Love and caring in the workplace

A short story from Idaho about creating a more flexible workplace...

Last spring (2007), I asked the State Librarian to risk sending a team of 10 to the Pegasus Systems Thinking Conference in Seattle. She agreed and we invited four young librarians from around the state and six of our staff to form a team, study the five disciplines (from Peter Senge's book "The Fifth Discipline), and attend the conference. Following the conference in November, the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICFL) Pegasus team initiated conversation cafes for our staff to "create space to have conversations that matter."

About a third of our staff attended the third café last Wednesday (another third were snowed out)! The group chose to talk about creating a more flexible working environment. After sharing ideas someone asked, "Could we consider what am I willing to do to make a flexible environment at ICFL?" Below are the notes scribbled in pen, crayon, and pencil on the butcher paper tablecloths. We have posted these papers on a wall in our commons area for all staff to see and discuss.

I AM WILLING TO:
Own own problems
Change from me to us perspective
Listen + communicate + collaborate
Be more aware of differences between I can't and I won't
Speak my truth
Open my mind
Trust others to do their jobs
Ask for what I need
Quit keeping score
Flexible in response to others needs
Do things I don't like to do to grow and learn
Look at my actions to be a better person
Share information but not gossip
Allow people to do job their way
Be available
Streamline tasks
Use technology appropriately (don't overuse e-mail) See others' views

As I looked at these commitments, I was struck by the simplicity, love, and caring. Not one comment requires management intervention, a policy change, a new structure, or more money. Even deep within a government bureaucracy people are talking (and acting) for positive change.