May 20, 2009

connecting the staff community

Monday Messages

The next Monday Messages is scheduled for Monday, May 25. Since IHQ will be closed in observance of Memorial Day (USA) the message will be shared later that week. All current messages and Q&As are available at www.CofChrist.org/worldministries/update/MondayMessages.asp.

If you have traveled by the Museum window recently you’ve noticed an amazing display created by Joy Goodwin about the church's Sanitarium and Hospital.

Stop by to see some fascinating artifacts and learn some unique facts about the history of the hospital on Truman Road.

Wednesday, April 29, thirty-three (33) staff members met in the West Dining Room of the Auditorium for an open invitational all-staff working lunch.  Each person brought their lunch while, drinks and cookies were provided. 

The luncheon started with participants sharing stories that included improvements made at IHQ over the past year.  Following the sharing of stories, each table picked one story to summarize and identified key characteristics or behaviors that made that story possible. 

Common themes of these stories were: listening more and then taking action, participation face-to-face, dedicated and willing to help, valuing others, organization, cooperative spirit, and communicating clear expectations.  Everyone reviewed the Executive Summary from the survey and then voted on which two areas could use intentional, continued improvement.  Trust and Communication were the two areas that received the most votes. 

Each table then narrowed their focus on to which area they’d like to specifically consider. Critical characteristics needed to improve trust and communication were identified. Each table then imagined a future at IHQ with improved trust and communication.

The following are the critical characteristics and future states determined by the participants.

Communication

• Communicate clear expectation
• Listening more & taking actions
• Face-to-face
• Feedback (taking actions)
• Accountability

Future State:
What can IHQ do as a group to improve Communication by having clear expectations and face-to-face communication.

Trust

Future State:
What can IHQ do as a group to improve Trust by being more inclusive and listening to stakeholders and those with experience?

What can IHQ do as a group to improve Trust by being more communicative and listening?

• Being responsive

What can IHQ do as a group to improve Trust by being more vulnerable to God and others and having a commitment to embodying Christ’s Peace?

What can I do to improve Trust by being more cooperative and willing to participative?

• Respective
• Open
• Open to change – try new ideas
• Value others & their opinions
• Respect others

Many thanks to the participants for their time, ideas and energy:

	Take a stroll through the tunnel.  Read stories and view the creative pictures that embody the Enduring Principles.  In May each Enrichment Group spent time reflecting on the Enduring Principles.  For some this was a first and others it provided opportunity to reflect on how these Principles come alive in our daily lives.   Staff was challenged to be open to where they see the Enduring Principles lived out this summer and how they will take an active part in making these Principles a part of our daily lives.
Thanks to Judith Yager who facilitated the Enrichment Group activities and  created the tunnel display.

We have chosen to be a community partner with the Independence School District's CharacterPlus program. You’ve probably seen the billboards around Independence this month and May’s character word is Self-Control.

Self-control: to express your feelings in an appropriate manner.

• Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving. – Dale Carnegie
• Prudent, cautious self-control, is wisdom’s room. – Robert Burns, Scottish poet
• A little kingdom I possess, where thoughts and feelings dwell; and very hard the task I find of governing it well. – Louisa May Alcott, American author
• Lyndon, you can’t run the country if you can’t run yourself. – Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady

In case of severe weather, staff will be notified by phone or email if we are under immediate threat and will be directed to take shelter in one of the two designated areas at IHQ.

• Assembly Room in the Auditorium
• Underground Tunnel connecting the Auditorium in the Temple

Submit news and announcements for consideration in NewsPEACE.