Values Have Value: Bridging Organizational Differences Through “Bottom-Up” Strategic Planning

Outcomes:• Define and develop a core set of values and accompanying philosophies.

• Explore creative methods of facilitation.

• Recognize the importance of partnering across units and the institution despite differences in backgrounds.

Participant Engagement Strategies:Depending on the assigned room layout, this interactive session will include an overview of facilitation techniques. Through backward design,presenters will showcase values and philosophies developed at their institution as a working model.

The four presenters will:• Lead participants in generating a set of values and philosophies.

• Guide participants in narrowing the set of values.

• Facilitate a discussion which enables participants to reach consensus, despite their disparate backgrounds and experiences.

• Demonstrate the development and writing of value definitions.

• Define philosophy within this activity’s context.

• Assist with developing a philosophy for one value. (depending on time constraints)

• Summarize values and philosophies, resulting in a takeaway.

What are Your Values?

Abstract:To chisel away at entrenched organizational cultures, IT service areas convened to generate a set of values and philosophies. The presenters will share facilitation techniques used successfully in this “bottom-up” approach to strategic planning. IT staff of all levels will learn ways of bridging organizational differences through facilitated activities.

Description:A traditional top-down approach to strategic planning was set aside in favor of a grass-roots initiative to answer the questions, “Who are we?” and “What do we value?” At our institution, there is one large IT unit with three distinct service areas - library, computing / networking, and educational technology - each with its own culture.

To foster relationships between faculty librarians, professional IT staff and classified staff, a unit-level Strategic Planning Advisory Committee was formed representing each area. To further unify these areas, a work group, nominated by their peers, convened to develop common values and philosophies and update the mission and vision statement to align with the college’s mission of teaching, learning and service. These front line employees, many early in their careers, partnered for two days of facilitation with the Advisory Committee. This work group identified values important to each service area’s culture.

The facilitators will walk participants through a series of activities which were employed successfully at our institution. This session will be relevant to IT staff of all backgrounds, of all career lengths, interested in “bottom-up” strategic planning. Of particular importance, IT staff will find ways of bridging organizational differences through shared values, activities, and commonalities.

Three Units Involved

15 30 70

2 4 4

Instructional Resources

Computing and Technology Services

Library

Employees Employees Employees

Participants Participants Participants

Melaine C. Kenyon, MLSDirector for Instructional Technology

Eugene J. Harvey, M.L.S., M.S.W.Assessment Librarian

Kari A. D’Amico Software Licensing

Amy D. Rockwell, M.L.S., M.S.First-Year Experience Librarian

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