Ignite: Fueling
Organizational Excellence
Ignite: Fueling Organizational Excellence features interactive workshops that focus on the tools and resources faculty and staff need to promote and sustain organizational excellence at UW–Madison.
In these hour-long sessions, experts share ideas, methods, and approaches to help participants build skills to support continuous improvement and increase organizational effectiveness. Participants leave with stronger cross-campus networks, new strategies on how to improve their work, and the inspiration to implement their ideas.
In fall 2024, the curriculum will be centered on topics related to high-performing teams.
The series is a mix of virtual and in-person workshops. Online sessions are recorded and posted on our website for future reference.
Spring 2024 session resources can be found here.
Fall 2024 Schedule
Not Your Average Team Agreement: How to Create More Meaningful Rules of Engagement
September 18 | 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Online
Presented by Deb Filipiak, internal consultant, Office of Strategic Consulting
(this session has passed)
Content level: introductory
Teams that “click” often have shared expectations about how to work together. But how can project managers go beyond standard language and develop team agreements with enough depth to inspire meaningful collaboration? In this session, participants learned how to ask questions that will help them create more effective team agreements and left with strategies for what to do when teams get out of sync.
Session Recording
Continuous Improvement and Process Mapping: An Essential Introduction
October 2 | 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
In person, Fluno Center
Presented by Jim Thompson, Elizabeth Fadell, and Jeremy Kautza, internal consultants, Office of Strategic Consulting
(this session has passed)
Content level: introductory
This interactive session walked through some of the key components of continuous improvement and process mapping. Participants learned the fundamentals of various process mapping techniques and were introduced to some advanced practices for visualizing and analyzing processes. Participants heard real-world examples demonstrating the practical application of a variety of tips and tricks. By the end of the session, participants knew how to understand current processes and identify opportunities for improvement in their work.
This day-long session required an $85 registration fee. Meals were provided and breaks offered throughout the day. Registration was limited to 40 participants.
Beyond Deadlines and Deliverables: How a Project Management Mindset Can Create Stronger Teams
October 11 | 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Online
Presented by Dr. Whitney Sweeney, scientist, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH)
Content level: introductory to intermediate
Project managers don’t just manage deadlines and deliverables. They help create higher-performing teams. To do this, however, they need to be skilled facilitators, relationship builders, and knowledge brokers. Drawing from qualitative interviews, this interactive session will share best practices in developing these skills. You’ll leave ready to put your new skills to the test and enhance your team’s impact.
Register
Key Ingredients to Building High-Performing Teams
December 4 | 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Online
Presented by Dr. Andrea Marcus Konz, board chair and adjunct professor, Department of Psychology
Content level: introductory
What determines whether teams succeed or fail? As a team member, what role do you typically play? What roles do you need others to play for the team to be successful? This session will explore these questions, leaving you with an understanding of the key elements of high-performing teams, the roles that need to be played within most teams, and how to ensure there is someone fulfilling each of those roles.
Register