Organizational
Effectiveness
Consulting Services
REVISED
PROPOSAL
June 27, 2025
Submitted By:
Patrick Ibarra
The Mejorando Group
13 Muirfield Road
Cumberland, Maine 04021
925-518-0187
www.gettingbetterallthetime.com
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
2 Table of Contents
Cover Letter ......................................................................... 3
A. Scope of Services ........................................................... 4
1. Modernizing the Workplace and Workforce ............................. 4
2. Analysis of the Impacts of Emerging Trends ........................... 5
3. Role of Learning/Training ........................................................... 6
4. Our Expertise ............................................................................... 7
5. Our Approach to Presenting a Training Program .................... 8
6. Proposed Learning/Training Program....................................... 9
7. Performance Management ....................................................... 11 A. Proposed Services ............................................................... 13
B. Fee Schedule ............................................................... 15
C. Profile/Resume ............................................................ 16
D. Training Workshops: Descriptions & Objectives ..... 18
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
3 May 8, 2025
Wendy Levy
Human Resources Director
City of Camarillo
Dear Wendy:
The Mejorando Group is pleased to offer our expertise to the City of Camarillo as a partner engaged in assisting your efforts aimed at accelerating employee performance and organizational effectiveness through the creation of an Organizational Performance Program consisting of a mix of targeted recommendations.
We bring the City of Camarillo a strong and robust combination of experience and expertise that will help the participants in the program optimize their performance. We possess extensive experience working in local government and consulting with hundreds of local government organizations nationwide. As a result, we have an excellent understanding of the particular demands and constraints placed on government organizations and the people who choose daily to commit themselves to delivering high-quality public services. Additionally, we have designed and delivered a number of supervisors, and management skills-based workshops included in a cohort format.
Offering consultation, facilitation, and training, since 2002 our firm has provided organizational effectiveness services to client partners that help achieve the desired results. We take our name from the Spanish word, Mejorando, which means “Getting Better All the Time.” This reflects our commitment to our approach to our clients who are seeking new ways to improve constantly.
We welcome the opportunity to work with you and your employees. Please contact me at [email protected]
or 925-518-0187.
Sincerely,
Patrick Ibarra
Co-Founder and Partner
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
4 A. S COPE OF SERVICES
1. MODERNIZING THE WORKPLACE AND WORKFORCE
Turbulence surrounds both today’s workforce and workplace, especially in the public sector. The workforce and workplace of tomorrow will be very different from those of today. Organizations need specific skills and attributes from their leaders, and for that matter, from members at all levels of the workforce. Employees will have markedly different needs and preferences, and workers will have different views based on their experiences, culture, ethnicity, and education. Workflows and work processes will change.
According to The State of Human Capital Management in Government released in late 2024 , survey responses about trends and priorities affecting the government workforce showed:
The following as the areas with the greatest need for staff development in their organizations:
o Succession planning, 36 percent.
o Continuous learning and development, 28 percent
o Strengthening the pipeline of talent to fill emerging gaps in the workforce, 24 percent.
Top three talent management priorities were:
o Recruiting employees who have the right skills for the job, 53 percent. o Improving employee engagement, 52 percent.
o Identifying and closing skill gaps, 43 percent
To increase engagement, respondents have implemented or plan to:
o Increase training and employee resources, 88 percent. o Mentorship programs, 86 percent
Organizations face a radically shifting context for the workforce, the workplace, and the world of work. As jobs and skills change, attracting and developing the right people becomes more important than ever.
The City is in the process of establishing a High Performing Organization (HPO) framework, with training and development serving as one of the key components of this enhanced approach to delivering exceptional public service. The Mejorando Group is extremely familiar with the HPO framework. Patrick Ibarra is a graduate of the Senior Executive Institute (SEI) at the University of Virginia at which HPO was the centerpiece of the leadership development program. Moreover, he is certified in the Public Sector Balanced Scorecard, which is one of the most effective performance mechanisms for implementing and monitoring HPO.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
5 In the range of organizational effectiveness services, the Mejorando Group provides to local governments nationwide, the ten principles of high- performance organizations are embedded in the approach we always use. These Ten Principles are:
1) Foster a healthy workplace culture
2) Are clear on our vision and mission.
3) Define outcomes and focus on results.
4) Have a modern approach to attracting, developing, and retaining talent. 5) Empowered employees
6) Motivate and inspire people to succeed.
7) Embrace change, are flexible and adjust nimbly to new conditions. 8) Are competitive in terms of performance.
9) Restructure work processes to meet customer needs.
10) Maintain communications with stakeholders.
The design of high- performance organizations also differs from more traditional governments. For example, what are the differences between the people, the information and decision- making systems, the human resource systems, the structure, leadership tyle, and even the culture, in the two types of organizations?
Design
Components
Traditional
Organization
High-Performance
Organization
People Narrow expertise
Multiskilled
Team players
Decision Systems Centralized Dispersed/decentralized
Human Resource
Systems
Standardized selection
Routine training
Job-based pay
Task-centric
Realistic job interviews
Continuous training/learning
Performance-based pay
Results-centric
Role based
Structure Tall, rigid hierarchies
Functional departments
Flat, flexible hierarchies
Self-contained units around
service
Values & Culture Promote compliance
Routine behaviors
Promote involvement and
commitment.
2. ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS FROM EMERGING TRENDS
Similar to many municipalities nationwide, the City of Camarillo is experiencing a backdrop of changing mission requirements, shifting workforce demographics, and increased public expectations of what the organization can deliver, and is striving to attain the next level of performance – incorporating mission changes while they City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
6 implement new technologies, equip an emerging workforce, adapt operating practices, and maintain stable budgets.
Across the public and private sectors, high- impact companies, agencies and institutions attribute their su ccess and status as leading organizations to recognition of the importance of including training as a key element in their operations. The factors affecting the organization today require employees whose knowledge and ideas are current and whose skills and abilities can deliver results. As the organization adapts to the changing environment, training becomes even more critical than before. Employees who must adapt themselves to the myriads of changes facing the organization must be trained continually in order to maintain and update their capabilities.
Training is effective and garners management support when planned strategically in alignment with the organization’s mission and performance goals. Considering an organization as a whole , employees can represent their greatest strength. As such, when employees’ overall skill -level increases in critical areas, the organization benefits and is able to accomplish its performance goals. Results come from people equipped with the appropriate skills and energized to do the right things at the right time. Veteran leaders know that even the most brilliant strategies will collapse if an organization fails to invigorate, invest in, and support the people responsible for implementing it.
So, what can the City do to develop multifaceted, twenty -first century leaders’ effectiveness at leading cross -cultural teams, building networks, inspiring innovation, and dealing with decision making amid ambiguity and the need for speed? Consistent with their legacy of being proactive in addressing emerging trends, the City seeks to improve the skills and knowledge of executives, managers, and supervisors by rolling out a skills-based Learning/Training Program .
3. ROLE OF LEARNING/TRAINING
Trends continue to indicate that as supervisors and managers the ability to be an outstanding technical performer does not always translate into the ability to be an effective manager. The performance of managers today in organizations is rated as much on people skills as on measurable output. In addition, the ability to solve problems, resolve conflict, participate in teams, and make decisions are performance needs frontline staff requires. Although people differ in their baseline abilities, the research shows that skills training can result in better results for most people who want to improve their effectiveness.
Studies show that managers making a significant shift from one level to the next are often ill- prepared for the corresponding shift in mindset demanded by the new role.
They often needed help in letting go of perspectives, values and skills that were no longer relevant or helpful in their new role; they needed to refine and strengthen those that were useful; and they needed to develop new ones which had not been needed to any great extent in the previous role. Some of the skills on which they relied at the previous level may even become liabilities at the next; for example, micromanaging may work in some supervisory roles but will be disastrous in a middle- manager or executive City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
7 role. If they encounter difficulties in making this transition, they may revert to previous behaviors because they are comfortable, even though there is a negative effect on performance; and they may experience stress and/or derailment. Other research has suggested that higher -level jobs involve longer time horizon; different functional activities, with those at the top focused most on organizational structure, policy, strategy, and culture, and those at the supervisory level focused on applying standard operating procedures.
The general purpose of training involves knowledge and skill acquisition and will have three goals: (1) to improve an individual’s level of self -awareness; (2) to increase an individual’s skill in one or more areas of expertise; and (3) to increase an individual’s motivation to perform his or her job/role well.
Identifying, selecting, preparing, and supporting long- term success for leaders of any generation is challenging. Leaders must succeed, and they must grow into the kind of leaders the City of Camarillo will need in the future – near term, short term, and long term – even when the future is riddled with uncertainty.
4. OUR EXPERTISE
Our firm has deep roots in the field of building a stronger workforce using integrated and unified Talent Management and Employee Training/Learning Programs. Since our inception in 2002, we have designed and implemented several employee learning and development programs for many public -sector organizations and Patrick Ibarra has been published extensively in these areas and spoken at scores of conferences advocating practical methods to effectively transition from the workforce you have to the workforce you need. Our expertise and experience include:
• Collaborating with organizational leaders in crafting program objectives and components.
• Designing program components including candidate selection process for Leadership, Management and Supervisory Development Programs. • Designing and delivering skills -based training workshops for all levels of the workforce – front line, supervisory, senior management, and executives. • Designing and facilitating leadership development Advance (as opposed to a retreat) workshops for executive leadership teams and department management teams.
• Providing specific improvements to recruitment, selection and promotional practices and processes.
• Facilitating the process to adopt competencies for front -line employees, mid- managers, and executives.
• Designing and implementing organization- wide Succession Planning processes intended to build a stronger bench of potential successors.
The outcome of our services is improved employee performance and enhanced organizational effectiveness.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
8 5. OUR APPROACH TO PRESENTING A LEARNING/TRAINING
PROGRAM
The City of Camarillo must operate in a legacy world, meaning that you must be able to keep doing the nuts -and-bolts work at the core of the mission. But you also must be ready to succeed in a fast -changing environment, one that’s difficult to predict.
Consequently, the objectives for the Training/Learning Program being proposed, are to:
• Build the critical skills and capabilities of supervisors, managers and executives required in a rapidly changing environment – both internal and external.
• Ease and expedite the transition of employees’ experience as they move from a front-line role to a supervisory role.
• Improve Performance - Increased organizational productivity and effectiveness. • Enhance the organization’s capacity to handle strategic, complex, and critical issues in the future.
• Expand Knowledge - Maximize employee talents to grow talent from within. • Readiness for Succession Planning - Strengthened organizational leadership (i.e., stronger, and more qualified internal bench of potential “successors”). • Develop Leaders – Cultivate strong leadership to meet the evolving opportunities of a growing organization.
Our Approach to Training
Our “instructor-led, participant centered” approach to training limits lecture and focuses on using a variety of instructional methods (e.g., discussions, video- clips, case studies, small group exercises, handouts to complete, skill -practices, and group discussions) to maximize the use of Adult Learning. Our goal is for participants to master the knowledge, skills and behaviors emphasized in the training program and to apply them to their day -to-day activities. We build methods to transfer the training and new behaviors out into the workplace, through the use of action planning, and examples and exercises from participants’ work/life.
We firmly believe the combination of factors including training content, purpose of the particular training, the methods used, the material itself, the delivery mechanism, the facilitator, the participants, the environment, and the evaluation, must be aligned and comprehensive for the training to be effective.
The materials will be custom designed, making it much easier for the participants to accept, learn, and implement. Because of our extensive experience in municipal government, we provide examples built into the training design and utilize strategies to ensure that the training "sticks.”.
The keys to our training being so effective are that we design it to:
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
9 • Reflect a good understanding of City of Camarillo’s strategy and culture. • Create a safe learning environment where participants are able to ask questions, experiment with new behaviors and make mistakes. • Maximize the similarity between the training situation and the job situation. • Devote as much time and opportunity for skills practice as possible. • Provide a variety of examples when teaching concepts or skills. • Provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and feelings of self -efficacy to self-regulate their own behavior/performance back on their jobs; and • Design the training content so that the participants can see its applicability.
Our firm has a portfolio of over twenty-five skills based training workshops “ready to go”
and which have been implemented on a recurring basis with other public sector agencies. We intend to actively leverage the existing training courses but will ensure the appropriate amount of customization necessary for the success of the Program. The custom design will make it much easier for the participants to accept, learn, and implement “back on the job.” As a result of our extensive experience in local government, we provide examples that we will build into the training design, jargon we will use, strategies to ensure that the training transfers back in the workplace, and actual situations that we will develop into situations, case studies, and other hands-on activities.
We seek to create and maintain interest in the topic, by encouraging question asking and by using a variety of instructional methods:
Pre-workshop reading
Case studies
In-session written assignments
Self-Assessments
Small group discussions
Partner exercises
In addition to providing both fundamentals and advanced materials in the curriculum we develop, we also help participants translate their learning back into the workplace by providing them our guidance and insight into how best to optimize their capability.
6. PROPOSED LEARNING/TRAINING PROGRAM
It is critical the training being provided is tailored for the particular job/role employees are currently working on. Therefore, the Learning/Training Program would encompass two (2) levels:
1) Emerging/Beginning Leaders
2) Intermediate/Mid-Managers
One of the features of the cohort model that has been particularly effective is the concept of having a safe space for participants to discuss challenges and issues they City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
10 are having with co- workers, direct reports, and supervisors and receive valuable assistance or feedback.
All our training/learning workshops are 3 ½ hours in length, which tends to work well with the demands placed on employees, allowing them the balance of the day to attend to job/role- related matters. Based on our experience with other similar size municipalities and expertise in designing and implementing training for a range of employees, we propose the following Program. As a point of information, we blended the specific skills for supervisors and leaders listed in the City’s request, with our own inventory of existing training workshops we provide. Course descriptions and learning objectives for each of the workshops begin on page 18 of this proposal.
Prior to the launch of the Training/Learning Program, the Executive Leadership Team would be assembled for an overview and discussion lead by the Mejorando Group. The intent is to acquaint city executives with the purpose and benefit of implementing the Program itself and explore the specific role each plays as a visible and vocal advocate to their employees on the value of the program.
Emerging/Beginning Leaders: This is for those employees who either are on the cusp of becoming a supervis or or who currently serve in that role . It will include a cohort group who will attend workshops periodically, on the following topics:
1) Transitions: You’ve Been Promoted
2) Building Great Work Teams
3) Every Employee is a Chief Experience Officer (CEO)
4) Managing Employee Performance
5) Positive Motivation = Positive Performance
6) Taking Initiative: How to Be a Leader in Your Own Role 7) The “City of Camarillo Way:” Hiring and Promoting for Fit
Intermediate/Mid-Managers: These workshops are focused on those employees who currently serve in a management role. It will include a cohort group of no more than who will attend ½ day workshops on the following topics:
1) Transitions: You’ve Been Promoted
2) Art of Delegation
3) Building Great Work Teams
4) Creative Problem Solving
5) Facilitating a Service Culture
6) Managing Employee Performance
7) Project Management
The recommended program can of course, be modified to best meet the City’s needs.
We believe strongly in the need to provide training that has the desired impact .
Level 1 reactions help us to determine how effective the program is and how it can be improved. The instrument used, completed by those who attend the training workshop, elicits reactions to training objectives, permits anonymous answers, and allows the City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
11 trainees to write additional comments not covered by the questions. A summary is provided to each client shortly after the training workshop i s held. Gaining feedback in real time will be extremely valuable on how the training is being received and utilized as well as a means gauging their appetite for additional training.
At the conclusion of the training program, all the evaluations would be summarized and from that summary, we would reconvene the Executive Leadership Team for a debrief/delta plus session on what comments they heard from employees, as well as their own feedback. From this discussion, we can then decide what types of training should be offered going forward.
7. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Today’s conventional wisdom asserts that performance management is no longer a luxury for only the most advanced organizations but is a necessity for agencies to function at an optimal level. Moreover, the dated practice of an annual performance appraisal being the single component of performance management must be replaced with a comprehensive and systematic approach comprised of competency models, leadership development, performance plans, goal setting, coaching, and performance appraisals.
Successful organizations and their managers approach the idea of providing performance feedback to an employee as a means for that employee to calibrate his or her performance; they use feedback and its regular delivery like a dashboard in an automobile. Each dashboard indicator reflects a vital measurement and together they paint a picture of how a vehicle is performing. Similarly, in order for employees and their managers to recognize and take corrective action about the employee’s performance, performance indicators must also be created and communicated regularly.
Employees who are clear on what’s expected of them and who know they are being evaluated on a consistent set of criteria have been proven to be more productive and committed to the organization. Naturally, it provides them with some assurance that the organization is making decisions that affect them in a fair and ethical manner.
City governments often choose to update their employee performance appraisal or evaluation process for several compelling reasons:
Enhanced Alignment: To better align employee goals with the city's strategic objectives and priorities, ensuring that everyone is working towards common goals.
Increased Fairness: To ensure the appraisal process is fair and unbiased, providing equal opportunities for all employees to be recognized and rewarded based on their performance.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
12 Boosted Morale: To improve employee morale and motivation by implementing a transparent and constructive evaluation process that provides meaningful feedback.
Modernization: To modernize the process with new technologies or methodologies that can provide more accurate and comprehensive evaluations.
Adaptability: To adapt to changes in the work environment, such as the rise of remote work, requiring new methods of assessment of performance.
Legal Compliance: To ensure the appraisal process complies with current legal and regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of legal challenges.
Skill Development: To focus on employee development by identifying areas for improvement and providing targeted training and development opportunities.
Performance Metrics : To implement more effective performance metrics that provide a clearer picture of employee contributions and impact.
Resource Allocation: To optimize resource allocation by identifying high- performing employees and areas that may require additional support or intervention.
Feedback Culture: To foster a culture of continuous feedback and improvement, encouraging ongoing communication between employees and supervisors.
Transparency and Trust: To enhance transparency and build trust within the organization by providing a clear and consistent appraisal process.
By updating the appraisal process, a city government can create a more dynamic, efficient, and motivated workforce that better serves the community.
The City is interested in revising the current Performance Appraisal/Management process including a review of the existing NeoGov system (purchased, but not currently in use). The approach recommended is to gather input from employees to discover how credible the current process is and to obtain suggested improvements to the evaluation instrument itself and the policy outlining its use.
A. PROPOSED SERVICES
Based on our experience and a discussion with the Director of Human Resources, the following services are proposed with additional customization possible:
Provide advisory/consulting services to the Director of Human Resources on forming and implementing a practical and proven approach to revising the Performance Management/Appraisal process. These services include:
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
13 Designing and facilitating focus groups of top performers. Summarizing the input gathered offering an in- depth analysis accompanied by a series of bundled solutions.
Focus groups can offer depth to learn more about the current situation and potential for improvements. Employee focus groups are incredibly valuable for several reasons:
Improved Communication: They provide a platform for employees to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions directly to management, fostering a two-way communication channel.
Insightful Feedback: Focus groups offer qualitative insights into employee experiences and perceptions, which can be more nuanced than quantitative survey data.
Enhanced Engagement: When employees feel heard and see that their feedback is being taken seriously, their sense of engagement and morale often increases.
Problem Identification and Solving: Focus groups can help identify underlying issues within the organization that may not be immediately apparent. Employees can collaborate to brainstorm solutions.
Change Management: In times of organizational change, focus groups can help gauge employee sentiment and guide the implementation process to ensure smoother transitions.
Culture Building : They contribute to a culture of openness and transparency, showing that the organization values employee input and collaboration.
Overall, employee focus groups are a powerful tool for improving organizational effectiveness, employee satisfaction, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
Consequently, the following format is suggested to ensure quality feedback/input is gathered from a broad cross -section of city employees .
A total of four focus groups would be held. Each focus group is approximately one -hour in length and would be held while onsite presenting the training/learning workshops.
Summarizing input from employee focus groups requires a structured and methodical approach to ensure that key insights are captured accurately.
Here’s my approach:
Categorize Responses: Identify common themes and categories from the responses. Group similar comments together to see patterns.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
14 Highlight Key Quotes: Select key quotes that illustrate the main points or sentiments expressed. These can add a personal touch to the summary.
Quantify Responses: Where possible, quantify the responses to show how many participants shared similar views. This can add weight to particular points.
Summarize Each Theme: Write a brief summary for each identified theme, highlighting the main points and any notable quotes.
Identify Actionable Insights : Pinpoint actionable insights and suggestions that emerged from the discussion. This helps in translating feedback into concrete actions.
Create an Executive Summary: Draft an executive summary that encapsulates the overall findings, key themes, and actionable insights.
This should be concise and to the point.
By following these steps, a comprehensive yet concise summary will be provided that effectively communicates the valuable input from your employee focus groups along with a series of integrated solutions.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
15 B. F EE SCHEDULE
Training/Learning Program
The Fee to design and present in -person/onsite training workshops is $ 5,000 per full- day which covers one group attending a training workshop held in the morning and a second group attending their own training workshop in the afternoon. Consequently, the Fee for training is $5 ,000 multiplied by the seven (7) full days of training workshops equals $35,000.
Executive Leadership Team Kick-Off
Essential to ensure the success of the Training Program is the convening of the Executive Leadership Team. At this session, their particular role will be addressed, along with a general overview of the High- Performance Organization (HPO) model and the City’s Employer Brand – “the City of Calabasas Way.” This kick -off will be a half - day session and the fee to design and facilitate this kick-off is $4,000.
Performance Management
The Fee to design and facilitate ten employee focus group session (each is one- hour in length) with the plan to hold up to four per day (possibly in the afternoon of the second day of providing training since that training will likely be held in the morning) and produce a summary report providing a series of bundled recommendations is $9,750.
The hourly fee for services is $390 and the estimate for providing these services is approximately 25 hours.
Total Fee is $48,750.
Travel reimbursement is in addition to the fee.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
16 C. P ROFILE/RESUME
PATRICK IBARRA
CO-FOUNDER AND PARTNER, THE MEJORANDO GROUP
As co -founder and partner, Patrick Ibarra is responsible for Talent Management (i.e., Workforce and Succession Planning), Strategic Planning Processes and Facilitation and Organizational Effectiveness services. As a Consultant and Manager in both public and private sector organizations, including as a city manager and human resource director, Mr. Ibarra brings organizations over 39 years of experience and a shared understanding of the particular demands and constraints placed on organizations and their employees.
Patrick has designed and facilitated hundreds of customized organization development efforts specifically for local governments designed to transition and sometimes transform from the prevailing to the preferred culture. He has extensive depth and breadth of subject matter expertise in the many facets of organization development assessment tools (interviews, focus groups, surveys, 360- degree feedback instruments, etc.) and solutions ( designing and delivering competency -based training/learning workshops for employees at all levels, culture change, strategic planning and execution, teambuilding/group development, etc.).
Employment History
The Mejorando Group Consulting Practice, Co-Founder and Partner City of Port Angeles, Washington City Manager
City of Mason, Ohio Assistant City Manager/Human Resource Director City of Emporia, Kansas, Management Assistant, Office of the City Manager City of Phoenix, Arizona, Management Assistant, Public Works Department
Education
• Master of Human Resources and Organization Development, University of San Francisco
• Master of Public Administration, Arizona State University • Bachelor of Science degree, Political Science, Central Missouri State University • Graduate of the University of Virginia Senior Executive Institute for Public Service • Certified to administer Assessment and Performance Support tools, Center for Creative Leadership
• Certified Facilitator, Development Dimensions International
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
17 Publications (recent)
“Design Thinking and the Consumer Experience” – August 2024 issue of Public Management published by ICMA
“Comprehensive Guide to Succession Planning: The Time is Right Now! – January 2024 issue of Public Management published by ICMA
“Break Glass: 10 Emergency Ways to Combat the Hiring Crisis” – February 2023 issue of Public Management published by ICMA.
“Help Wanted Part Two: The Rapidly Changing Role of Human Resources” – August 2022 issue of Public Management published by ICMA.
“Help Wanted Part One: Turning Your Workplace into a Talent Magnet” – June 2022 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“A Healthy Workplace Culture is the “Secret Sauce” for Success, Part 2” – September 2021 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“A Healthy Workplace Culture is the “Secret Sauce” for Success, Part 1” – August 2021 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“Don’t Get Ready, Get Started – Your Innovation Fitness Plan” – April 2021 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“We’ve Always Done It That Way Is Over: Part Four – Innovating Your Future” December 2020 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“We’ve Always Done It That Way Is Over: Part Three – Reimagining Your Community” August 2020 issue of Public Management by ICMA “We’ve Always Done It That Way Is Over: Part Two - Building a Talent Centric Workforce” May 2020 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“We’ve Always Done It That Way Is Over: Part One - What’s Next; Leading Change is a Process, not an Event” February 2020 issue of Public Management by ICMA “Every Employee is a Chief Experience Officer” November 2019 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“How to Create a Performance- Driven Workforce” July 2019 issue of Public Management by ICMA
“Drivers of High Performance - Pay Attention to Your Rock Stars” April 2019 issue of Public Management by ICMA
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
18 D. TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Emerging/Beginning Leaders: This is for those employees who either are on the cusp of becoming a supervis or or who currently serve in that role. It will include a cohort group who will attend workshops periodically, on the following topics:
Transitions: You’ve Been Promoted
Building Great Work Teams
Every Employee is a Chief Experience Officer (CEO)
Managing Employee Performance
Positive Motivation = Positive Performance
Taking Initiative: How to Be a Leader in Your Own Role The “City of Camarillo Way:” Hiring and Promoting for Fit
Workshop Topic
Workshop Transitions: You’ve Been Promoted
Brief Description
Voila–you’re now responsible for achieving results through others. In other words, you’re a Supervisor. As employees make the transition to serving as a Supervisor, different skills and abilities are required. This workshop is designed to enable participants to negotiate the transition and “hit the ground running” in their new role. Participants will increase their understanding of their own supervisory approach
including communication style and learn methods to clarify expectations and motivate employees they supervise.
Learning Objectives Understand your new role (how to manage the change process) – from your perspective, and that of your
supervisor/manager, peers and direct reports.
Create a strategy to accelerate your transition into your new role as a supervisor/leader.
Apply strategies and tactics to build a strong, focused team of high performers including providing feedback and
delegating effectively.
Understand your communication style and how best to
maximize it.
Gain techniques to organize work and manage time.
Workshop Building Great Work Teams
Brief Description
Work teams inside organizations operate at various levels of effectiveness. Participants will immediately enhance their team leadership skills by learning the five keys to building great work teams; techniques to resolve conflict; exercises available to fortify team bonding; beneficial team behaviors; ingredients to start up new teams; and tools necessary to get work done in teams.
City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
19 Workshop Topic
Learning Objectives Start up new teams
Appreciate and respect individuals on the team and their collective role
Recognize the value of team building as a method to
coalesce team members
Strengthen team performance through the application of communication and conflict management styles
Recognize and encourage beneficial team behaviors
among team members
Utilize strategies for building group consensus
Workshop Every Employee is a Chief Experience Officer
(CEO)
Brief Description
Ours has become an “experience economy” in which people have shifted from passive consumption to active participation.
One good or bad customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds toward your organization.
The best experiences in government are not crafted by elected officials or chief administrators but delivered on the spot by front-line staff – at a counter, on the phone, in the field or via the internet. These front-line personnel have the most “power” in the organization as they interact face to face with
citizens/consumers. In this workshop, employees will learn the skills necessary to create and maintain a customer-focused climate and the elements of a positive and memorable
customer experience.
Learning Objectives Ten practices of a successful service-centric government. The 3 dimensions to evaluate current service levels – Easy, Accessible and Reliable.
Proven ways to improve services from the present level to a higher level.
The value of Moment of Truth experiences.
The definition of a cycle to service.
Workshop Managing Employee Performance
Brief Description
An effective performance management system helps
employees succeed—so they can help the organization
succeed. It provides enough guidance, so people understand what’s expected of them and enough flexibility and wiggle room so that individual creativity and strengths are nurtured. It provides enough control so that people understand what the organization is trying to accomplish. This module focuses on performance management as an integrated process of
defining, assessing, and reinforcing employee work behaviors City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
20 Workshop Topic
and outcomes. This includes translating the traditional performance management approach, which sees managing
performance as an event (i.e. the performance
review/appraisal), to a more effective approach in which performance is viewed as a process. As a process, several critical steps are involved to address performance deficiencies and augment successes.
Learning Objectives Recognize the Performance Management Process Summarize employee performance on the appraisal form
Summarize performance in discussion with the employee Set behavioral objectives for the next performance cycle Identify tools to enhance the Performance Management
Process
Workshop Positive Motivation = Positive Performance
Brief Description
Many of us believe that the difference between what
employees can do and will do depends on the level of
motivation. People in managerial and supervisory positions struggle with the fact that some people use more of their skills and talents than others do. While no individual alone can motivate another, they can provide the environment,
relationship, and situations that make it possible for people to motivate themselves. This workshop is designed to help
participants identify the factors that affect employee
performance and those that influence the employees’ own internal motivation needs. Role play, problem solving, and goal setting are utilized to encourage creative ways of providing recognition, growth, and the development of employees for the achievement of personal and organizational goals.
Learning Objectives Become aware of the external and internal factors that affect employee performance
Increase knowledge of the major theories of employee
motivation
Apply these theories to the workplace
Expand skills that encourage both the achievement of
organizational and employee goals
Workshop Taking Initiative:
How to be a Leader in Your Own Role
Brief Description
In today’s workplace, it is essential that all members of the workforce, at all levels, take the lead in improving productivity.
When workers take initiative, speak up, share ideas, and make input into how a job can be done more effectively and
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efficiently, the entire organization benefits. This program, developed specifically for administrative support staff and others who do not have the title of leader or manager, is designed to broaden understanding of what leadership is and to raise awareness of how anyone can take the lead in their own role.
Learning Objectives Recognize leadership behaviors and how to apply them in many situations
Craft a personalized approach to Management and
Leadership
Plan ways to develop leadership behaviors in oneself and others
Workshop The “City of Camarillo” Way:
Hiring and Promoting for Fit
Brief Description
Hiring external candidates and promoting employees has
increasingly become more challenging due to major shifts in the workforce and their respective expectations. In this workshop, participants will examine the various aspects which support the “City of Camarillo” way of performance and
determine a path to sustain and reinforce it as a predictor of continued high performance.
Learning Objectives Identify the components of the City of Camarillo Way. Create a Profile of a Successful City Employee.
Improve interviewing skills including revising the questions asked of external candidates and internal employees.
Intermediate/Mid-Managers: These workshops are focused on those employees who currently serve in a management role. It will include a cohort group of no more than who will attend ½ day workshops on the following topics:
Transitions: You’ve Been Promoted
Art of Delegation
Building Great Work Teams
Creative Problem Solving
Facilitating a Service Culture
Managing Employee Performance
Project Management
Workshop Topic
Workshop Transitions: You’ve Been Promoted
Brief Description Voila–you’re now responsible for achieving results through City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
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others. In other words, you’re a Manager. As employees make the transition to serving as a Manager, different skills and abilities are required. This workshop is designed to enable participants to negotiate the transition and “hit the ground running” in their new role. Participants will increase their understanding of their own supervisory approach
including communication style and learn methods to clarify expectations and motivate employees they supervise.
Learning Objectives Understand your new role (how to manage the change process) – from your perspective, and that of your
supervisor/manager, peers and direct reports.
Create a strategy to accelerate your transition into your new role as a supervisor/leader.
Apply strategies and tactics to build a strong, focused team of high performers including providing feedback and
delegating effectively.
Understand your communication style and how best to
maximize it.
Gain techniques to organize work and manage time.
Workshop Art of Delegation
Brief Description
Managing has been defined as getting others to do what needs to be done. In delegations that have gone wrong, the delegator usually has omitted one or two critical steps. This module is intended for front-line supervisors and managers who have had experience delegating assignments or responsibilities to their direct reports. Participants will assess their attitudes and current practices as delegators, and through experiential activities, explore how to delegate effectively.
Learning Objectives Self-assess as delegators of responsibility Describe the Trust-Delegation Matrix
Utilize the Six Steps of delegation
Identify and assign tasks appropriate for delegation
Augment their strengths and begin working on areas for improvement as a delegator
Utilize eight important ingredients of effective delegation Complete a delegation plan to guide them in the delegation of specific tasks
Workshop Building Great Work Teams
Brief Description
Work teams inside organizations operate at various levels of effectiveness. Participants will immediately enhance their team leadership skills by learning the five keys to building great work teams; techniques to resolve conflict; exercises available to City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
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fortify team bonding; beneficial team behaviors; ingredients to start up new teams; and tools necessary to get work done in teams.
Learning Objectives Start up new teams
Appreciate and respect individuals on the team and their collective role
Recognize the value of team building as a method to
coalesce team members
Strengthen team performance through the application of communication and conflict management styles
Recognize and encourage beneficial team behaviors
among team members
Utilize strategies for building group consensus
Workshop Creative Problem Solving
Brief Description
Often, we’re limited by the “we’ve always done it that way” approach. Solving problems in a creative manner can be the key to a more productive and satisfactory work life for employees. Creative problem solving is as much an art form as it is a scientific process. It requires creativity, intuition, and imagination. This workshop is designed to enable participants to learn and apply concepts and techniques related to an integrated approach to creative problem solving.
Learning Objectives Understand problems in new ways
Create a target for problem-solving efforts
Acquire skills in developing novel solutions
Become aware of how groups foster creative problem
solving
Develop an effective action plan for implementing creative solutions
Workshop Facilitating a Service Culture
Brief Description
Government organizations are in the business of public
service. Providing high-quality service is essential to generating credibility with the community at large. The level of importance placed on delivering high-quality service is influenced by the organizational culture. When it comes to culture creation and embedding, the behavior of an
organization’s leaders is extraordinarily influential. “Walking the talk” has special significance in that employees pay far more attention to the walk than the talk. Especially important is what the leaders attend to, measure, become upset about, reward, and punish. In this workshop, leaders learn about the aspects of a customer-centric organization and how to increase City of Camarillo Consulting Services Proposal The Mejorando Group
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their influence on aligning their culture with that of an entrepreneurial approach to service. In entrepreneurial cultures, employees assume that they should improve the organization’s efficiency and results, think about and change the way things are done, work together on solving problems and coming up with innovations, and respond flexibly and quickly to feedback from customers.
Learning Objectives The role culture plays as influencing employee and organizational performance
Elements of a customer-centric strategy
Aspects of an entrepreneurial public-sector organization and operation
Techniques and tools available to align the culture with the organization’s mission, vision and values and that of an entrepreneurial culture
Workshop Managing Employee Performance
Brief Description
An effective performance management system helps
employees succeed—so they can help the organization
succeed. It provides enough guidance, so people understand what’s expected of them and enough flexibility and wiggle room so that individual creativity and strengths are nurtured. It provides enough control so that people understand what the organization is trying to accomplish. This module focuses on performance management as an integrated process of
defining, assessing, and reinforcing employee work behaviors and outcomes. This includes translating the traditional performance management approach, which sees managing
performance as an event (i.e. the performance
review/appraisal), to a more effective approach in which performance is viewed as a process. As a process, several critical steps are involved to address performance deficiencies and augment successes.
Learning Objectives Recognize the Performance Management Process Summarize employee performance on the appraisal form
Summarize performance in discussion with the employee Set behavioral objectives for the next performance cycle Identify tools to enhance the Performance Management
Process
Workshop Project Management
Brief Description
In organizations, much of our time and effort is devoted to managing services and providing programs. Increasingly, we’re spending more time managing projects, which require a
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different skill set. Projects have a definite beginning and end, which makes them distinct from the normal, ongoing work which requires special management skills related to providing deliverables, achieving milestones, and satisfying deadlines.
This workshop is designed to help participants identify critical issues associated with project-management stages,
understand how to use appropriate tools in managing a project, and learn and practice a variety of techniques required to manage projects successfully.
Learning Objectives Understand the difference between Projects and Operations
Identify appropriate project-management behaviors
Recognize how prepared your organization is to use project management skills to achieve results
Determine steps to address strengths and areas for
improvement in your organization’s project-management
capabilities
Learn how to coalesce a team
Prepare team development goals for your organization’s existing teams
How to develop a project plan
Implement tools for executing a project
Identify critical components needed for successful project management
Utilize an enlarged repertoire of formats and scheduling methods