TALKING TO YOUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
The purpose of this document is to provide talking points and tools to help you and your employees get
ready for – and feel comfortable with – changes here at UCSF.
STARTING THE CONVERSATION
Here are some potential elements for a discussion with an employee, to give context and get the
discussion going. You do not have to deliver them verbatim, they’re simply suggestions that you can use
or tailor to your own management style and situation.
Conversation Starters
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Today I’d like to talk with you about the organizational changes that are going on at UCSF.
I would like to talk with you about any questions you might have about the future.
There is much information available on the OE website that you can utilize to bring employees up to
speed. Please review the resource section below.
WHAT TO SAY / WHAT NOT TO SAY
It’s natural for us to focus on the challenges of change. What are some potential positive outcomes that
can result from Operational Excellence? Think about your own situation and decide whether these
might apply:
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Better technology
Effective training
A community of peers: network of people in similar roles working together
Clear career paths for advancement
Consider utilizing the Faculty Staff Assistance Program as a resource to facilitate discussions about
change. Upon request and without charge, they have an outstanding program which speaks to the
challenges of experiencing change.
Helping employees focus on preparing for the future can re-direct anxiety and demonstrate the
institution’s commitment. Career development sessions are available free of charge and more detail is
available on the companion document Talking to Your Employees About Professional Development.
We all want to make our employees feel better about the future, but please be careful:
 Don’t make any commitments about the future that you can’t commit to fulfill (e.g., don’t tell
anyone not to worry that they will have a job in the new organization).
 When answering questions, stick to what you know now, answer as completely as you can, and
if you don’t know the answer, let the employee know you don’t know the answer at this time
and follow up later.
Updated 04.13.11
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TALKING TO YOUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
In your role as manager, your staff seek you out as an expert and knowledgeable resource. These
suggestions are intended to help you feel confident about responding to employee concerns and
anxiety. Talking to your employees about OE helps make change a more normal and less fearful part of
campus life.
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE RESOURCES
There are some great resources that are already available on the Operational Excellence website:
http://operationalexcellence.ucsf.edu/
 OE Chair/Manager’s Tool
http://operationalexcellence.ucsf.edu/files/images/OEChairs_Managers_Tool_031011.pdf
This document may have many slides, but it is also packed with information. You should feel
free to use whichever small number of slides might help address the issue you are discussing.
Don’t feel that you have to cover everything in a single conversation. Have regular updates
focusing on different aspects of OE and use what is applicable.
 FAQs
http://operationalexcellence.ucsf.edu/faqs These questions came directly from the campus
community. You may want to highlight a few of these at a staff meeting and share the link to the
rest.
 Rumor Mill
http://operationalexcellence.ucsf.edu/rumor-mill Along with the FAQs, these responses may
help answer questions and correct misunderstandings about OE.
Updated 04.13.11
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