Sessions

The Future of Inclusive Leadership: An Integrated, Cross-Functional Approach

Presenter: Deborah Biddle

In an era where attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are intensifying, organizations are feeling the pressure to revise their programs. However, the current DEI model, though well-intentioned, often falls short. This workshop will present a reimagined framework for Inclusive Leadership, emphasizing an integrated, cross-functional approach that involves every function and level within an organization. Leaders will explore the current climate, understand the need for change, and learn strategies for transforming DEI from a siloed effort into a core organizational function.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Note: This session is a half day workshop during Sessions 1 and 2.

Trust and Connect: Enhancing Workplace Relationships

Presenter: Danielle Y. Hairston Green

This workshop focuses on building trust and fostering engagement among employees to enhance workplace relationships. Participants will learn key concepts of trust-building, explore Brene Brown’s BRAVING model, and engage in interactive activities to apply these strategies in real-world scenarios. Through discussions and practical exercises, attendees will gain valuable insights and tools to create a more connected and collaborative work environment.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Adaptive Leadership: Make Progress Through Continual Learning

Presenter: Andrea Luke

During this session you will identify a leadership challenge you and your team or organization currently face, consider what leadership looks like from your place in the unit, and develop new strategies or experiments to engage others in making progress with you. By understanding the difference between technical and adaptive challenges, we can learn together how and when to engage in adaptive work to make progress.

Audience: Emerging Leader

Maximizing Career Growth: Leveraging Development Resources and Navigating Complex Organizational Structures

Presenter: Christopher East

In today’s dynamic organizational landscape, effective leaders must master the art of career development-not just for themselves but for their teams as well. Join us for an insightful presentation for leaders and emerging leaders eager to unlock their full potential and drive organizational success. This presentation will equip you with the tools and strategies necessary to enhance your leadership journey and cultivate a thriving, well-supported team. As the workplace continues to evolve, make prioritizing your career growth a top priority.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Empowering Multi-Generational Staff to Become Innovative Leaders

Presenters: Rich Gassen, Nancy Kujak-Ford, Rachel Filipiak, Sue Carlson, and Lori Uttech-Hanson

Campus Supervisors Network planning committee members talk about leading multi-generational teams and empowering them to become innovative leaders in the workplace. This panel discussion with 5 experienced UW-Madison supervisors will cover the following topics:

• Adjusting your communication style/work is a way to empower them to communicate/lead more effectively
• Using technology as a team
• Defining “Rock Stars” and “Super Stars” to align goals and growth
• Including staff in more decisions and process improvements to drive innovation/delegating “growth” tasks
• Establishing trust in your team for all of this to be possible

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Leadership Succession and Transition Planning: Approaches & Considerations

Presenters: Jim Thompson and Steve Bialek

This session will explore approaches, models, and practices for planning leadership succession and transition. The presenters will share insights on how to manage both planned and unanticipated leadership changes. They will share examples of what contributed to successful transitions, as well as reflect on how to avoid pitfalls. During the session, they will cover ways to integrate change management practices during the transition. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and hear more about what has worked well for others in specific situations.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Storytelling: Our Superpower in the Digital Age

Presenters: Angela Rockwell, Jessica Arendas, Lisa Bauer, and Kaitlin Frautschy

Storytelling is a fundamental part of being human. Leaders from the Division of Continuing Studies’ Integrated Marketing and Communications team will highlight the multi-faceted work of telling relevant, engaging stories to internal and external stakeholders using data, digital tools, processes and humanity in this interactive panel discussion.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Power, Privilege, and Potential: Unleashing Cognitive Diversity and Empowering Teams

Presenter: Whitney Sweeney

Diverse teams frequently outperform more homogenous teams in terms of productivity, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving. The advantage seen stems from “cognitive diversity” or the unique perspectives that come from differences in expertise and social backgrounds. Research indicates that in addition to providing new information, simply interacting with others with unique perspectives changes the way teams engage and enables team members to anticipate and accept alternative viewpoints. The ability to leverage the benefits of cognitive diversity comes only after a significant investment in each member of the team. This investment can be time-consuming and is often subject to the influence of bias. This means that power dynamics, privilege, and intersectionality all have the potential to influence whether everyone on the team has the same opportunity to reach their full potential. This also means that power, privilege, and intersectionality may also impact overall team success.

This interactive workshop will explore strategies to enhance cognitive diversity in teams, create more inclusive environments, and ensure all team members have the opportunity to reach their full potential.  Leveraging evidence-based practices derived from the science of team science, participants will practice skills that will allow them to unleash the power of cognitive diversity and empower their teams for greater impact and satisfaction.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Leadership Coaching Strategies for Navigating Change and Enhancing Team Performance

Presenter: Melissa Smiley

Leveraging coaching strategies into management approaches, leaders can effectively guide teams through change, by fostering resilience and improving team performance. This interactive workshop will provide practical tools and hands-on experience to enhance managerial coaching skills in the context of change management.

Audience: Emerging Leader

Exploring the Power of Relationship in Teams

Presenters: Elizabeth Fadell and Jacob Hahn

On work teams where collaboration is key to accomplishment and success, positive relationships are the vehicle through which work gets done. Success largely depends on the quality of relationships among team members and of the team as a whole. We inherently know how important relationships at work are and research shows that positive team member relationships result in heightened loyalty and morale, increased motivation, fewer workplace conflicts, improved trust and confidence, and increased employee engagement.  Yet, the ever-present relational struggle within work teams is real and common. In this session, we will use the organizational and relationships systems coaching framework to explore what constitutes a team, constellate your team’s current relationship system, and introduce some metaskills that are critical to the development of team relationship and shared approach.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Onboarding and Performance Management – Partners in Employee Success

Presenters: Kristi Milbourn and Marci Birkes-Geffert

In today’s competitive landscape, understanding the intricate relationship between onboarding and performance is essential for leaders aiming to boost employee retention, engagement, and productivity. Onboarding can be an important part of an organization’s performance management strategy, helping new employees transition into the company and set the tone for their overall experience. Beyond the basics of week-one orientation and benefits information, we’ll explore how meaningful initial interactions can establish a strong foundation for employee achievement. Discover how a robust onboarding and employee development program can become a magnet for top talent, enhancing your recruitment efforts. In this session we’ll take a look at onboarding as more than just week one orientation and benefits information, and explore how initial conversations can lay the foundation for employee success. We’ll provide resources you can implement immediately to strengthen your onboarding and performance management process.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Negotiating ‘Groan Zones’ in Participatory Decision-Making

Presenters: Margene Anderson and Peggy Schmidt

Group decision-making is essential to organizational success, but it can often be a complex and challenging process. Diverse perspectives, competing priorities, and information overload can create tension and hinder progress. This workshop focuses on strategies to overcome these hurdles and facilitate effective group decision-making.

We will explore common challenges faced by decision-making teams, including the “Groan Zone” – a phase characterized by frustration, confusion, and resistance. Through interactive exercises and practical tools, participants will learn how to:

• Identify and address common decision-making obstacles
• Build consensus and foster collaboration
• Utilize structured decision-making frameworks (SWOT analysis, Delphi method, outcome sorting, Scrum boarding)
• Improve communication and problem-solving skills

By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with the skills and confidence to navigate complex decision-making processes more efficiently and effectively.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

The Power of Regular Check-Ins

Presenter: Aaron Crandall

Too often we get overwhelmed by other requests and responsibilities and often assume everything is running smoothly, without taking the time to actually talk to our staff. This session will be interactive and be a discussion group format with examples and opportunities for everyone to participate, either in the large group or through smaller group interactions. It will focus on forming regular communication with team members and making sure managers and leaders prioritize their time to those regular “check-ins” with staff. Communication is a key asset that leaders need to develop and the most effective leaders are those who take the time to communicate with their staff on some regular basis.

Audience: Emerging Leader

Strategies for Creating, Developing & Leading Productive Remote Work Teams

Presenter: Wendy Johnson, PhD

The pandemic changed all aspects of leadership. The world as we once knew no longer exists. Many went from sitting in traffic each day while driving to the office to creating workspace at home, scheduling zoom calls, and trying to figure out ways to develop productive remote work staff. In this session you will learn how to overcome common challenges faced by remote teams, enhance your leadership capabilities in a virtual environment, and drive teams towards achieving exceptional results. It will cover numerous critical thinking proficiencies and effective decision analysis needed to lead a remote work team and dive into key areas such as fostering a culture of trust and accountability, leveraging technology for efficient communication and collaboration, and implementing best practices for remote team engagement and productivity.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

“We Need To Talk”: Applying a Trauma Informed Practices to Difficult Workplace Conversations

Presenter: Jamie Temple

Navigating challenging conversations is a critical skill for maintaining a positive, healthy, and productive work environment. However, most people want to avoid these uncomfortable conversations at all costs! Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, participants will learn how to recognize trauma responses, apply compassionate communication techniques, and implement effective conflict resolution strategies. Whether you’re a manager, team leader, or team member, this training will empower you to handle tough conversations with confidence and empathy.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Crafting Culture: Shaping and Transforming Culture from Within

Presenter: James Imoehl

Explore fundamental principles of organizational culture and change in this dynamic 75-minute workshop. Participants will discuss how team culture is formed and uncover key elements that shape group behaviors and norms. Practical principles of organizational change will be examined, and participants will leave equipped with tools to influence their current team. Whether you’re a leader aiming to strengthen organizational culture or an individual looking to positively impact your team, this session will provide actionable insights and strategies that can be applied immediately.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Transforming Daily Work: Leveraging Generative AI for Everyday Tasks

Presenter: Margaret Murphy

In this session, we will explore how the integration of generative AI technology is revolutionizing daily work routines across industries. Participants will discover the transformative potential of AI in streamlining repetitive tasks, enhancing productivity, and fostering innovation in their professional endeavors. Through real-world examples, attendees will gain insights into the benefits of leveraging AI-powered tools for automating mundane tasks, generating creative content, and optimizing decision-making processes. By the end of the session, participants will leave equipped with practical strategies and actionable steps to harness the power of generative AI for achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness in their daily work routines.

Audience: Emerging Leader

Navigating Burnout in a “Girl Boss” World

Presenter: Bonniejean Zitske

Using the framework offered by Drs. Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski in their bestseller, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle this session will explore how people navigate burnout in a world that values climbing the ladder and “having it all” – especially if you identify as a woman. As a leader and a boss, how do you make decisions and establish barriers to ensure you are prioritizing your actual values and not what you think you should value? This session will offer participants an opportunity to consider how their career goals and personal priorities align – or don’t – and how to avoid getting trapped in a cycle of burnout.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Collaborate and Conquer: Leveraging Asana to (Actually) Break Silos and Get Cross-Campus Projects Done

Presenters: Caitlin Henning and Sheena Hirschfield

Staff in Student Affairs and Strategic Communication offices collaborate throughout the year on campaigns from Wisconsin Welcome to heritage month celebrations. But until recently, we managed our intersecting planning, deadlines, and deliverables through email, standing meetings, and every document storage and communications platform available to campus. Sound familiar? In this presentation, we will explore how the selection and implementation of a project management platform enabled us to increase workload efficiency, build cross-team cohesion, and deliver higher quality communications campaigns to our campus audiences. We will cover key criteria for selecting the right tool for your team, provide insights into the implementation process, and share best practices for ensuring a smooth transition. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on leveraging project management tools to streamline workflows, improve communication, reduce the need for check-in meetings, and boost overall project efficacy. Whether you’re managing a single project or coordinating multiple teams, this session will equip you with the strategies and tactics needed to maximize the impact of your chosen tool.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

Deconstructing Dysfunction: Developing Your Team

Presenters: Julie Janiak, Megan McGarry Bouapha, and Ryan Grady

According to Patrick Lencioni, “I don’t know how else to say this, but building a team is hard,” and we want to make it easier for you. The purpose of this interactive workshop is to offer one method of intentionally building a team. Whether you are a new manager or an experienced manager with a new group of employees, we can help you build your team in a way that is genuine, purposeful, and doesn’t start with firing everyone. Using Patrick Lencioni’s “Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” we will show how we intentionally used this model in the rebuilding of our team.

This book was suggested to Dr. Julie Janiak when she sought coaching and professional help for managing a new team in 2022 who had navigated eight new hires and seven departures of a full-time staff team of ten. The ethos of the book resonated so much with her that she convinced her Associate Directors Ryan Grady and Megan McGarry Bouapha to read it. After reading it, they utilized the Five Disfunctions framework for a year while they focused on building a team.

The three of us will guide participants through the steps we used to develop our team, including assessing our teams’ levels of trust, their ability to engage in conflict, being committed, having accountability, and getting results. Attendees will practice up to two methods to address these areas and critically consider how they can apply this framework to their defined team. This can be used after any disruption such as a gaining or losing team members or significant budget cuts.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

The Science of High-Performing Teams

Presenter: Whitney Sweeney

Success in the modern workplace depends on collaboration and teamwork. The Science of Team Science—a new interdisciplinary field that examines how scientific teams, research centers, and institutes work together—offers an innovative approach to help teams maximize their performance, satisfaction, and impact.

In this session, you will learn about the competency areas crucial for high-performing teams: team management, communication, collaborative problem-solving, affect, and leadership. You’ll gain an understanding of team interventions, such as collaboration planning and research catalyst sessions, designed to help teams strategically plan their collaborations and inspire new interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary projects. You’ll find out about the Team Science resources and services available to the UW–Madison community through the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research’s Team Science Core. Throughout the session, you’ll engage in interactive activities to foster dialogue and reflection.

Audience: Emerging Leader

Leading from Within: The Power of Self-Reflection

Presenter: Wendy Johnson, PhD

Leading from Within: The Power of Self-Reflection aims to equip both established and emerging leaders with the transformative power of self-reflection. The session explores the critical role of introspection in leadership, providing tools and insights to foster a profound understanding of one’s leadership style, values, strengths, and opportunities for development. Combining theoretical knowledge, practical exercises, and actionable strategies, you will undertake a journey of self-discovery designed to boost your emotional intelligence, decision-making skills, and leadership efficacy.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader

But Will They Stay? Four Questions to Ask to Prioritize Inclusive Hiring and Onboarding

Presenter: April Scott

This session will address a common sentiment of leaders and managers–the desire for a more diverse staff in their department–by asking participants to assess and rate their current environment for inclusivity, belonging, and relationship-building. Participants will be asked to answer four prompts that explore this topic and identify actionable strategies to ensure inclusivity, with a focus on the first 90 days of a team member’s arrival.

Audience: Emerging Leader, Advanced Leader