Watershed Strategies

Most recent:

Bon Secours Hospital System, Hampton Roads, VA. (project through The University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business, Executive Education, 2008-2009)

• Provided support and facilitation to four Emergency Departments in the system as they implemented the “30-Minute Guarantee” — where door to the beginning of treatment was guaranteed within 30 minutes.
• Built upon prior work and facilitated cross-functional and cross-facility collaboration and learning in order to accelerate the change process; facilitated 3 large scale learning events
• Went from concept to implementation in four months; incorporated a dashboard to measure progress on a weekly basis
• Implemented the 30-Minute Guarantee while improving patient satisfaction and provider/employee satisfaction

Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division, Corona, CA. (project through The University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business, Executive Education, 2006-2008)

• Facilitated two large scale events to ensure participation and shared understanding among over 200 manager-engineers around a major organizational initiative for career planning, competency-based learning, succession planning and training systems
• Received “Partner in Innovation” award in 2008 from the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business, Executive Education

North Ottawa Community Hospital, Grand Haven, MI (2007)

• Facilitated dialogue amoung functional teams within the organization to further understanding of organizational changes

WIRED West Michigan – Manufacturing Skills Coop (2006-2008)

• Benchmarked employer-driven collaboratives focused on sharing best-in-class practices and workforce development.
• Facilitated the formation of a pilot group to develop a system for mutual support and shared learning around a self-assessment of best-in-class practices
• Created an online presence, including a forum for sharing best practices, identifying training needs, and a library of resources pertinent to West Michigan industry and the West Michigan economy

For Profit:

Cascade Engineering, Grand Rapids, MI (1995-2003)

• Work redesign to support self-directed teams and a “pay-for-contribution” system
• Engaged 100+ employees actively in the process
• Strategic dialogue (Linda) and OD intervention
• Cascade won the Michigan Manufacturer of the Year award in 1998 and the Ron Brown award for Corporate Citizenship (work/family balance) in 1999

GHSP (Grand Haven Stamped Products), Grand Haven, MI (1997)

• Designed and delivered education on systems thinking and lean manufacturing principles to approximately 60 people in support of the Product Development Group’s new project management system.

Herman Miller Inc., Zeeland, MI (2002-2003)

• Designed and delivered team-based problem solving to approximately 125 people
• Facilitated the work of over 25 problem-solving teams in the plant and office
• Conducted “train the trainer” education for internal facilitators

Mobil Oil, Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans, LA (1995-1996)

• Provided consulting on communications strategies to support an organizational transformation effort.

Precision Resource – California Division, Huntington Beach, California (2000-2001)

• Worked with the leadership team to develop strategic objectives
• Involved a design team (cross sectional) in designing an all-company (more than 300 employees), interactive strategic planning conference, which was complicated by the fact that only half of the employee population spoke English as a first language; all presentation were made and work was done (simultaneously) in English, Vietnamese and Spanish
• Engaged the entire organization in planning to support the strategic objectives

Precision Resource – Kentucky Division, Mt. Sterling, KY (1998 – 2000)

• Worked to build a leadership team with team skills as well as technical skills
• Involved a design team (cross sectional) in designing an all-company, interactive strategic planning conference; facilitated a fundamental change in communication and other systems
• Facilitated 2 large scale events, including all employees
• Engaged the entire organization in strategic and action planning to support well understood strategic objectives

Progressive AE, Grand Rapids, MI (1996)

• Facilitated a whole system strategic planning conference
• Engaged 120 people in a series of strategic planning sessions
• Culminated in 80% attendance at the final Saturday session which was voluntary and unpaid

Steelcase, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (1997-2001)

• Ongoing communications strategy development and deployment
• Design and delivery of customized program (Why Change? And Why This Change?) for 300 first line supervisors, using large scale processes and RTSC principles
• Created two 20 minute videos as part of the change effort communication plan
• Produced written material including a technical guidebook and a booklet telling the Steelcase story
• Created an intranet information source for information on the new work systems

Universal Forest Products, Grand Rapids, MI (2000)

• Designed an organizational survey and conducted focus group sessions to analyze and propose improvements in employee communications.

Not for profit:

Chippewa River District Library, Mt. Pleasant, MI (2002)

• Used a combination of the American Library Association’s “Planning for Results” and Real Time Strategic Change approaches to strategic planning, involving Board, staff and community representation. See http://www.youseemore.com/chippewa/about.asp?p=93 for a full description of the planning process.

Clark Retirement Community, Grand Rapids, MI (2002 – 2006)

• Facilitated joint senior management team and Board of Directors strategic planning process every 6 to 12 months.
• Trained approximately 60 people in quality tools and processes.

Fetzer Institute, Kalamazoo, MI (1997-1999)

• Whole system dialogues to align policies and practices with organizational vision and values, with a new employee handbook, Our Shared Agreements as the product
• Created a video telling the story
• Managed the Organizational Development transition when the HR Director left the organization

Heart of West Michigan United Way, Grand Rapids, MI (2002)

• Helped to create a quality culture and system, including leadership alignment, focus groups to identify customer voice, education of internal quality consultants, and “whole system” engagement.

Library of Michigan, Michigan Libraries Associations, et al. Our Preferred Vision Conference 1999 (1999)

• Co-facilitated a 2-day visioning conference with representatives of approximately 200 libraries from various library sectors—corporate, government, institutional, academic and public. Linda McFadden, as Chair of the Board of Directors, Library of Michigan, along with other leaders from various library sectors, helped to spearhead this unprecedented event that has had significant impact on the ability of multi-type libraries to collaborate and leverage resources to the benefit of all citizens of the State of Michigan.

Ottawa County Michigan Works! (2000-2001)

• Facilitated the Strategic Planning Process for the Michigan Department of Career Development, the Work Force Development Board (of Ottawa County) and Michigan Works! Much of the final plan can be found at http://www.michworks-ottawa.org/strategic-plan.php.
• Conducted an in-depth environmental scan, facilitated community engagement, developed a “report card” with five priorities, and established key measurements to assess progress against those goals.
• Created multiple communication channels during the planning process, including public television spots, internet sites, and newspaper coverage.

Resthaven Patrons, Holland, Michigan (1998-present)

• Facilitated joint Board/Management retreats to help prepare the organization to proactively change to protect its mission in a time of rapid change.
• Worked with the Executive and Leadership Teams in the development of key strategic objectives and multiple future scenarios.
• Designed and facilitated several large-scale organizational “visioning” and strategic planning meetings to ensure alignment across all levels, facilities and functions within the organization with the evolving strategic plan.
• Designed and delivered several team and facilitator development classes.

United Way of America, Resource Development and Community Impact Division, Alexandria, VA (2002)

• Organizational alignment and strategic planning around a newly articulated mission

Washtenaw County (2000 – 2001)

• Audited internal communications system and recommended new and comprehensive strategies for measurable improvements

West Michigan Strategic Alliance (2001 – 2002)

• Co-designed and facilitated large group meetings (30-100 people) across “essential activities” committees within the WMSA to ensure a system-wide, cross-functional approach to regional planning. Both consultants also worked as volunteers on two of the EA committees