From Organizational Assessment to Organizational Change The University

From Organizational Assessment to Organizational Change: The University of Maryland Library Experience M. Sue Baughman Johnnie Love Charles Lowry Maggie Saponaro September 26, 2006

Outline § Background and Context - Lowry § The Individual-Team-Organization (ITO) Survey - Baughman § The Organizational Culture and Diversity Assessment (OCDA) Saponaro § Barriers and Enablers to Assessment Love § Concluding Remarks - Lowry

Background and Context § Organizational Development (COD) Continuous Organizational Development § Teamwork, learning, leadership, measurement § "Working Paper #1 on Team Management: The Vision of a Team-Based Organization" http: //www. lib. umd. edu/PUB/team_management. html

Background and Context § Milestones—committing the people resources § Directorate for Planning § Assistant Dean for Organizational Development § Coordinator of Personnel Programs § Facilitators Team § Manager, Staff Learning and Development § Manager, Management Information Systems & LARC

ITO Survey § Commercially-available instrument § Focuses on three components: individual, team, organization § Measures perception of frequency that behaviors occur § Uses Likert Scale to rank 52 statements

Goals for Using the ITO Survey § Identify learning and training needs for teams § Generate baseline data to gauge change over time § Identify areas for team and organizational development

ITO Survey Sample Statements These statements are examples of the issues members of teams are asked to consider: Almost Always Usually 5 4 0 Frequently Occasionally Seldom Almost Never 3 2 1 1) My co-workers and I communicate clearly and effectively. 2) My team has effective leadership. 3) My team solves problems in a timely fashion. 4) I am happy to contribute to the accomplishments of the organization’s mission and goals.

ITO Survey - Administration § 1998 – 3 teams from public services plus a few other librarians § 25 out of 36 librarians participated § 69% return rate § Paper-based survey § 2000 – same group of participants as in 1998 § 31 out of 40 librarians participated § 78% return rate § Paper-based survey § 2003 – 16 teams from public and technical services § 119 librarians and staff out of 171 participated § 70% return rate § Web-based survey § Use Excel and SPSS for data analysis

ITO Survey - Results § 1998 § Identified needs for training in team development § Developed team mission statements & workplans § 2000 § Identified skill development areas that were incorporated into the Learning Curriculum § Created the Assistant Dean for Organizational Development position § Formed the Facilitators Team to support teams § 2003 § Identified training needs in the areas of leadership and decision-making § Identified rewards and recognition as areas to focus organizational attention

The OCDA § 1999 – Need Identified § Diversity Committee saw need for training in diversity issues § Library Administration suggested development of an assessment § UMD Industrial/Organizational Psychology Department chosen to administer survey § 2000 – Survey Administered § Survey Goals: § Examine current management practices and policies as related to diversity § Provide a baseline against which future progress could be measured § 2004 – Survey Repeated § Expanded to address issues of team development and climate

OCDA - Development Role of I/OP in 2000/2004 Surveys § Conducted extensive literature reviews § Developed and administered focus group sessions § Developed survey instruments § Administered survey and analyzed results § Produced final reports § Reported results at all-staff meetings (2004 survey) § Conducted follow-up sessions with targeted divisions (2004 survey)

OCDA - Administration § Focus groups - 17% participation in 2000 (19. 4 % in 2004) § Gather qualitative information regarding perceptions of organizational climate § Written survey items based upon focus group themes § Written Survey - 81. 8% participation in 2000 (71. 1% in 2004) § Questions covered ten areas, including organizational commitment and perception of fair interpersonal treatment § Survey offered multiple times of day/days of the week § Survey by mail option offered

OCDA Results (2000) § Recommendations for Action § Managerial training § Standardization of Procedures § Recruitment and selection of ethnic minorities for managerial positions § Empowerment and trust § Mentoring and diversity training § Selected Interventions § Monthly all-staff meetings § Development of the Learning Curriculum § Administration strengthens support for professional development § Coordinator of Personnel Programs position created

OCDA Results (2004) § Survey Results § Improvement in a number of areas including: § Libraries’ support of diversity § Employees kept well-informed § Libraries have non-discriminatory practices § Employees are fairly treated § Increase in Organizational Withdrawal from 2000 to 2004 § Consistent ethnic/division differences - warranting additional assessment § Interventions and Next Steps § § § All-Staff Meetings to discuss survey results Written report distributed to all staff Small-group meetings with lead researcher Additional focus groups to examine survey results IMLS National Leadership Grant proposal to automate the survey § Submitted January, 2006

“Enablers” and “Barriers” § Two types: § Tangible § Intangible

Tangible “Enablers” & “Barriers” § Easily observable § Manageable § Easily transformed

Intangible “Enablers” & “Barriers” § Abstract § Not easy to identify § Have ability to create a positive or negative impact on a given change process

Research shows… § “Enablers” & “Barriers” are: 1. Time 2. Culture 3. Structure § Catalysts to the “Enablers” and “Barriers”: § Trust § Risk Taking

UM Tangible “Enablers” and “Barriers” Management Human Resources § Organizational Framework § Assessment Process § Learning Curriculum § Performance Management § Communication Vehicles § § § Library Staff (TRIAD) Diversity Team Facilitators Team Leadership Skill Development § Team Development

UM Intangible “Enablers” and “Barriers” § § § Attitude and/or “Buy-In” Role Clarity Job Satisfaction Climate for Change Morale Communication

The UM Libraries found: § § § § Leadership skills Role clarification Team purpose Climate and organizational purpose Job satisfaction Communication Collaboration Supervisory skill development

Conclusions § Acculturation and change § Constant tinkering

From Organizational Assessment to Organizational Change: The University of Maryland Library Experience M. Sue Baughman - mbaughma@umd. edu Johnnie Love – jlove 1@umd. edu Charles Lowry – clowry@umd. edu Maggie Saponaro – msaponar@umd. edu September 26, 2006