Extension Foundation’s

The Impact Collaborative [impact.extension.org] is a collaborative change process and professional development effort created as the result of the two-year Practice Building Initiative conducted by NEXUS4change with eXtension Foundation, a national foundation serving the USDA’s Extension system and the 2,900 extension offices nationally that represent a presence in every county/parish in the USA. The ongoing Impact Collaborative work includes a change methodology featured in the Collaborative Change Library, an annual Summit, an evaluation framework, and several competency frameworks. The 100+ facilitators trained in the approach have reached more than 4,000 Extension professionals through Impact Collaborative events and engagements. This engagement also resulted in additional initiatives, including a strategic effort of NEXUS4change guiding the system-wide Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup [opioidresponse.extension.org].

Ohio DoDD Transformation Initiatives

In a statewide initiative engaging multiple departments, agencies and providers throughout the state, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) is working with developmental disability care providers statewide to develop strategic transformation plans that support a mission focused on community integration and enhancing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities, leveraging the strengths of an alliance of shared communication and networked supports. Working together to advance person centered services in our greater community. The scope includes development for leadership engagement, and various technical assistance to provider agencies and ongoing collaborative design, facilitation, and arts (graphic recording and facilitation) services for the initiative's annual Transformation Summits [ohioemploymentfirst.org].

NEXUS4change is delivering a collaborative change leadership program as an applied learning experience that equips SSOE leaders with a change toolkit necessary to collaboratively implement a variety of projects, large or small - focused on continuous improvement and respect for people.  SSOE leadership pipeline is full of talented and capable people who care about doing their best and want to improve. This program offers a space to try leading-edge change tools, receive feedback, ask questions, learn from others, and  share what they know.

We provided services that enabled MPC to implement a significant business process transformation across the organization. The objective, triggered by a change in IT processes was to move beyond implementing a new tool - to enabling the business to be a thinking organization - that shifts from creating reports to utilizing information that advances competitive advantage. We facilitated an integrated approach to an organization-wide culture change through a collaboration roadmap that ensured the right people are engaged and focused on achieving key performance indicators, implemented tasks in a timely and reliable manner, while leveraging the power of people’s expertise and experience.

Anne Grady Services

As a Developmental Disability Care organization, Anne Grady is challenged to adjust to a dramatically changing state and federal funding systems. They were looking to improve efficiency, motivation, and morale across the organization. We engaged the organization in a encompassing 1-year strategic engagement process which included work with the leadership team and the board of directors to develop leadership competencies, and all employees to create the strategic planning document and actions.

Dana Supply Chain

Dana Corporation‘s Global Supply Chain Group needed to remove $1 billion in waste and restructure their group to be more aligned with the latest in supply chain management principles. We facilitated Dana Corporation through an opportunity mapping process to identify areas in which to remove waste and also guided the purchasing and logistics group in reframing their department to create the global supply chain group.

Daimler-Chrysler Services, the financial arm of then Daimler-Chrysler, was forced to respond to new legislation. The accounting department was 60% reconciled and being audited. We took the 150-employee accounting team and a leadership group of 20 managers through a 2-year redesign and structuring process.  Phase I. created a 1-year plan for turning the department around, resulting in going from 60% to 90% reconciled.  Phase II. created a long-term strategy for the entire accounting group.  They then created an action plan to become the best service group in all of Daimler Chrysler. 

Under the guidance and facilitation of Dr. Cady, the Mercy 20/20 Initiative grew into a 2-year strategic implementation initiative for Mercy College in Toledo, Ohio that involving all stakeholders including students, faculty, and administration. The aim was to proactively respond to recommendations from the Higher Learning Commission and become a best practice leader in institutional effectiveness in higher education.

Parker Hannifin

A team of engineers at Parker Hannifin needed help designing and facilitating their 2-day annual meeting which focused on a short-term continuous improvement process. We reviewed their existing strategic plan and processes and then designed and facilitated the planning process. They then were able to improve the existing templates, tools, and processes for planning, execution, reporting, and learning. 

Dana University

Dana needed to address how to best redesign their university to position it to take advantage of the new trends in distance learning and the new competency requirements for the leadership. We worked with Dana Corp. for 2 years to redesign and develop a new strategy to help reposition the University for these challenges. This involved a 2 day global summit for all of Dana (top leaders, executive team, presidents from all its different divisions and businesses, and a broad section of employees) to develop the next generation of Dana University's education strategy. They created a draft education strategy, specific programs, initiatives and curriculum for the future of Dana University.

Knox Co. Board of DD

Knox County DD had to begin consolidating, merging, and closing some facilities. We facilitated an open space meeting with the purpose of helping their employees to be open to the tough decisions and changes within the organization. The process involved working with the leadership group and design team to develop an agenda. The 1 day open space meeting allowed staff to listen to each others' needs and concerns around these changes. What ensued was a lively debate that was facilitated constructively and allowed for emotions and angst to be aired in a healthy way.

Klein Associates Inc.

Klein Inc. is a leading firm focused on the study of experts in highly technical fields involving life and death situations (i.e, medical, military, and safety). Their challenge was to align their firm around a common strategy. The solution involved taking all employees through a strategic planning process. They needed a framework and facilitation to fill in that framework. This framework led to specific action planning, priorities, goals in the form of a document and Roadmap focusing on how to align the rest of the organization through departmental meetings.

Behavioral Health

In order to secure necessary funding Harbor Behavioral Health was required to create a strategic plan.  We facilitated a retreat with the board and the top executive leadership team that focused on identifying critical problems and possibilities in their field. This required working with executive team in advance, helping them develop the template and strategy for organization, and providing them with a design for bringing the board into the fold.  

In an effort to connect with business leaders and reposition their career center to better meet the needs of northwest Ohio, EHOVE brought us in to help them craft a strategic plan. We designed and facilitated a session to look at what's working/not working, conducted a force field analysis on particular needs they have and what they cold do to meet those needs, and created a strategic planning roadmap that they could execute on their own because of limited resource. They were able to 1) develop stronger partnership, 2) increase number of business leaders in their organization and 3) were able to leverage that to build their strategy.

In an effort to engage all providers of older adult services to determine how to best appropriate funds and then prioritize and administer the money, AOoA brought us in to engage 100 providers in strategic funding prioritizing process. This leveled the playing field and increased trust. The providers created criteria in which funding would be appropriated. The leader was able to communicate a clear message that the AOoA was listening, was transparent, and trustworthy. Subsequently, many of the partners started to adopt strategic engagement tools for their own programs. The AOoA was able to take the planning on themselves in future efforts with us offering a coaching/guiding role. 

Toledo Urban League

Toledo Urban League needed to meet funding requirements that included creating a strategic plan and report on goals. We took the board and membership through a planning process where they assessed their environment and created their strategy. This ultimately led to a board retreat in which a strategy document was created, then shared with the membership and used in their funding proposal. 

Vail Meadows Choice Community School

The mission of this organization is to build independence and self confidence through therapy in order to return children with disabilities to mainstream schools. As a new organization, they were struggling with direction. We brought their board, leadership, and teachers together to craft a strategy. The strategic plan allowed them to meet state funding requirements, attract additional support, and build a better school and curriculum.