Jarrod Van Kirk and Adam Paberzs (right) collaborate on a “connection”

VOICES Annual Meeting 2008:
Building High-Quality Connections for a Better U

The VOICES of the Staff Annual Meeting was held Friday, May 16 at the Sheraton Hotel.

Incoming volunteers, continuing network team members, and alumni met for a day-long event focused on building high-quality connections, outreach, celebrating team accomplishments, and goal-setting for the coming year.

Colleen Root puts finishing touches on a connection construction.

The day began with a construction project. At each table, participants were invited to collaborate in creating centerpieces out of tinkertoy-like building blocks that demonstrated connection, imagination, and innovation. In a brief fifteen minute warm-up activity, table groupings got together and built bridges, erected towers and created whimsical and symbolic edifices which were later explained. It was a great way to begin a day focused on connection.

Vice President for Human Resources Laurita Thomas began the day with a welcome presentation describing VOICES history, vision, mission, and successes. Speaking to the value and return on investment of VOICES for the University, she noted that based on U-M’s (non-faculty) staff payroll expenditure of $1,234,000,000, if VOICES achieves even a mere 1 percent productivity gain, that alone would result in a net gain of over $12 million!

New network team members Michelle Nasers (left) and Amal Dahmani with their connections centerpiece

Teresa Sullivan, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs delivered the morning keynote presentation, in which she observed that innovation and open discussion that recognizes dissenting views are hallmarks of high-performing organizations. Provost Sullivan spoke of positive organizational scholarship, an emerging discipline with noted practitioners here at U-M that focuses on the dynamics in organizations that lead to developing strength, producing reliance, and cultivating extraordinary performance by enabling excellence. Her keynote set the stage for a two-hour workshop on building high-quality connections which followed later in the afternoon.

During lunch, the first annual VOICES Champion awards were presented to five individuals and teams, including:

• Bitsy Lamb and Dave Miller of Parking and Transportation Services, for their guidance and support in building a productive partnership between the Parking & Transportation Network Team and the Parking & Transportation Services Department
• Professor Jane Dutton, for her pioneering work focusing on the interactions between individuals in the workplace
• Health Information Management Change Management Project Team, for successfully managing change by effectively and proactively engaging with staff
• Ross School of Business Faculty/Staff Relations Task Force (FAST Connections), for their ongoing efforts to foster greater appreciation and interaction between faculty and staff at the Ross School
• Sally Johnson, who was honored with a Distinguished Champion Award in recognition of her career-spanning efforts to strengthen and celebrate the culture, climate and values of the University.

VOICES Champion Award recipient Jane Dutton	Ross School FAST Connections members with their VOICES Champion Award. Back row, from left: Karen Phelps, Katrina Vegter, Kat van Deventer, Maureen Burns, and Cathy Shakespeare. Front: Patricia Brainard, Mary Ceccanese, and Shelly Whitmer.	Sally Johnson (left) embracing Laurita Thomas after being presented with the VOICES Distinguished Champion Award

Building on the theme of creating energizing connections, Colleen Greene of Michigan Healthy Community led an energizer activity called Laugh Yoga. For a list of Laugh Yoga exercises, click here.

In the afternoon, Professor Lynn Wooten, Associate Professor of Strategy and Management & Organizations at the Ross School of Business and a core faculty member in the Ross School of Business Center of Positive Organizational Scholarship, conducted a a two-hour workshop on building high-quality connections, which she defined as ties between people marked by mutual regard, trust, and respectful engagement.  Professor Wooten suggested in that through active practice of the art of building high-quality connections, we can do better in our everyday work life at facilitating successful performance, engaging with others in a way that sends a message of value and worth. By building high-quality connections we also enhance cooperation, increase adaptability, improve our health, and improve strategic outcomes. She closed by suggesting that high-quality connections are a key driver of positive organizations. By building high-quality connections, each of us can help shape The Michigan Difference.

Members of the Diversity Team

Two incoming network team volunteers offered these comments following the meeting:

“I volunteered for VOICES of the Staff out of a desire to make the University a better place to work.  By participating in VOICES, I hope to find ways for people to advance their careers, address pay equity, and press for improvements to make the job search process easier.  I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute my ideas, energy, and efforts to this endeavor. The Annual Meeting was inspiring. The accomplishments of the various teams in the past three years are amazing and reinforce the importance of VOICES.”

Judy Barnes Dooley
Ross School of Business, Executive Education
Career Development Network Team Member

“I've been keenly interested in VOICES since its inception, and was thrilled and gratified to be selected to participate this year. After nearly 9 years at U-M, this is one venue where I haven't been involved in anything comparable, and I am brimming with energy to begin work with my group. I had almost given up on being able to effect any meaningful social change on my own within the University, and in fact almost didn't bother applying to VOICES this year because I didn't want to be turned away again. On the very last day, I decided to give it one more try. I am so glad that I did!”

Jennifer Goodhue
School of Nursing
Diversity Network Team Member

Faculty-Staff Communication Team members (from left) --Kathrine van Deventer, Roberta Saling, Diane Benson, and Dorita McDaniel.

Interested in reading more? Click here to view the May 27 University Record coverage of the VOICES Annual Meeting.

Click here to view “Voices on VOICES” a special dvd presentation created for the 2008 Annual Meeting.

Explore these sites for more tips on enhancing your U-M experience:

Uniquely Michigan and Building Great Places to Work

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