Sparking Creativity in the Workplace

Transcription

1 Sparking Creativity in the Workplace Mike Baker, P.E. PNUCC Annual Meeting November 2, 2012

2 Agenda Early career professionals Who we re talking about Why sparking ECP creativity is important A Case Study for Engaging ECPs Take Away Opportunity Q&A Dialogue

3 Who are Early Career Professionals? In the first 10 years of career Tail end of Gen X born 1965 to now 32 to 47 years old Leading edge of Gen Y (a.k.a. Millennials) born 1980 to now 12 to 32 years old

4 Who are Early Career Professionals? 70M in Gen Y % of workforce % of workforce Source:

5 Perspectives on Gen Y A View Toward Gen Y: Lack of loyalty and trust Impatient Unrealistic expectations Lazy Need constant feedback Entitlement mentality Lack interpersonal skills Gen Y s Self View: Loyal to family, friends, self Impatient, but highly adaptable Demand instant gratification Multi-tasking and creative Short attention span- bored Drawn to diversity Wired, mobile, work anyplace

6 A Case for Change: Where We Were Circa 2000, DEA hired leadership experts to help us take a hard look at our ourselves and our culture Assess our people, systems, behavior, and results Gen Y ready to enter the workforce- time to recruit

7 Assessment: A good company- results not great Culture lacked accountability Leadership and operations perfectly aligned with our inconsistent performance results We needed a stronger leadership pipeline We had the capacity to change: Did we believe the results and would we exercise the leadership will to change?

8 Case for Change Where We Wanted to Be We envisioned a stronger future: Become an enduring great company Move from an economic to a living company Establish our core ideology to align our people, systems, behaviors and produce lasting value and results

9 Why Focus on Early Career Professional Leadership Development? We realized a need to engage: newer societal and industry perspectives folks not so hardened by being told no creative and innovative thinking disruptive thinking and change emerging from Gen Y Views of emerging trends in sustainable solutions Ideas are the new currency in our knowledge economy

10 To Change We Needed to Adapt Planning traditionally involved only senior leadership perspectives Needed to engage new ideas and perspectives New idea- engage early career professionals to envision the firm s future and help move us forward (Future Leader Program)

11 Future Leader (FL) Program Purpose Launched in 2001 to challenge and support our early career professionals to: Envision and manifest the future of DEA that retains and excites them 1 to 10 years from now Shape that future by seeding change and innovation Build their personal leadership capacity and lead from where they are (no sidelines or waiting)

12 We Select People Who Are: Comfortable with change Invested in their own growth and development Committed in time and focus on the program Thinkers and influencers Emerging leaders in their early career Diverse in backgrounds and experiences In alignment with our culture and core purpose

13 Opportunity for Participants to Become: Committed to the development of others Accountable for their own next steps and results People that others choose to follow because they inspire Masters of the art of leading without formal authority Skillful communicators and coaches Insightful about how and why people behave as they do

14 Senior Leader Must Have Outcomes Help with succession planning- leadership pipeline Align right people in right roles Integrate thinking, ideas, actions with firm s planning Help develop inter-dependant systems Build committed and trusting relationships among peers and senior leaders Transform our client relationships and our business

15 Early Program Results Program initiative accomplishments Core purpose development IDEAtion- assess business investment Work-life balance Hiring and retention Scenario planning/swot analysis More Each initiative has influenced positive change within our organization

16 Program Learning and Experience Anchored by a 2-year learning curriculum Four multi-day sessions separated by 3-5 month interim periods to apply learning through local initiatives Small group work Video-conference calls Leadership forums

17 FL Learning and Experience Focused Learning and skill Development Areas Understanding and Managing Self and Relationships Giving and receiving feedback Conflict resolution Strategic thinking and scenario planning Adaptive work and leading without formal authority Aligning self with organizational growth opportunities Performance coaching

18 Giving Back: Reinforcing learning through action Participants Shape their Program Experience FL leadership team FL guides FL coaches / facilitators Organizational roles Special assignments Other

19 Program Lessons Strike balance of structure and creative space Use relevant case-in-point learning Focused on applied learning and coaching Not enough to generate ideas- need follow through Big payoff- trusting relationships & stronger teams Program can be a short-term lifeline- need supervisor advocacy to thrive

20 Program Lessons- Grow at all Levels Executives Executives Senior Leaders & Staff Supervisors Early career professionals Early Career

21 Take Away Opportunity Define a key organizational WIN A quick story An example win

22 Winning Defined by our Clients Interviewed dozens of senior client leaders What needs must you deliver to customers? Define the most important needs of consultants? 1. Effectively Communicate 2. Define and meet expectations 3. Be accountable 4. Offer creativity 5. Create collaborative teams with our people 6. Establish trust with us and our stakeholders

23 Winning Defined by our Employees Interviewed all 650 employees in 2011 What are the must improves to achieve our goals? What most needs to improve to fully engage you? 1. Improve Communication 2. Establish and meet clear expectations % accountability 4. Support initiative and creativity 5. Support working in diverse teams 6. Enhance trust in leadership

24 A Clearly Defined Win Offers Alignment, Focus and Energy We want to grow in the areas our clients most need us to be strong We re refining our culture around six key drivers

25 Some Key Questions to Engage Early Career Professionals in Your Organization Form questions around the most pressing issues: What are our customers most important needs? What vision of our organization in 10 years would keep you fully engaged and excited to be here? What s our winning differentiator to attract, retain and unleash talent? How can we best spark creativity in our work?

26 Questions? Contact Mike Baker, PE (503) Geordie Aitken Aitken Leadership Group (604)