Monthly Report #22: RMU Change Management Task Order

The team submitted a request to the Contracting Officer to replace the Change Management Lead on August 12, 2021, with a candidate available to start on September 6, 2021, pending concurrence from the Contracting Officer. The TCMST began conducting biweekly meetings with the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) project Activity Manager in August. The team updated its Menu of Services, which was submitted to the Activity Manager and shared with other members of DDI's Culture and Change Management Committee (CCMC). The updated Menu of Services includes a more detailed description of the TCMST's Coaching Program, which has been made available to staff through a weekly Coaching Café. The TCMST has provided individual coaching to leadership from the Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub (ITR), Program Office (PO), Center for Economics and Market Development (EMD), and the Center for Environment, Energy, and Infrastructure. Since setting up the Coaching Café on August 18, 2021, two staff members have requested and received coaching. The TCMST has also begun participating in DDI's biweekly CCMC Meetings. In the Program Office, the TCMST interviewed PO Team Leads between August 5 and August 13, 2021, to gather insight on how the PO has responded to issues raised during the May 2021 PO staff retreat. The interviews were consolidated into key highlights and recommendations, which were discussed with the PO Deputy Assistant Administrator and Acting Director on August 26, 2021. The TCMST conducted a focus group discussion with eight new hires who joined the PO since the beginning of the telework period on August 23, 2021, to gather information on the PO's onboarding process in a virtual environment. The TCMST provided a presentation on the USAID Customer Service Culture Assessment to the Client Service Operations (CSO) Team on August 3, 2021. The CSO team expressed interest in building upon a few findings and recommendations within the report, and the TCMST offered to help facilitate the finalization of a customer service charter and conduct process mapping sessions to clarify processes involved in customer service. In the Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub, the TCMST met with ITR's DAA and Acting Director on August 23, 2021, to go over updates regarding ITR's task force, officially named the ITR Tasky McTaskforce (TMT). The meeting helped identify additional assistance that could be provided by the TCMST, including developing ITR's internal communications strategy, defining strategies to facilitate knowledge sharing between teams, and developing internal process maps for key activities. The TCMST met with the ITR officer on August 3, 2021, in charge of completing the initial draft of the communications strategy to provide guidance and offer support in developing the strategy. ITR leadership invited the TCMST to attend planning sessions for ITR's September All Hands Meeting to assist in designing an engaging agenda and activities where ITR staff could share their portfolios and learn more about one another, especially across teams. The TCMST reviewed and edited a draft email inviting staff to provide feedback on navigating clearances and processes within DDI. ITR leadership acknowledged the emotional impact of the current situation in Afghanistan and brainstormed with the TCMST on strategies that would allow staff to share their experiences and connections with the country to foster support and increase understanding among staff. The TCMST plans on attending upcoming ITR TMT meetings to provide insight and feedback on priorities for ITR and potential steps forward. The TCMST's Senior CM Specialist has continued weekly coaching sessions with the Acting Director of ITR. The Acting Director passed on the names of two additional individuals on the Innovation Team interested in coaching, and the Senior CM Specialist has contacted them to schedule an introductory session. In the Center for Economics and Market Development, the TCMST met with the Acting Economics Team Lead on August 3, 2021, to discuss the design of an Economics Team strategic planning workshop. The TCMST has also provided coaching to the Acting Economics Team Lead and has scheduled additional coaching sessions with other team members.