Ed's culture change email

Colleagues: As you know, our 6–year strategic plan, guided by its four overarching goals, is the blueprint for how we as an agency will move forward in realizing our vision of San Francisco as a great city with excellent transportation choices. Of those goals, Goal 4, creating a workplace that delivers outstanding service, may be the single-most important, for without an environment that constructively engages its employees and builds on their strengths, the remaining three goals will likely be unattainable.

In meeting with the executive staff earlier this year, we discussed the need for a change in culture, one that clearly understands the challenges our employees face and the barriers preventing each of us from doing our best work. To that end, we discussed the specific behavioral changes needed to create this “culture change,” one that encourages a more collaborative, fulfilling and productive work environment.

The ten commitments attached are our pledge to you, our SFMTA colleagues, to provide a work environment based on mutual respect that not only inspires us, but others as well. These commitments are the first step to creating a true culture of service with more internal infrastructure to follow to carry these philosophies through for longterm sustainability.

To create a new culture, old walls must be torn down, obstacles that impede success must be removed and engagement at every level is critical if we are to achieve our goals. As we venture into the new year, these 10 commitments stand as our pledge— our commitment to you—to create an organization that takes care of its people by fostering an environment where each of us can flourish.

Ed