Example
of Barry's Work:
United States
Postal Service - Office of Inspector General
Washington, D.C.
This page is an example of a client in the
government setting with whom Barry Sweeny was worked, the
United States Postal Service Office of Inspector
General in Washington D.C.
INDEX:
USPS
-OIG Program Information - Phase One
The mentoring program at the OIG was begun in
January 2005. It was immediately implemented as a nationwide program
and was to be run under the Office of Professional Development.
The focus of the program was on orientation of
new employees to the OIG and provision of support by experienced
senior staff to accelerate the new hires' professional growth.
The ultimate goal of the program is for new hires to quickly becoming
contributing, self-sufficient members of their assigned team.
The first steps taken were the assignment of mentors
to recent new hires. For the first six months, this was the only
step taken as a program.
USPS
-OIG Program Needs - Phase Two
After about six months, an initial survey of participants
was conducted. As a result, several issues surfaced, calling for
additional program steps to be taken:
- In June, 2005, the Office of Professional Development
assigned an employee, Mrs. Ronda Allen, to coordinate
the Mentor Program.
- The Office of Professional Development and
Mrs. Allen analyzed survey response data and concluded
that mentors needed and wanted training in the skills of effective
mentoring.
- OIG Managers also felt the need to be
informed about the expectations of mentors, how to incorporate
mentoring strategies into their supervision of new employees,
and how to coordinate their supervision of new hires with the
mentoring.
- Mrs. Allen also felt the need for some mentoring
for herself as the Mentor Program Leader.
This was the point at which the USPS Office of
Inspector General contracted with Barry Sweeny of Best Practice
Resources, Inc.
The
Focus of Barry Sweeny's Contract With the USPS -OIG Program
Barry fulfilled two roles for the OIG, mentor
and manager training and program consultation:
- Barry's initial task was to DESIGN the needed
mentor training
- Barry led discussions with OIG to assess
the goals of the planned training & the training participants'
needs.
- The training content was designed and materials
for the training were developed by Barry.
- Training materials and logistical requirements
were sent to OIG, who had agreed to duplicated the training
materials.
- Barry's second task was to DELIVER the required
mentor training.
- OIG brought Barry to the OIG's Washington
D.C. offices
- The training was conducted on September
8, 2005
- About 65 mentors and 40 managers attended
the Washington D.C. training
- About 20 additional mentors and managers
from seven other OIG offices around the USA participated
in the mentor training via video conference:
- The third task was to support through consultation,
the work of the Mentor Program Coordinator, Mrs. Allen. She
had questions and wanted support for three areas of her program
responsibilities. Most of this work involved discerning specific
needs and goals, and then, describing specific process recommendations.
- Next steps in implementation of the program
to add missing elements which an effective program needs
- How to design and implement a program evaluation
process
- Guidance for the program steps needed to
better support increasing the effectiveness of the mentoring.
Testimony
About Barry Sweeny's Work With the USPS -OIG
"I employed Mr. Sweeny because of his previous
experience and work with other agencies whose technical and governmental
settings and auditing responsibilities were similar to our own.
I personally enjoyed working with Barry. I was
also very pleased with the mentor training he led for us. It went
very well, and I have been receiving many very positive responses
from the mentors and managers who were the training participants.
I also very much appreciated Barry's consulting
with me and support of my work as the Mentor Program Coordinator.
He really knows the challenges of this role and sensed my needs,
even when I had not yet stated them. I shall confidently move
ahead to follow his advice because of the authority with which
he speaks."
- Mrs. Ronda Allen, Mentor Program Coordinator,
USPS - OIG
----------
(Four Months After the Initial Training)
"I have had such a good response on our mentor
training feedback instrument from the people who attended Barry's
first training here! Also, the good word is spreading! Others
not in the program initially have contacted me to request the
opportunity to be a mentor and attend the training. Now that's
the kind of boost our program has needed. We are so pleased with
this response that we have invited Barry to do a second mentor
and manager training for us next year."
- Mrs. Ronda Allen, Mentor Program Coordinator,
USPS - OIG
