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

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"

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

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

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

These statements are examples of the issues members of teams are asked to consider: Almost Usually Frequently Occasionally Seldom Almost Always Never )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 Sample Statements

 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 - Administration

 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 ITO Survey - Results

 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 The OCDA

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 % 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

 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 (2000)

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”  Organizational Framework  Assessment Process  Learning Curriculum  Performance Management  Communication Vehicles  Library Staff  Staff (TRIAD)  Diversity Team  Facilitators Team  Leadership Skill Development  Team Development Management Human Resources

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

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