Editor’s note: In this issue we are looking at the department’s vision and how it affects every employee. The following was written by John Crawford, head of the Strategic Planning Team that developed the vision statement. Next Commissioner Neeley talks about leadership as it relates to the vision. The Commissioner’s blog is followed by comments from someone outside the department – in this case, an executive at Bridgestone Americas – about his company’s belief in the process and experience with a system similar to the planning process that the TDLWD is putting into place.

When our department’s senior management first began looking at what our vision for the future should be, they considered two things: First, what level of service should the citizens of Tennessee expect from our department over the four-year course of our strategic plan? And second, how will we measure ourselves to know that we are progressing toward that vision?

Clearly, the citizens of Tennessee expect and deserve the very best service we can provide. To accomplish that goal, we need to not only function as effectively and efficiently as all the other states, but we need to be at the forefront with new ideas and processes that shape the way we provide programs and services. We need to be setting the example for others to follow. 

Think we are setting our goals to high? Not really. We expect to provide the best service to our customers that we can, and we expect to be innovative in the methods we use to do so. We expect to provide other states with best practice ideas to help them improve. We expect to be leaders. 

So how are we leading? We have several members of our senior staff who participate at the highest levels of national organizations that are helping to shape policy for our programs. We have cross functional teams working on numerous tasks around the department to improve our own tools, policies, procedures, and processes, and we have project Edison coming as well. You may well be asked to participate on one of these teams, and we encourage you do so!

Ask your supervisor how you can help. The best ideas always come from the people with the most experience with the job. Know how to make things run more smoothly? Let someone know! Your ideas will be appreciated!

This past Saturday when I held up my hand and took the oath of office for being commissioner of the Department of Labor & Workforce Development, I not only raised my hand for myself, but I was thinking about every individual we have in this department . . . because in the past four years – in my first term – I’ve had the policy in which I’ve given the administrators, assistant administrators, directors, and even employees the general latitude to step up and be leaders. Leadership in these next four years is going to be crucial in whatever we venture into – it could be in strategic planning, could be in administration of a critical program, could be representing the dept to the public – there are a lot of different ways leadership can be demonstrated.

I want to depend once again on the staff we put together to have a leadership team that will bring this dept to even higher levels than have ever been achieved. As our whole economy is changing, as the work itself within the different divisions is changing, as automation continues to grow, as technology continues to be developed, as our responsibilities continue to be broader, there’s one thing that will be the answer to every one of these issues as they come before us – good solid leadership. For the ensuing four years there are only two issues that will make the difference in whether we are very successful or not . . . and those two issues are commitment and leadership. I know I can count on you.

An outsider’s thoughts on strategic planning By Robert B. Walker, CSP Executive Director Corporate Health, Safety & Industrial Hygiene Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc.

As requested, I have a few comments regarding the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development’s Strategic Plan.

At our November 2006 TOSHA Advisory Council meeting, Administrator John Winkler and Assistant Administrator Steve Hawkins discussed the history and purpose of the strategic plan. They also reviewed their scorecard and its performance measures. I was very impressed with this new initiative and the level of detail in the TOSHA documents. It is very similar to systems used throughout business and industry including Bridgestone Americas.

For example, in my area alone (safety and health), we have a system called the Line-Driven Safety Process. The way it works is that our Chairman & CEO establishes annual safety and health objectives. Then each member of the line organization throughout the Americas from the division presidents to the plant managers and finally the first-line supervisors develops an itemized implementation plan (IIP) detailing the key activities that they will perform on a daily, weekly, monthly, etc., basis to achieve our Chairman’s objectives. The IIPs are submitted at the beginning of the year for review and approval. Once approved, formal meetings are held quarterly between each supervisor and subordinate to check and verify status. Finally, at the end of the year, results in terms of completing the activities in the IIPs are included in the annual performance appraisal, which impact future discretionary increases and promotional opportunities.

It appears both the TDOLWD and Bridgestone Americas are doing essentially the same thing – applying basic management principles to operate a business. To do so successfully, we must ensure that all of our teammates understand what they are responsible for, measure their results, provide feedback and ultimately hold them accountable for their results.

Again, very impressive. Keep up the good work.

Team members share thoughts on vision statement

In the December Teamwork News, we focused on culture change – how easy or hard it is to buy into and how we’re getting along as a department with integrating the strategic planning process into our roles toward the department’s success. This month’s attention is on the department’s vision statement and how it fits into the planning process.   Just to refresh, the vision statement is as follows: To be the nation’s leading provider of comprehensive workforce development and workplace safety and health services.

As we did last month, we picked three members of the planning team to share their thoughts on the department’s vision – what they think their area of the department is doing to lead the way and why it’s important to be the leader.

Martin Toth, chief boiler inspector, commented that being a leader in anything connotes certain qualities. “If we’re considered leaders in our respective fields, then we are delivering services in an excellent, distinguished, and quality manner. Our customers expect those traits in the way we do our jobs.”

Assistant Administrator for Employment Security Melinda Williams pointed out that the structure of the TDLWD gives Tennessee an advantage and an opportunity to become the nation’s leading provider of workforce development services. She cited as an example that with Workforce Investment Act and Employment Security services being under one commissioner, we are already able to streamline delivery, and the strategic planning process will only enhance the services and the way we offer them to Tennesseans.

Asked what he is doing to be a leader in his division, Martin said, “Now, more than ever, I have learned that a sign of a good leader is not the person who knows everything, but the person who knows the people who know the answers and helps get those people in motion. Listening to the concerns and needs of our staffs and helping them perform their duties more effectively while being efficient – that is one contribution of my leadership in our division.”

EEO/AA Officer for TDLWD Evelyn Gaines said the planning process has created an increased level of commitment and establishes a uniform vision and purpose shared among all, helping us all pull in the same direction. Speaking specifically to how the strategic planning process has assisted her in achieving the goal of our vision statement, she said, “The process makes the management of our division easier by providing a framework and a clearly defined direction for decision making. It helps everyone in the division with setting priorities and matching resources to opportunities.”

Martin also emphasized the unity factor inherent in the planning process and said a vision statement causes us to not only look at where we’re going and where we want to be, but also where we’ve come from.

“The strategic planning process has been a way for all divisions, sections, and individuals within the department to not only look at their goals as an end to a means, but in the process to look at every step of the journey as an opportunity to grow and learn,” he said.

The team members interviewed agree frontline employees are critical to the department’s achieving its vision. “I feel the TDLWD strategic plan is an essential tool. It will feed directly to and link all departmental employees,” said Evelyn. “Strategic planning is an ongoing process of review, assessment, and setting priorities in terms of external forces and internal realities. Its purpose is to continually refine the organization’s mission, vision, and values to ensure that they are member-needs driven.”

Martin commented that all vision statements must have the frontline employee in mind during vision conception and inception; that is, the frontline employee must buy into and understand the steps needed to make a vision statement realistic and achievable.

Melinda also emphasized that the frontline staff are some of the most important employees we have, as they work one-on-one with the public every day. “Their vision is to make lives better for people in their communities. Strategic planning will enhance what they are doing.”

Evelyn said we can think of the department’s vision as a picture of the future that we intend to build, not one we think we are stuck with. And rather than the passive exercise of predicting a likely future, she believes we now see “the vision” as an outcomes-oriented process that moves us toward a future of our own creation.

Next month we will continue comments on the planning process. We’ll be asking some team members to discuss how the mission statement was developed and what it means.

Santiago Rodriguez
Labor Standards inspector/investigator in Nashville; has been with this division for almost four years

What do you like best about your job?
Being able to help people get the assistance they need and hearing that their needs were met

My parents' home in central Texas. We also enjoy small weekend trips to Chattanooga and the Smoky Mountains.

Name something you can’t go a day without.
Giving thanks to God for my life and my family (wife and three boys).

What would we be surprised to know about you?
I was a cross-country runner in high School (4:21 mile) and played the trombone for seven years.

What are your personal interests/activities outside of work?
I enjoyed playing golf but haven’t played since the boys entered the family. Today’s joys include spending time with my wife and playing with our three boys.

What do you do in your job to support the department’s vision statement?
As an inspector with the Labor Standards Division, I have had the privilege of participating in lectures/seminars in both English and Spanish settings while educating and promoting labor-related issues, such as rights and responsibilities in the workforce.

Why do you think it’s important to be a leader in providing services?
This is so important because as government agents, it is our responsibility that the citizens know that we care and will provide assistance to meet their needs. 

How do you think frontline employees can help their division to be on the cutting edge (or a leader in services)?
Community involvement and listening to the needs of our clients.

Celebrating the grand opening of Walters State Community College’s Center for Workforce Education are, from left, Darlene Ely, manager of the Five Rivers Regional Career Center at Talbott; Tommy Noe, coordinator for Rapid Response at the Five Rivers Career Center; Dorothy Patterson, manager of the TDLWD Career Center at Tazewell; C-Ann Harris, employer representative for the TDLWD; Teresa Broome, TDLWD district manager; Susan Cowden, administrator for Employment and Workforce Development for the TDLWD; Dr. Nancy Brown, dean of Workforce Development at Walters State Community College; and Eleanor Newman, manager of the TDLWD Rogersville Career Center. The Center is the result of a $2 million grant that Walters State received from the USDOL.

Phyllis Pardue, director of Technology for the Division of Adult Education, has been asked by the National Reporting System (NRS) to co-moderate a national Webinar explaining to other states how Tennessee has implemented Data Detective training materials in order to analyze data from CMATS and use the data in the management of local and state programs. These data drive decisions made at both the state and local levels in many areas including instruction, program management, and budget.  Tennessee is also one of three states chosen to share their scorecard development with other states in the nation.

TOSHA
TOSHA continues to experience growth in its recognition and award programs. At the present time there are 23 companies in the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and 12 that are qualified under the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Both of these programs are a cooperative effort among the employers, the employees, and TOSHA. Although it takes a dedicated effort from the TOSHA staff to evaluate and support these companies the reduction in workplace injuries and illnesses is substantial. At the present time there are more than 21,000 employees covered by these programs.

The two other awards given by TOSHA are the Governor’s Award for Workplace Safety and Health Excellence and the Commissioner’s Award for Workplace Safety and Health Excellence. The Governor’s Award requires a company to work a required number of hours without a lost workday or restricted work duty accident. The Commissioner’s Award requires that a company does not have a lost workday incident. TOSHA has averaged 16 of these presentations per year for the last several years. TOSHA would like to thank Commissioner Neeley and Deputy Commissioner Henningsen for personally presenting the majority of these awards, including VPP and SHARP, at on-site presentations and at the Tennessee Safety and Health Congress.

Staff from the TDLWD, Economic and Community Development and several of the LWIAs in the southern middle Tennessee region attended a workforce summit in Decatur, Alabama, on Thursday, January 18, regarding the Workforce Innovation Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative that is based in Huntsville. We are hopeful that six Tennessee counties in southern middle Tennessee will be able to deliver training services as part of this grant. Susan Cowden and Eric Cromwell from Economic and Community Development spoke at the meeting on behalf of our state. Assistant Secretary DeRocco participated from the federal level.

Proposed rule changes for the Workforce Investment Act and Wagner Peyser Act programs have been issued by USDOL, and the public comment period extends through February 20.

It is always our goal to see how we can still improve, how we can do it better. We all work and think at different levels, at different speeds, etc., but what I must continue to emphasize is service and teamwork. Alex Haley once said, “If you ever see a turtle sitting on a fence post, he had help.”

I would like to wish our former employees prosperity during their recent retirement and to thank them once again for their years of service: Grant Padgett (Elevator Division), Betty Sykes (Boiler Division), and Anna Marie Duke (Research & Statistics), they all retired at the end of 2006. Also Hansford Hatmaker (Mine Division) and Annette Rowland (Labor Standards) will be retiring soon from their respective areas. Again thank you for your service. We would like to welcome our newest employee, Betty Zivkov of the elevator division.

Condolences go out to Bobby Collins, assistant elevator chief, in the loss of his wife.

Special thanks goes out to Martin Toth, the strategic planning coordinator for WRC, and to Rod Sidler and Carlene Bennett, who are our Edison contacts for WRC (our divisions are considered WRC [Workplace Regulations and Compliance]).

As the Division has grown, so have the imaging needs for the Division. For example, the 46% percent increase in the Benefit Review programs Request for Assistance in 2005-2006 relates to that same percentage increase in the number of closed files/documents that need to be scanned into the system. That holds true for the Drug-Free Workplace program as well, which has experienced a 62% increase in applications since 2004!

How do they do it, you ask? The staffers process the paperwork for imaging by using three Fijitsu duplex image scanners. Each machine can scan in black and white, gray scale, and color, which is used to capture more detailed contrasts like photographs. The image is scanned in the system and is displayed in the application window where it is indexed. After verification that the documents are “connected” in the system, the real paper documents are destroyed.

To:       Charles Muhammad, Southeast Career Center at Chattanooga
From:   An applicant

“Thank you for taking the time to meet yesterday. I appreciate your insights into the field of public service; the pride we take in our work is obvious. I look forward to our next conversation.”

To:       Sumner County Career Center
From:   Portland TN Macy’s Team

To:       Thelma Meadows, Sumner County Career Center
From:   An applicant

“I just wanted to say a great big thank you! I got the job and I owe it to you. I appreciate your working the front desk when I came in. I’m going on my fourth week, and I can’t say thank you enough for giving me this chance.”

To:       Kevin Hedges, Research & Statistics
From:   Kayla Taylor, Younger Associates

“Kevin, I work with Lana at Younger Associates, and I just wanted to express my deep gratitude for your help in getting Lana the data she needed for Bedford County! It is the good folks like you who really make a difference for the great state of Tennessee!! It is refreshing to have someone you can count on to jump right in there and get us the information we need in such a timely matter.

Thank you, and keep up the great work! We appreciate YOU!”

February 19
Presidents’ Day; offices closed

March 1
January state unemployment rate released

March 8
January county unemployment rates released

March 22
February state unemployment rate released

March 29
February county unemployment rates released

March 29
Project Paycheck
Nashville Convention Center

April 2-3
10th Annual Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference
Nashville Airport Marriott

April 6
Good Friday; offices closed

April 19
March state unemployment rate released

April 26
March county unemployment rates released