Culture Change Initiatives

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Culture Change Initiatives Implemented at CN
Les Dakens dakens_at_sympatico.ca 416-780-0052
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The Change Continuum
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The Culture Change Journey
USW/IBEW settlements Employee Dashboard Supervisor
y coaching
2008
UTU strike CNs Negotiations Website Grievance
Tracking System
2007
CLMW book
EPS for unionized employees ABC practitioners
2006
Q4 leadership rollout Employee communications Top-
to-Top Union-Management meetings
2005
CAW strike ABC training rollout
2004
New CEO 5 principles Hunter Camps
HW3 book
2003
Leadership assessments Hourly Rate Agreements
2002
People strategy
2001
Our Foundation Five Guiding Principles (HW3)
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What we believe in Q4 Leadershipdevelops engaged
and committed employees
Want-to-Do Performance
Discretionary Performance
Maximum Results
Have-to-Do Performance
(Minimum)
Q4 Sustainable results. Engaged committed
employees
Q3 Good short-term results. Fearful uncommitted
employees

Results
Q1 Poor resultsgo out of business. Disengaged
employees
Q2 Poor resultsgo out of business. Contented
employees

Negative Impact Minimum Results
Positive Impact
Leadership Behaviours
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The Science of Behaviour
Positive Feedback
A
C
B
Constructive Feedback
Behaviour
Consequences
Antecedents

• Things people do or say

• Precede behaviour
• Trigger a behaviour to occur

• Follow behaviour
• Increase maintain or decrease behaviour

Time
80
20
Impact
20
80
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The Facts about EPS

• Trained 40 HR representatives who delivered 155
  sessions in 22 locations to 1700 leaders
• Produced over 55 different scorecards in both
  official languages
• Involved 18500 unionized employees represented
  by 7 different unions in Canada and 16 in the
  U.S.
• Included 150 corporate and individual measures
  linked to several corporate and departmental
  systems
• Reached 96 completion rate in year 1 with over
  80 employees rated as Outstanding or Skilled
  Railroaders
• Delivered within 9 months with a core team of 9
  individuals
• Not used or referred to in discipline process

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EPS How we Made it Happen
Build the foundation obtain CEO endorsement
Develop a solid product
Learn from a pilot
1
2
3
February - March
March - April
Communicate Communicate Communicate
EPS sessions
Train supervisors
6
4
5
May - October
May - October
Report and celebrate successes
Production and delivery
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8
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The Product Scorecard

• Objectives
• Make the Five Guiding Principles real and
  relevant to each employee
• Recognize employees performance
• Provide a roadmap for the dialogue
• Keys to success
• Scorecards tailored to most functions
• Hand-written comments on the scorecard
• Ratings related to railroading
• Continuously improved the material for the FLS
• From a two-page scorecard added a definition
  page
• From verbal key messages produced supporting
  documentation
• What to avoid
• Introduce new measures
• Validate scorecards with too many leaders
• Large committees
• Rush to rollout without checking data.
• No cross-check of systems

S/C
BW
Doc
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Training

• Objectives
• Understand the scorecard and its purpose
• Anticipate employees reactions
• Prepare and conduct an effective and positive
  session
• Provide employees performance feedback
• Keys to success
• Provide one-day training to all FLS
• Learn and adjust quickly even during the pilot
• Continuously improve the training material
• From a How to document to a video
• From a paper document to a training job aid
• Include role plays - practice practice practice
• What to avoid
• Associate role plays and scorecards with specific
  functions
• Assume supervisors understanding of group
  measures

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Communication

• Objectives
• Explain the Why continue the culture change
  process and engage all railroaders
• Build better supervisor-employee dialogue
• Recognize Outstanding Railroaders
• Explain the Why to different audiences
• Keys to success
• Immediate public recognition and monthly
  thereafter
• Share employees feedback with FLS
• I have worked for CN for 30 years and have never
  had a one-on-one review. Its about time great
  stuff extremely positive!
• It felt good to be formally recognized for my
  good work.
• Inform union leaders early in the process
• In response to employees asking for more feedback
  and recognition not about discipline
• Employees are employees first union members
  second
• What to avoid
• Rely on local leaders for employees
  communication and assume communication tools will
  be used
• Share happy stories only

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Session

• Objectives
• Understand the Five Principles and how each
  employee contributes
• Engage employees in the business
• Clarify expectations
• Provide feedback
• Recognize contributions and identify those who
  need coaching
• Keys to success
• Start with Outstanding Railroaders
• Listen and follow-up on suggestions and ask
  employees what they need for
  success
• All about me
• What to avoid
• Emphasize on group measures interpretation
  instead of dialogue
• Focus on data instead of on the employees
  contribution
• Meet employees without preparation i.e. review
  employees file

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Delivery Behind the Scene

• Objectives
• Gather data from various functions and systems
• Produce scorecards two weeks after each training
  session
• Centralize production compilation and reporting
• Automate production
• Keys to success
• Start with large functions
• Coordinate with regional partners
• Reach out People are there to make it happen
• Timely reporting
• What to avoid
• Assume accuracy of data
• Assume supervisors will come forward if a group
  is omitted

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Want to Know More
On the science
On CN Story
EPS
ISBN 0071490671
Expected publication 2008 year-end
Available October 2008 Wiley Publishing
http//www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd
-0470283831.html