The following project summaries highlight examples of how Edizen helps government
agencies prepare for change, anticipate how change will affect people, provide planning and training
on the change curve, and communicate effectively through transition.
Action Learning Paves the Way
Goals: Solving urgent and important organizational challenges and improving the critical thinking/problem solving skills of all managers.
Services: Edizen worked with this organization to understand the current challenges and design an Action Learning experience that would meet both of the organization’s goals for the program. Diverse internal teams were convened and an Action Learning Coach was assigned to each. Teams worked on analyzing their problems over several months and made a presentation of recommendations to senior management. Senior management was so impressed with the outcomes that they went through an Action Learning process themselves to review all of the recommendations and make decisions on which to move forward with.
Outcome: The diversity of the team members on each team resulted in stovepipes being broken down, improved collaboration between the various functional areas, and innovative solutions to some long standing problems. Team members, as well as the senior executive team, learned a new, effective way to approach problems. Because the Action Learning approach was so successful, the organization is now providing Edizen Action Learning coaches to any internal group who has an important, urgent problem to solve.
Organization-wide Executive Coaching Brings Culture Change
Goals:. Take over for a previous vendor and improve the reputation of the coaching program. Build a culture of innovation, collaboration and communication through individual and group coaching.
Services: Provided organization-wide executive coaching for senior executives, top tier managers, and mid level managers. Process included one on one interviews to match coach with coachee, creating individual coaching plans, pre and post 360 degree surveys and reports on organizational themes and trends. 15 coaches were used to ensure that no one was coaching a supervisor and their direct report. In addition, through our data gathering on organizational themes and common areas in need of development, group coaching sessions were provided on those common areas of need, such as conflict management.
Outcome:.Leaders learned that they were not alone in the challenges that they were facing. Group sessions served to break down stovepipes and improve collaboration. Individual sessions helped coachees to develop leadership competencies and management skills that were aligned with the organization’s strategic goals and mission. Coaching became well known as a positive benefit to both individuals and the organization. People began to request coaching vs. trying to avoid it as was the case early on.
Career Maps Improve Morale
Goal:..Create Career Maps for all major job functions within the organization to improve recruitment and succession planning efforts.
Services: Analyzed data from multiple sources including OPM guidelines, position descriptions, vacancy announcements, workforce planning data, focus groups and interviews. Provided a report of the data gathered including employee perceptions of their career options, what brought them to the agency and what keeps them there. A multi-level Career Map was created for each profession that included a high level view of how you enter and then progress through the career, a detailed section of education and experience requirements, typical responsibilities at each level, capabilities/strengths needed at each level, and recommended learning engagements that would help the person progress in their career.
Outcome:.Feedback from employees and managers was extremely positive. There is now a positive buzz throughout the organization about the Career Options program and employees are asking when it will be their turn to have a Career Map created for their profession. Upper management for all professions completed to date have said how beneficial the outlines is in helping managers and employees to have meaningful career conversations. Managers are also using the learning engagements section of the outline to manage training budgets and request specialized training in areas identified by the research.
Mentoring for Optimum Performance
Goal: To help a major government agency optimize their workforce through mentor and protégé programs, executive coaching, and team building.
Services: Edizen analyzed surveys and conducted group sessions to evaluate the effectiveness and areas in need of improvement in the current performance management approach and pilot Mentor-Protégé Program.
Outcome: Edizen analyzed the data and provided short and long term recommendations regarding current organizational issues, and is currently providing customized programs to improve management and leadership competencies.
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The Human Side of Organizational Change
Goal: Create and staff the Transition Center of this major human services agency to work with employees
and managers affected by organizational restructuring and downsizing.
Services: Career transition workshops, one-on-one career coaching, job search help,
resume writing, KSA writing, preparing for interviews, & technology training. Services
for managers include change management workshops and coaching on how to navigate change.
Outcome: As a result of this project, the agency is able to successfully move through the changes
brought about by organizational restructuring and downsizing, while supporting the affected employees and managers.
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The Role of the Human Resource Advisor
During Organizational Restructuring
Goal: Increase the positive impact of Human Resource Advisors (HRAs) within a major human services agency during organizational restructuring and downsizing.
Services: An Edizen consultant conducted an in-depth assessment of the HRA role, including what
has worked well and what could make the HRA’s more effective. Consultants then conducted a customized team building session for HRA's.
Outcome: The consultant designed and delivered a comprehensive training program for all HRAs involved with organizational restructuring initiatives such has competitive sourcing.
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Helping Managers Lead in Times of Change
Goal: Assist managers in preparing for and leading their people through the changes
Services: Managers needed new knowledge and skills to successfully manage change. An Edizen
consultant conducted focus groups with key managers, provided a report of findings and designed three customized programs for managers who must lead during times of change.
Outcome: The agency has three comprehensive training programs including detailed facilitator guides, program outlines, and handouts to use now and in the future.
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Opening Lines of Communication and
Collaboration
Goal: Open lines of communication among two branches of a major government agency in order to improve collaboration and performance.
Services: An Edizen consultant worked closely with the client management team – which
consisted of two branches – each with very different responsibilities. We administered
a feedback survey to benchmark the opinions of the team and encouraged employees to contribute
to the process of discussing common concerns and problems.
Outcome: Meeting with the managers, Edizen helped identify areas that needed change
and conducted workshops to clarify the vision and mission, and discuss and resolve significant
barriers to improve performance. The simple act of opening lines of communication resulted
in the immediate benefits of increased commitment and service improvements.
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Preparing Employees for Life After the
Government
Goal: Prepare employees in three regions for job search and job transition following
a line of business restructuring in their finance division.
Services: Edizen provided career development workshops and career coaching
for employees in all three regions. An Edizen consultant made pre-workshop contact to
help customize the career workshop to meet participants’ needs.
Outcome: The workshops received very high ratings and participants subsequently signed
up for individual one-on-one career coaching sessions. The organization was able to help
their employees currently in transition, or soon to be in transition, to successfully move
forward with their careers and prepare themselves for change.
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Communicating Change Across 50 States
Goal: Help government employees (approximately 900) to implement their
Services: Edizen worked as a sub-contractor to Logistics Management Institute (LMI)
on this project. Edizen provided change management training for managers and supervisors
across the entire United States through the use of a state-of-the-art interactive on-line
meeting tool that allowed managers in all geographic locations to participate.
Outcome: Edizen provided training and answered managers’ questions,
in real time, on how to effectively navigate change themselves and then lead their people
through upcoming changes. The result was that the agency was able to provide in-depth,
just-in-time training for its managers who were responsible for implementing the new
work processes.
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