April 2024

April was a busy month, including a meeting with Commissioners to explore the top strategic imperatives identified through various forms of analysis facilitated by the Revitalization Team including SOAR analysis, Effort/Payoff, and potential gains (that come with changing) and losses (that come with not changing).

Revitalization team members also conducted 2 workouts (at the Licensing Center and another Aitkin-Wide workout on the pilot adoption of a performance coaching system called "Growth Coaching" to replace annual performance reviews in a few key departments.

Revitalization jams were given on the topics of rethinking the Aitkin County Experience and Persona Mapping to better understand the perceptions and deep needs of Aitkin County's citizens. Bill also met with Health and Human Services to share survey results regarding psychological safety and facilitated separate dialogue sessions with both HHS supervisors and all staff to develop strategies to improve areas that correlate with employee retention, satisfaction, and performance. Bill also met with members of the Assessor's office to identify potential workouts. A variety of new workout suggestions were submitted.

March 2024

This month the core Revitalization Team joined Dr. Brendel to facilitate a Strategic Dialogue with Department Heads, who explored the case or change behind several different strategic opportunities where consensus was highest amongst three core stakeholder groups including Commissioners, Department Heads and the Revitalization Team.

We also held revitalization jams focused on the art and science of strategic planning and started a critical discussion around developing strategic initiatives in collaboration with our external stakeholders by asking great questions focused on their assumptions and deep motivations.

Feb 2024

This month the Aitkin County Revitalization team commenced research to determine the degree to which some of the most frequently shared strategic opportunities and aspirations (through SOAR analysis) can advance Aitkin's vision. This analysis includes looking at numerous internal and external resources and data points, including case studies, pilot programs, research studies, demographics, and other publications that may support these initiatives. This will continue into March in support of the development of a succinct set of strategic imperatives that Aitkin not only desires but can also feel confident in. Bill also conducted two relevant revitalization jams. The first jam, titled "Stakeholder Alignment" covered the art and science of identifying the deepest needs of Aitkin's core stakeholders (anyone who impacts or is impacted by your work). In this session, which you can watch on the "Events" tab, we covered the different roles, power, legitimacy, and influence of different stakeholders; especially toward the development of a robust, consensus driven strategic plan. Bill also held a revitalization jam titled "Organization Design and Performance", which introduced the concept of Organization Design and how it plays a very crucial role in strategic planning and execution processes. Finally, our Revitalization website was updated to include new dashboards measuring the impact of various Revitalization initiatives taking place. Check out the Workout tab to learn more about how much time and money the Revitalization team is saving and learn how they did it by reading brief case studies that describe the change!

January 2024

This month Dr. Brendel met with Department Heads to conduct a full SOAR Analysis (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results) in order to begin identifying the type of strategic direction Aitkin might consider taking over the next three to five years.

The Revitalization Team attended a two day workshop on Leading Positive Change, an approach that begins with consensus building and strategic visioning, and ends with the development of a well informed and structured strategic plan. This team then divided to address three key areas of organizational health: Operational Excellence, Cultural Excellence, and Strategic Excellence. These teams are designed to work strategically to lead concrete plans for bringing about real change in these areas; specifically, change areas that were identified as high priority not only amongst revitalization team members, but also independently in a SOAR analysis facilitated by Dr. Brendel with Department Heads and later with Commissioners. Each of these independent groups categorized essential strategic imperatives for change which will be carried into the strategic planning process, but also a number of real-time changes.

Dr. Brendel also hosted a revitalization jam and released a guide on the subject of Measuring Strategic Impact. He also hosted an Aitkin wide "Ask Bill Anything" session where employees could ask any questions that are on their mind about the Aitkin Revitalization process. Health and Human Services staff also engaged in a Psychological Safety Assessment with the aim of becoming one of the most trusting, open, and creative HHS departments in MN. Findings will be shared in February as Dr. Brendel guides groups in developing collaborative changes to directly address opportunities for improvement. Dr. Brendel also conducted a Strengths Finder workshop with the Assessor's staff and developed several exciting, potential strategic change initiatives that can leverage individuals' unique strengths.

December 2023 This month Dr. Brendel led a kickoff to strategic thinking with with Andrew Carlstrom and the Environmental Service Team. Workout sensing sessions were conducted with the Licensing Center as well as the HHS Office Support Staff. Both groups are excited to get Workouts underway in order to increase customer satisfaction and increase the efficiency of intake processes. 

Dr. Brendel also lead an "Unpacking the Aitkin Vision" workshop, challenging the Revitalization Team to consider how we can strategically aim for "Outstanding Service" through improved culture and strategy. Dr. Brendel also conducted revitalization jams on Psychological Safety and Putting Chat GPT to work!

November 2023 This month Aitkin experienced its first Workout success story thanks to Wendie Bright who shared that accounting is updating a receipting process by allowing departments to directly input their cash/ACH receipts into the system. They will continue to receive the funds and print receipts for auditing purposes. This eliminates the need for departments to send information to enter, eliminating duplication and room for data entry error. Conservative estimate of savings: 250 hours/year!

Dr. Brendel facilitated a strategic working session with commissioners who completed a full SOAR analysis that will contribute to Aitkin's strategic plan; he also introduced the GE Workout process to department heads, participated in an all staff HHS "Ask Bill Anything" event where he answered any questions staff had about process, progress, organizational culture, and more.  Dr. Brendel also delivered revitalization jams to help employees discover their conflict styles and to conduct additional strategic brainstorming. 

October 2023 Revitalization Team members attended a two-day Workout Workshop and  brainstormed over 128 different ideas for potential projects. The team also established a Slack communication channel where they are organizing and learning together. Bill introduced the concept of Workout and SOAR Strategic Planning Analysis to Aitkin's Board of Commissioners. "Coffees with Jessica" Seibert also began in October with a great discussion around innovation and psychological safety. 

The HHS Revitalization Team was facilitated through a process of pooling their visions together to set the stage for working together, and utilized an example of viewing a common deadline challenge through the lens of that vision.

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Bill also conducted a Revitalization Jam on developing strategic aspirational goals with a group of employees who brainstormed a wide variety of potential initiatives. Four key guides released this October include the Revitalization Primer, Psychological Safety Guide, Measuring Strategic Impact Guide, and Sensing Sessions Guide.

September 2023 In September, Bill analyzed the Clifton Strengths Finder Scores for 9 members of the HHS Revitalization team to develop and deliver a teambuilding workshop that also prepared members to provide Strengths Finder instruction to employees across HHS. The team was empowered to utilize their strengths in service to an upcoming effort to transform the agenda and process for all-staff meetings for greater strategic impact and value. 

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Bill also provided a Well-Being Revitalization Jam that focused on the mindfulness practice and integrating time for well-being during routine spaces of the work day. Bill also provided a Revitalization Jam on the topic of Demystifying Chat GPT, providing employees with an introduction to the do's and don'ts of working with this truly revolutionary technology (from finding creative ways to deal with unresolved dilemmas, to finding faster and more accommodating ways to schedule and analyze data). Bill continued to provide coaching to individuals and teams on issues of well-being and innovation.

August 2023 This August Bill provided his analysis of over 99 stories of excellence with the Board of Commissioners, illustrating the most common challenges, intrinsically rewarding aspects of work, and strengths shared by employees. This key aspect of discovery allows for a well-tailored approach to strategic revitalization. Bill also analyzed the top ways in which Aitkin employees committed to change one thing about the way they work. 

Bill released a video recording of the Revitalization Kickoff for those who were unable to attend in person. He also kicked off his innovation series Revitalization Jam with "The Language of Innovation", which was attended by over 30 employees and due to popularity offered a repeat jam later in the month.He also kicked off a 10-part podcast series on Busyness and Burnout at work. Bill also kicked off leadership and coaching sessions with various employees. 

July 2023 This July, Bill visited with all of Aitkin's department heads, held discussions with commissioners, and sat with the Sherriff's department as a part of the revitalization discovery phase to gather stories, strategic insights, hopes, and concerns. During this time, 20 inspiring stories of excellence were added to our revitalization site, and 30 Revitalization Team members were identified.

June 2023 In June, we launched the Aitkin Revitalization webpage. Continuing the Discovery phase, Dr. Brendel interviewed 14 more individuals from the leadership team. On June 7th, Bill visited with HHS to provide an overview of  the three central tenets of the revitalization project (Appreciation, Creativity, and Empowerment), and facilitated attendees in creating one act of self-care and one act of outward appreciation they could commit to that day. Launch communications were also provided by Jessica Seibert to all staff, including an invitation to participate in the July Revitalization Kickoff event.

May 2023 This month we kicked off the Discovery Phase of revitalization, which included numerous benchmarks. We shared video overviews and reviewed the Revitalization process with the Board of Commissioners and Department Heads, beta-tested the Aitkin Revitalization Website, and  solidified dates for our Kickoff. Dr. Brendel (Bill) conducted 5 Discovery Interviews to better understand the strengths of the Aitkin County workforce as well as opportunities for growth.

Bill also toured and spoke with leadership  at the Long Lake Conservation Center about their strengths and strategic hopes. This sets us up for a busy June full of additional interviews, finalizing the Revitalization website, conducting five additional interviews, and finalizing members of the first-wave Revitalization Team (an empowered group of front-line employees who will learn and lead a number of culture, strategy, and capability initiatives over the next year.