Partner: Orgametrics®
Client: Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota
Leader: Sheriff James Stuart
Background
The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota serves a diverse population with a staff spanning six divisions and multiple specialty units. In his eighth year as Sheriff, James Stuart had long championed the importance of mission, vision, and unified direction across the organization.
Upon taking office, Sheriff Stuart instituted a foundational “Vision Talk” that every employee—sworn and civilian—was required to attend. This presentation outlined expectations, highlighted the department’s history, and described the future they could build by working together. But despite this intentional start, Sheriff Stuart knew alignment couldn’t be a one-time initiative.
The Challenge
As with many agencies, Anoka County’s leadership believed the team was aligned—but hadn’t measured it formally. Orgametrics® provided an opportunity to validate those assumptions with data.
When the initial Orgametrics® assessment results came in, Sheriff Stuart described his reaction as “shell-shocked.”
“Like most leaders, I had a vision of how aligned we were. I quickly learned that while we were in a good place, we weren’t in a great place—and that difference matters.”
The assessment revealed specific areas where staff felt disconnected, most notably around internal communication and the day-to-day operational clarity across divisions.
The Orgametrics® Approach
Orgametrics® didn’t just deliver survey results—they facilitated a collaborative process to break down insights and drive change:
- Division-Level Strategy Workshops: Supervisors and command staff participated in breakout sessions to assess their own areas and align on priorities.
- Office-Wide Alignment Planning: The agency created a structured roadmap to strengthen unity across all six divisions.
- Ongoing Support: Orgametrics® provided tools and support to embed these changes sustainably into agency operations.
“They didn’t just walk through the data—they helped us build a real process to move forward.”
Key Changes Implemented
1. Enhanced Communication
- Every division now sends out regular updates shared agency-wide.
- Even Sheriff Stuart learned new insights about operations through this practice.
- Updates are paired with “mission moments” that highlight how individual actions align with the agency’s values.
2. Cultural Reinforcement
- Daily decision-making now more intentionally reflects the agency’s mission: “To protect and serve the community in a manner that preserves the public trust.”
3. Clarity of Purpose
- Staff are more consistently asking, “Does this action maintain public trust?”
- Alignment across ranks has improved, making operations more seamless.
Results and Impact
- Improved Internal Communication across all divisions.
- Greater Staff Engagement with mission and values.
- Reduced Risk: Better alignment has led to fewer missteps, complaints, and community concerns.
- Empowered Supervisors: With clear direction and aligned teams, leaders spend less time on corrective issues and more on strategic leadership.
“When your team is aligned, you don’t have to micromanage operations—you know people are doing the right things for the right reasons.”
Conclusion
For the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, using Orgametrics® wasn’t just a performance tool—it was an investment in the future of the agency and the community it serves.
“If improving your organization and improving service delivery are priorities, then this is absolutely something you should look at as an investment.”
