Brian Pettit and Pete Wendel

Thursday, February 9, 2012
8:30 am to 11:30 am (8:30 am to 9:00 am – networking; 9:00 am to 11:30 am – meeting)
New Era Cap, 160 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202
RSVP to Kate Kane at kmkane@mtb.com
Parking is available in the New Era visitor’s lot, on the street, or in various lots/ramps located within a block of New Era. Refreshments are available for purchase in the New Era cafeteria by requesting a visitor’s pass from the lobby receptionist.

Meeting Overview

Every organization, from small, closely-held businesses to multi-national companies, needs to be continuously planning for the future of their leadership.
In closely-held businesses, the focus is on transition planning – the transition of the current owner(s) out of the business into the next phase of their lives and the development of the next generation of leaders/owners. In larger companies, the focus is on continuously identifying the company’s future direction and talent needs, as well as each individual’s strengths and weaknesses, and developing the future leaders at all levels of the organization incorporating the strategic plan, the staffing plan and the succession plan.
Although each organization has different dynamics, there are common themes. Brian and Pete will explore the commonalities and describe how different companies can apply them. They will introduce ideas on how OD practitioners can develop and integrate systems to work with their various clients. A few sample forms will be shared that illustrate the key concepts. Brian and Pete will show how HR professionals can strengthen their business partner role through strategic integration with operations.

Speaker Bios

Brian Pettit is founder and Principal Facilitator of 3P Associates, a human resources consulting company.
He has formed lasting alliances with Choice Employee Benefits Group, Life Science Link, EKWard, Beaver Hollow Conference Center, and teaches leadership, quality, and lean manufacturing for UB, Canisius, ECC, many for-profit companies and non-profit agencies. Brian brings 25 years of professional HR experience as a business partner in high tech aerospace (Moog), electronics (Motorola), pharmaceuticals (Invitrogen), food processing, hospitals, financial services and service organizations. He has significant experience in business process improvement, staffing and succession planning. Brian has taken a leadership role in ASTD, SHRM, and the United Way Executive Service Corp. He is certified in several organizational development best practices including DDI, Langevin, Mager, Insala, and ADP.
Brian achieved master trainer certification in leadership curriculum at Motorola University, where he conducted train the trainer sessions.

Pete Wendel’s passion is organizations and people. His specialization is transition planning for business owners. In 1990 Pete founded the Peter Wendel Group (now Life Work Transitions) to help business and organizational leaders in the areas of strategic planning and implementation, team building and personal coaching. Recently, in anticipation of the large number of ‘baby boomers’ considering retirement, he refocused his practice on transition planning issues. Prior to 1990, he was president of WENDEL, a consulting engineering firm (now The Wendel Companies, Architects and Engineers). During his 32 years with the firm he led the company through two ownership transfers and he and his partners grew the firm from a small local firm to become the largest locally owned consulting engineering firm in Western New York. To learn more about Pete’s philosophy and about Life Work Transitions please visit his web site www.life-work-transitions.com  and his blog http://successionsuccess.blogspot.com .

November Meeting Announcement

“The OD/HR Relationship: How Collaboration Can Strengthen Both!”

Barbara B. Bunker, Ph.D

Friday November 18, 2011

8:30 am to 11:30 am (8:30 am to 9:00 am – networking; 9:00 am to 11:30 am – meeting)

New Era Cap, 160 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202

Parking is available in the New Era visitor’s lot, on the street, or in various lots/ramps located within a block of New Era. Refreshments are available for purchase in the New Era cafeteria by requesting a visitor’s pass from the lobby receptionist.

Meeting Overview

Barbara Bunker will report on the “Conference within a Conference (CwiC)”, an HR/OD-focused experience within the Baltimore ODN Conference 2011 that she and Dick Axelrod created. The CwiC sessions focused on how major companies like Disney strengthen HR/OD collaboration, build OD competency and structure the HR/OD relationship. Here’s an overview of the sessions that Barbara will report on:

Session I

Chris Trout, Vice President of Human Resources, Walt Disney Imagineering, spoke about the emerging collaboration of HR and OD at Disney designed to extend the capacity of both functions.

Session 2

Dick Axelrod and Barbara Bunker presented their rationale for providing HR Business Partners with specific, core OD concepts using examples from companies such as Disney and Novartis. They proposed a model of the theory and skills needed in three areas: 1) identifying the “basics,” including core consulting skills; 2) supporting groups and teams – and meetings; and 3) using systems-level interventions, including change management and employee engagement.

Session3

David Jamieson and Judy Vogel discussed three issues that influence the development of the optimal organizational structure required for a successful, collaborative relationship between OD and HR. These three issues surfaced during his work as the editor of a special issue of the OD Practitioner on OD and HR in October, 2010. The issues include: 1) creating a design or model for HR, including the positioning of HR Business Partners; 2) establishing Business Partner roles, expectations, and priorities, and creating and positioning alignment and relationship with clients; and 3) creating roles, structures, and processes for OD, HR Business Partners, and clients that promote both collaboration and needed separation.

Discussion about the relationship between OD and HR in organizations will follow.

Presenter Bio

BARBARA BENEDICT BUNKER

Barbara Benedict Bunker (Ph.D. Columbia University) is an organizational social psychologist and Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University at Buffalo (SUNY). Her research and writing interests are diverse but focus in the area of organizational change and organizational effectiveness. She is a licensed Psychologist in New York.

Her activities in the area of planned organizational change span more than 35 years. She participated in some of the first Organization Development (OD) projects with Ron Lippitt, Matt Miles and Goodwin Watson. As an active member of NTL (National Training Laboratories) Institute when it re-organized in the mid-1970s, she was a Director for 7 years and Chairperson of the Board for 3 years. She has been a partner in the Portsmouth Consulting Group since 1981.

As an organizational consultant, Barbara Bunker has assisted clients with individuals, teams, departments, and the whole organization. She has worked as a coach and consultant to individuals in areas of performance appraisal, career development and leadership skills. At the team or department level, she consults about long range vision and strategy, work analysis, organizational design, blocks to effective functioning. At the organization level, she has worked on interdepartmental issues, managing diversity and organizational culture change. At the community level, she has worked with churches and community church coordinating groups, mental health associations, the Red Cross and other agencies to plan their futures and increase their effectiveness. She has worked with major business, governmental, voluntary, educational, and professional organizations. Her clients have included Corning, Inc., The Bush Foundation Educators Program, Eastman Kodak, Cummins Engine, Lubrizol, ITT, IRS, NASA, British Air, The King’s Fund, Irwin Financial, Kaleida Health, The Erie County Mental Health Association, the Universities of Cincinnati and British Columbia, Canisius College, Columbia, Stanford, and Zayed (United Arab Emirates) Universities. Most recently, she has had contracts with Novartis, Walt Disney, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem.

Barbara Bunker with her colleague Billie Alban has become nationally and internationally known for her work systematizing a number of new methods of organization and community change that work at the systems level. These Large Group Methods bring together stakeholders in a common enterprise to discuss, debate and search for common ground on which to move forward. She has written about them, used them in her own practice, and written two books and edited two journals about the exciting work that is being done in this area of practice.

Barbara Bunker is faculty for the executive development program, Principles and Practices of Organization Development (PPOD) at Columbia University. She has been an invited keynote speaker at numerous national conferences. She has presented invited seminars (with Billie Alban) on Large Group Interventions in England, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Singapore, New Zealand, and Korea.

In 1984 and again in 1990 she was selected as a Fulbright Lecturer to Japan. She taught at Keio University and at Kobe University in the School of Business Administration. In 1998, she was exchange professor at Konan University in Kobe, Japan and at Hangzhou University in China. During these exchanges, she has had the opportunity to study Asian organizations. She has also published a study of Senior Japanese women executives with data collected in the 1980s and in the 1990s in Japan.

Her books include Conflict, Cooperation, and Justice (1995) with Jeffery Rubin, and Large Group Interventions: Engaging the whole system for rapid change (1997) and The Handbook of Large Group Methods: Creating systemic change in organizations and communities. (June 2006) with Billie Alban.

Bob Miller did an excellent job sharing A Perspective on Organizational Values – Here is the power point from our time.

Please share your thoughts.

October Meeting Announcement

“Stories from the Trenches: Experiences and Observations as an OD Practitioner"

Presenter: Denny Gallagher
Friday October 14, 2011
8:30 am to 11:30 am (8:30 am to 9:00 am – networking; 9:00 am to 11:30 am – meeting)
New Era Cap, 160 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202

RSVP to Kate Kane at kmkane@mtb.com
Parking is available in the New Era visitor’s lot, on the street, or in various lots/ramps located within a block of New Era. Refreshments are available for purchase in the New Era cafeteria by requesting a visitor’s pass from the lobby receptionist.

Meeting Overview

Are you new to the field of OD and curious about the types of situations an OD practitioner might encounter? Or are you an experienced OD practitioner looking to engage in dialogue with a fellow OD colleague about OD-related challenges and solutions in organizations? Either way, this session is for you.
Denny Gallagher, an OD practitioner with 40 years of experience in OD field, will facilitate an interactive session in which he shares his stories about working in OD and asks for yours. His aim is to help you increase your awareness of situations you may face in the world of OD and identify possible solutions to those challenges. It will be enjoyable and, hopefully, will cause some moments of reflection about your practice.

Presenter Bio

Over the past 40 years, Denny has worked on organizational change issues with a variety of different organizations and industries. The issues frequently deal with rapid growth or decline, changes in personnel, the impact of technology on the work force, interpersonal and intergroup conflict, coaching of executives and mentoring of newer people in the Organization Development field. 

A great deal of his time has been spent in technically oriented organizations working with executives, managers and supervisors who have been promoted to their positions primarily because of their technical abilities. Many of these people are lacking good “people skills”.

The result is that he does a great deal of coaching, counseling, mentoring and small group work with his clients. Denny earned his B.A. in Psychology and History from Heidelberg College, his M.A. in Comparative and Physiological Psychology from Bryn Mawr College, and his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University.  He is a member of the American Psychological Association, National Training Laboratories, and the Organizational Development Network.

Denny’s recent publications include “Is Coaching OD?” and “Know thyself: Coaching for leadership using Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory”.

Suggested Reading List for Entrepreneurs

by University at Buffalo Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL)

1. Start With Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
2. The E-Myth by Michael Gerber
3. Executive Leadership: A Practical Guide to Managing Complexity by Eliot Jaques
4. Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan
5. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
6. Eat People and Other Unapologetic Rules for Game Changing Entrepreneurs by Andy Kessler
7. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
8. The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
9. Zag by Marty Neumeir
10. The Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander
11. Odyssey: From Pepsi to Apple by Steve Jobs
12. Lee Iacocca

What would you add?

September Meeting Announcement

“A Perspective on Organizational Values”

Presenter: Bob Miller
Thursday September 22, 2011
8:30 am to 11:30 am (8:30 am to 9:00 am – networking; 9:00 am to 11:30 am – meeting)
New Era Cap, 160 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202

Parking is available in the New Era visitor’s lot, on the street, or in various lots/ramps located within a block of New Era. Refreshments are available for purchase in the New Era cafeteria by requesting a visitor’s pass from the lobby receptionist.

Meeting Overview

Values lie deep in an organization’s culture. Values inform decision-making and guide behavior. Their real meaning is absorbed not by what is said, but rather from the inside through observation, action and accountability ─ reflected in the way things are done.

Shared values are like an organization-specific common language that aligns leadership and employees with organizational purpose.
This session will explore organizational values from an OD perspective through a combination of presentation, dialogue and lively idea exchange. Participants should come ready with questions, observations from experience and success stories as we learn together. Bring a copy of your organization’s values if you like. We’re going to explore the role of values in creating strong, high performing organizations and workplaces.

You should walk away better prepared to respond to these types of questions:

• Are organizational values important?
• What are the Pros and Cons of organizational values?
• How are organizational values developed and implemented? What works? What doesn’t?
• What happens when values conflict? What are the results? How can value conflicts be handled?

Presenter Bio

As president of R.W. Miller Jr. & Associates, Robert W. Miller has over 30 years of management experience. Primarily focused on human resources, quality, and operational management ,Bob’s career includes the United States Air Force (Ret.), General Electric, Wendel Architects & Engineers (now Wendel Duscherer), Russer Foods, Child & Family Services and the Stanley Falk Schools. Bob’s experience comprises large and small businesses, for-profit and non-profit companies, manufacturing, service industries, government, union and non-union environments.
Bob has experience in the areas of employee relations, recruiting and selection, training, compensation, payroll, benefits, affirmative action planning, and organization development.
Bob has been certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) since 1992. He is skilled in organizational and individual interventions, and is a trained group facilitator. Bob has assisted numerous organizations with strategic planning, and values clarification, and has developed an abbreviated strategic planning process that works exceptionally well for small non-profit entities. Currently, Bob is Adjunct Professor for Human Resource Management, Leadership, Business Management, Organizational Development and International Business courses at Daemen College and Medaille College at both the undergrad and graduate levels. He is also a graduate of the University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership program (CEL) and Leadership Buffalo.
Bob has designed and delivered many presentations both locally and nationally, on topics including Facilitation Skills, Leadership, Strategic Planning, Quality Management and Human Resource Management.
Bob has a Master’s of Science degree in Management from Troy State University, in addition to degrees in Instructional Design and Computer Science. Bob has received numerous leadership awards, at both state and local levels. He was the recipient of the Buffalo Niagara Human Resource Association’s “Outstanding Human Resource Professional of the Year” award, the Vanguard “Employer Partnership” award, and the Business First “Pathfinders” award.

June Meeting Announcement
“Enhancing Your Brand through Social Media”
Presenter: Terry Babij

June 10, 2011
9:00am to noon (gather at 9:00am for networking, meeting begins at 9:30am)
New Era Cap, 160 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202

Meeting Overview

Social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have become pervasive and dominate on-line
networking. They bring people together across time and space, to share ideas, opinions, and knowledge
about all aspects of our lives. As OD professionals, it is vital that we stay up-to-date on the use of these
tools for both personal and professional reasons, and understand how these tools can contribute to the
bottom line.
During his presentation, Terry will talk about using social media to enhance one’s brand – either
personal or company brand. Through video and visuals, he will present an overview of the current social
media landscape; revisit the most commonly used platforms – Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs;
as well as share the value add, limitations, and watch-outs of the various platforms. He will share his
company’s strategy and how they have been using social media to increase their bottom line. He will
also talk about how Berenson measures ROI on social media.

Join us as we unpack the complexity of social media!

Presenter Bio

Terry Babij (pronounced Bobby) is Vice President of Marketing and Research and Development for
Berenson Corp, a master distributor selling decorative hardware through a light industrial distribution
channel.
Terry joined Berenson in 1993 as Manager of Sales and Marketing, becoming VP of Sales and Marketing
then moving to a marketing focus in 2004 as VP of Marketing. In early 2009, Terry recognized the
benefits of social media and its power for networking and branding. In 2010, Berenson created his
current role and he now focuses his energy building brand awareness and increasing market share by
blending social media with more traditional marketing methods.
Terry’s been associated with the Kitchen and Bath industry for close to 30 years and is responsible for
several innovations including a patent for a new latch, for which he received the Most Innovative
Product award from the Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association in 2010.
Terry is a recognized industry leader serving on several industry committees and councils. He is VP of
Technology & Communications for the National Kitchen and Bath Association of Western NY, Chair of
the National Kitchen & Bath Exhibitor Advisory Council, and serves on the steering committee of the
Cabinet Industry Distribution Alliance.
Outside of work, Terry is an avid photographer. He is President of the Niagara Falls (Canada) Camera
Club, sits on the Board of the Niagara Frontier Regional Camera Club, and is the official photographer for
the Niagara Symphony.
Terry is married; no kids.
If you would like to learn more about the power of social media, a reading list is provided as part of the
presentation.

Mara Huber facilitated our May Organizational Development Network of Western NY meeting.

She has shared the power point presentation, for those that attended it was a great learning and sharing opportunity.

Please share your comments, ideas and applicable lessons on strategic partnerships.

michael cardus

May Meeting Announcement

“Making BIG Things Happen Through Strategic Collaboration”

Facilitator: Mara B. Huber, Ph.D.
Friday, May 13th
9:00am to 9:30am – networking time; 9:30am to 12:00pm – meeting
New Era Cap, 160 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202
Parking is available in the New Era visitor’s lot, on the street, or in various lots/ramps located within a block of New Era. Refreshments are available for purchase in the New Era cafeteria by requesting a visitor’s pass from the Donna, the lobby receptionist.

Meeting Overview

We are floating in a sea of latent potential. For virtually every need and opportunity that exists in our communities, an exponential number of resources, expertise, and supports are there for the taking. But despite increasing incentives and attempts to actualize the potential of strategic partnerships, the threats to our communities continue to grow. If strategic partnerships are the answer, why are we struggling to get the positive movement that we so desperately need?
I argue that the problem is largely one of framing. Although we are well aware of the challenges and threats that exist, and the importance of leveraging assets toward the development of solutions, we have essentially doomed our efforts by going after the wrong thing – namely, partnerships – instead of collaboration. The word “partnerships” is a noun, suggesting that partnerships are things to be acquired, items that we own and can cross off our list as soon as we formalize a relationship. If we want to get strategic about partnering, it’s the verb we need to go after. Instead of thinking of partnerships as objects to be collected and displayed, we need to view them as means to very real and important ends. And we need to think big.

Through my presentation I will share a model for strategic collaboration that has the potential to significantly impact the lives of communities, youth, and individuals as well as building capacity for the partnering organizations and systems that they represent. I will begin by presenting the general model, which focuses on “designing” collaboration from the foundation up with the goal of building capacity and actualizing potential. I will then explore 4 levels of application with supporting evidence, including: Buffalo Public Schools; women and children in the Kitenga village in Northern Tanzania; youth engagement and social entrepreneurism; and personal empowerment.

Facilitator Biography

Dr. Huber currently works at the University at Buffalo where she serves as Special Assistant to the President for Educational Initiatives and founding director of the UB Center for Educational Collaboration (CEC). Through these related positions Mara oversees the University’s commitment to strengthening the educational pipeline and directs its institutional partnership with the Buffalo Public Schools and other educational organizations. In addition to cultivating educational pathways, Mara has a strong commitment to civic engagement with a focus on both local and international projects. Together with her oldest daughter Elena, she has authored a children’s book titled “Wiggle Your Power” that serves as the foundation for civic camps and programs run through the CEC. The book is closely tied to the Buffalo Tanzania Education Project (BTEP) which is a community-based initiative focusing on women and girls in the village of Kitenga in Northern Tanzania. Mara is particularly proud of this initiative as it demonstrates the power of community collaboration and civic engagement.
To date, BTEP projects have included an early childhood center; secondary school for girls; solar cookers; and a well and sanitation project led by Buffalo Sunrise Rotary Club, of which Mara is a proud member. BTEP leaders also work with area schools and youth to support their engagement and interest in the project.

Dr. Huber holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the University at Buffalo with a focus on language perception and cognitive development. Her current research interests include schooluniversity partnerships and strategic collaborations. In addition to her University work Dr. Huber is a frequent consultant and speaker on issues of school-university partnerships, and leveraging educational collaboration for maximal impact. She has also authored a number of education related articles and manuscripts including “High Stakes Partnerships,” which
appeared in the November 2009 issue of the American School Board Journal.

To learn more about the CEC and related programming, visit www.buffalo.edu/pk16 or contact Mara at mbhuber@buffalo.edu

And hold your calendars for our next meeting on June 10th …
Presenter: Terry Babij
Location: New Era Cap
Time: 9:00 to Noon
More details will follow

Barb Babij facilitated our April Organizational Development Network of Western NY meeting.

She has shared the power point presentation, for those of us who attended it was a lively discussion of organizational change, time-management, innovation within hierarchical structures. Plus some insights into getting things done and our ability as humans to fool ourselves that we are working when we are not…

Please share your thoughts of Godin’s Poke The Box as well as your necessity and ability to “ship” products.

michael cardus