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May 2007

The Underdog Triumphs

To successfully implement major change, an organization must have a positive culture built on employee confidence, respect, and positive thinking. Our At C Level interview on page 42 illustrates how a small regional phone company changed its culture to compete successfully with the big dogs of the phone world. As U.S. Cellular President and CEO Jack Rooney puts it, “[We] are the little engine that could.”

If you don’t know that childhood classic of positive thinking and motivation, The Little Engine That Could recounts how a little blue train engine conquered his doubts and fears to earn the respect of bigger engines by climbing a steep mountain with a heavy load of toys for boys and girls on the other side of the mountain.

As the new president and CEO of U.S. Cellular, Rooney—who already had his share of success in the phone industry—was asked to study the culture of his new company and suggest ways to make it more productive. He found out quickly that he had a monumental task ahead of him because as he described it, “There was no unified culture at U.S. Cellular.”

Two key aspects of change management are the human element and communication. People fear change because it pushes them into the unknown, but Rooney found the perfect formula to create a culture of change that mitigated those concerns. It took a year, but using his philosophy, “Believe that your work is noble, and good things follow,” he turned U.S. Cellular into a major player in a very competitive industry. By helping associates feel that they understand what they are doing and are proud of it, he has created a culture of respect among frontline workers and management.

To demonstrate his desire to listen to associates, Rooney has held informal chat sessions, dedicated a “Listen, Jack” email box for associates, and created a strong recognition and reward program. By valuing the contributions of his frontline staff, he has created a positive culture that is flexible enough to meet the needs of customers in a constantly changing business.

U.S. Cellular is an impressive blueprint for incorporating major change within an organization with employee support. It shows how the power of positive thinking and a culture of respect can go a long way toward preparing an organization to meet business demands and exceed customer expectations.

Paula Ketter
Editor, T+D
pketter@astd.org

FEATURES

AT C-LEVEL
'There Are No Happy Losers'
By Tony Bingham and Pat Galagan
In an exclusive interview with T+D, U.S. Cellular President and CEO Jack Rooney discusses how his regional phone company competed against the national giants and won.
FREE PDF

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Balancing the Leadership Paradox
By Thomas J. Griffin and Jim Gustafson
At U.S. Cellular, leadership effectiveness is the foundation of the company’s business model.
PURCHASE ARTICLE
PODCAST

METRICS AND MEASUREMENTS
Ignoring the Obvious
By Eric Lesser and Ray Rivera
A recent survey conducted by IBM and ASTD shows that less than half of the organizations surveyed are doing a good job addressing changing workforce demographics.
PURCHASE ARTICLE

TALENT MANAGEMENT
What Does Your Hiring Process Say About You?
By Scott Erker
A DDI-Monster survey examined four aspects of the hiring process: recruiting, selecting, landing the right candidate, and retaining valuable talent.
PURCHASE ARTICLE

DELIVERING TRAINING
Virtual Threat, Real Sweat
By Jenni Jarventaus
Computer-based simulation and gaming technology have moved into the mainstream of emergency response training.
PURCHASE ARTICLE

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY
Communicating the Value of Learning
By Tony Bingham and Tony Jeary
It is imperative that workplace learning professionals effectively communicate how learning fits into the overall company strategy.
PURCHASE ARTICLE

Executive Summaries

DEPARTMENTS

INTELLIGENCE
So Many People, So Few Managers
Chinese businesses are struggling to find leaders with global savvy.
FREE PDF

RE:SEARCH
Ringing Out the Old LMS
Survey finds that the move to consolidate LMS data is picking up steam.
FREE PDF

TECHNOLOGY
The World According to Wiki
Wikis are emerging as knowledge management tools in the workplace.
PURCHASE ARTICLE

FUNDAMENTALS
Give Real Credit for Your Training
Have you ever thought about offering college credit for your training courses?
PURCHASE ARTICLE

DEVELOPMENT
Searching for a Fair Fee
Setting the right price for services is what turns a good consulting business into an outstanding one.
PURCHASE ARTICLE