Company of Friends members are always finding new ways of working together. Take Karenanne Swift, 47, an executive program manager for Liberty Northwest Insurance Corp., in Portland, Oregon. Last June, along with her sister, Linda Miller, Swift organized a Fast Company discussion group that was entirely separate from the main Portland cell. 'Many of us work in the high-tech field, and we wanted tips on creating change within our organizations,' says Swift. Some members of the group have since joined the Portland CoF cell -- bringing membership in the cell to more than 140 people. But for about half a year, Swift's group of 10 met on its own. Fast Company talked to Swift about the ins and outs of technology, change, and collaboration.

What Are You Working On?

'I'm working to integrate technology into Liberty Northwest's business-planning process. That's not a groundbreaking idea, of course, but implementing it has been a challenge because the company is going through some dramatic internal changes, including product diversification and a move toward multifunctional work teams. I'm looking for ways of working that are useful without being too 'fast forward.' '

Favorite FC Story

'Several of the points made in Change: The 10 Laws of Change That Never Change were really helpful (April:May 1997). The key lesson: Build a broad-based support network. When I joined Liberty Northwest, I kept hearing that we didn't have a clear-enough direction when it came to technology. So I started working with five or six people who wanted to change that. Meanwhile, I also talked to three of the company's four founders about how we could more clearly communicate their vision. That combination of top-down leadership and grassroots leadership has resulted in a new planning process.'

Guiding Principle

'Collaboration is what drives success in any kind of project. People don't respond well to the Lone Ranger coming in to save them. To sustain change, everyone needs to be a part of that change. I used to be executive director of the Oregon chapter of the American Institute of Banking, an organization that provides continuing-education services to bankers. In that role, I would spend two months out of every year driving around the state and working with volunteer groups. Those trips -- and the resulting collaborations -- were absolutely priceless.'

Coordinates: Karenanne Swift, karenanne.swift@libertynorthwest.com

From: March 2000 issue