This being so, leaders are wise to spend the time necessary to understand and listen to their team, help all learn to work together well, meet individual and organizational needs, and develop a sense of collective purpose. This grounding is an essential first step before the organization prepares to get real. Get Real Organizational theories as early as scientific management have discussed the importance of getting good information on an organization to ensure a realistic chance of achieving individual and collective goals. To achieve these ends, some colleges are deep into institutional effectiveness and have developed elaborate systems to generate and analyze data about college operations. Others have adopted quality techniques ranging from statistical process controls to focus groups.
Some colleges utilize marketing models and customer analysis.
And, a number of institutions closely relate activities to accreditation and university transfer standards. The key is to collect useful information that offers insight into how the college serves students, treats employees, and responds to the needs of its community. This process is essential because often an honest assessment of the past and present is the key to successful moves into the future. Thus, in any renewal effort, however difficult the technique or displeasing the data may be, leaders neglect getting real at their own peril. Get Going Community colleges across the country are decorated with framed vision, mission, and goal statements.