Planners’ Picks — July 29, 2025

   Wow, it seems like only three thousand, six hundred and forty-seven days since CSN had its first meeting back in August of 2015. How have you grown as a leader since then? Have you experienced any change management initiatives, global pandemics, or institutional software upgrades? Really?? Me too! As leaders, we all have more in common than you may think, working in all of the different divisions and departments that the universities cover. This issue of PP is all about You-W. We’ll share some of those commonalities in this week’s newsletter, and motivational speaker Rachel Druckenmiller will also touch on this at our 10^th Anniversary Celebration next Monday as she coaches us on how to show up, step up, and say YES to leading with greater courage, influence, and authenticity. Until then, enjoy a sky full of stars, think hopefully about paradise, and we’ll fix you up with some great resources from our planners.   :: Image of the Week On our last push to get you to our networking event next Monday, we’re sharing the lines of connection, showing how expanding your network results in exponential growth for you and your peers. I can attest to this in my daily work and interactions on campus — the more people you know, the better you can help each other in areas of need or provide recommendations for services across the university. CSN’s Anniversary event will be a great place to make more connections! I hope to see your smiling face there.  – Rich Gassen   :: Mental Health and Self-Care

Free Wellness Offerings from Well Wisconsin!

Well Wisconsin summer classes cover a host of different topics and are available to employees who are enrolled in the State Group Health insurance program. This program works in addition to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which is available to all UW employees. Here are a couple of their offerings: Zumba – Fridays at noon, August 8 through 29 This virtual dance fitness class is created for all fitness levels. Enjoy a movement experience designed to help you feel energized as we take the “work” out of workout. Register for Zumba Healthier Starts With You – August 13 at noon The Well Wisconsin program, powered by WebMD, has grown significantly in the past couple of years. We want you to be aware of the beneficial programs available to help you achieve the wellness goals that matter to you. Discover new well-being challenges and resources to help you live your best life. Register for the webinar

How Hope Helps Us Build a Meaningful Life

Imagine that you’ve just submitted an application for something important to you: Perhaps it was a dream job, the perfect apartment, or an academic program you’re passionate about. As you’re waiting to hear back, do you think over what a best-case outcome would be like? Or do you instead try to avoid thinking about it, so that you’re not disappointed if things don’t go your way? According to a new study, feeling hopeful—even more so than just feeling good—may bring us a sense of meaning. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_hope_helps_us_build_a_meaningful_life

“In separateness lies the world’s great misery, in compassion lays the world’s true strength.” — Hindu Prince Gautama Siddhartha

  :: Work Culture & Team Development

How to Deal with Difficult Colleagues Without Losing Your Cool

Struggling with a toxic coworker, a passive-aggressive teammate, or a boss who takes credit for your work? You’re not alone. In this episode, host Shola Richards shares 3 practical strategies to help you handle difficult colleagues without sacrificing your peace of mind or professionalism. Shola offers practical, compassionate tools to protect your energy while staying true to your values. Learn when to speak up, when to let go, and how to use assertive communication that actually works. You’ll learn how to:

• Use assertive communication to shut down drama
• Tell when to speak up vs. when to let go
• Deal with passive-aggressive behavior like a pro
• Protect your energy in toxic workplace dynamics

Whether you’re dealing with a difficult boss, team member, or peer, this episode equips you with the confidence to act with clarity, not chaos. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-deal-with-difficult-colleagues-without-losing/id1808367842?i=1000716102790   :: Self-Leadership Development

Owning Your Power and Leading with Purpose

Melinda French Gates has spent her life navigating pivotal career moments and using her influence to empower others. In today’s episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with Melinda to dive into how we can summon and own our power, both professionally and personally. Listen in for Melinda’s take on:

• The role of trusted advisors to guide you throughout your career
• The difference between a mentor and a sponsor, and why having a sponsor is crucial to your success
• How to ask questions and admit when you don’t have all the answers

https://youtu.be/l2IJ2EVv9tg?si=QyKiX0K09crg66ya

“Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life. Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody else, too.”– MERYL STREEP

Joy Isn’t a Distraction, It’s a Career Advantage

While high achievers often excel at finding meaning and accomplishment in work and family, many fall short in experiencing joy, which is the third essential ingredient for a satisfying life. Research on nearly 2,000 professionals reveals that joy is rarely a priority, even though it’s crucial for well-being. It’s not about having more time but using limited free time more intentionally. The most fulfilled individuals follow five key strategies: Engage socially: shared experiences generate more joy than solo ones, regardless of personality. Avoid passive leisure: activities like TV and scrolling offer minimal joy compared to active pursuits like hobbies, exercise, or volunteering. Follow intrinsic interests: pursuing what you genuinely enjoy, not what seems “worthwhile,” leads to greater life satisfaction. Diversify your activities: over-investing in a single hobby can backfire; variety keeps leisure fresh and rewarding. Protect your time: guard leisure as seriously as work; joyful time replenishes energy and enhances performance across all life domains. Ultimately, joy isn’t a distraction. It’s fuel. The more joy people find outside of work, the more purpose and success they report inside it. Read the full article here: https://hbr.org/2025/07/how-the-busiest-people-find-joy?ab=HP-topics-text-24&_bhlid=3b035ae62c9430d7e1e5ed39b7a4f917107fec1c   :: Trust, Psychological Safety & Belonging

Connecting or Competing?

On today’s emotional intelligence episode…we address the use of our emotional expression composite instead of, or more than, our interpersonal composite. AND…how the use of this drives competition rather than connection. Within these 2 composites are the skills of assertiveness and empathy, respectively. When we lead with assertiveness or lean on this skill and it’s behaviors more than empathy, we are driving and encouraging competition. The correction is to start with empathy, ask more questions. Allow the power of human psychology, the law of reciprocity, and the influence of emotional intelligence, to foster connection…collaboration…good social manners…getting results faster. Listen to this short recording from Teresa Quinlan on emotional intelligence. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7351276544314519552/

“For every good reason there is to lie, there is a better reason to tell the truth.” – BO BENNETT  

:: Communication 

The First Step: Listening

From author Kim Scott: Most of us think we’re good listeners. But too often, we’re just waiting for our turn to talk. Real listening… the kind that builds trust, surfaces new ideas, and helps teams get stuff done – requires more than silence. It requires presence, curiosity, and a willingness to be changed by what you hear. When you listen to understand (not to respond), you show people that their voices matter. And when people feel heard, they start solving problems you didn’t even know existed. That’s why the first step on the Get Stuff Done Wheel is Listen. Listen without rushing to fix. Create systems for ideas to flow. Act on what you can – and explain why you can’t act on everything. The best leaders I’ve worked with weren’t always the loudest in the room. They were the ones who knew how to make others feel heard. Think of a moment when someone made you feel truly heard – what did they do differently? 🙂 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kimm4_the-art-of-listening-activity-7351672797259051008-Hm0m/?rcm=ACoAAAIN6SAByZAzl6f1TJ9d2N0zWKN7DD7c8uE (Her books are a raffle prize at our event!)   :: Courage

The Secret that Nobody Tells You

Don’t wait for permission. Create your opportunities. “Maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe you’ve got a manager who has your back and is having consistent “career coaching conversations” with you. Maybe you’ve got a killer talent management team at your company, you’ve been identified as “high-potential” or “emerging leader” and you’ll get carefully groomed to move up the ladder. But while you’re waiting for someone else to direct your career, what opportunities might you be missing?” Kimberly Davis talks about having the courage to explore outside of your job description to pre-qualify you for the next promotion, role, or opportunity that you don’t even know is coming. Immerse yourself in areas of interest, so that those opportunities might also be areas you are passionate about. Read her journey here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/secret-nobody-tells-you-kimberly-davis-ocpne/ (Her book is a raffle prize at our event)

“A risk with watching your competition too closely is that you get drawn into playing their game and lose focus on your own.” – Shane Parrish

  :: CSN’s Book of the Week Recommendation

Showing Up: A Comprehensive Guide to Comfort & Connection by Jen Marr

It has never been more challenging to know what to say and do when those around us are hurting. We can feel empathy and compassion, but yet allow fear, doubt, and burnout to take over and paralyze us from connecting with each other. Our intentions may be good, but we don’t have the skills to know how to break through what we call the Awkward Zone. How do we “show up” for coworkers, friends, classmates, family, acquaintances, and even strangers when we are all struggling? Experts in the mental health field are recognizing that we do indeed need each other. We can’t self-care our way out of this. It takes intentional connection – the reciprocal relationships within our homes, workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and communities — to ultimately bring about our emotional resilience. Showing Up breaks it all down. It uncovers the behaviors that get us off track and outlines the science of how human care works. It equips individuals, leaders, and organizations to break through the Awkward Zone so that people in your life know that you care. Filled with evidence-based tools and strategies, as well as touching stories, this book is a guide to bringing strength and hope to others and ourselves. https://a.co/d/1cyEAef

The best kind of happiness is a habit you’re passionate about. – Shannon L. Adler

  :: Upcoming Events 

CSN’s 10-Year Event: Exclusive Presentation by Rachel Druckenmiller

It’s not too late! Join us for a special event featuring motivational speaker Rachel Druckenmiller livestreamed.

“UNMUTE Yourself equips supervisors to break free from self-silencing and lead with greater courage, influence, and authenticity. Rachel Druckenmiller shares her powerful V.O.I.C.E. Method and practical strategies to help you show up, step up, and say YES!”  – Rachel

Join us for Rachel’s talk, networking with your peers on campus, and looking back at some of the successes CSN has experienced since 2015. We just added a 1:1 coaching certificate from Unique Connector Dawn Mullarney, copies of the book Beyond Anxiety and The Art of Self-Leadership, and a Facilitation Basket from Learning and Talent Development to our raffle prizes. We’ll also serve light refreshments and snacks. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate your leadership network’s anniversary! Date: August 4, 2025 (next Monday!) Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm Location: DeLuca Forum, WID Register here: https://go.wisc.edu/63wy44

CliftonStrengths® 34 Workshop by Sophia Partners

Take your leadership to the next level with a CliftonStrengths® 34 workshop! You’ll uncover your top talent themes, giving you an opportunity to dive deeper into your personal leadership journey! Sophia Partners is a leadership training group in northern Wisconsin, focusing on Servant Leadership. This course is perfect for anyone who wants to learn about their unique strengths and how to use them. With the CliftonStrengths® 34 Assessment and facilitated workshop, you will gain insight of how you work with and lead others. Even if you’ve done an assessment, you can take advantage of the information at this session at a discounted rate. Date: Wednesday August 6, 2025 Time: 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm CST Online Via Zoom Pricing & Details $125/individual* – Includes the CliftonStrengths® 34 Assessment ($69.99 value) and learning materials. $75/individual* – If you have already taken the CliftonStrengths® 34 Assessment. *Sophia Partners is committed to making this foundational leadership program accessible and affordable to anyone who wants to attend! Contact us at hello@sophiapartners.org for more info. Limited to ten people — Register here: https://www.sophiapartners.org/event/cliftonstrengths-34-workshop-2/?mc_cid=0c412de968

Check out this year’s InsteadTalks 360° lineup!

Rather than monologues, these interactive “ConverSessions that Matter” are catalysts for personal development, deeper connections, fresh ideas, and a better understanding of ourselves and our world. Here are the speakers and their topics: 🔹Manifestation of Kindness (Leslie Flowers) 🔹Be Your Own Lighthouse (Megan M.) 🔹Networking Through Introductions (Ed Brenegar) 🔹Exploring and Embracing the Extraordinary Gifts of Kindness (Jenny Haase) 🔹Mental Back Roads and Highways (Valerie Probstfeld) 🔹The Stories You Tell … In the Midst of Change (Susan Sneath) Come for the entire day if you can or join us for the ConverSessions of most interest to you. Date: August 13, 2025 Time: 7:45 AM-2:00 pm CST (or you can join any of the individual 45-minute sessions) Location: Online via registration link Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/insteadtalks-360-tickets-1111210092299