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| CDR AOP Staff |
by Blanca Diaz, AOP Sr.
AOP Unit Integration shows Renew ‘22 in action, and CDR AOPs make it happen!
In early summer 2019, DC Nancy Saengjaeng and the AOP supervisors, Blanca Diaz and Maria Paz-Salazar, conducted a study of the AOP units and found that the department was not making the most of their internal resources and staff was craving innovation. It was also apparent that processes were static. People communicated and completed tasks exclusively within their silo units as they had done for years, despite being relatively dependent on each other. So, what to do about it? Read on to learn how they responded, how it's working, and what lessons it might hold for other units!
In response, they committed to integrate their units by cross-training employees, and developing tools to help them have dialogue, share ideas, and work with other members of the department to access untapped resources.
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| SB CDR AOP Sups Blanca Diaz and Maria Paz-Salazar |
As a first step, they reached out to other AOP district offices who had successfully integrated their units and processes. It became obvious that internal social networking would help transform the unit’s culture into one that genuinely fostered openness and a strong sense of community, not only within their division, but also amongst the rest of the AOP staff countywide.
They developed buy-in and collaboration with staff by listening and working with all AOPs to achieve a shared mission and specific goals. Ongoing communication and information-sharing with staff were most important in ensuring that staff understood that change is about doing things differently. Those who were experts in their positions became the greatest change agents by leading the process. It did not take long for the two AOP units to become a team and collectively change the status quo. It has been about a month since the AOP team completed their integration, but they have not lost momentum. They continue to learn, refine their processes, and share.
As a team, we are committed to come up with innovative ideas, accomplish our goals, and adapt to change when necessary.
Kudos to the CDR AOP Unit and their leaders for their commitment to improvement and for sharing their knowledge. They sparkle with individual and collective talent!