Graduate Stories – 2004

Joel Gratwick & Nancy Rhoades, Presidents, Bonney Staffing, Saltwater Alumni, 2004

Since The Seven Intentions® we are definitely a different company. We are in our mission.

We first learned about The Seven Intentions® of Values-Centered Leadership program when Joel had a chance meeting with Tom Chappell. He asked how things were going at Bonney and at the time we were really struggling. Tom invited us to a sampler to experience The Saltwater Institute's programs, and we were intrigued. For years we had focused on the bottom line: How could we continue to develop new markets, new services? In the '90s we were riding high. We opened eight offices and created a computer training school, and there were growth opportunities for everybody. Then came 9/11. Because of the recession, one of our offices was losing a lot of money. Suddenly we couldn't promote growth because of financial issues. There was blame and negativity—a terrible rumor mill with a lot of fear about whether people were going to lose their jobs. We were really at a crossroads.

During this difficult time we talked to various consultants, but we were most impressed by Saltwater's graduate stories. They focused on a renewed energy within companies that had gone through a crisis, spurring them to look back at why they were here to begin with.We have worked together for sixteen years, making most decisions and then delegating the implementation. During this exploration phase, it was evident that there were people within Bonney itself who could help facilitate solutions. So in deciding whether to take The Seven Intentions® course alone or with the group, we realized that to exclude management would only support negativity. We knew we had to make a cohesive team where everybody's input would be valued, so we worked with Saltwater to create an Integrated Seven Intentions program designed around the learning goals of our team.

There were thirteen of us: branch managers, our controller, the head of HR, and the two of us. Our learning goals were both personal and professional. The intent was for everyone to ask themselves how they could improve their leadership and communication style.We have eight offices scattered from Bangor to Portsmouth, and we wanted the managers to share our values for growing the company. If we were going to refocus our mission, then management needed to put their fingerprints on it and claim ownership. Saltwater helped us see that the anchor was the values.

One of the most fabulous parts of the course was making timelines of significant events in our personal and organizational lives. It was a challenge, but after that the group really started appreciating Bonney. The Intentions gave them a connection to the company by allowing them to take a personal journey. After the course we shared our discoveries with the company at large in a “pass it on” session, which really pulled people together. The course was an awakening;we were regaining our center, peeling back the onion layers. It was just phenomenal.

Our Know Thyself, Be Thyself exercises were very striking. The facilitator divided us into groups to identify who Bonney was and what we wanted to be. When we came back, the thoughts were almost identical from group to group. This was the beginning of the “We Are” statements, which have become our new benchmarks. Now local branches use the statements as a check and balance so decisions are made consistently for the good of the company. We often reference the “We Are” statements in our conversations. It's a language people understand quickly. The other day we were talking to our HR manager about an issue, and she shot back, “I've got the ‘We Are' statements posted right next to my computer, and I'm not sure this is the direction we should be going.” It was a good challenge! Before Saltwater we had a mission statement, but they were just words on the wall. They weren't being lived. These are lived every day.

We've made some staffing changes, one of the best things to come out of Saltwater. During the course some team members didn't want to explore Destiny, one of the toughest Intentions. But others embraced it, so we knew we needed to expand their leadership roles. We set up an executive committee and promoted two managers to vice president. Two others chose to leave the company. These were very capable people, but they didn't share Bonney's destiny.

A lot of derogatory words are associated with our industry, like body pushers and headhunters. We have always wanted to be above that, to make quality placements that build long-term relationships with our customers. Now a values focus is reflected in our hiring practices.We just hired a new manager, and during the interview process we tailored questions specifically to draw out his values and see whether they meshed with Bonney's. Prior to joining our firm he worked for two national companies and then was aggressively offered another job by a national in our market. He actually turned down more money to come work for us. That's a values decision. One of our goals is to make sure that all new management goes through Saltwater's course, and we are eager for him to enroll.

Values-centered leadership is the way to run and promote our business and bring our service into the community. It definitely gives more purpose to what we do on all levels, while empowering our people. You can be a profitable company and have a sense of value in what you're doing. In fact, we're on the verge of becoming a more successful company than we were in the '90s.

The Intentions gave us a sense of calm. Although we still have issues to deal with, Bonney is in a position of great strength. We're all on the same page and there are multiple ways of communicating. We're going to have less turn over. We've already had managers say, “We're here for life. This is our place, our passion.” When people talk in those terms, you know you're onto something.

These are turbulent times. People need to be reassured, to be involved, and to know what is going on, because otherwise fear runs rampant. Any organization going through change, or even one that's stagnant, could benefit from Saltwater's programs. Since The Seven Intentions® we are definitely a different company. We are in our mission.