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5.7. SR 04-17-1995Item 5.7. er MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor & City Council FROM: William Rubin, Economic Developme~ ~~ Coordinator DATE: April 17, 1995 SUBJECT: Process Facilitation Proposal (City's Review and Permitting Process) Introduction At its meeting on March 20, 1995, the Elk River City Council voted to solicit a proposal from Training Networks, Inc., to consider implementing the • findings and recommendations of an EDA-funded Needs Assessment Report. Attached to this memo is the proposal submitted by Training Networks, Inc. B¢ck~roun.d The proposal submitted by Training Networks, Inc., represents a comprehensive and long-term approach to address the issues ideniified in the Needs Assessment Report concerning the city's review and permitting process. Beyond the proposal's obvious investment of public funds, .this proposal represents an initial effort to introduce ongoing training and skills development for the entire organization. Many of the exercises are intended to include every employee in the organization. The proposal itself is divided into three areas: Facilitated planning Employee training Internal information flow and teamwork. Ms. Sandra Bower, owner of Training Networks, Inc., 18072 Cleveland Street NW, will be in attendance to provide a detailed overview of each element of • the proposal. 13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425 • Many options exist for the City Council -including the acceptance of, say, the initial component (i.e., facilitated planning) of this proposal. Assuming the initial phase is undertaken, perhaps the balance of the proposal can be evaluated at a later date. Summ¢ry In light of the City Council's recent action on the Chamber's request for funds to sponsor a leadership program, it is hoped that portions of this proposal can be accepted and implemented on a timely basis. • n U G ~ oRxs 8072 Cleveland Street ~lk River, MN 55330 (612) 441 - 4330 April 14, 1995 Dear City Council Members: Thank `you for the opportunity to present a comprehensive proposal to you addressing the needs.. of our growing community.. It has been. a pleasureplaying"an active part in the needs assessment, report of the findings, and, ultimately, this proposal. Implementation of this proposal, ih whole or in :part, will enable- our City employees to participate and acquire skills that will promote a positive image of our governing body in Elk_River. Each. component of this proposal is addressed separately and is prioritized according to need. This will enable you to review each project and how it relates to the overall. plan. It is meant - to be implemented over time. It is our goal to maximize- effectiveness,. however, recognizing your budgetary constraints. We feel that it is in your best interest to have city employees participate in the described issues as stakeholders in the overall process and to take credit for the outcomes. This enables all city-staff to be innovative as problem solvers and be .:effective team members. Please. view this process. as an "investment"_in your human .resources and for the overall effectiveness of our city government for ,now and in the future. It is Lee Colby's and my pleasure to present this proposal to you in-person April 17 to answer your questions. As a,result, you can begin implementing a program that will build on your strengths in responding to increasing demands as a city of growth and opportunity. Sincerely, TRAINING NETWORKS ~° Sandra BOwer Enclosure • PROPOSAL TD ~ CITY OF ELK R/VER 1 PRQGESS FACILITATION PROPOSAL TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ~• OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT 1 ' APRIL 1?, 1995 SUBMITTED BY: TRA/NtNG NETWORKS 18U72 CLEVELAND STREET .ELK RIVER MN 55330 612-44?-433D ~• 1 '• OVERVIEW As the City of Elk River..becomes an outer ring suburb of the Twin Cities ' metropolitan area, it faces the. normal chaAenges of any rapidly growing organization -initiating,. implementing. and adjusting to changes. For cities this often means responding to increasing demands for service without raising taxes. ..Elk River intends to encourage commercial and industrial growth while maintaining ' its attractive "small town" quality. Municipal services are key to achieving the desired kind oR growth. Responding to recent informal feedback from individual developers and the Elk River Chamber of Commerce, the City has urrciertaken an ' examination of he internal processes that impact the economic development of the city. ' As a result of this assessment the Elk River City Council fias agreed to allocate resources to address the issues raised. The following three proposals v/ill specify the contents and needed resources for this: 1 L facilitated Planning IL Employee Training ' • A. Disc Personal Profile System B. Communication Skills for CorrFlict Management G. Customer Service Skil-s ' D: Teamwork Skills ' E. Effective. Meeting Management III. Internal Information Flow and Teamwork A. Problem Solving Task Forces ' B. Short Term Team Building Strategies '• I. FACILITATED PLANNING '• .Rationale To facilitate employees' understanding and buy-ln on the City's development strategies through facilitated group discussions and decision making. ' Content With a facilitator to guide the discussion, clarify decisions, do skills ttainging and follow through on action commitments, the following topics are covered: 1. The City's plans and,philosophy about its development ' a. City services that can b® provided cost-effectively and equitably, now and in the future b. A City-wide philosophy about customer service ' a Review City ordinances and requirements for clarity and consistency with the City's position on growth and. d®velopment F~timated time: 1 day ' • 2. Ways to make the Review and Permitting process more consistent and friendly ' a. Respond to feedback about the Review process and make improvements if warranted: Estimated time:. 7J2 day I- 3. Assess current communication practices from the customer service perspective ' a. Written materials b. Internal teamwork c. Teamwork with the Municipal: Utility ' d. The City's plans and philosophy about growth and development. ' F~tlmated time: ~ ~Y ~~ P~Be ~ ,• Delivery Participants ' in .these facilitated discussions should .include anyone directly involved in the Review -.and Permitting process, including the .City Administrator and ' the appropriate administrativestaff. ' Facilitator Lee Colby, Principle, Lee Colby and Associates ' Investment Facilitation of 10 two hour meetings 2 112 days $3000 • '' '` ,• ' P~Se 3 II. EMPLOYEE TRAFNING WORKSHOPS ~~ A. I]iSC PERSONAL PROFILE SYSTEM 1 Rationale Our highly interrelated society: places an increasing importance on communicating and understanding each other. The Personal Profile System isan extremely useful tool for providing training to support this need. Participants can better understand themselves ' and others and place themselves in environments that promote sucx:ess. The infom~ation from these profiles can also serve as a ' basis for creating a motivating environment, coaching, career counseling, communication, and identifying individual training ' plans. The workshop inGudes Action Planning. ' Workshop 1. Behavioral Basics ~ Content 2. Disc Personal Profile System , 3. Defining Our Styles 4. Recognizing and Understanding Our Behaviors 5. Interacting Effectively with others ' 6. Developing Successful Strategies for Working Together ' pelivery The workshop will consist of interaction, group and individual activities, ,case studies,. and discussion. It is intended for all. City employees to promote consistency and teamwork. ' Recommended scheduling is two half day sessions. Optimum number ofparticipants: 20. ' Facilitator. Sandra Bower, TRAINING NETWORKS '•" P~ 4 • co ra 3 w -.. N ~ ~ j9 n N 7 N"O(Dm ~' ~ ~ ~ W X 77 m 3 ^ lD ~ l~ ~ '0 Wv O ~ _~ Wn.~ 00 N ~ ~ 61 N V~ - ~ ',~ L w {D 7 - K ' ENA O ~ + N 00 p N B. COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR CONFLICT ~~ MANAGEMENT ' Rationale Disagreements and differences of opinion. are a normal, even essential dynamic in any group. Some groups, however, avoid ' open disagreements and engage in behind-the-scenes opposition.. Some groupsengage in open conflict, but in the form ' of win-lose arguments.-Both methods waste energy. and. obstruct good customer service. This workshop shows participants how to explore differences constructively sa as to solve problems for internal and external customers. The training seminar includes ' Action Planning for skiNs practice on the job. ' Workshop 1. Self assessment of conflict style Content 2. Identify typical reasons for oont1ic~ 3. Interest-based vs. position-based negotiating 4. Communication skills for effective interest-based solutions: • feedback, listening, paraphrasing, I statements. Delivery The workshop. is interactive. An assessment instrument, group ' brainstorming, instruction and skills practice make up the format. The 1/2 day workshop is intended for all employees to promote ' consistency and teamwork. Optimum number of,participants' 20 Facilitator James Amott, Sr. Consultant, Leadership of the Twin Cities Investment TRAINING (60 participants) $1800 ' (3 session @$600) ~. PaSe 6 C. CUSTOMER SERVICE. AS A PERFORMING. ART ~~ Rationale First rate customer service is a fine piece of show biz where ' :every person .determines the success of the show. The production can pay off handsomely for the organization that 1 understands ,takes. part in, and promotes "professional" behaviorto ensure the best service possible: Action Planning .accompanies this workshop. ' Workshop. 1. Identifying "quality customer service" and its value Content 2. "Attitude opportunities" ' 3. First impressions make adifference-in person or over the P~-~ 4. The critical art of listening ' S. Identifying and providing for the needs and expectations of your customers 6. Dealing with difficult customers t l d • ope Note: The Cites Gustomer Service Policy which is deve h k op. s in the Facilitated Planning Sessions will be used in the wor ' Delivery Presented in half day sessions.. Optimum participants: 20 Facilitator Sandra Bawer, TRAINING NETWORKS Investment 51800 TRAINING {6Q participants) ' .. (3 session @$600) y page 7 1 ~~ t • D. TEAMWORK SKILLS Rationale Most people know how to work well as individual contributors. As work becomes more technical and faster paced, however,. it is necessary to share knowledge and solve problems that affect many different constituencies.. No one person can do it all. Teamwork helps a work unit "Dover the bases'' more efficiently and harmoniously; it also helps different departments work together toward a common goal This workshop shows all employees how to share responsibility for team effectiveness..: The training seminar includes Action Planning for skills practice on the job. Workshop 1. Compare results of individual vs group problem solving Content 2. identify characteristics of successful teams 3: Clarify: departmental roles and goals.. 4. Determine individual work roles andresponsibilities 5. Understand team roles of leader/coach and team member 6. Irrtra-team communication requirements 7. Determine inter-departmental teamwork practices 8. Develop team effectiveness check list Delivery The workshop includes the following: group brainstorming, Facilitator '• Investment individual and. group analysis,. instruction and skaNs practice. The session is two half-day sessions for all employees, to promote teamwork and consistence. The optimum number of participants: 20 . Lee Colby, Principle, Lee Colby and Associates TRAINING (60 participants} $360t] , (6 sessions @$600 each} page 8 E. EFFECTIVE MEETING MANAGEMENT ~~ Rationale Some people think meetings are a boring waste of time, and sometimes they are right. Awell-conducted meeting, however, is ' energizing and moves people toward the organization's goals... This workshop shows how to conduct meetings with both internal and external customers so that all parties have a stake in the outcome and are ready o take the next step. It builds vn ' previous seminars and is especially appropriate for people in leadership and management positions. The training seminar. ' includes Action Planning for skills practice on the job. ' Workshop 1. Brainstorm characteristics of effective meetings Content 2. Different types of meetings and when to use them 3. grganization tips: agendas, time management, summary, 4. Participation tips: preparation, soliciting input, listening, . building on ideas 5. Making decisions, with accountability. ' peiivery The workshop is facilitated as if it were a meeting: The skills and tips will be demonstrated with information sharing, interaction, and individual and group decisions. The session is 1/2 daylong; optimum number of participants is 10. Facilitator Lee Colby, Principle, Lee Colby and Associates Investment TRAINING (20 participants) $1200 ' (2 sessions @ $600 each) '. PRSe 9 1 .SEMINAR SCHEDULING. ~~ ' To maintain. momentum and effectiveness, all. workshops should be scheduled in a timely manner We recommend that the DISC Personal Profile System be offered to-all employees initially. Soon thereafter the. Facilitated Planning Sessions should begin.- Participants in these sessions would beriefit from prior DISC training to establish an understanding ' and appreciation of coworkers' different styles of behavior. Communication .Skills for Conflict Mahagement , .Customer Service as a Performing ' art, Teamwork skills and Effective Meeting. Management training would follow in that order: Participants will use Action Planning o reinforce training concepts. Follow-through on this. °homeworl~' will be conducted in subsequent training workshops. ' All training will be customized to meet the needs of the. Gient. 1 1 1, ' page 10 IIL INTERNAL INFORMATION FLOW AND ~, TEAMWORK ' A. Problem. Solving Task Forces Rationale In order to provide the high quality of customer service desin:d by the City, work flow problems need to be resolved by the people directed involved. ' Content The following three communication issues should be addressed by employee task forces empowered to make ' recommendationsto the appropriate decision-making bodies: 1. Rewrite any materials ident~ed as confusing or bureaucratic in the Facilitated Planning sessions. ' Designand produce .materials that e~ilain the entire process of Review and Permitting in auser-friendly ' manner. • 2. Recommend procedures for better coordination ' between the City and the Municipal Utility so as to improve.communicationwhh the end user. 3. Recommend measuresto make the internal paper flow in the City offices more efficient and accurate. Delivery Task Forces are made up of employees who can contribute first-hand knowledge and solutions for the ' above issues; facilitated by a consultant. ' Task Forces meet weekly {or bi-weekly) for 1.5 hours until the solution is implemented. Task force meetingscan be conducted on the same. days as the Facilitated Planning sessions. Task Force meetings are also a platform for training irr ' internal customer service issues. page 11 Estimated time: 2 1!2 days. Facilitator Lee Colby, Principle, Lee Colby and Associates Investment Estimated $3000 • ,' ', page 12 ~' ~~ B. Short term Team Building Strategies Rationale -To support organizational team building, a few short ' term measures for specific: issues are recommended. ' Content The Needs Assessment. interviews found a need for brief interdepartmental training sessions on City forms and language... Confidential coaching with individuals can reduce communication barriers and increase.personal. ' effectiveness. Coaching for effective staff meetings helps managers end. ' employees participate more openly with ideas for continuous improvement. Delivery Each strategy should be available to employees as they request it. The amount of time needed depends on the ' issue. S Estimated 2 days Facilitator Lee Colby, Principle, Lee Colby and Associates ' Investment Estimated S240U '" 1 ' page 13 CLIENT INVESTMENT SUMMARY '• Note: Based on 60 participants $3ot)t] FACILITATED PLANNING SESSIONS* DISC PERSONAL PROFILE SYSTEM $4368 COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT $1800 CUSTOMER SERVICE AS A PERFORMING ART $1800 ' TEAMWORK SKILLS - $3fi00 ' EFFECTIVE MEETING MANAGEMENT $1200 PROBLEM SOLVING TASK FORCES" $3000 ' SHORT TERM TEAM BUILDING STRATEGIES" $2400 ' PROJECT DEVELOPMENT $3600 (workshop design and preparation; meetings, administration) Total estimated investment: $24,788 "Coaching and miscellaneous meetings would be ogged and submitted with the monthly. invoice.. ' Handouts and mileage difficult to estimate at this time, .Example; DISC :Handouts with binding : $3.20 per person: Each workshop will vary on handouts required; Client may use own facilities to reproduce handouts, or materialscan be provided and billed by ' TRAINING NETWORKS. ' page. l4 • SANDRA BOWER CON3IILTANT AND TRAINER Ms. Bower provides consulting and training services in many topics such as: Needs Assessments, DISC Personal Profile Assessment, Time Mastery, Innovation With C,A.R.E.y Telephone Etiquette, Professional Excellence, Customer Service, Office Savvy, Being a Team Player, Office Workflow Assessments,- Business Writing, Dealing With Difficult Situations, Sales, and other. .topics as requested. Sandra Bower is the owner of TRAINING NETWORKS,. a training-and consulting firm providing resources and training to_business and industry. She is certified as a Carlson Learning Company workshop presenter in their products such as the DISC Personal Profile System and others. Ms Bower has a MA Degree in Training and Development from the University of Minnesota and a BS degree in Business Education from St Cloud State University. Sandra was named "Outstanding Womah of the Year" by North Suburban Business and Professional Women_in 1990. She understands and values the uniqueness of providing quality. services to the customer, internal and external.. EVERY employee needs to understand, take part. in, and promote "professional" behavior to assure success of a business or organization. Ms. Bower's career roles include workshop presenter, Dean of Customized Training, Director of Admissions, Customized Training Consultant, and teacher. Sandra has been working with clients in .adult education, teaching, presenting workshops, management, and marketing for over fifteen years. Her clients are from manufacturing; utilities, government, education, chambers, health care, tourism, associations,..and many. small businesses... Her workshops. are filled with enthusiasm,. real life experiences, ,and humor. • LEE COLBY Consultant Lee Colby & Associates ..Lee Colby has been an independent consultant for 20 years: Her areas of expertise are assertive communication, team building, change management, individual development coaching, leadership development, and customer service. Lee specializes in understanding how attitudes and assumptions influence behavior. The focus of her work has been two fold: how people's attitudes affect theirproductiviry and designing techniques to transfer classroom training into everyday behavior. Lee hasworked with both front-line .employees and managers in the area of Assertive Gommunication. Wfth Action Learning Contracts she teaches self management skills, shows employees how to take initiative and teaches managers how to create a win- • win management style for maximum productivity and high morale. As a team building consultant, tee has facilitated a variety of difficult issues. ,Some typical problems have been: improving communication between. a .project. team and its manager, building an understanding of_teamwork in newly formed, cross-functional t d d cf ff 't I d t m b 'Idin sessions She has also Lee Colby has been an adjunct faculty at Metropolitan State University for 20 years and regularly teaches in the graduate program of the College of Business. Some of Lee's clients include: Lutheran Brotherttood, Northwestern National Life, Northern .States".power, Minnegasco, Minnesota. Mutual Life; Department of Natural Resources,, City of Minneapolis, MTS System Corp, and many others. earns, an con u mg o -si e p amm~g an ea ui g been called upon to mediate differences between employees: . With her facilitation and team building skills, Lee has shown employees hovv to respond proactively to organizational change. Minnegasco, the Minnesota Department of Revenue„ Group Health, and Northern States Power have used. Lee extensively in, helping employees understand and support major changes in organizational culture. With her excellent listening skids, Lee has the ability to simultaneously challenge and support individuals. Her coaching skills have been helpful for people at all organizational levels whose effectiveness is impaired by communication or attitude problems. • JAMES. ARNOTT CONSULTANT AND PRESENTER .James Arnott is an organizational development and training specialist with a major .interest in organizational communication. He is a senior consultant and principal of a Twin Cities consulting group. He has conducted more than a thousand seminars: and courses for cliehts in business,.industry, government and' education. Jim's career has involved assignments as a government training administrator, a consultant. with professional training companies, an organizational development specialist for a major hospital. and instructional and management roles :with the state university system and Blake Schools. Arnott's special interests lie in managing change and improving • organizational development.. He is alsa on the community faculty- at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis with the Graduate Program in Management and Administration. His academic background includes doctoral study in organizational development.,..: and M.A. degree in organizational communication and undergraduate. degrees in speech and education. He co-authored the book .Introduction to Needs Assessment. Duringthe last several years, Jim has worked. closely with issues concerning .cultural diversity. He has worked with city ..governments, urban police departments, state 'criminal justice agencies, and sheriff and police departments as a trainer and .consultant. Recently, he collaborated .on a book to train cultural diversity trainers, has completed a chapter for the first textbook on cultural awareness in the criminal justice system, and is presenting nationally for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. • DISC PERSONAL PROFILE SYSTEM • This powerful tool and workshop is designed to help people work together more effectively. All of us .have developed behavioral patterns--distinct ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. The Personal Profile System presents a plan to help. you understand self and others in a specific environment.- Research evidence supports the conclusion that the most effective people are those who know themselves, recognize the. demands of the situation, and. adapt strategies to meet those needs. The Personal Profile System enables you to: > Identify your work behavioral style. > Create the motivational environment most conducive to success > Increase your appreciation of different work styles • > Anticipate and minimize potential conflicts with others This is a .powerful tool, for: Building productive teams; Developing .effective managers; Training a powerful sales force; Improving customer service; Easing frustration and conflict. The information from this profile can also serve as a basis for coaching, communication, career counseling, identifying training plans, and creating a motivating environment. The new revised version is now available after two years of extensive research: The 2800 Series improvements make the Personal Profile System far more .reliable. and .accurate than other four-factor instruments. Workshops are conducted in full or half day sessions. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: TRAINING NETWORKS 612-441-4330..