By investing in the development of relationally intelligent employees, CareOregon has optimized teamwork and communication and created a workplace culture where collaboration thrives and diversity is celebrated.
“We’ve seen that it’s really helped people interact more effectively and to understand and work with different perspectives and honor that. That all styles, all values are accepted and respected and needed. We have a healthier team if we have different styles and preferences.”
CareOregon is the largest Medicaid managed care plan in the state of Oregon, providing support to individuals eligible for the Oregon Health Plan and Medicare Advantage members. In 2007, CareOregon embarked on a journey to improve process efficiencies by forming process improvement teams. To ensure the success of these teams, the organization sought a tool that could help team members improve collaboration and effectively leverage the combined strengths of each team to achieve their process improvement goals.
That same year, CareOregon began utilizing Core Strengths and the Strength Deployment Inventory assessment (SDI 2.0) as a communication tool to empower team members to gain insights into their strengths, motivations, and effective ways to communicate with colleagues whose strengths and motivations differed from their own.
During semi-annual meetings, the process improvement teams presented the strides they had made within the organization. Remarkably, team members voluntarily expressed how the SDI 2.0 had been pivotal in their team’s success. Cathy Merge, Senior Organizational Development Specialist at CareOregon, recalls the overwhelming response, “That started sort of a groundswell. Everybody wanted in. ‘I want to do that too!’ Everybody wanted to be part of a process improvement team, and everybody wanted to take the SDI 2.0.”
Encouraged by the positive reception, Cathy and her team took the initiative to organize Core Strengths workshops for both individuals and teams across the organization and beyond the process improvement team. These workshops allowed participants to experience the SDI 2.0 assessment and develop Relationship Intelligence to navigate conflicts and improve communication within their teams.
Additionally in 2015, CareOregon began integrating the SDI 2.0 assessment and Core Strengths workshop into their onboarding program. This proactive approach helped new employees understand their motivations and appreciate the diverse perspectives within their new teams early into their tenure. By nurturing Relationship Intelligence early on, CareOregon fostered a culture of inclusive interaction and healthier team dynamics.
Over the past 15 years, the implementation of Core Strengths has yielded tremendous benefits for CareOregon, leading to a more inclusive and communicative organizational culture. The Relationship Intelligence insights provided by the SDI 2.0 into individual and team strengths and motivations has vastly improved collaboration, deepened mutual understanding among team members, and created an environment that values and respects differences in others.
Cathy Merge emphasizes the positive impact, stating, “We’ve seen that it’s really helped people interact more effectively and to understand and work with different perspectives and honor that. That all styles, all values are accepted and respected and needed. We have a healthier team if we have different styles and preferences.”
By investing in the development of relationally intelligent employees, CareOregon has optimized teamwork and communication and created a workplace culture where collaboration thrives and diversity is celebrated.
CareOregon is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and families in the state of Oregon. As the largest Medicaid managed care plan in the region, they proudly serve individuals eligible for the Oregon Health Plan and Medicare Advantage members. CareOregon’s mission is to provide accessible, high-quality healthcare and support services to those in need, empowering them to lead healthier, happier lives.
