Government Experience

NASA, John F. Kennedy Space Center

Workforce Development

Challenge:
Following the Columbia Accident, a report by the independent Columbia Accident Investigation Board identified NASA’s culture as one of the contributing factors to the accident. The Director of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and KSC’s Change Manager felt a strong need to ensure that the centers values were being enhanced but that the organizational systems, processes, structures and leadership were in place to drive and enhance a culture based on safety, one NASA family, integrity and excellence. These needed to be enhanced in order for the center to return to fight and to fulfill NASA’s Mission of the Kennedy Space Center for the future.

Solution:
The Kennedy Space Center has worked with the RedWind Group for several months to ensure that their culture, organizational systems, and processes are aligned with highest levels of safety and performance to ensure mission success. RedWind was brought in to work with KSC’s Change Manager, the Center Director, his leadership team and project teams to help KSC achieve a successful implementation of their many ongoing change projects as well as to provide organizational consulting and support for their overarching change management effort. The work has included an organizational assessment and analysis as well as chartering, launching and providing integration and oversight to strategic initiatives including NASA values, leadership communication, performance management, work process improvement and behavioural based training and observation.

Results:
An organizational culture assessment and analysis has been completed and a baseline has been established. An overarching Culture Enhancement Initiative Scorecard has been developed with timelines and deliverables. Project teams have been chartered launched and are delivering on their projects. KSC leaders are focused and armed to be able to align their organizations to enhancing the NASA values. Change Management Leadership and internal change leaders are providing a wealth of support to business leaders. Top leaders throughout KSC are better prepared to lead and create culture change within their organization to enhance NASA’s values.

Veteran’s Benefits Administration, Los Angeles Regional Office

Challenge:
The Los Angeles Regional Office was one of the lowest performing VBA district offices in the country and was threatened to be closed.

Solution:
Our consultants helped create a clear vision, gained buy-in and support for a major culture change. We assisted in completely changing the work environment and organizational structure, and created a “Visual Management” office. We helped redesign processes including HR planning, recruitment, selection and assimilation, tracking and reporting, performance management, and reward systems.

Results:
In 2001, the Office received the Director of the United States Office of Personnel Management’s PILLAR (Performance Incentive Leadership Linked to Achieving Results) Award—one of only two federal agencies to receive this award. The office has received a number of additional Awards including a Reinventing Government Award.