Larry, I did the same thing with a group of administrative (office)
specialists (about 24 people) in the community mental health center I
worked at.
I started with the lead workers to develop a cadre of coaches/trainers,
using Senge's field book and starting with personal mastery, mental
models, and going on from there.
I also met with each and every member of the group (in "clusters" of
people so as not to disturb the operations) and asked for their support,
their committment and their ability to "set the parameters" for their
inclusion and participation on a "team." Many of these people had been
associated with the organization for many years. I also had to talk with
the union stewards and bargaining unit rep, to solicit their involvement
and support.
In the 18 months that we worked together, many wondrous things
happened--people began to exercise the skills and wisdom which they had
kept buried (more or less) before.
But, it all started with personal commitment from each of us to one
another; the knowledge that the organizational power brokers could step in
at any time and undo what we'd done--and my frank assessment that,
regardless whether or not the organization continued the "experiment,"
that each of them would grow and develop personal and organizational
skills that would be useful to them later in life.
If you'd like to hear more, let me know--in any event, the best of luck to
you. It can be a great journey!
Doc Holloway
-- A word is dead When it is said, Some say. I say it just Begins to live That day. - Emily Dickinson http://www.planet.net/pkrisxle/emily/poemsOnline.htmlThresholds--developing critical skills for living organizations Visit us at <http://www.thresholds.com/community/learnshops/index.html> Or send your e-mail to me at <mailto:learnshops@thresholds.com> P.O. Box 2361 Phone:01 360 786 0925 Olympia, WA 98507 USA Fax: 01 360 709 4361
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