Virtual Replay: Administrative Professionals Conference

Breaking Barriers to Effective Collaboration

Presenter: Nura Said

In today’s fast-paced work environment, communication breakdowns and collaboration challenges are all too common. From miscommunications to delays and tension between teams, many of us unknowingly contribute to a difficult workplace. This session will highlight a series of practical, easy-to-apply strategies that anyone can use to mitigate these barriers and foster more effective communication in everyday interactions. Participants will leave with actionable tools for adapting to different communication styles, writing clearer emails, running more productive meetings, fostering a culture of collaboration, and tracking progress for professional growth.

By making small changes to how we communicate, we can create a ripple effect that transforms our workplace into one that’s more productive, inclusive, and empowering.

From Clutter to Clarity: Tools for Organizational Excellence

Presenter: Cory Reithmeyer, MBA, and Taylor Ungerer, MBA

Join us for an engaging and practical session where we dive into the secrets of achieving organizational excellence and maximizing workplace productivity. This presentation will provide you with actionable strategies and tools to transform your work environment and optimize your daily tasks. Learn effective techniques to declutter and organize your workspace, creating a more efficient and productive environment. Discover the benefits and features of using project management and collaborative tools to streamline productivity. Additionally, understand the functionalities and best practices for communication tools to improve team communication. Explore proven time management techniques and calendar strategies to boost productivity. Leave this session equipped with the knowledge and skills to revolutionize your workflow, enhance team collaboration, and achieve organizational excellence. Don’t miss this opportunity to go from clutter to clarity and take your productivity to new heights!

Microsoft Excel: Developing Basic Skills

Presenter: Abby Terzis

This presentation will focus on beginner and intermediate Microsoft Excel skills to improve work productivity, including spreadsheet navigation, data references, basic formulas, basic statistics, filtering and sorting data, and utilizing “if” statements. All skill levels are welcome to attend this interactive, skill-building session.

Emotional Intelligence: A Foundation for a Positive Workplace Culture at UW-Madison

Presenter: Jenny Erickson and Kelvin Alfaro

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a cornerstone of creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace environment. This session explores how emotional intelligence—encompassing empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation plays a crucial role in shaping a healthy, inclusive, and productive workplace culture. Participants will explore the role that EI plays in fostering stronger workplace relationships and driving engagement, motivation, and belonging among teams. This session will provide you with the tools and strategies needed to enhance your EI, enabling you to understand and respond to the emotions and experiences of your team members.

Never-Ending Group Projects, A Project Manager’s Guide to Getting Stuff Done

Presenter: Brittney Lyons Boone and Natalie Kozitzky

The dread of the Group Project. When you were in school, and you got a new group project you may have had some of the following thoughts:

“If I want this done well, I will need to do everything” or

“I hope someone else does all this” or

“This is how much of my grade?!”

Once you join the workforce you may find that the group projects never stop. Task Forces, Committees, and Project Teams are an upgraded and more complicated form of the Group Project.

In this session we will have a practical guide on what it takes to navigate and collaborate successfully in team projects by using relationship building, communication techniques and how to productively engage others to get stuff done.

How to Edit Winning Grant Proposals

Presenter: Christine Wenc and Molly Wesling

Professional editors Christine Wenc and Molly Wesling from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research will share how they review and edit research grant applications and help researchers submit winning proposals.

During this session, attendees will:

• review together sample RFPs (Request for Applications) and learn how to spot common roadblocks and challenges regarding format and narrative
• gain tips on writing about technical and academic topics in a way that non-specialist readers can understand
• come away with a list of best practices for polishing grant applications

From Chaos to Clarity: Mastering Task and Priority Management

Presenter: Jim Thompson

In this session, you’ll discover practical tools and techniques to manage tasks and activities effectively. We’ll dive into key prioritization principles and strategies to evaluate your workload, empowering you to accomplish more with confidence. Additionally, we’ll explore proven time management practices and participate in interactive exercises designed to help you take control of your backlog. By the end of the session, you’ll have actionable insights to boost productivity and manage your responsibilities with greater ease.

Visible Work Makes a Team Work

Presenter: Christine Congdon

We have all been there, staring at a list of tasks longer than the number of hours in our workday. Wondering how we can possibly get it all done. Feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. Realizing we have stumbled across unexpected roadblocks, while dealing with interruptions that prevent us from finishing our work. Systems that help teams understand their work, have honest conversations about their work, collaborate with their stakeholders, name their frustrations, and improve their processes increase everyone’s motivation and level of satisfaction. Come identify the challenges facing your team, find power in naming them, and consider how technology can be used to implement helpful practices. It is time to make your work visible!

Relational Administration: Creating Cooperative Work Environments Through Relationship Building

Presenter: Andrea Luke

As an administrative professional, it is our role to support the whole of the departments and centers we work within. But we can’t do it alone or in a silo – we require information and collaboration from our colleagues to help them. In the words of Jerry McGuire, “Help me, help you!”. The more we understand about how trust and genuine relationship building feeds into the norms of reciprocity, the more effectively information can flow between administration and our internal stakeholders to meet our goals.

You Are NOT A Fraud! Using imposter Syndrome to reclaim your value and advance your professional workstyle and development

Presenter: Nicole Sment

Today’s Executive Assistant is not the same position of years past. in addition to more traditional responsib0itlies, such as calendaring, meeting minutes, travel arrangements, and never-ending emails, responsibilities such as event planning, strategic development, alumni relations, and crisis management, can fill out your job description. It’s no wonder that you may not feel completely up to the challenge. Your feelings may even lean towards those of professional inadequacy. And worst of all, you may even convince yourself, you are a fraud.

You are NOT a Fraud!

And you are not alone. You are in the company of former first lady Michelle Obama, Albert Einstein, (yes, that Albert Einstein), and even the first female president of Harvard University, Drew Gilpin Faust.

In this light-hearted and humorous session, you will learn about imposter syndrome, how it can manifest in work processes, and how to implement changes, to combat this sinister threat. But best of all, you will also learn how to use it to your benefit, especially to advance your career.

Enhancing Learning and Development: Integrating the 70-20-10 Model with Communities of Practice

Presenter: Tamie Klumpyan and Cassie Poehnelt

This conference session will show how professional development can be enhanced by integrating the 70-20-10 learning model with Communities of Practice (CoPs).  We will define the concept of CoPs, highlight their benefits, and show how they facilitate informal learning and progress career growth.  Emphasis will be placed on the role of CoPs in social learning.  We will show how integrating CoPs, can create a dynamic learning environment that fosters continuous professional growth and knowledge sharing.

This session is designed for learning and development professionals, HR managers, organizational leaders, and anyone interested in optimizing their approach to professional development.

The Employee Career Counseling Program – Here to help you navigate your career

Presenter: Kelsey Harrington

Navigating your career can be complex—but you don’t have to do it alone. As a UW–Madison employee, you have access to free, confidential 1-on-1 career counseling through the Employee Career Counseling Program (ECCP). Whether you’re exploring new opportunities, seeking growth in your current role, or simply unsure of your next steps, this service is here to support you. Join us for an informative session to learn more about this employee benefit. A Q&A will follow, giving you the chance to ask questions and see how this resource can work for you.

Retirement and other Big Transitions: How do I Prepare? Can we Talk?

Presenter: Carol Hulland, Brian Shore, Tonya Messer, and Mary Czynszak-Lyne

The UW Retirement Issues Committee has developed a rich set of resources for planning for big transitions (retirement being one of these) financially, mentally and emotionally. The session includes an introduction to these resources as a starting place encouraging participants to ask questions and share their experiences. The discussion encourages participants to have valuable conversations advocating for and preparing for life transitions, encouraging small steps over time that support well being and resilience.

Emotional Intelligence at Work: Strengthening Connections, Building Confidence

Presenter: Audrey Cramer

Administrative professionals are the backbone of every organization, navigating complex relationships and juggling diverse responsibilities. This interactive session explores how emotional intelligence (EQ) can empower you to thrive in your role. Discover practical strategies to enhance self-awareness, manage emotions, and build stronger connections with colleagues and leadership. You’ll leave equipped with tools to handle challenging interactions with confidence, foster collaboration, and create a positive ripple effect across your workplace. Whether you’re looking to advance your career or simply navigate daily tasks with greater ease, this session will inspire you to turn EQ into your superpower.

UW-Madison Travel – Booking best practices and travel program updates

Presenter: Terry Wilson

Join the UW-Madison Travel Manager, Terry Wilson, for travel booking best practices and travel program updates. The session will review guidance to streamline and minimize Concur challenges when booking travel online, options when booking travel for someone else, (guests, students, or other employees), and the impacts of Workday on the Universities of Wisconsin Travel program.

Thriving Through Transitions: Understanding personal dynamics of organizational change

Presenter: Jenny Erickson

In today’s fast-paced world, the amount of change we experience seems to be ever-increasing. However, it’s not the change itself that challenges us the most—it’s the transition we make to account for the change. Understanding this distinction is crucial for navigating life’s uncertainties. Join us for an interactive session designed to equip you with practical tools and a robust framework to manage transitions effectively.

Events 101

Presenter: Traci Wedekind and Jen Barakat

Have you been asked to plan a hybrid conference featuring a keynote speaker traveling from out of town, necessitating accommodations, transportation and honorarium? How about a large celebratory event featuring an off-campus venue, catering, A/V, and more? If so, you may be wondering, “Where do I start?!”

Join staff from the School of Medicine and Public Health for a presentation on planning successful events at UW Madison. You’ll leave with a more nuanced understanding of where to begin using our “Setting the Table” technique, document templates you can use tomorrow to help organize your events, and access to resources and communities that can support your event production needs.

Microsoft Excel: Advanced Practices to Increase Productivity

Presenter: Abigail Terzis

This presentation will focus on intermediate and advanced Microsoft Excel skills to improve work productivity, including lookup functions, shortcuts and “hacks”, index-match, nested if statements and switch statements, pivot tables, and macros.