Organizational Resilience Team (ORT)
The Big Idea
The purpose of the ORT is to restore teams and team members to performance through cross-disciplinary support instead of resorting to termination as the first step. This fledgling idea-turned-into-team just named a formal leader in Mary Schubert and is evaluating the situations brought to the attention of HROE.
Why this Matters
Teams and team members with institutional knowledge of the large, complex organization of Texas A&M have value to deliver. Instead of dismissing them, the ORT aims to restore relationships and/or level-up skills to get back to working together toward our research and teaching mission.
Action
If you have a situation or one brewing, alert HROE leadership.
HROE Strategy and Analytics Function
The Big Idea
Institutionalizing strategic planning and implementation in a function – and not in one leader at the top – allows for the right initiatives for the university to continue in a consistent process, no matter when/if there is churn at the top. Recently, HROE named Scott Bauer as the leader of this function and the team is growing in number, while parallel-pathing accumulation of potential strategic initiatives.
Why this Matters
Many organizations focus on the present and the past (data analysis); this positions HROE – and Texas A&M’s employees – for the future.
Action
Reflect on the human resource needs required of your organization in two semesters’ time; in two years’ time; in two decades’ time. What got you here won’t get you there.
Faculty Affairs Liaison
The Big Idea
HROE and Faculty Affairs conduct similar business with two distinct, targeted audiences. Increased collaboration and communication will drive effectiveness and efficiency, therefore HROE has recently named Andy Barna as our formal Faculty Affairs liaison.
Why this Matters
HROE and Faculty Affairs are collaborating to do what is best for Texas A&M University.
Action
Look for ways to collaborate with Faculty Affairs and HROE on your HR matters.
Performance Management
The Big Idea
“Good enough for government work,” doesn’t work here. But people with that mentality do. Performance evaluation (1x/year) pales in comparison to the ongoing reorientation around performance management to ensure every decision every day is made towards the research and teaching mission. With management comes accountability.
Why this Matters
With performance management comes verifiable data to show the value of what research, teaching (and service) from Texas A&M to Texas, the nation, and beyond does every day, week, month, semester, year, decade, century... Texas A&M can have the data and story to show the value of higher education, definitively.
Action
Deploying the ORT; revamping performance management (and performance evaluation) - utilizing HROE as a template model to learn and lead out for the university; engaging with leaders to engage their people.
Refreshed Organizational Development
The Big Idea
Within any organization – let alone an organization this complex – the speed of trust matters. As we currently sit, there is a wide range of skillsets, requirements, and expectations for managers. This has effects uphill and downhill from these managers on how to manage and how to manage up.
Why this Matters
If Texas A&M can comprehensively equip managers to be leaders and expectations to be accurate, the good will rise to the top and be rewarded. The underperforming will shift out of the way for the greater good. This subtle, yet significant change will allow the right work to be completed the right way at the right time, delivering on the teaching and research mission.
Action
Deploying ORT; improving reach and frequency of Managers’ Minutes conversations; refocusing Organizational Development around pillars of fast, fee-free, and efficient; revamping performance management; providing consistent processes and tools.