The Department recognizes the importance of providing organizational assistance for a wide range of issues through a variety of consultative services designed to support and enhance the work of middle, upper and executive levels of management. Services are also provided to new supervisors to assist them in building skills needed for their current positions as well as preparing them to assume higher level management positions. The ultimate goal of this program is to support the Mission of the organization and the administrative branch while enhancing the overall productivity of both the individual and the organization.

Professionals possessing a broad range of formal education and training in business and human behavior along with experience working in both the public and private sectors provide these services. These professionals also have a working understanding of the needs and concerns inherent in law enforcement organizations.

Types of Organizational, Executive and Management Services

These brief descriptions are meant to provide you with a menu of the services offered and a sense of the process utilized. Since all interventions are custom tailored to the situation and individuals involved, there is variation in the approach from situation to situation.

• Management /Executive Consultation: This confidential consultative service provides managers with the opportunity to discuss a wide variety of workplace issues of a sensitive nature and get solution focused feedback from a professional with expertise in troubleshooting complex organizational and personnel issues. Typical topics that lend themselves to this service are those involving an individual or group employee issue, managing planned or unplanned change, reorganizations, and training needs among others.
• Assessments: Assessments are designed to provide the executive manager with accurate feedback about the current level of functioning within his/her unit, bureau, section, or in some cases, an entire division. The assessment process is designed to provide information and recommendations for sustaining what is working well, identifying needs, and making recommendations for a more productive workplace.

While there are variations in approach, the basic format for an assessment can include:

1. Management Meeting to ascertain needs, objectives and goals.
2. OEOD Planning Session to develop an assessment approach.
3. Follow-up Management Meeting to go over a proposed assessment approach including introducing the concept to staff.
4. Confidential Staff Interviews conducted either individually or in focus group format to obtain information on the day to day operations of the workplace along with any suggestions for change or modification.
5. Review of Findings by the assessment staff to ascertain trends and develop recommendations for the management team.
6. Follow-up with Management with proposal which may include one or several OD interventions.

Executive and Performance Coaching

Coaching is available for the executive and management team members that focuses on developing and sustaining broad leadership skills. This would include strengthening an individual's personal leadership style and identifying areas to develop over time. As with other services, these sessions are confidential unless mutually agreed otherwise for the good of the client's development.

Performance coaching is more skill based and targets specific areas that the individual wishes to improve (e.g. Improving communication skills, giving feedback to direct reports).

Conflict Resolution/Mediation

From time to time situations arise in the workplace that are best handled by an outside, impartial party. The approach used is based on the Harvard Model of conflict resolution and works to reach mutually beneficial outcomes.

Team Development

Today, technology and specialization makes a variety of work teams and alliances necessary to do almost any job effectively. Depending on the request, need, and assessment a wide range of team development strategies are utilized to assist in building and maintaining effective work teams and strategic alliances.

Training

Training is offered on a variety of management topics including leadership development, change management, management skill enhancement, conflict resolution and a variety of other topics. The training seminars are custom tailored to fit both the audience and the goals and objectives of the manager.

Workplace Trends

A confidential data collection system is used to track workplace issues, concerns, and trends. This data allows us to draw on prior successful outcomes when dealing with organizational issues within the department. We look at change, reorganization, and methods of communication with employees through a lens of what has worked in the past.

If you are interested in these confidential services, please contact:
Kathleen Williams - (609) 292-6065 or Karen Husband (609) 633-3718