Scanlon January 2007 E-zine

Greetings!

Happy New Year! Are you aware that it's the Scanlon Leadership Network's Award Season? That's right, we are still accepting Best Practice submissions and Stewardship Award nominations, and are launching our new Frost Beacon Award. We are also excited that the Scanlon On-line University has been updated with new courses. Read on below for more information on these dynamic Network programs. We are happy to introduce you to one of our new volunteer leaders, Wescast's Alan Blignaut. John Donnelly's writings are as germane to the business world today as when they were written, as you will see from the excerpt below. But first, learn about how the Network is embracing Innovation!


Innovate or Become Extinct

“Innovation is headed into the higher gear, it is the buzz and game today. Innovate or become extinct!" says Praveen Gupta, President, Accelper Consulting (pictured).

The Scanlon Leadership Network programming will be focused on Innovation this year and into the next, not only for its members but for its own Board of Directors as well.

“It is important that we ‘walk our talk’ and apply Innovation in running our Network Board. Innovation is the creative approach to discovering new ideas that can advance even the Scanlon Leadership Network,” said Myron Marsh President/CEO, Thomson- Shore, Inc., and Scanlon Steward.

According to Marsh, Innovation is a way to bring employees together, promote intellectual engagement and generate excitement in an organization. It can also be used to create new alliances, collaborations, intellectual material, programs, resources and solutions that Member companies can find of value in meeting their own needs.

Gupta and Marsh both feel that Innovation begins with listening to employees and that it offers employees opportunities to bring out their best toward corporate objectives.

“Leadership must learn methods of innovation and inspire employees to help them achieve their vision for the corporation. I guarantee everyone will be amazed at the results. For example, the leadership at one particular company, committed to doubling employee bonuses and shortly after corporate profits multiplied,” said Gupta.


This year’s Scanlon Leadership Network Annual Conference will also focus on Innovation. It will build upon the book, The Leadership Roadmap by Scanlon Steward Dwane Baumgardner and Russ Scaffede and include a variety of workshops and presentations regarding Innovation, Leadership and Lean.
To learn more about Praveen Gupta...



New Scanlon Board Member-Alan Blignaut

The Scanlon Board welcomes Alan Blignaut, VP of Human Resources, Wescast Industries Inc. (pictured) as a new member.

“When the Board member from Wescast decided to retire I was approached to replace him. After attending the Lean Tour meeting at Tiara Yachts I agreed to join,” said Alan. “As a Board member, I hope to learn from others and in return provide them with some insight that will help everyone become more successful too.”

Wescast has been a member of Scanlon for many years - adhering to the Principles of Identity, Participation, Equity and Competence through the HEART (Helping Everyone Achieve Rewards Together) program.

“Being a part of the Scanlon Network provides an opportunity to organizations to receive specialized support to help them succeed with the implementation of the Scanlon Principles and the achievement of organizational excellence,” he said.

Prior to joining Wescast, Alan worked in highly successful global organizations in the chemical and consumer goods industries. These organizations achieved excellence by implementing Human Resource strategies that ensured business objectives were met. In addition to his more than 20 years of Human Resources experience, he has also managed a Sales Business Unit and has been responsible for other functions such as Quality, Regulatory Affairs and Communications. Alan has worked in Canadian based companies and internationally in Europe and South Africa.

To learn more about Wescast...



Get In on the Network Awards Season!

The Scanlon Leadership Network Awards Season is in full swing! The Network is continuing to accept submissions for the Best Practices Program and nominations for both the Scanlon Stewardship Award and the new Frost Beacon Award.

The Best Practices Program is a way for members to continually share ideas with each other. It also provides a way to recognize employees for generating innovative ideas.

Best Practices can be submitted by using the on-line form at www.scanlonleader.org. All submitted practices are published and the “best of the best” receive gold, silver and bronze recognition at the Annual Conference.

The prestigious Scanlon Stewardship Award recognizes outstanding Scanlon leadership. It is given to a deserving individual who has contributed over time to the Scanlon Principles and the Scanlon Network, and has also demonstrated the Scanlon Principles in their profession and community.

All Stewardship nominations are confidential and can be submitted to the Network office at office@scanlonleader.org.

For the newly established Frost Beacon Award, members choose an employee to sponsor. This award honors those who have worked to bring Scanlon Principles into companies and who serve and guide others just like Dr. Carl Frost; who have, as Dr. Frost puts it, "helped others become something they never were before".

Member companies may sponsor one Frost Beacon recipient per year. Organizations that wish to have the Award given to one of their employees must submit a letter of explanation as to why the person should receive the award and agree to sponsor the recipient by sending them to the annual conference to receive their award.

Nominations and submissions for the Best Practices and Stewardship Award must be submitted by January 31, 2007. Those wishing to sponsor one of their employees as a Frost Beacon recipient have until February 28 to send their letter to the Network office.


For more information on these three awards visit www.scanlonleader.org or contact the Network office at 517-332-8927.
To the Network web site...


Scanlon University Open for Enrollment

The Scanlon University rides the wave of new, cost-effective methods for building competence, using on-line computer aided instruction. Members and non-members alike can take advantage of this offering by enrolling now in any of the University's courses, which specialize on Lean but encompass several other topics as well.

“The University provides the most extensive range of Lean Courses available anywhere,” said Brian Furlong, Process Excellence Systems Inc., and the creator of most of the course content. (Furlong is pictured here, facilitating a workshop at the 2006 Conference.)

The University currently offers approximately 30 courses in Lean for both office and manufacturing. The courses include Change Leadership, Workplace Organization, Office Kaizen, Office Waste, Office Value Stream Mapping, Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Intro to Lean Accounting, Lean and Six Sigma and Establishing Offshore Operations, to name a few. Marketing and Software Compliance courses will also be added in the next few months.

The Scanlon Online University is available to anyone with a connection to the Internet. Course tuition is inexpensive, and there are no travel costs. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing employees to participate at their own pace and according to their own schedule. Courses involve the student through exercises, progress quizzes, interactive forms and more.

“The Scanlon University has a lot to offer. Members should really take advantage of this opportunity,” said Furlong.

The Scanlon University is a part of a trend in bringing low-cost high quality on-line training through the Internet. Employees of companies such as Energizer, Parker Hannifin and Curtis Wright have utilized these courses that are offered through more than 250 universities in the United States.


For more information on the Scanlon University, click on the link below.
To the Scanlon University...



John Donnelly's Writings Donated to the Scanlon Foundation

Maryam Komejan and Dr. Carl Frost (pictured) recently met to review John Donnelly's writings. Maryam helped arrange for Magna Donnelly to donate the library to the Scanlon Foundation. The writings span from 1958-1986.

John Donnelly was an innovative pioneer in employee involvement and leadership. Donnelly Corporation became the laboratory for John's ideas as well as the ideas of Dr. Frost, Francis Likert and others. The Scanlon Foundation plans to make the writings available once again for Scanlon practitioners and scholars.


The Scanlon Leadership Network and Foundation will be focusing on innovation throughout 2007 and 2008. Innovation is a critical component of organizational success. Often people think of innovation only in terms of products, or services. However, innovation in management is the first step to creating an innovative organization. John Donnelly recognized this and found that if only half of the productivity gains at Donnelly were attributed to the various innovative management programs he championed, Donnelly had received over a 220% return on the cost of the programs. He documented his journey in innovative management in 1972 in a paper called "The Donnelly Experience in Innovative Management." The paper is available as a pdf download by clicking on the link below.
John Donnelly paper on Innovative Management.....

Scanlon December 2006 E-zine

Greetings!

We would like to thank Scanlon Leadership Network members and friends for their support and efforts in 2006. We are keeping "the dream of the steelworker" alive by showing a better way for organizations to work. Read on for a summary of 2006, plans for 2007 and updates on Network activities and developments, including our first trip to Wescast Hungary.


Scanlon At Wescast Hungary

In Thomas L. Friedman’s book "The World is Flat", he explains that by giving individual families and communities the proper tools to deal with the flat world on their own terms, we can build a country empowered, not threatened, by globalization.

Paul Davis, President, Scanlon Leadership Network (pictured) recently contributed to Friedman’s vision by visiting Wescast Industries Inc. in Hungary to share with them the Principles and Processes of the Scanlon Leadership Network. Paul Hamel, Managing Director, Europe, Wescast, arranged the opportunity for Davis to work with his team.

“I personally was interested in knowing if Scanlon can apply in other cultures but I went on this trip to serve a member. I hope their team benefits and becomes even better than it already is,” said Davis.

While visiting Wescast Hungary, Davis conducted two days of team building activities. He used a Myers Briggs Type Indicator tool to help the team understand their strengths and weaknesses. Wescast also had a Scanlon 101 introduction and studied servant leadership.

Davis said that he was able to already see some Scanlon practices in the Wescast Hungary workplace. For example he explained that they have plant-wide meetings and share a large amount of information with all employees.

“It was fantastic to be able to travel there and see the country. Budapest is a beautiful city full of friendly people,” said Davis. “Wescast has a nice new facility in Hungary that is well positioned to serve the European automotive industry."

To learn more about Wescast...



Scanlon Network To Appear On Cover of MSAE Impact

The Scanlon Leadership Network has been honored by a request to be featured in and appear on the cover of the February 2007 issue of the Michigan Society of Association Executives (MSAE) magazine, Association Impact.

The Michigan Society of Association Executives, headquarted in East Lansing, MI, serves Association Executives in Michigan.

The February 2007 Association Impact article is the final in a series pertaining to the book "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman. The series has focused on how the concepts of the book relate to and impact the association industry.

“When I chose an organization to feature in the February issue I really had to analyze who I thought had already started to embrace some of the concepts of exporting and importing services with foreign countries. I think that the Scanlon Leadership Network is really working on seeing the market places worldwide,” said Cheryl Ronk, President, MSAE.

The article will also feature Scanlon Network Member, Demmer Corporation, of Lansing, MI. Demmer employees work to protect our soldiers and marines by improving the armor of military vehicles. During the photo-shoot Demmer employee, Cathy Parker said, “We build love into each one of these doors. Employees write messages of safety and good wishes onto the under-armor of each vehicle. Even though the messages can't be seen by the soldiers who eventually use these vehicles, we know they are there and it makes us feel great about what we do.”

Scanlon has been a member of MSAE since February 1994. MSAE’s mission is to contribute to the success of its members and their organizations as the preferred source of industry education, information and resources. Commitment, integrity, diversity and community are the core values of the MSAE organization.

“We are thrilled to be recognized among our peers for being on the leading edge of leadership thought and practice", said Majel Maes, Director of Programs and Administration, Scanlon Leadership Network.

MSAE focuses its resources on the professional development needs of its members through advancing knowledge, interchange of expertise, advocating and career progression.

A separate article in the same issue will highlight the Network's policy deployment tool, Hoshin Quick Start.

To learn more about MSAE...




Majel Maes Completes Advanced Association Leadership Training

Majel Maes, Director of Programs and Administration, Scanlon Leadership Network recently undertook the challenge of becoming a Certified Association Executive (CAE).

The CAE is a professional certification sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives. Candidates for the certification must complete advanced studies as well as pass a written examination. The exam was held in East Lansing, MI on December 1.

“This experience has been has been great for my personal and professional development and will help me better serve the Scanlon Network and Foundation” said Maes.

Maes prepped for the exam by completing a 10-week intensive online course held through the Michigan Society of Association Executives. The course involved reading leading edge Association Management books like "Professional Practices in Association Management", "The Association Law Handbook", "Marketing to Your Membership" and "Building A Knowledge –Based Culture". She then completed weekly online quizzes and e-lectures with Association Executives from throughout the United States. (Maes is pictured above with her study materials.)

Maes will receive the results of her CAE exam at the end of January. CAE's are required to re-certify every three years.




Scanlon Foundation Meets First Fundraising Targets

The Scanlon Foundation, having met its first fundraising goals of $35,000, is ramping up new programs to benefit Network members and society.

The Foundation is planning a formal internship program to nurture future Scanlon Leaders. The Scanlon internship program will train a new generation of Scanlon Leaders in the Scanlon Principles and Processes and will provide practical experience for students in Network member companies.

The Foundation is also working to create a way for individuals to become members in the life of the Foundation. There are many individuals who support the Scanlon Way but who do not work for Scanlon Network member companies. In 2007 they will be able to become involved through the Scanlon Foundation.

In 2006, besides necessary fundraising the Scanlon Foundation completed many very significant projects. "Scanlon EPIC Leadership: Where the Best Ideas Come Together", an anthology of Scanlon thought and practice, was written and it is now being reviewed by potential publishers. Leading business writers like Warren Bennis and Max DePree contributed to the book.

The Foundation also was able to "save" a great deal of Scanlon related intellectual property through donations and purchases. The Foundation obtained the rights to "Principle-Based Participative Management" by Terry VandeWater. Donations of Scanlon related materials and writings were accepted from Scanlon Consultant Linda Washburn. Through the actions of Marayam Komejan and the Magna-Donnelly Corporation, John Donnelly's writings have been saved. In 2007 these materials will be cataloged and made available once again.

About the Scanlon Foundation...



Auto Owners Completes First Survey

Auto Owners Insurance Company, one of the Network's newest members, has recently completed an intensive Scanlon associate attitude survey. The largest the Network has ever administered, the survey received over 2000 responses from 22 regions across the United States and was completed entirely online.

The survey measured employee satisfaction with typical subjects such as benefits and education, but was also customized to gauge levels of engagement (as defined by Gallup) the Scanlon Principles, and Auto-Owners' ten core values. The Network worked with Auto-Owners to design the survey. Network member Landscape Forms and Wescast assisted in the project by sharing their survey experiences.

Dan Thelen, VP of Human Resources, is pictured above with the survey report binders.

To learn more about Auto Owners Insurance Co...




Greenleaf Center Announces Search for CEO

After 17 years as the CEO of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Larry Spears (pictured right) will be stepping down in 2007. He will be assuming the role of Greenleaf Center Senior Fellow and President Emeritus, and will focus on research, writing, editing and publishing relevant to Servant Leadership.

The Greenleaf Center is currently inviting applications for the CEO position. To learn more about the position requirements, the history of the Greenleaf Center, and see messages from Larry Spears and Board Chair Jack Lowe, follow the link below to a special edition of the Greenleaf Center Newsletter, the Servant Leader.


2006 in Review, 2007 Plans and Programs

In 2006, the Network welcomed three new members: Auto-Owners Insurance, The Demmer Corporation, and Comtec. Scanlon Plans were installed at Watermark Credit Union, and Meier.

It will soon become easier to learn about Scanlon. A major book on leadership was written by Scanlon Steward and Foundation President Dwane Baumgardner and Russ Scaffede. The book "The Leadership Roadmap" has found a publisher and will be available in 2007. World of Work Journal has accepted an article about Watermark's EPIC Scanlon Plan for publication in the Journal as well as a book on compensation in 2007.

Three Lean Tours and the Scanlon Annual Conference were all very highly rated. Version 3 of the Network's Hoshin Quick Start Program was launched. The Network published ten years of Best Practices with a searchable CD-Rom. And several network members were invited to study Southwest Airlines best practices and tour their headquarters in Dallas, TX.

The theme for the 2007 Annual Conference, May 1-3, 2007 will be "The Leadership Roadmap". Leading experts on Scanlon, Lean and Innovation will present keynotes and workshops. The Scanlon Board has asked the Network staff to create three innovation tours for 2007 and planning is underway. Stay tuned for details in early 2007.