Notes, Themes and Stories from the Session 

 

What's the wiki for? So that you can see how this works, build in your stories here, and use technology to collaborate in your community. It is a document, on the web, that you and your partners may all edit. And it is free.

 

Larry Fitch

Once upon a time... we talked about unemployment problems that seem irrelevant today. Our issues have changed so that we have a larger story to tell that is no longer simply about data. The workforce "crisis" involves an inverted triangle in our demographics, a very diverse population of next generation talent (culturally and educational attainment), skills gaps, workforce shortages, etc.

 

Where do workforce leaders belong in this story? How are we defined as a system? Are we, as a system, marginalized in the public perception and on Capitol Hill? Are we leaders, collaborators in this conversation? What partners might we want to invite to the table?

 

We can no longer ignore the challenges faced by not being present in the dialogue about the challenges to our workforce.

 

 John Metcalf

Design requires utility and significance. How do WF leaders describe the utility of their jobs? It is useful. It helps us reach "compliance." We meet "regs." We oversee programs and create accountability.

 

How do we manage workforce resources for our community? What role does strategic vision play? What about regional workforce challenges? How do we move things at scale?

 

"Spend the smallest amount of time in the utility and the largest amount of time in the significance."

 

Should we be engaging more people in our community?

 

If WIA disappeared, who would see the significance and fight to keep it?

 

How has the changing world made your job different?

    -5 years ago, we focused on the client's needs as they walked in the door. Now we are more likely to be driven by the needs of the companies in our communities

    -we have moved into sector strategies

    -some have shifted focus from the unemployed to the underemployed

    -new technology creates opportunity for new design of our workflow

    -new links to economic development, investments in skills and infrastructure

    -regional collaboration

 

Creating Meaning and "Doing something that matters"

 aligning our mission and purpose so that we embrace big, bold ideas (google sized)

 How does the WF system matter?

    -we create partnerships among industry leaders and educational leaders that create new opportunities

    -regional comprehensive business plans

    -we move the entire vision forward together

 

What do we do around engagement?

    -State of the Workforce reports may create shared understanding/storyline of our communities, and initiatives may be built from this: economic summit which influenced elected leaders so that now resources have begun moving forward together with a shared vision

    -BRAC summit to share information and invite input in order to build strategic plan

    -E3 - economic development, employment, education

 

Challenge: Utility of products and services are more tangible, hard to create narrative/meaning from data collection and collaborative effort. So where is the meaning/momentum?

Response: This process informs design of services and products. Sharing these opportunities/challenges allows more people to own the responsibility for community challenges and creates more resources as we move forward together.

 

Kristin Wolff

We started with the question: what will leadership look like in the 21st Cent?

 - so how do you align the right metrics, with the right partners, in the right time frame?

You have $.05 and can use it for services, or you might use it to move the other $.95 to move the initiative forward with you.

 We may need new ways of measuring our outcomes if this is where we believe our significance is.

 

We have design issues.

 

We digress.

 

Where's the story of workforce leadership?

Weaving a narrative around workforce is our new challenge. It isn't only data, it is a fire hose of data. We are looking for new ways of using the data to create meaning. We have a data piece, with several storylines. We need to address them all, but only have money for 1, so we move out one circle to engage more people. They can't address all of the other 4 either, but they are bought in to the problem (which, solved alone, won't really be a solve), and so they have asked their friends to also engage in solving the problem. This repeats as more people see/feel/understand the "data product" i.e. the community story, and now folks all work towards the same end(s)... Impact grows as people speak a common language and work on a common set of challenges and opportunities.

 

Engage the storytellers! Get a media partner(s).

 

Proving your case is necessary, but not sufficient. We must also weave the story (tools: public opinion polls, blogs, etc.) in many ways. Interaction, narrative that allows people to see themselves in your work.

 

Workforce leaders have few opportunities to share challenges/successes, compare notes, share learning. Sure, we have conferences, etc. When do we have the opportunity to spend substantial time together shaping visions and sharing knowledge?

 

There have been innovator's communities that come together in one room to share learning.

A workforce leadership institute is underway to build our capacity and mentor.