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December 2015

                                   

From the President: 

 

Time for Change

Studies show change rarely happen when we plan.  The PNODN board's plan was to "change" the President, me, in July.  But the plan to change changed, so I stayed on for a few months to help with the board transition.

 

I am pleased to announce our new board members.

 

 

 

William ("Bud") Wurtz (President)
Kim Arellano
Jeremy Meeds
Marcia Teixeira

Our new board members join our returning board

Magda Kaspary (Vice President)
Carol Turner (Treasurer)
David Wigglesworth
Pooja Agnihotri

and Ann Baus, our administrator. 

Please, welcome our new and returning board members during the January monthly meeting.

Sincerely,
Joey Pauley (Past President)                                                                                  

 

                               

 

Season's Greetings and Wishing you all the Best for the New Year

 

 

From the Editor

As the year comes to an end, I want to thank those who have contributed this year to the newsletter. I am sure that many of our members profited from your pieces. I want to encourage other members to submit items for the newsletter in the coming year. They can be short critical incidents, an “aha” from an intervention, or just some news about yourself. Please consider writing for the newsletter which benefits all of us. Thank you.


David C. Wigglesworth, Editor

PNODN Board Member
  

Member Update

PNODN would like to warmly welcome the following new & renewing members: 

Steve D.            Daphne S.        Yve S

Wendi W.          Eric S.

Vera A.              Patti E.         

 

 

 We thank them for their support of PNODN and invite you to join us as well. 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

   
 

 

November Meeting Review:

By Jeremy Meeds
 
During our November meeting, we explored the Circle Process for Organizational Development with Keiko Ozeki and Rachel Rosenman.  While participating in this process, we came up with values that we, as OD practitioners, hold dear and shared these with the group.  The process itself created a safe space where everyone had a chance to share and feel heard.
 
This was followed by a well-rounded presentation on the benefits of the Circle Process in OD work including examples of how the Center for Ethical Leadership has used this process to create peace with the Neighborhood House, the Bush School and the City of Seattle.
 
Some of our core values were:
 
Freedom   Authenticity    Love    Acceptance     Honesty  Integrity          Transformation Compassion     Communication                    

 

January Meeting Quick Preview:  

Next month we are looking forward to an exciting presentation from Dr. Carol Turner, a PNODN Board Member and current Treasurer.   Watch the website for details.                           

                                              

Case Study

Savvy Slips, Learning on the Run
by Philip Heller
 
Learnings from Practice 12: Generative Questions for Managing Conflict


How to encourage the valuing of many different perspectives during organization change?


The Request. A newly hired Director of a Public Affairs/Communications division of a large government agency requested assistance in establishing a new vision with a related set of new skills. The Director was concerned that the growing sophisticated needs of their internal clients was outpacing current staff abilities. He wanted assistance in designing a retreat that would create a more unified team while encouraging all voices to be expressed, especially those who were reluctant and hesitant about what the new vision would mean to them.


Larger Context. Two staff subgroups had emerged in response to the Directors desire for a new vision and companion 2-year implementation plan. One of the groups was enthusiastic about the possibilities of the new vision and was eager to learn new jobs. Another group, comprised of the more longer-term staff, was skeptical of the changes and had become used to seniority-based job assignments. The director was both concerned that some would refrain from more honest discussion during the retreat and was a bit put off by the resistance he was experiencing. Also, a key manager was about to retire and there were rumors about whether the hire would be based on seniority or skills and who might would get that position.


Consulting Intervention. We began by coaching the director, helping him make new meaning of the reservations he had about the longer-term staff—how his own ambition and dismissive attitude might even create more resistance than was necessary. We sent him a briefing about the role of traditions in organizational change (1). We followed up with a discussion about his understanding of how longer-term staff might be feeling and why. For example:


What do you think loyalty to the agency means to some of the longer-term staff?
What common practices, proud stories and values are regarded by staff as important?
Which might you wish to reinforce?


For the actual retreat, we wanted to acknowledge the past traditions that add value today, validate present accomplishments and contributions and reignite the collective passion for the work ahead. We used a series of generative questions to solicit responses and encourage open interaction. (2)
Last Line. Generative questions help make explicit the stories people have about themselves and raise awareness of alternative meanings in helping to create a more cohesive team.
Commentary. In the past, I might have heightened the conflict by conducting a problem solving session with both groups separately and together. I am currently trying to understand Dialogic OD. With my current theoretical lens, I have come to believe that many of these questions used here may have helped to reframe mindsets without judgment.

(1) The briefing paper was based on the work of Paul Salipante Jr, Providing Continuity in Change: The Role of Tradition in Long-term Adaptation. In: Executive and Organizational Continuity, Srivastva, Suresh and Fry, Ronald, E. and Associates, 1992, Jossey-Bass Inc. To access the briefing paper go to: http://learningdesigna.com/resourcescategory/change-management/ and select Value of Org. Traditions. For more information about resistance generally, go to that same url and select Resistance is Natural or Value of Resistance.
(2) For a sample of the questions used go to: http://learningdesigna.com/resourcescategory/change-management/ and select Generative Questions.


Philip Heller is a senior associate of Learning Design Associates. For 35 years he has helped plan systems change and develop leaders in government, community agencies, and health care centers. Philip received his Ph.D. in Education focusing on learning and problem solving. As part of the originating group, he has been a PNODN member since 1982.

© 2015 Philip S. Heller, Savy Slips, Learning on the Run 11. Facilitating Interdependence Among Independent Contributors

 

 

                                       

                                      

                                                                

Of Interest

2016 NW Diversity Learning Series

ISDI will continue providing the morning half-day sessions for employees, managers and Diversity Champions on emerging issues that can be adapted to the work environment.  The topics will be framed around the practice of inclusion and provide participants with concepts, tools, and activities that strengthen understanding and learning at the individual and group levels.   More details can be found here.                    

                                                                

 

 

Thank you to our Sponsor - adaQuest.  We appreciate your support.


                                                                           

HOW TO REACH US

                                                               
 President – Joey Pauley
Vice President – Magda C. Kaspery
Secretary/Treasurer – Carol Turner

Programming - Pooja Agnihotri
Past President - Rachel Dexheimer


Our Administrator is: Ann M. Baus 

 


The Editor of the newsletter is David C. Wigglesworth 

 

 

From The Editor

This is your newsletter and we welcome and encourage your contributions. They could include personal news of a professional achievement, a brief article of interest, a short book review, a case study, a cartoon, a joke that is OD relevant and/or anything else that might be of interest to your colleagues who are our readers. I thank you in advance.

 

                                       

 

                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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