CACCRAO
May 1, 2012
Steve Erwin, Degree Audit Evaluator
Noelia Borcherding, Assistant Director
Admissions & Records
College of the Canyons
Introduction
The crazy places we work. Fast paced, overwhelming, rigorous,
disheartening. Stuck in “old guard” mentality. This does not have to be our fate.
Ideal Work Place
Imagine ideal work place.What does this look and feel like?
Majority of waking hours are at work.
Organizational Culture
What is it? We know what it is, but how do we
define it?
Organizational Culture (cont.) Edgar Schein: Organizational culture is
“a pattern of shared basic assumptions that a group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and integration that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.”
Organizational Culture (cont.) “The way we do things around here.”
“Culture is the glue that holds an organization together and unites people around shared values and beliefs.”
Don’t forget about the subculture within a culture.
Organizational Culture (cont.) Culture is both a product and a process.
As a product, it embodies accumulated wisdom from those who came before us.
As a process, it is constantly renewed and re-created as newcomers learn the old ways and eventually become teachers themselves.
Assumptions About People Managers’ assumptions tend to become
self-fulfilling prophecies.
Assumptions – Theory X Theory X: Subordinates are passive,
lazy, and have little ambition, prefer to be led, and resist change.Management practices include: coercion,
threats, punishments, or avoiding conflict altogether (trying to satisfy everyone’s needs).
Results in low productivity, antagonism, and subtle sabotage.
Key point: If you treat people as if they’re lazy and need to be directed, they conform to your expectations.
Assumptions – Theory Y
Theory Y: Essential task of management is to arrange organizational conditions so that people can achieve their own goals. (Alignment)The more managers align organizational
requirements with employee self-interest, the more they can rely on Theory Y’s principle of self-direction.
Role of Director
Top-down leadership. Letting go. Trust.
Change
Change (cont.)
Courage.Thwarting the demons of complacency.Does not happen overnight.Baby steps.
Organizational Change
Overarching theme is innovation. Identify departmental needs.
○ Key personnel—role of staff “Champions of Change.”
Be inclusive of all, looking for a broad perspective, okay to ask for help from staff.
90/10—90% of work time dedicated to desk work, 10% for innovation.
Play and Humor.
Innovation TeamsTopical and On-Going
Reg My Ride One Note, Two Note, Red Note, Blue Note Trans R Us Citizen Pain Bee Sting Therapy Tickle Me Brainstem
* Guess who does what?
Reg My Ride
Online high school registration. Streamlined registration process. Meets prior to each registration period—
adapts and makes changes based off of trends.
Kiosk, Info Table, Express Line. Adapted resource schedule.
One Note, Two Note, Red Note, Blue Note
Implemented Microsoft One Note. Wiki for all things A&R. “One stop shop.” Access for all. Minutes, schedules, manuals, etc. Conducted staff training.
Trans R Us
Developing new layout/content of transcript.
Works directly with MIS. Ongoing, long term team.
Citizen Pain
Developed new residency processes. Only residency specialist makes
residency decisions. New Residency Affidavit. Online appointments scheduler. Drop-in appointments.
Bee Sting Therapy
Completed 3 Year Program Review. Staff members included in process. More complete, holistic review. Completed in timely manner. Used as a model for other departments
on campus.
Tickle Me Brainstem
Origins—naming other innovation teams.
Fishbowls. Mind bullets. Opening/Closing ceremonies. Creativity. A space where all ideas are embraced—
good, bad, ridiculous, silly, or otherwise.
Tickle Me Brainstem (cont.) Themed sticker days. Alternate name days—Jersey Shore,
Leprechaun, Elf. Temporary tattoo, fake moustache, eye
patch day. Mahi Mahi Lei Day. Picture Board. Employee of the Lunch.
Tickle Me Brainstem (cont.) A&R Live webcam. Easter egg hunt. Holiday advent calendar. The energy and enthusiasm generated
by these events and by TMB is contagious.
Tickle!
Play & Humor In most work settings, play and humor
are sharply distinguished from work. Play is what people do when they are not working.
If play is viewed as a state of mind, any activity can be playful.
Play permits relaxing the rules to explore alternatives. It encourages experimentation, flexibility and adaptiveness.
Play & Humor (cont.)
Effective teams balance seriousness with play and humor.
Humor releases tension and helps resolve issues that arise from day-to-day routines as well as from sudden emergencies.
Call to Action
What are some small steps that you could do in your respective offices?
Questions/Comments
Contact UsSteve Erwin
Degree Audit Evaluator
College of the Canyons
661-362-5917
Noelia Borcherding
Assistant Director, Admissions & Records
College of the Canyons
661-362-3001
References
Kelley, T. (2001) The Art of Innovation. Doubleday, NY.
Schein, E. (2004) Organizational Culture and Leadership. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.