North Carolina Cooperative Extension (NCCE) established the Blue Ribbon Commission on Staff Development and Training (BRC) in August, 1998. The name Blue Ribbon infers a group is operating at the highest levels of the organization, making decisions and recommendations for change that will have a major impact on how the organization defines itself. The designation “Blue Ribbon” for a group also carries with it the responsibility to conduct a thorough scientific study of the problem, to gather the facts, to determine alternatives, and to make sound recommendations based on the facts. “Blue Ribbon Commission” implies that group members are a panel of experts with credibility as well as the knowledge and skills appropriate to carry out their assigned task with excellence.
The success of any working group depends upon the abilities and dedication of the group members. BRC members were identified as individuals thoroughly knowledgeable and skilled in staff development and training in NCCE. They were recognized as committed, competent, systems thinkers who were optimistic in their vision of NCCE and its role in the future. The members demonstrated their commitment by hard work and intensive study. In addition, each assumed a leadership role in some critical area of BRC work. Starting its journey as a heterogeneous work group, the commission ended its final face-to-face meeting in May 1999 as a high performance team. BRC members had completely bonded as a team with a shared vision. They demonstrated a high level of commitment to each other, to the changes they recommend in their report, and to the new system for staff development and training, which will grow out of their recommendations.
The observations and recommendations that follow comprise a strategic vision for personal and organizational development in NCCE. BRC members believe there is power in the vision; however, for the vision to become a reality, ideas, concepts and principles must be translated into actions. The real power to bring about the changes suggested in this report ultimately rests in people. We began with twenty-one highly committed BRC members. They are supported by thirty-five adjunct BRC members who were involved in verifications and development of the competencies, sub-competencies and proficiencies for the various job groups in NCCE. During the past few months, secretaries, program assistants, agents, county extension directors, and volunteers in from a number of counties have been asked to peer review substantive parts of the work done by BRC. With each review and refinement, the product improves and the commitment of those involved in the process grows stronger.
In their recent book, The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations, Peter Senge and his colleagues (1999), challenge organizational leaders to approach change like gardeners, not mechanics. The argument is that gardeners grow things, and mechanics fix things. The “leaders as gardener” paradigm infers that planting the seed carefully, nurturing the seedlings, cultivating the crops and celebrating the harvest is the way that successful change occurs in contemporary organizations.
The “mechanic leader” fix-it approach meets resistance. The “grow it” approach Is more permanent and rewarding. The seeds for a new system for staff development and training are offered in this report. Recommendations for change and proposed action in this report are “best practices” for nurturing and cultivating the growth of a new and improved system for training and development in NCCE. All employees and volunteers in the organization will benefit from a system that fosters personal growth and organizational development.
Extension employees and volunteers must be technically competent in the various disciplines as with as highly competent educators and communicators. A strong system for personal and organizational development will help ensure that Extension educators develop programs that are technically sound, conveniently delivered, and customer focused. Thus, the ultimate beneficiary of competent Extension employees and volunteers is the Extension customer. The people of North Carolina have come to expect the best from NCCE. The recommendations in this report will help make certain that they continue to receive the best.
The BRC was challenged to:
1. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current NCCE Staff development program and identify opportunities and threats that might impact the program in the future.
2. Determine the basic staff development needs of all Extension employees and volunteers.
3. Determine state-of-the-art staff development and training in the public and corporate sectors.
4. Emphasize the use of current and emerging information technology systems, multiple delivery modes and easy access.
5. Develop a plan for a new system, including individual and organizational responsibilities that will address training and development needs of all Extension workers, both paid staff and volunteers, into the new millennium.