guard” mentality. This does not have to be our fate.

Ideal Work Place

Imagine ideal work place.What does this look and feel like?

Majority of waking hours are at work.

Organizational Culture

What is it? We know what it is, but how do we

define it?

Organizational Culture (cont.) Edgar Schein: Organizational culture is

“a pattern of shared basic assumptions that a group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and integration that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.”

Organizational Culture (cont.) “The way we do things around here.”

“Culture is the glue that holds an organization together and unites people around shared values and beliefs.”

Don’t forget about the subculture within a culture.

Organizational Culture (cont.) Culture is both a product and a process.

As a product, it embodies accumulated wisdom from those who came before us.

As a process, it is constantly renewed and re-created as newcomers learn the old ways and eventually become teachers themselves.

Assumptions About People Managers’ assumptions tend to become

self-fulfilling prophecies.

Assumptions – Theory X Theory X: Subordinates are passive,

lazy, and have little ambition, prefer to be led, and resist change.Management practices include: coercion,

threats, punishments, or avoiding conflict altogether (trying to satisfy everyone’s needs).

Results in low productivity, antagonism, and subtle sabotage.

Key point: If you treat people as if they’re lazy and need to be directed, they conform to your expectations.

Assumptions – Theory Y

Theory Y: Essential task of management is to arrange organizational conditions so that people can achieve their own goals. (Alignment)The more managers align organizational

requirements with employee self-interest, the more they can rely on Theory Y’s principle of self-direction.

Role of Director

Top-down leadership. Letting go. Trust.

Change

Change (cont.)

Courage.Thwarting the demons of complacency.Does not happen overnight.Baby steps.

Organizational Change

Overarching theme is innovation. Identify departmental needs.

○ Key personnel—role of staff “Champions of Change.”

Be inclusive of all, looking for a broad perspective, okay to ask for help from staff.

90/10—90% of work time dedicated to desk work, 10% for innovation.

Play and Humor.

Innovation TeamsTopical and On-Going

Reg My Ride One Note, Two Note, Red Note, Blue Note Trans R Us Citizen Pain Bee Sting Therapy Tickle Me Brainstem

* Guess who does what?

Reg My Ride

Online high school registration. Streamlined registration process. Meets prior to each registration period—

adapts and makes changes based off of trends.

Kiosk, Info Table, Express Line. Adapted resource schedule.

One Note, Two Note, Red Note, Blue Note

Implemented Microsoft One Note. Wiki for all things A&R. “One stop shop.” Access for all. Minutes, schedules, manuals, etc. Conducted staff training.

Trans R Us

Developing new layout/content of transcript.

Works directly with MIS. Ongoing, long term team.

Citizen Pain

Developed new residency processes. Only residency specialist makes

residency decisions. New Residency Affidavit. Online appointments scheduler. Drop-in appointments.

Bee Sting Therapy

Completed 3 Year Program Review. Staff members included in process. More complete, holistic review. Completed in timely manner. Used as a model for other departments

on campus.

Tickle Me Brainstem

Origins—naming other innovation teams.

Fishbowls. Mind bullets. Opening/Closing ceremonies. Creativity. A space where all ideas are embraced—

good, bad, ridiculous, silly, or otherwise.

Tickle Me Brainstem (cont.) Themed sticker days. Alternate name days—Jersey Shore,

Leprechaun, Elf. Temporary tattoo, fake moustache, eye

patch day. Mahi Mahi Lei Day. Picture Board. Employee of the Lunch.

Tickle Me Brainstem (cont.) A&R Live webcam. Easter egg hunt. Holiday advent calendar. The energy and enthusiasm generated

by these events and by TMB is contagious.

Tickle!

Play & Humor In most work settings, play and humor

are sharply distinguished from work. Play is what people do when they are not working.

If play is viewed as a state of mind, any activity can be playful.

Play permits relaxing the rules to explore alternatives. It encourages experimentation, flexibility and adaptiveness.

Play & Humor (cont.)

Effective teams balance seriousness with play and humor.

Humor releases tension and helps resolve issues that arise from day-to-day routines as well as from sudden emergencies.

Call to Action

What are some small steps that you could do in your respective offices?

Questions/Comments

Contact UsSteve Erwin

Degree Audit Evaluator

College of the Canyons

steve.erwin@canyons.edu

661-362-5917

Noelia Borcherding

Assistant Director, Admissions & Records

College of the Canyons

noelia.borcherding@canyons.edu

661-362-3001

References

Kelley, T. (2001) The Art of Innovation. Doubleday, NY.

Schein, E. (2004) Organizational Culture and Leadership. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.