Leadership and Change: One Jail's Experience

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By Carol Flaherty-Zonis, MA, MSW, Arizona-based consultant and trainer

Published: 11/02/2009

“Something’s happening here”--in the Orange County Corrections Department in Orlando--positive change, cultural evolution. Read on to understand.

Chief Michael Tidwell read the guide I wrote, Building Culture Strategically, and determined it would be useful for his Department. He asked Dr. Cindy Boyles, the Training Director, to read the guide and begin to implement the process. Early on, the Department contacted me to arrange for me to facilitate the process, with Dr. Boyles as the point person. She and William Rivera, Human Resources Manager, became the Process Managers and Dr. Boyles’ assistant, Christine Grover, became the Communications Manager.

At the start, I conducted interviews by phone and in-person with managers, supervisors and staff and reported the results at the kickoff meeting, attended by approximately 100 people. At that meeting, I explained the process and the theoretical foundation on which it is based.

Briefly stated, this is a team-based, systems approach to culture change and strategic planning. The Rubik’s Cube® models of strategic planning and management I developed assign a specific purpose to each side of the Cube® and present a set of questions each team (there is a team for each side) has to answer, gathering responses from management, staff and other stakeholders. There also is a set of questions for a seventh team, about strategic thinking, the activity that constitutes the “gears” of the Cube®.

At the kickoff session people chose the team on which they wanted to serve and held their first meeting. Each team chose a facilitator who was to be responsible for organizing regularly-scheduled meetings and ensuring minutes were circulated and posted on the Intranet site established solely for the planning process. Teams were charged with enlisting additional members and holding conversations with as many people as possible to get answers to their teams’ questions. The Process Managers also held regular meetings with the team facilitators.

Two other teams were formed. One, the Communications Team, focused on getting information about the work to the staff on a regular basis. They created posters and a newsletter for this purpose. They have briefed all staff on the progress of work. The other, the Idea Team, is a small group responsible for responding to and facilitating the handling of ideas generated from staff. Some ideas deal with short-term change and others require in-depth study and complex change. The team meets weekly and determines the most effective way and the appropriate person to deal with ideas. Their work is posted on the Intranet site, available to all staff. Both teams have done excellent work.

After several months, the seven Cube® teams completed the summaries for all their questions. A new team was formed, the Strategic Planning Development Team, with representation from each team. They met for three days and did extraordinary work, developing a draft of the strategic plan, using the teams’ responses as the foundation for their work. That draft has been posted on the Intranet site to provide opportunities for all staff to respond. The group will meet again in December to develop the final plan.

What are some of the lessons learned about leading and change?

While I still believe that significant cultural change can come from the bottom up, I am more aware of the need for strong, enthusiastic, visible, committed leadership at and near the top. Without this, change is possible though more difficult.
Leadership has emerged from all levels of the Department. The key Process Manager has been critical to keeping the work moving and keeping the big picture vivid. Facilitators and team members have learned new skills and are much more knowledgeable about the Department, its strengths and challenges. People who answered questions can see their input in the draft of the plan and people on the teams can see the power of their work.
The value of the teams cannot be overstated. Members got to know people from other divisions and shifts. Stereotypes were overcome. Communication and understanding were enhanced.
Staff who have been involved in the process own it. This is what the Chief has wanted from the start. He says the work is about the staff, though we know it also is about him.
A challenge for formal leaders has been how to guide and lead without directing and controlling. We know you can’t force commitment. A manager, supervisor or union leader can get people to go along with change—can get people to obey orders, follow policy and procedure. However, transformational change has to come more from beliefs and values that support it than from ordering people to follow and obey.
Staff watches the managers and supervisors to gauge their support. People in a hierarchical organization are used to looking up. For staff who choose not to get involved, formal leaders who don’t provide the rationale for staying on the sidelines. On the other hand, when staff sees positive change, especially from their supervisors, their optimism is fed.
The potential for positive culture change is enhanced when people can overcome past differences and put the needs of the facility above their own. This is no easy task, especially when impressions are formed early on and everything people see reinforces them.
Finally, outside leadership is important. It helps to have someone as the guide who has walked there before. A strong partnership between the outside facilitator and the Chief, Superintendent or Commissioner is necessary. It is essential to have collaboration between the outside facilitator and the Process Manager(s). Above all, it is critical that all these relationships be based on trust and openness, a willingness to share ideas and speak truths, even when—especially when--they are uncomfortable.

These are but a few of the lessons learned about leading and change as this culture evolves. Next steps: Finalize the strategic plan after all staff review it and have opportunity for feedback; establish teams to work on strategic management.

Carol Flaherty-Zonis, MA, MSW, is an Arizona-based consultant and trainer. She works in the areas of strategic planning, organizational development, leadership and management development, conflict resolution and teambuilding. She facilitates the course, “Promoting a Positive Corrections Culture,” and the “Building Culture Strategically” process, both of which she developed under contract with NIC. Carol can be contacted at cfzonis@mindspring.com.

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