Well, that six months went quickly!
It’s time to remap your goals for the remainder of 2025, and unmute yourself (Rachel Druckenmiller’s word for being more confident in your skin.) See her live at CSN’s session on August 4th — an exclusive opportunity to interact with a nationally-recognized motivational and personal development speaker and level up YOUR game!
July also brings us some sharper focus on self-leadership with our Summer book club (there’s still space available!!) and we’re sharing some resources with you in that area of leadership too.
Lastly, we are still looking for raffle prizes for our event in August; if you or your department has something to contribute, we would really appreciate it! Submit your offers here: https://forms.gle/abzi7ekG5TpbcxPJ6
:: Image of the Week
:: Workday Resources
HR Guides for Managers and Supervisors
These tools are designed to help managers and supervisors more effectively navigate new systems, understand updated HR processes, and ensure alignment with UW–Madison’s HR best practices. Whether providing guidance, accessing training, or answering employee questions, this directory equips managers to support their teams to use the HR functions in Workday. All people managers will use Workday for manager self-service tasks.
https://hr.wisc.edu/hr-guides/for-managers-and-supervisors/
:: Self-Leadership Development
How Human-Centered Leaders Understand Other Perspectives
You’ve done the work. The plan is solid, and you’re ready to roll. And still—before you hit go—it’s worth taking a moment to ask: “How might this land for the people it affects?”
Yeah, that pause can feel inconvenient. You might hear things you can’t fully fix. But asking the question doesn’t mean you’re hesitating. It means you care. It means you’re leading with eyes open.
Because leadership isn’t just about making the call—it’s about how that call shows up in people’s lives. The most trusted leaders? They don’t just drive outcomes. They make space for perspectives. That kind of awareness doesn’t slow you down—it clears the way forward, with fewer bumps and more buy-in.
Read more from the crew at Let’s Grow Leaders on this topic at https://letsgrowleaders.com/2025/06/23/how-human-centered-leaders-understand-other-perspectives/
“To enjoy freedom we have to control ourselves.” – Virginia Woolf
Covey’s Circle of Concern, Influence, and Control
In the journey of personal development and growth, one concept stands out as a guiding light amidst the chaos of life’s uncertainties: Covey’s Circle of Concern, Influence, and Control.
Coined by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this concept transcended time to become a cornerstone in navigating the complexities of modern living. The profound impact of Covey’s Circle is explored, and how it can reframe mindsets, encouraging a space where growth succeeds even in seemingly uncontrollable environments.
https://www.modern.works/blog/the-power-of-coveys-circle-of-concern-influence-and-control
When Self-Help Doesn’t Help: The Toxic Side of Self-Improvement
We live in an era where self-improvement is a billion-dollar industry, and the internet is flooded with life hacks, morning routines, and productivity tips that promise to turn us into the best versions of ourselves.
But what if I told you that chasing constant self-improvement could actually be making you less happy?
There’s a dark side to self-improvement that no one talks about: the relentless feeling that you are never enough. And science backs it up.
:: Mental Health and Self-Care
An Incredibly Easy Way to Be More Expansive
Every night, just before you go to bed, write a single sentence in a notebook—or in a folder on your phone or computer. It might be an observation, a thought, an experience… a quote that inspires you… or even a problem you wish to solve. Why? Read on….
https://kasanoff.substack.com/p/an-incredibly-easy-way-to-be-more?
:: Communication
Humor in the C-Suite with Kate Davis
“Laughter is not a break from work, it’s how great work begins.” Humor kicks the door open to innovation. In this engaging episode of “Humor in the C Suite,” host Kate Davis steps into the spotlight to address the many questions from her audience about the intersection of humor and leadership.
Key Takeaways:
- Humor Enhances Leadership: Humor makes leaders more relatable and trustworthy, helping them to inspire and connect with their teams, thereby increasing leadership effectiveness.
- Communication and Creativity: Using humor in leadership can defuse tension, simplify complex ideas, and break mental blocks, thereby fostering an environment conducive to innovation.
- Building Company Culture: A humorous and engaging work environment can build team morale, increase employee loyalty, and reduce stress, ultimately creating a strong company culture.
- Handling Failure with Humor: Leaders who use humor to navigate setbacks encourage resilience and reframing failures as learning experiences, keeping teams motivated.
- Authenticity in Humor: It’s essential for leaders to know their audience and be authentic to ensure humor is effective and well-received, avoiding potential pitfalls.
“There’s so much power in being a leader and knowing that you can be yourself and be relatable to bring your team together.” – Kate Davis
https://katedavis.ca/ask-me-anything-but-make-it-funny/
Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny. – Gandhi
:: CSN’s Book of the Week Recommendation
KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work
What if someone told you the key to success was kindness?
it doesn’t always make headlines, there is a growing recognition that kindness is vital to strong performance at work. In the broad range of leadership skills, kindness is inherently quieter, more personal and harder to see – and yes, less interesting or cinematic than controversial tweets and ‘bullying boss’ behaviour. But kindness builds empathy and trust, which ultimately creates a sense of psychological safety – and that safety leads to more creativity; a better quality of decision-making; safer critical thinking; higher levels of staff loyalty, flexibility and retention; a heightened sense of engagement; and, ultimately, higher productivity and profitability.
In KIND, Graham Allcott explores how we can create work cultures that encourage kindness. He argues that, far from being a ‘fluffy’ or nebulous idea, kindness and empathy are 21st century superpowers, which can transform any organization into a dynamic environment where people want to work. The author aims to convince the doubters, as well as helping already ‘kindful’ people, to articulate the power of kindness and make a stronger case for its greater profile in their working environments.
Drawing on psychology and neuroscience as well as management theory and business research, he shows how kindness helps encourage productive and positive work cultures. From busting three important myths that need to be addressed to engage the more cynical reader – or the reader’s more cynical colleagues – to covering ‘The Eight Principles of Kindfulness at Work’, Graham Allcott offers practical advice on how to make kindfulness part of the fabric of your working life so both you and your team can thrive.
See Allcott’s five key insights from his new book Kind: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work here:
https://bookoftheday.nextbigideaclub.com/p/beware-the-business-bullies?r=1udksv
“Business is about people, and your reputation is built on how you treat people.” – Bruce Rauner
:: Creativity
Why you should make useless things
Being creative doesn’t have to be productive or something you can monetize.
In this joyful, heartfelt talk featuring demos of her wonderfully wacky creations, Simone Giertz shares her craft: making useless robots. Her inventions — designed to chop vegetables, cut hair, apply lipstick and more — rarely (if ever) succeed, and that’s the point. “The true beauty of making useless things [is] this acknowledgment that you don’t always know what the best answer is,” Giertz says. “It turns off that voice in your head that tells you that you know exactly how the world works. Maybe a toothbrush helmet isn’t the answer, but at least you’re asking the question.”
https://www.ted.com/talks/simone_giertz_why_you_should_make_useless_things
“Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.” – Colin Powell
:: Empathy and Humility
Intellectual Humility Quiz from Greater Good Magazine
Are you willing to concede if you don’t know something? Or do you get defensive when someone questions your beliefs?
As mentioned on the UW-Madison IRIS NRC website, intellectual humility supports inclusive, thoughtful dialogue in classrooms and communities. It encourages curiosity, reflection, and a willingness to engage with complexity—skills that are essential for educators and students alike when navigating global issues and diverse viewpoints.
As part of their Global Scholars Media Community (GSMC) programming, they introduced intellectual humility as a tool for teaching challenging global topics and share tools from Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.
:: Upcoming Events
LAST CALL: The Art of Self-Leadership Book Club
Learn to take control of your own professional destiny and lead yourself through challenging situations
In The Art of Self-Leadership: Discover the Power Within You and Learn to Lead Yourself, celebrated workplace culture and employee engagement expert Heather R. Younger delivers an exciting and practical discussion of how to develop an entirely new mindset around personal advocacy and self-leadership.
You’ll learn how to take control of the workplace experience and set expectations up front about relationships.
CSN will meet on Zoom for three sessions to cover the topics in this new release for Heather. Please only register if you expect to attend all three dates: July 17, July 31, and August 14 from 2:30-4:00 pm. Physical books and assignments will be sent after registrations close. Contact Rich Gassen with any questions regarding our book clubs.
Dates: 7/17, 7/31, 8/14
Time: 2:30-4:00 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
(Link will be shared with registrants before event)
Registration link (closes tomorrow): https://go.wisc.edu/429lsd
Celebrate Ten Years of Leadership Learning With CSN!
Come to CSN’s 10-year anniversary celebration to experience:
- International Speaker Rachel Druckenmiller joining us live!
- Win fabulous Raffle Prizes!
- Networking and creativity exercises!
- Looking back on 10 years of leadership learning!
- Snacks and refreshments!
We’re having a special event featuring a livestreamed visit with international speaker Rachel Druckenmiller, an inspirational message from author and TEDx speaker Heather Younger, some fun in-person networking activities, and a look back at some of the successes CSN has experienced since its inception in 2015.
We’ll also have light refreshments and snacks, as well as some exclusive raffle prizes and giveaways for attendees. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate your premier leadership network’s anniversary!
Date: August 4, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Location: DeLuca Forum, WID
Register here: https://go.wisc.edu/63wy44
Raffle Prize Request:
We are looking for raffle prize donations from our community members!
(Even if you cannot attend the event, please consider donating something for your peers on campus to enjoy.)
Your raffle prize donation could be a special skill you have, something you make, promotional items from your office or a community organization, an experience or activity, or anything else you would like to donate as a raffle prize (the more creative the better)! Prizes can be donated by individuals, groups, or offices/units/departments.
Raffle donation submissions are due by Friday, July 18, 2025 at 5:00 pm.
We will review each submission and follow up shortly after this deadline.
Please fill out this form to be part of our raffle prize family!
https://forms.gle/abzi7ekG5TpbcxPJ6