Content level: intermediate

For any organization, a thoughtful and well-developed strategy or strategic plan tells the story of what the organization is or wants to be, where it is going, how it is going to get there, and how it will make choices among competing priorities. The concept of and most frameworks for strategy development and strategic planning come from the world of business. To maximize strategy development and strategic planning in higher education, we must adapt existing concepts and frameworks from the business world to fit with our mission, unique culture, and way of doing the work.

In this session, attendees discovered what strategy development and strategic planning are (and are not), explored strategy elements, discussed options for including internal and external voices in your planning efforts, and learned how to avoid missteps in implementing and executing a developed strategy.

Presentation deck

Content level: intermediate

As a result of the myriad of social, health, and economic challenges over the last few years, there is a growing recognition of the need for increased leadership capacity at all levels of higher education.

In this panel discussion, we will explore how higher education institutions are equipping leaders to effectively lead others through adversity and change. The examples and cases introduced in this discussion will highlight the importance of aligning leadership development with institutional strategy, providing a roadmap to bolster leadership competence, and cultivating individual and collective habits of resilience in navigating ongoing periods of disruption.

Content level: introductory

Central to the university’s core mission is a commitment to the Wisconsin Idea, which states that what we do here at UW–Madison should enhance the lives of every person in the state of Wisconsin, as well as around the nation and the world. Put differently, the Wisconsin Idea is the belief that the wealth of knowledge and research at the University of Wisconsin should be utilized to improve people’s lives across the state, the country, and the world. Living the Wisconsin Idea is one of the core strategic priorities in UW–Madison’s 2020-2025 Strategic Framework.

In this session, participants explored how we can work individually to foster an innovation mindset and how we can work collectively to help build and strengthen a culture of mindful innovation, all to support and further our efforts to advance the Wisconsin Idea.

Presentation deck

Content level: introductory

Often, you may find yourself involved in a project where you are working with others from different campus units and/or at different levels of the organization. You are likely on the project because of your expertise in a particular area. So how do you influence those over whom you have no direct authority—and in some cases have a higher level of authority than you— so that your expertise is leveraged to its fullest potential (and offers the maximum benefit to the project)?

In this session, attendees learned strategies for effectively navigating team and organizational dynamics in a way that allows them to exert the greatest influence. This was explored from the point of view of a project manager, but the lessons can be applied more broadly.

Presentation deck