Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/moving-toward-a-shared-vision/5021308/
London Bridge Child Care Services was formed in 1993 and today operates 14 child care centres in and around London Ontario, Canada. In 2000, a significant shift in the organization’s approach to curriculum called for a courageous change in their approach to leadership and their organizational structure.Have you ever considered what it must be like to move an elephant? As we reflect on the journey that we have been on for the past 20 years at London Bridge, the image of moving an elephant often comes to our minds. When an elephant is content on staying put, getting him to move can be a daunting task. But when he is eager and wanting to move, it is next to impossible to keep him still.
From the beginning, London Bridge has always been an organization whose people cared deeply, worked hard, and strove to provide what we believed was high-quality care to the children in our community. On the surface, things seemed to run smoothly, but behind the scenes we were experiencing some ongoing challenges. Staff turnover was high. Growth opportunity was minimal, centre directors were pulled in many different directions, and there was a strong ‘us and them’ mentality between the educators ...