On the brink of implementing a new service delivery model requiring employees to view their roles differently and work in residential teams, Monroe County Developmental Center realized they needed to change the bureaucratic culture that existed and focus on recognition and retention of trained, competent employees.

They recognized the importance of involving employees in a comprehensive performance planning program and invited Sterling Institute to assist them in this endeavor. Their goals were to a) improve performance, b) increase productivity, c) strengthen job satisfaction, and d) enhance career development. The outcome desired was a productive workplace, where people felt valued and recognized for the work they did.

At Monroe, cultural values were out of line with actual management practices. Doing more with less was making the misalignment worse. Repeated austerity frequently results in a gap between practices and values; performance deteriorated, in part because of the values gap. One direct care worker put it this way, "I need to work in an organization that values me as an individual and that recognizes the work I do". The best solution was one that began with individual value congruency. To acculturate productive practices more in line with their values and to do more with less was the focus of Sterling Institute's intervention at Monroe. The intervention matched the problem.

Monroe placed high value on human-social factors and perhaps were more frustrated than others when they were treated in ways that were not consistent with their values. With Sterling Institute's assistance, they incorporated the "Developing People", and "Directing Your Development" philosophy and model into their organization, placing priority on personal development opportunities that were in line with the Center's mission. "Developing People" was a vehicle for instilling their values into their work. This led to immediate acceptance and greater success.