Creative Problem Solving
Technical Writing & Documentation
Pain Point: Process documentation was nonexistent. When new hires were onboarded or when team members took time off, there was a challenge of how we would get the work done.
Solution: I created a culture of documenting processes, making it a requirement that team members owned their responsibilities. This resulted in the creation of hundreds of pages of documents and online job aids.
As new team members joined our team, they were onboarded quicker. During meetings, we would have teach-back sessions and shared ideas on how to fine-tune our processes. Our solution allowed team members to take time off without worrying that work would pile up in their absence. We no longer heard, "I don't know how to do that, it will need to wait until _____ returns".
User Training
Pain Point. On one of my first software implementations, my team was inundated with questions from end-users regarding how to do a quick-start of the software. We were unable to address other issues because of the logjam of inaccessibility.
Solution. A resource was needed to make the experience simpler. My team created short Camtasia how-to videos and infographic quick-start guides. These were added as FAQ in our resource library; they could be emailed to users and the videos were fun and easy to make. We tailored some of them to users that needed a bit more assistance and confidence.
We discovered if we onboarded end-users smoothly and provided training resources in various formats, we achieved a higher early-adoption rate and a positive UX. Our team became adept at editing and creating personalized white-glove service for our end users.
Pain Point. We needed stakeholder buy-in on a project roll-out. Several team leaders were reluctant to switch from the manual process they had been using for years.
Solution. During a hands-on training session, I sat in the back of the room and observed the onboarding process. My team had put a survey together; based on the feedback, we were aware of the confidence levels of the participants in the room. I intentionally would sit next to a user that was having difficulty and would help reduce their anxiety by working through the training together. I set up one-on-one sessions where individuals felt comfortable asking questions and exploring the software in a more private setting. During these sessions, I would ask what they liked about the old system or what they didn't like about the new system, and then I'd provide shortcuts that would make their life easier.
Everyone learns at their own pace and via different methods. Nobody wants to look silly or uninformed in front of their peers. After my sessions, I'd send a personalized video that was tailored to boost their knowledge or an invitation to have additional tutoring sessions. And after they grew into their comfort with the software, I'd use their quotes to promote our products.
Communication
Pain Point. In staff meetings, we were hearing disgruntlement from team members that felt they were the last to know about an initiative or that there were shortfalls in relevant information being effectively cascaded down to those who needed to know.
Solution. I was inspired by a large plasma screen that was installed in the lobby of one of our corporate offices. The monitor projected welcome messages and meeting schedules. Monitors had been installed in our other buildings, but they were not being utilized.
I volunteered to handle the content for the large monitor that was installed in the lobby of our accounting office. I kicked it off with new hires & their images, new babies, new pets, birthday & anniversary announcements. Every few weeks I'd profile an employee, putting their image and a fun fact on the screen so others would get to know them. I shared my appreciation of individuals and teams. When a new software solution was being implemented, we would gather quotes from our beta testers and project them to facilitate buy-in. My team would generate new content regularly, keeping the material fresh and engaging. Team members grew confident in speaking up after they saw their ideas emblazoned on the monitors. Other teams started emulating our successful communication methods and shared information, ideas, and gratitude on their monitors.
Pain Point. I was a timid speaker; I was reluctant to speak up in meetings.
At a company event, I was asked to speak about how my accounting team was leveraging technology and innovating processes. Although this was a topic that I knew very well, I had memorized my presentation. When I inadvertently shuffled my PowerPoint slides, I had difficulty recovering my focus. I remember racing back to my seat and dreading making eye contact with anyone in the room.
Solution. I joined Toastmasters. I forced myself to actively participate during each meeting. As I grew more confident, I spoke more. I gave 10 speeches within my first year and earned a Competent Speaker designation. I won a couple Toastmaster speaking competitions.
The year that I was voted in as president of a local club, I doubled membership, earning our club the Distinguished Status award. I started mentoring members and co-workers in public speaking. I created workshops on how to provide constructive feedback. I used our lunchtime meeting time as an incubator for anyone that had a presentation to give; they could come practice in our safe and encouraging environment. I enhanced the club's website by adding member bios, membership applications, and photos.
I injected many fun and creative ideas; my favorite accomplishment was helping a member that had been attending meetings for 2 years to develop the confidence to do her first ice-breaker speech.
Note: A couple years after my failed memorized presentation, I was given a second chance for a do-over at a corporate event. In front of 100 of my peers, I shared with them some of the lessons I learned as a manager. I gave examples of inspiring leaders and leaders that inspired me to never handle things the way they did. We laughed. Some of us teared up at parts of my message. I used a conversational storytelling style and felt an emotional connection with my audience. I didn't need to memorize anything; this came from my heart.
On the last day of the event, each attendee was asked to share a takeaway. Several participants mentioned my presentation as the one that impacted them the most.
Active Listening
Pain point. One afternoon, I found myself bustling down the street in a parade of co-workers. We were all headed to a companywide training event. I introduced myself to another employee. I asked what type of interactions they had with the accounting team and if there was anything we could do to make their job easier. They shared with me a frustrating issue that had been perpetuating month after month.
Solution. The next morning, my team brainstormed. On a whiteboard and half a deck of Post-it notes later, we wireframed the scenario. My team presented a workflow solution that replaced the frustrating process. Almost immediately we heard how the change had improved productivity through the removal of manual steps, it had enhanced operational efficiency by removing an administrative task from the other teams' responsibilities, it fostered more cross-functional team collaboration, and most importantly, it eliminated 100% of the duplication errors.
We had another satisfied customer and my team became known for Design Thinking.
Innovative Problem-Solving
Pain Point. In one of my roles at a start-up, we opened a UK office and hired employees. To meet our compliance obligation, we needed to pay benefits within a certain timeframe. Our problem? We didn’t have a UK bank account, which was required by the third-party provider. Setting up the bank account would take several months.
Solution. I pitched a unique idea to a consulting firm that was helping us navigate regulatory requirements in our Australian and UAE entities. My passion for developing and maintaining trusted client relationships enabled us to immediately implement an interim payment solution to take care of our new UK employees.
Pain Point. We had an urgent need to close the gap on a document-imaging project. The project involved a workflow solution that would take 9-12 months to implement but we needed part of the solution completed as soon as possible.
Solution. My team worked with the software development team to design a workaround. The result was a game-changer. Within a couple months, the accounting team was able to view invoices, contracts, and other documents electronically. When we were ready to implement the workflow phase, our design accommodated the next steps. I won an innovator of the year award from the software developer and they replicated our prototype for their other clients that needed a quick solution to electronically capture document images.
Pain Point. Our leadership team was brainstorming playful icebreaker ideas for future team meetings. I introduced an idea where all team members would bring in one of their baby photos and we'd guess who was who. One leader spoke up and said that everyone would know which baby picture was theirs; she was the only dark-skinned team member. The lack of diversity in our team was clear.
Solution. I joined our corporate DEI council. I wanted to hear the voice of marginalized groups and figure out ways to advocate for them and to reserve a seat for them at the table. I recommended modifying our interviewing practices by requesting resumes that didn't have candidates' names on them, to reduce name bias.
Our council created quarterly sessions of hearing from groups that have historically been under-represented and subject to unfair and inequitable experiences. These "Courageous Conversations" have been illuminating and became the catalyst for programs designed to inform and take corrective action.
- In January 2023, our team had a day of service that was inspired by the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr.
- We created a DE&I survey; below is some of the feedback we received from employees:
- We need more activities to train employees on DE&I and unconscious bias.
- We shouldn't just be celebrating different cultures; we need to identify ways to actively protect and combat hostility in the workplace.
- More representation for our communities of LGBTQIA+ / Asian / Black / people with disabilities / other underrepresented groups.
- In May 2023, three other leaders and I facilitated meetings to reflect and engage in team conversations on diversity, equity & inclusion. Using our corporate guiding principles, we asked questions on how we were aligning DE&I with those corporate goals, how we should hold one another accountable, how to address topics rather than remaining silent on them.
We haven't leveled the playing field yet, but we are taking steps to build a more diverse workplace. We all need to be actively participating daily, not just in structured meetings that are added to our work calendars or to check a box. Being committed to DE&I is an element that needs to be interwoven into all practices within an organization. This includes the hiring process, leadership, and the words used in forms, applications, and websites.