CONFERENCES
Convergence 97
Convergence 1997
- R e p o r t s -
Organizational
Learning at Ford (MP&L):
Rick Gutherie, Ford
MP&L Organizational Learning Center (Winner of 1996 George
Land World Class Innovator Award)
This session will give you an indepth awareness of how the Ford (MP&L) organization transformed itself from an autocratic, competitive work environment into a collaborative, team-based learning organization.
Participants will:
1. Discover how the Ford (MP&L) organization laid the foundation to support Team Learning and Creativity.
2. Experience the power of individual and team potential. 3. Explore the next steps Ford (MP&L) is taking to build an Organizational Learning Center.
Maintaining
Innovation Initiatives When Leadership Changes:
Jack Johnson,
Smithsonian Institution (Winner of 1996 George Land World Class
Innovator Award)
This interactive session will provide an overview of the innovation initiative in place at the Smithsonian Institution and the effects created by a change in leadership. Some of the issues to be discussed are: how to keep the innovation process alive when key leadership support changes and how to get leadership to understand the critical issues needed to keep an innovation initiative alive.
Participants will:
1. Gain an overview of the innovation process used at the Smithsonian.
2. Discuss the effects of changes in leadership on improvement programs.
3. Brainstorm ways to help leadership understand the full scope of innovation processes.
Bringing About
Major Change in a Traditional Organization:
Theresa Brelsford, U.S.
Patent Office
After decades of doing things the same way, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office launched a significant change initiative to transform its processes and culture. The change involves moving away from a production focus to a customer focus, from lengthy to streamlined processing times, from “one-size fits all” to customized services, from individual-based activity to workgroup activity. Learn about the experiences of this organization in bringing on dramatic shifts in thinking.
Learning Objectives:
1. What helped stimulate creativity and new thinking.
2. What has hindered the change efforts.
3. What the major challenges are.
Creativity
Centers, From Cubical to Cyberspace:
TDeborah Potts, Ph.D.,
Deborah Potts & Associates and Liz Monroe-Cook, Monroe-Cook
& Associates
This session will present key findings, issues and implications from a qualitative study conducted with the leaders of creativity and innovation centers from major corporations and independent groups.
Participants Will:
1. Discuss the relevance of these findings for their own organizations.
2. Explore the meaning of physical setting or physical manifestation of creative efforts to individuals, teams and organizations.
3. Hear and see examples of set-up, operations and resources of actual creativity or innovation centers.
A Healing Environment Is for Everyone:
Jim Miller &
Jennifer Kirby, Washoe Health System
Learn about the innovative ideas Washoe Health System is implementing to promote a healing environment for customers and employees.
Participants Will:
1. Learn how to look at service from your customer's point of view.
2. Learn how the physical environment can impact service.
3. Talk about ways to apply these ideas to your organization.
Problem Solving TIPS:
Richard Sojka, Ph.D.,
Boeing
This practical problem solving process has worked well in an engineering environment.
Participants Will:
1. Learn about the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS).
2. Show how functional analysis and trimming techniques can overcome problem solving barriers.
3. Work through a problem together using the TIPS process.