Excellence to Eminence

Fall 2007

• President Gee addresses the faculty and identifies his vision for moving the university from excellence to eminence.  “… we are ready for the next step: The stride from excellent to eminent, the leap from visible to visionary.”  In this same address, President Gee outlines his six strategic goals for the university.
• The Medical Center begins working with Senn Delaney. Interviews start in October, and the first leadership session takes place in November.

Winter/Spring 2008

• Vendors are interviewed for designing and implementing culture surveys. A decision is made to use internal resources. A collaborative effort between Institutional Research and Planning and the Office of Human Resources produces the Culture Survey for Staff.
• The Ohio State Culture Survey for staff, and surveys for faculty, offer diagnosis of the current culture.
• President Gee leads the President's Council in the first unfreezing retreat, facilitated by Larry Senn and AJ Douglass of Senn Delaney.

Summer/Fall 2008

• President Gee’s direct reports lead unfreezing retreats for their units, including: Office of Human Resources, Office of Research, Office of the Chief Information Officer, University Development, University Communications, Government Affairs, Business and Finance, Student Life, Legal Affairs, Athletics, and the Provost’s Office and Deans.
• A Project Manager for Culture Transformation is identified.

Winter/Spring 2009

• Recruitment and selection of the first cohort of Ohio State Culture Facilitators, made up of Ohio State faculty and staff, takes place. This cohort experiences two weeks of training in the Spring.
• Four Culture Action Teams (CATs) form - Communication, Measurement, HR/Education, and Reinforcement & Recognition.
• An Organization Development Consultant is hired to assist the Project Manager.

Summer/Fall 2009

• Ohio State Culture Facilitators begin facilitating unfreezing retreats. 
• Senn Delaney certifies Culture Facilitators. 
• Ohio State co-brands Senn Delaney materials to create the look and feel of Ohio State.
• The Board endorses and puts "in place" Ohio State’s Values.
• The goal of 42 unfreezing retreats for FY 10 increases to 100.
• A reinforcement event takes place at a Women’s Basketball game. 

Winter 2010

• Deans and Vice Presidents identify Culture Strategists.
• Senior Human Resource Professionals learn about new strategies for recruitment/selection and performance management that align with our aspirational culture.
• President Gee announces that all regular staff are expected to be engaged in a performance feedback process by July 1, 2011.
• A Director of Communications for Culture Transformation is hired and the Excellence to Eminence website launches.

• Recruitment and selection for the second cohort of Ohio State Culture Facilitators takes place. The second cohort is trained.
• Culture Strategists attend training.
• The 100th unfreezing retreat takes place, meeting the goal of 100 retreats in FY 10.
• The Measurement CAT pilots the Ohio State Culture Pulse Survey. Leaders begin using the Pulse Survey for intact groups engaged in unfreezing retreats.
• A goal of 200 unfreezing retreats for FY 12 is set.

• Additional Culture Strategist trainings are offered.
• The second cohort of facilitators earns certification.
• Distinguished faculty and staff are recognized at halftime at the homecoming football game.
• University leaders write a "Living Our Values" column in onCampus.

• Restructuring in the Office of Human Resources expands the personnel dedicated to culture, and a Senior Director of Human Resources provides overall leadership.
• University-wide surveys for faculty and staff are administered for the second time. (First administration was in Spring 2008.)
• “In Use” training is offered to move values from “in place” to “in use.” Key facilitators, SHRP’s and Office of Human Resource colleagues participate.
• Faculty Council requests a "pause" to evaluate and focus the culture work.

• Interviews with academic leaders occur at the request of faculty leaders and high-level interview themes are shared. 
• Culture Strategists are trained in how to understand and interpret the survey results.
• Survey results are shared with Deans, Vice Presidents, SHRP’s and Culture Strategists.
• A Culture Shaping Guide is written.
• Culture Strategists are trained in “A Deeper Look at Culture Shaping.”
• At the request of the Provost, Deans begin to identify cultural areas for strengthening. This is incorporated into strategic planning processes and documents.
• The draft Talent and Culture Plan is shared with IPPG.
• 295 unfreezing retreats have occurred (since Spring ’08) with 7,294 faculty and staff participating.  

Developed by Anne Massaro, Project Manager, Office of Human Resources