ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

In 2007, the City of Clovis, CA appointed Mike Leonardo as its new Director of Public Utilities. Inheriting a department that struggled historically to improve relations between management and staff, Mike sought out Watts and Associates for assistance with strengthening the relationship between the two groups, whose tensions had begun to strain the morale of the department and give it a reputation as problem within the city.

Using its action research approach to inquiry, Watts and Associates used climate surveys, interviews, and observations to identify problems and strengths between the groups. An action plan was then co-created with management that leveraged the department’s strengths in reducing its perceived gaps.  The action plan included the use of Watts and Associates’ “Living by Values Program.” In addition to team building activities, strategic planning, and self-reflection, the program involved clarification and operationalization of the city’s core values, mission statement, goals and a strategy for living them out through daily work practices. The immediate benefits of the intervention were stronger:

• Connectivity through sharing a common language;
• Transparency (greater accountability between management and bargaining units), and
• Improved problem solving, and stronger self-governance by all team members.