If asked to list examples of an innovative community, would Fort Wayne come to mind? If you believe our community is not innovative then you are a passenger on the same rusty boat I was cruising on until about a year ago. Perceptions can change when fueled with facts.
After a year of researching great leaders and their companies for my weekly column, Business UNusual, in Fort Wayne Business Weekly, I discovered our community is much more innovative than I had originally thought. Join me and disembark the S.S. Uninformed, letting Tim Savage and his team at ENS Group challenge any false assumption you may have. ENS recently made a significant investment in a new facility by dedicating about 30 percent of it to a demonstration center.
“This center allows clients to immerse themselves in the new technologies that are available,” Savage says. “We have a significant partnership with Cisco Systems and we are now one of the largest Cisco partners in Indiana. We have modeled our facility after Cisco’s in its Chicago office and we believe it brings significant opportunities for Fort Wayne companies. The facility has full video conference abilities and can demonstrate all of the newest technologies from Cisco, which we believe is the industry’s innovation leader.”
So, if we have innovative companies like ENS Group thriving in our own community, why would anyone choose to outsource those services?
“One of the challenges of being a technology company that grew up in Fort Wayne is that many larger companies here still see us as the 15-person company we were five years ago, not the 50-person company we are now,” Savage says. “We now offer the same level of competency as companies from Indianapolis and Chicago, but many local companies still believe they need to engage out-of-town firms to get the best talent supporting them. We hope as time goes on they will take another look at ENS Group, recognize the significant talent investment we have made and keep the dollars local.”
Savage is not alone in his desire to continually seek better ways to improve, striving to exceed his clients’ expectations. Cheri Becker, executive director of Leadership Fort Wayne, is working hard to keep the organization relevant for today’s—and tomorrow’s—needs.
“In 2011-2012, Leadership Fort Wayne (LFW) alumnus reported giving back over 150,000 hours in community service and an estimated $3.1 million in philanthropy,” Becker says. “Further evidence is provided not in the context of programming but in the ever-increasing number of LFW alums who are or have continued to dedicate themselves to civic engagement and participated in the public process by their election to public office, and by those listed on the many boards, and commissions dedicated to community serving activities throughout Fort Wayne.”
A few of the changes Becker has put into place include quantifying data.
“We measure everything that we can about community involvement,” Becker says. “We want individuals to find their passion for service and their voice for the greater good of the whole community. Leaders must have a sense of the big picture and feel empowered to do things to help address our challenges and opportunities. Civic engagement is civic leadership.”
Curriculum content and delivery methods have also been changed in the LFW program, which now includes individual 360 degree Leadership Assessments.
“This provides each individual with a personalized report of how they perceive their leadership skills and abilities and how their peer group perceives them,” Becker says
Whether an organization is a part of the technology industry, or a non-profit industry focused on civic engagement, you can rest assured that both seek better ways of serving their constituents. An innovative community doesn’t rest on its laurels; it continually seeks to improve. ENS Group and Leadership Fort Wayne are just two examples of innovative organizations in Fort Wayne, continually transforming to better serve our needs.
