Published in PeopleTalk Magazine by the BC Human Resource Management Association

1. performance & productivity
The HR
Performance &
B y D o n n a H owe s , CH R P
P
roductive workplaces feel alive simply because of the infectious pride
with energy and ideas; proud work- with which she goes about her work.
places take things to a whole new One day, I asked her, what a proud and
level. productive workplace meant to her. With-
Nearly 25 years ago, Martin Weisbord, out skipping a beat she said, “Things go
one of the world’s top ten organization better….they go faster and they’re easier
development experts, wrote Productive to deal with!” And what else? “Basically
Workplaces: Organizing and Managing for it means that you believe in what you’re
Dignity, Meaning and Community. In it, he doing… that you do it really effectively,
defined productive workplaces as “those and that you’re being true to yourself.”
where people learn and grow as they A recipe for us all and a good place for
cooperate to improve an organization’s us to begin exploring the connections
performance.” between performance, productivity and
Today, it is even more true. pride in what we do.
What motivates you? What makes you
want to do your best?
What is known from best practice and
Proud and research into employee engagement is that
meaningful work is a basic human need,
productive that we seek out community in the work-
place, and that we are a great deal more
workplaces are productive when we find it.
Weisbord, Peter Senge, and other
everywhere. thought leaders have shown that better
solutions happen when people collaborate
on finding answers; when we throw our-
Better, Faster, Easier selves into meaningful tasks for a higher
Proud and productive workplaces are purpose, inspired results are more likely
everywhere; my Bean Around the World to emerge. On our own we cannot build
coffee place is a perfect example. a space station, although many of us,
Larissa, a marvelous, multi-tasking, through our ingenuity, passion can.
positive force of nature, greets me every Understanding what motivates us to
morning with a cheeky sense of humour want to do our best is present in the DNA
and the same question, “What can I get of every proud and productive workplace.
for you today?” Each time she smiles and Every workshop I ask, “What are you
then delivers with swift efficiency. That proudest of in the work that you do?”
20-second exchange gives my day a lift “What values do you contribute to this
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2. Edge:
& Productivity
Why Proud and Productive Workplaces matter now
In the 2011 HR Trends in B.C. Survey view has done some damage to the
Report, BC HRMA’s Ian Cook high- relationships people have with work,
lights that with the return to more noting that anywhere from 40-60
stable economic times, organiza- per cent of people are intending to
tions are switching their focus from leave their current employer when
tight management of performance it becomes possible.
to a more engagement-focused ap-
proach. With a return to more favourable
financial conditions organizations
He highlights that “costs have been are once again faced with retaining
a key focus through the latest busi- people based on trust, rewards and
ness phase and this tight financial engaging work.
team?” “What do you want to be known animation on the topic, with close to six
for?” “What are the behaviours that con- million views, is well worth checking out
tribute to your success?” at (http://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc)
Every time, employees say, “Making a It is a vital conversation for every orga-
difference.” “Mattering.” “Adding value.” nization to engage in, and one that is best
“Serving a customer’s real need.” approached through the power of teams.
In essence, having pride in yourself
and what you contribute at work may just The Power of Teams
be the ultimate team-building exercise The journey to create the new supply
and productivity its natural reward. chain organization—aligning people,
“Absolutely”, blogs Daniel Pink, author processes and accountabilities—is a major
of A Whole New Mind and Drive: The Sur- undertaking, one that led Health Shared
prising Truth about What Motivates Us. “The Services BC (HSSBC) to introduce Supply
secret to high performance and satisfac- Chain best practices in the form of Cen-
tion—at work, at school, and at home—is tres of Excellence. “Centres of Excellence
the deeply human need to direct our own are there to ensure that we remain respon-
lives, to learn and create new things, and sive to our Health Authority customers by
to do better by ourselves and our world.” delivering the right product, at the right
Pink’s Webby Award-nominated YouTube time to the right place in manner that is
peopletalk | Fa ll 2 011 19

3. Myers-Briggs consistent and easy for them,” explains maintain consistency, and ultimately,
Type Indicator ® Paul Brewer, provincial director, organiza-
tion development for HSSBC.
deliver on our mandate to enhance value
to the health care system province-wide.”
“Our Centres of Excellence are essen- Changing how strategic decisions are
GET CERTIFIED. BE IN DEMAND. tially cross-functional teams that are made in real-time within a complex sup-
empowered to develop end-to-end pro- ply chain environment comes with risks.
cesses in the most efficient and cost- HSSBC addressed these up front through
effective ways. We’ve brought together a change initiative led by a newly formed
functional experts from all parts of our working group given the all-encompassing
business, from warehousing and logis- task of creating the Centres of Excellence
tics, to category management, branch best practice and tools for the organization.
and accounts payable. Each individual The working group of 10 began meeting
The secret to high
performance and
satisfaction—at work,
learn to use the mbti® tool to:
Improve Teams • Resolve Conflict • Coach Others at school, and at home—is the
2011 MBTI® STEP I™ & II™ CERTIFICATION
deeply human need to direct
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our own lives, to learn and create
new things, and to do better
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Toronto Nov 24
2011 MBTI® ADVANCED WORKSHOPS
Applying Type with Managers and Leaders comes to the Centre of Excellence team in early 2011 with the goal of developing
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with their unique technical and func- easy to understand people processes, tools
MBTI® Optimizing Team Performance Program tional knowledge to assess all aspects of an and templates that would make Centres of
Calgary, Oct 24................ $595 [includes books]
opportunity prior to implementation of a Excellence real and meaningful to the rest
Organizational Application of Type project,” says Brewer. “Their role is to help of the organization once they were rolled
Vancouver, Oct 28........... $425 + required books
our organization to make better decisions, out. It was action learning at its best and a
Visit www.psychometrics.com
for information on our upcoming
2012 training dates and locations. Following a year of research and preparation,
REGISTER TODAY: a new health shared services organization (SSO) was formally launched in Feb-
www.psychometrics.com ruary 2009 with the full support of the Provincial Government and all six health
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training@psychometrics.com
operations moved into the Provincial Health Services Authority under a new
www.psychometrics.com division called Health Shared Services BC (HSSBC).
HSSBC Supply Chain is now a major contributor to health authorities across the
province ensuring they receive the highest quality and most value for every
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, MBTI, Step I and Step II are registered trademarks of the MBTI Trust,
dollar spent. HSSBC Supply Chain is accomplishing this through the power of
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Inc., in the United States and other countries.The MBTI Certification Program is officially recognized
by CPP as a qualifying program to administer and interpret the MBTI instrument.
cross-functional teams called Centres of Excellence.
20 p e o p l e t a l k | Fa ll 2 011

4. strong endorsement of the working group Feedback on the initial HSSBC workshop echoes Brewer’s
as a powerful team. assessment of what they achieved as a group…
“At the very first working group meet-
ing we talked about the needs of our cus- “Today was all about integration and creating common goals. It’s going to
tomers, the organization, team needs and improve my job satisfaction because I’ll feel like part of a team and part of
our own as individuals,” Brewer remem- something worthwhile.”
bers. “Then we talked about what matters
most to us, what we are proudest of and ”I have a huge sense of accomplishment. It’s been a long time that we’ve been try-
what we want to be known for. That’s how ing to fix these things and today for the first time, we came together as a team.”
we established the values that we believe
will support the operation of a proud and “I’m proud of our accomplishment.”
productive Centre of Excellence.”
Being proud means you’re committed
to the work, you’re self motivated and you
believe in what you do. It’s like saying,
‘I’m engaged, this is important my contri-
bution matters and it’s making a tangible
difference.’
Those four values—respect, collabora-
tion, being responsive and ethical—have
energized and engaged the team, and not
a meeting goes by without someone refer-
encing them.
“What, if any impact, did this open
discussion about pride in the workplace
have on productivity at HSSBC?” Brewer
believes it was crucial to the working
group’s success, especially in the early
stages when it wasn’t possible for mem-
bers to anticipate all the benefits that the
new ‘super teams’ or Centres of Excellence
Injury and illness keep employees from their work.
would deliver to the organization, or to
their new roles. “The dialogue around Quick Access to
the table created meaning for everyone in
Diagnostic Imaging
the room, and it was an important step in
moving forward,” said Brewer. “You know, could help your
we each make too many assumptions employees get back to
about the best way of working together,
your assumptions may be different than their best faster.
mine. So, once we realized we all had a
common purpose to make the Centre of
Excellence team work, the group really Reduce Costs No waits.
State-of-the-art
formed well. I was proud when that hap-
pened.”
The Centre of Excellence toolkit has
Improve Technology.
Exceptional patient
become a standard operating manual
within the HSSBC Supply Chain to help Productivity care since 2000.
each cross-functional team work as proud
and productive self-directing units. In
addition to project management tools,
the toolkit includes a Team Charter, Team
Building, Conflict Resolution and Train-
ing materials.
The Role of Leaders - Living Your Values
Leadership of others is truly about self-
leadership. That being said, when it
comes to creating proud and productive
peopletalk | S u m m e r 2 011 21
Canada Diagnostic.indd 1 1/21/11 3:23:17 PM

5. workplaces, what type of leadership does within the communities they serve across “I think it also speaks to the fact that I
it take to cultivate a culture that values British Columbia. Since inception, Minerva didn’t want to assume that people have
both ‘what we do’ (the strategic, techni- has supported more than 3000 individuals the same values and interests and goals
cal components) and ‘how we do it’ (the throughout the life cycle of their careers. that I have personally, and that is about
people, values aspects)? acknowledging and respecting others and
In Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Pride and Productivity in the their values.”
Uncertain Time, author Margaret Wheat- Public Service Dr. Lemus explained that the experi-
ley, suggests successful leaders believe Having made the transition from team ence allowed everybody to talk about
their role is to create relationships. “In member to team manager of a busy sci- what is important to them, and gave her
organizations, real power and energy is ence-based division of Health Canada, Dr. the opportunity to acknowledge and
generated through relationships. The pat- Gladis Lemus arranged a full day for her understand what was important to them
terns of relationships and the capacity to new team to discuss regular departmental as a team. “And then the next step as their
form them are more important than tasks, business along with some team building manager was to say, ‘I heard what is impor-
functions, roles and positions.” activities, including a tour of the Rich- tant to you’ and to show my commitment
This speaks to leaders who understand mond Olympic Oval and a two and a half to doing my best to support them. So at
that how we do things—together—is hour workshop titled, ‘Creating a Proud the end of the day, we set the context for
more valuable than what we do individu- and Productive Workplace Together’. how we as a team work together.”
ally. Foremost in building these relation- The workshop was designed to facili- In addition to clarifying their core val-
ships is the leader’s credibility, which is ues, the team identified some behaviours
always measured by values such as integ- they feel are important in maintaining a
rity, trust, being passionate about a goal proud and productive workplace within
and ‘walking the talk’. People listen to the Environmental Health Program. Dur-
leaders when they talk, and watch closely ing the workshop, team members reflected
to decide on a leader’s sincerity towards on a number of questions about the nature
their commitments. Proud and productive “Envisioning the of their work, what they want to be known
environments flourish when these leader- for, and what they are proudest of. The
ship values and behaviours are present. future is a process results of this dialogue are showing up in
Passion fuels every proud and produc-
tive workplace. It galvanizes the efforts of that begins with surprising and tangible ways.
“Being a scientist, I tend to have hard
each individual who wants their future
to be a ‘better place’; and who believes
passion, feeling, core measures and parameters when deter-
mining results. However, I think the best
they have something to contribute to its
arrival.
concern, or an way to quantify a proud and productive
workplace is when people look at you and
In the non-profit sector, the Minerva
Foundation for BC Women is a locally-
inspiration that they smile; because they feel that they are
in the right place,” said Dr. Lemus. “They
grown example of an organization that something is feel that they are being treated fairly, and
has thrived through its ‘passion and that they are acknowledged and valued.
purpose’. In keeping with a long line of worth doing.” From the hard core measures perspective,
values-driven leaders, executive director, we all have goals and deliverables we can
Eleanor Guerrero-Campbell, understands - The Leadership Challenge measure; number of reports, etc., but for
that the alchemy of a proud and produc- me, more than that, it is acknowledg-
tive organization must first be found in ing how individuals are being in their
the leader. teams and what happens beyond what is
“My advice about leadership is to be required.”
self aware. Know yourself and what’s And that’s the part that we usually
important to you, and then follow what’s tate an open dialogue on how team mem- don’t measure Dr. Lemus points out,
important to you in your life. That’s what bers could make their best contributions “What is happening in my team right
will create your passion, your vision, the to the team and the goals/objectives of now is that I have people that are now
inspiration and enthusiasm,” said Guer- the department. It was to be the first step talking to each other even though they
rero-Campbell. “And that’s what will toward exploring the values they believe are in different lines of work, saying, ‘Hey,
make people follow you.” make a positive contribution to their can we work on a project together?’ This is
For more than 10 years, the organiza- effectiveness as individuals and as a team, something completely new that’s needed
tion has dedicated itself and its extensive and the strengths and skills they bring to for our team goals and overarching work
network of volunteers, mentors and spon- their roles. goals. It’s a different approach to things,
sors to inspiring a movement around “It was fundamental. For me to under- and it’s completely on the side of their
values-based leadership for women of all stand what is it that drives them, and desk. We are truly breaking silos and I
ages and backgrounds, who have a desire for me to support that and acknowledge credit my team for their efforts on this.”
to stand for something of value as leaders and give whatever I can,” said Dr. Lemus. This is important now; because like the
(continued on page 26)
22 p e o p l e t a l k | Fa ll 2 011

6. Thank you for your support!
BC Human Resources Management Association recognizes
the following 2010/2011 Corporate Sponsors for their
contribution to a grateful, thriving membership.
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Jacques LeBlanc today at 604.694.6935 or at jleblanc@bchrma.org.

7. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Communicating Change NEW
This practical, insightful webinar will utilize an integrated approach to leading change that has
communication as one of the essential dimensions.
Presenter: Chris Edelow, Founder & President, Sundance Consulting Inc. and Lost Creek Press Ltd.
7th Annual Northern Symposium
The 2011 Northern Symposium, Resourceful Resilience: People-Centered Solutions & Opportunities,
was created in recognition that new realities mean something new for Human Resources leadership,
whether it’s how to increase organizational flexibility, integrate social media, or foster inclusiveness in an
increasingly diverse workplace.
This symposium will engage a range of topics and speakers, see the website for details.
Preparing for Collective Bargaining
Whether you are new to bargaining or seasoned in labour relations, this highly interactive and
innovative session will give you the tools to put your best foot forward and the confidence to
negotiate the deal you need.
Presenter: Jay Sharun, CHRP, Labour Relations Consultant, Western Industrial Relations
Business Analytics for HR: Making Sense of Your Numbers NEW
This workshop will show you how to analyze, interpret and present your HR data in a compelling
and business-focused way.
Presenter: Ian J. Cook, CHRP, Director of Research and Learning, BC HRMA
Strategic Recruitment to 2020 NEW
BC is facing a shortage of 61,500 workers. Will your organization get its share of human capital
to survive. . . and prosper? This workshop will bring out the best strategies to develop a predictable
supply of top talent.
Presenters: Kael Campbell, President, Red Seal Recruiting Solutions; Ruth Eden, CHRP, General Manager, Red Seal
The Fundamentals of Effective Workplace Investigations
Attend this workshop to gain an understanding of the key steps you need to take, and practical tips for
activities such as collecting evidence, conducting interviews, and bringing the investigation to a close.
Presenter: Taryn Mackie, Associate, Bull, Housser & Tupper
For dates, times & locations visit www.bchrma.org/events
FE AT U R E D WO R K S H O P
Project Management for the Rest of Us
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 (Surrey) and Tuesday, November 15, 2011 (Victoria)
This interactive 3-hour session explores the key elements of project
management, all within anyone’s grasp. With these tools, we can
look at more of our work as projects and reap the benefits of this
discipline. Much of this session will be based on your experience,
so be prepared for interesting and engaging discussion.
Presenter: Jim Brosseau, Clarrus Consulting Group Inc.

8. FE AT U R E D PR E S E N T E R
Diane A. Ross’, passion is to help others gain the confidence she has
learned to succeed in challenging conversations and negotiations in all
areas of life. Diane is a graduate of Business (Honours) and Law (UBC) with
14 years’ experience in litigation; she is a Certified Executive Coach (Royal
Roads) and has trained at Harvard Law School’s Program of Instruction for
Lawyers in Advanced Negotiations: Managing Difficult Conversations and
Mediation. She is currently a professional speaker, writer and non-practicing
lawyer with the Law Society of BC.
Dealing With Difficult People — Thursday September 29, 2011 (Vancouver)
Succeeding At Challenging Conversations — Thursday October 27, 2011 (Victoria)
“I look forward to the courses rolled
out by the Professional Development
Department of BC HRMA as it gives us 97%
practitioners an opportunity to receive of attendees to a
BC HRMA workshop
current, relevant information from agree/strongly agree
experts in the various fields of HR.” that their expectations
were met.
— Farida, Vancouver, BC
The BC HRMA calendar is updated
with new and exciting PD events
99%
r throughout the year.
Check in regularly for events in your area.
www.bchrma.org/events
of attendees to a
BC HRMA symposiums
agree/strongly agree
that their expectations
Easy Sign-Up Online were met.
» Sign up for Workshops bchrma.org/events
» Submit your professional development idea to
the Professional Development Suggestions Box:
bchrma.org/professionaldevelopment 89%
» Visit the BC HRMA Career Path Tool Group in our online of attendees to a
community to explore career paths and identify your own
BC HRMA webinar
opportunities for development: community.bchrma.org
agree/strongly agree
Special member pricing and early bird discounts. that their expectations
Register early to get the best rates. were met.
Source: BC HRMA Professional
Development Feedback Forms 2009/2010.

9. (continued from page 22)
rest of Canada’s aging workforce, the fed- my heart. So I have to acknowledge that I and accommodating the human ‘felt
eral system is undergoing a massive shift have feelings and motivations and desires, needs’ within a workplace, has long been
in demographics as baby boomers retire, described by organizational and behav-
and a new multi-generational cross-section ioural theorists, beginning with Chris
of junior and mid-career level profession- Argyris and Edgar Schein in the 1960s,
als enter from academia, the private and In essence, as the “psychological contract” between
not-for-profits sectors. This new, socially- employer and employee.
sophisticated labour force believes that having pride The psychological contract, always just
it’s not just about getting a paycheque; it’s beneath the surface of organizational cul-
also about having a high level of satisfac- in yourself ture, reflects the deeply significant, chang-
tion, a sense of purpose and importantly,
work-life balance.
and what you ing and dynamic nature of workplace
relationships. If we are to lay the foun-
For employers then, there is a need to
provide compelling reasons beyond the
contribute at work dations for more proud and productive
organizations and ‘humanize’ our work
basic ‘work for pay’ environment to attract
and retain top talent. It’s not just achiev-
may just be the environments, then we must recognize
the unique contribution we each bring
ing the work and being paid, but ‘what are ultimate team- and welcome an open dialogue about
you going to give us?’ what it means to everyone at the table.
Having made the transition herself building exercise
from team member to team leader, Dr. Humanity at Work’s (humanityatwork.ca)
Lemus believes what fuels her desire to and productivity Donna Howes, BBus, CEC, CHRP is a coach
experiment is connected to encourage-
ment. “Encouragement is a very interest-
its natural reward. and organization development consultant
devoted to creating confident leaders, strong
ing word because it is related to the word teams and proud, productive workplaces. She
‘heart’. As a scientist, I come with my full is a Certified Executive Coach and VP of the
brain, full of excellent ideas and tech- and that my team also has them.” BC Organization Development Network.
niques for the job, and I also come with This last point, of acknowledging
26 p e o p l e t a l k | Fa ll 2 011

10. 10 Ways to Create a Proud and Productive Workplace
1. Conduct a strengths inventory alongside your train- 7. Take an appreciative inquiry approach:
ing needs analysis. Be prepared to be surprised about • Pause, ask more, tell less and reflect on what’s
what emerges. working
2. Ask what people are proud of and what they want to • Look at your organizational messaging. How
be known for. E.g. Start a meeting with each person are you telling your stories? (both internally and
telling a story about what they are proud of. externally). I.e. “We made our numbers and
3. Create an inventory of key leadership practices and achieved our targets AND that makes me feel
how they align with your organizational, team and proud.”
individual values. 8. Be open and be fearless in the sense of attempting
4. Track employee engagement as well as productivity. something different. It may or may not work out;
Give equal weight to both ‘what we do’ and ‘how we however, you need to try with an open mind.
do it’. I.e. “Proud of what we do and how we do it.” 9. Look back at the path you took to reach your goals
5. Encourage trust in leadership by having a dialogue and feel good about the way you achieved those
before embarking on your next major change initia- goals.
tive. Give everyone an opportunity to contribute. 10. Have passion and purpose in what you do; remember
6. Identify ‘needs’ from four perspectives (self, team, leadership of others is truly about self-leadership and
customer/client, organization) and link to values, believing that a proud and productive workplace is
behaviours and competencies. possible.
Inspiring Leaders
Leading for Results Leading in the Middle
Sept. 11-16 Sept. 25-30
deliver results for your organization Learn to influence others by improving your
by turning your personal leadership communication, relationship building, and
challenge into a powerful plan for management skills. this program is ideal
change. this program will benefit for emerging and high-potential leaders
you if you are an experienced mid- who manage key relationships within their
to senior-, or executive-level leader organizations. deliver maximum results for
expected to deliver results for your your organization by improving your overall
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BanffLeadershipPrograms.com Register Today for These and
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peopletalk | Fa ll 2 011 27