Robyn Bradshaw is a Process Manager for Bond International Software, Inc., an international software company that develops, markets, sells and supports Adapt, the Staffing Industry’s leading software application. As a new client of DCG, Bond was invited to write about their workshop experiences. This is what Robyn had to say:
“We are fortunate to have a Management Team who values its employees and wants to improve the balance both professionally and personally. They recognized the need for continuous improvement as the way we should be doing business; therefore began an extensive and on-going training program. We began with the “7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” for all of our employees, not just the selected few.
The next step was to provide the company with the BrainSmart Leader and Process Innovation Through Teams workshops offered by DCG. All executive members of our organization attended the BrainSmart Leader program and our workers attended the PITT workshop. Notable to mention is that our CEO attended all three days of the PITT workshop and actively participated. Both of these programs have moved all of us into a forward mode of thinking, performing and communicating. The process improvement workshop has begun to yield measurable benefits, not to mention the immediate savings realized by opening ourselves to new ideas from all voices within the company. This has also provided us with a good understanding of how to use Mind Maps when trying to convey a message. This seems to have taken off in all areas of the company as it was used for creating our new organizational chart and has also become the standard format when documenting high level processes.
In order to practice the skills we learned, our CEO inspired our associates to exercise their creativity and set up a Mind Mapping competition. The goal was to use Bond’s Vision Statement and interpret it into a Mind Map that would clearly convey our vision. The Mind Maps could be created using Mind Manager software or freehand and the winning entry would be framed and displayed in our reception area, on our web site and go out to our client base via our newsletter as well. We sent out a weekly reminder and an e mail was sent to the entire staff the day prior to the deadline.
Any indication of whom the maps were created by was removed or concealed and each one was assigned a number. The final entries were all posted on a bulletin board in a central and highly traveled location in our office so everyone could see them. A copy of the Vision Statement was posted on the board as well as a document where everyone could “cast their vote” for the entry that they felt best conveyed the vision. A 5-day deadline was set and all were invited to stop by and vote. Overall, this has been an extremely positive action for our company and I am thrilled to announce that Tommy Maine, Jr. Systems Engineer, created the winning entry. (See a branch of the Mind Map on the next page.)
The notion to change the culture of an organization requires the necessary skills and tools which these workshops provide … and we must enforce it with passion and tenacity. Then we will move forward, we will succeed and BOND will be better for it!”‡
- Robyn Bradshaw, Bond International
“The skills, ideas, energy and teamwork displayed by the Benchmark presenters proved to me that they are on the cutting edge so desperately needed by today’s corporation if they are to survive and flourish.”
-Albert Muzikar, Program Manager, ConEdison
