Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower

Held January 14, 2025, online

We facilitated another Bite-Size Book Club in January! “Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower” by Therese Huston offers an insightful exploration into mastering the art of feedback, an essential tool in any leader or manager’s toolkit. Drawing from extensive research and real-world examples, Huston unravels the nuances of feedback, emphasizing its pivotal role in enhancing team dynamics and fostering a culture of growth. The book delves into differentiating between appreciation, coaching, and evaluation, providing a comprehensive understanding that elevates feedback beyond mere compliments or criticisms.

Designed for those seeking to transform their feedback skills into a powerful asset, this guide illuminates how feedback can serve as a bridge to deeper professional connections and personal development. Huston highlights the importance of holding the person over the problem, thereby fostering a supportive environment where individuals feel valued and motivated. Readers will find practical advice on handling feedback conversations with empathy and care, coupled with strategies that minimize defensiveness and build trust.

Regular feedback, when delivered skillfully, can turn average performers into the hardest workers and stars into superstars. First, find out what kind of feedback an employee wants most: appreciation, coaching, or evaluation. If they crave one, they’ll be more receptive once their need has been satisfied. Then Huston lays out counterintuitive strategies for delivering each type of feedback successfully:

• Start by saying your good intentions out loud: it may feel unnecessary, but it makes all the difference.
• Side with the person, not the problem: a bad habit or behavior is probably less entrenched than you think.
• Give reports a chance to correct inaccurate feedback: they want an opportunity to talk more than they want you to be a good talker.

We explored Huston’s ideas on feedback as a group, and looked at examples she provides in more detail.

We talked about some great topics in this book, including:

• We and Me Strengths
• Side with the person, not the problem
• What people actually wanted in feedback meetings
• People want their hard work acknowledged and a chance to tell their story
• Celebrate progress on longer projects 
• Focus on high performers who need motivation to stay at that level of output
• Avoid the feedback sandwich
• Learning what their personal goals and aspirations are along with your department’s goals for them
• 5:1 ratio of praise to criticism is needed
• Ask more than tell: Employees need a sense of ownership over problem/solutions by asking questions
• Not starting with why, but instead the what and how of a situation.
• Effective evaluation method: 
  • Thank them
  • State your observations
  • Describe the impact or result
  • Learn More
  • Identify Next Steps
  • Offer reassurance

Goal Setting in Reverse—Future Self Exercise
Look Back from Success: Map Your Milestones.

Held December 18, 2025

Rich Gassen from CSN explored several people’s future selves! We magically traveled 3-5 years into the future, discussing the audacious things we’ve achieved in the past few years and the steps or path that got us there.

The three prompts we used for this exercise:

• Share your original goal(s) and how you feel now that you’ve accomplished them.
• What was the hardest thing you overcame to meet your goal(s), and how did you do it?
• What are your happiest clients or peers saying about the work you’ve done for them or the positive change you’re making since achieving the goal(s)?

Preparing for Retirement: Can we Talk? Sharing Resources and Wisdom – Better Together

The UW Retirement Issues Committee (RIC) has developed a rich set of resources for planning financially, mentally, and emotionally for big transitions – like retirement. This session began with an introduction to the resources and provided time for discussion – asking questions and sharing experiences. The goal was to encourage participants to set up conversations within their own work units, advocating for and preparing for life transitions, encouraging small steps over time that support well-being and resilience. Carol Hulland of the RIC presented this topic.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Gain confidence in retirement planning
• Invest in yourself – now and for the long-term
• Encourage small steps, taken regularly, to prepare for transitions
• Become familiar with the Employee Trust Fund (ETF) resources

Disclaimer: We are not financial services professionals. Information provided in this presentation and during the discussion reflects our combined experiences and input from UW employees, retirees, and UW leaders.

CSN Planners at the Leadership and Management Development (LMD) Conference

Held October 14, 2025, at Union South

CSN is always involved in the leadership conferences on campus, and this year, we continued to lead and share our knowledge with our peers. Two planning committee members had sessions at LMD:

Leading from Who You Are: Positionality, Power, and Possibility

Presenters: [CSN Planner] Nancy Kujak-Ford, MS, and Trevor McCray, PhD

Leadership isn’t just about what we do—it’s about who we are, how we show up, and how we impact others. In higher education, where tradition often shapes leadership expectations, it’s easy to fall into patterns that prioritize control, conformity, or “professionalism” over authenticity, growth, and inclusion.

This session invites academic staff leaders to pause and reflect:

• How does your identity shape your leadership?
• How might your leadership unintentionally limit others—or yourself?
• And how can you evolve your leadership to meet the needs of today’s diverse teams and communities?

Using Kim Scott’s Radical Respect as a foundation, we’ll explore how fear, power dynamics, and vulnerability show up in our leadership—and how we can shift from performative leadership to liberatory leadership.

This session is for leaders who are ready to:

• Reflect on how their positionality influences their leadership
• Embrace discomfort as part of growth
• Practice “yes, and” thinking to create more inclusive environments
• Reimagine leadership as a shared, evolving practice—not a fixed identity

Through real talk, small group dialogue, and practical tools, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of yourself as a leader—and new ways to lead with courage, clarity, and connection.

Learning Objectives:

• Reflect on how their own positionality and lived experiences shape their leadership style and impact.
• Apply the concept of radical respect to evolve their leadership toward more inclusive and liberatory practices.
• Engage in collaborative dialogue to explore new leadership approaches that foster authenticity, trust, and growth.

Role Transitions – Task to Task Management

Presenter: [CSN Planner] Rachel Filipiak, MHA, and Liana Nash, MBA

Career transitions can be challenging—especially the shift from a task-oriented role to one focused on leading teams, managing projects, and driving outcomes. This informative session, co-led by a seasoned manager and a new leader currently navigating this transition, explores the real-world challenges, common pitfalls, and key skills required to succeed in a management role. Through shared experiences, practical insights, and open discussion, participants will gain actionable strategies, best practices, and a deeper understanding of what it takes to thrive in this pivotal career shift.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the shift in role and responsibility – Define a definition of “successful” role change
• Identify core competencies of effective managers – New skill muscles need to be developed in a new role, and new responsibilities expected of you by the team need to be established
• Identify potential strategies to address common challenges in a role transition – Letting go of control and balancing priorities

CSN was also there with a booth!

CSN had a booth at this event to chat with our audience and add new members to our mailing list.

Leadership Improv with CSN

Held October 8, 2025, at Computer Sciences

Through a variety of fun, engaging activities, Amanda and Jason demonstrated how improvisational comedy skills can help supervisors work through difficult situations with staff and peers, as well as practice leadership skills in a light-hearted and low-risk environment.

No comedy or improv skills necessary; these sessions ask that you bring your willingness to be curious and a little silly with your peers.

Celebrating Ten Years of Leadership Learning With CSN!

Held August 4, 2025, at DeLuca Forum, WID

Campus Supervisors Network celebrated Ten Years of Leadership Learning this summer at DeLuca Forum in the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery.

Our special event featured a livestreamed visit with keynote speaker and songwriter Rachel Druckenmiller!

She shared her story and inspired attendees to speak up for themselves, and that being invited to do something is really them saying you’re qualified to do the thing, even if you’re doubting your credentials or readiness.

Attendees also responded to the question “What advice would you tell your younger self?” and themes arose: You belong, trust yourself more, don’t worry about what others think, keep balance, and more.

She also asked us, “Imagine you’ve already taken that bold step. How do you feel?” The WordCloud says it all.

CSN’s Summer Book Club: The Art of Self-Leadership

Learn to take control of your own professional destiny and lead yourself through challenging situations

Held July 17, 31, and August 14, 2025, online

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. CSN has featured two other books from Heather in our book club series, and share content from her frequently in the newsletters.

Check out this great book; you’ll learn how to take control of the workplace experience and set expectations up front about relationships.

CSN Bite-Size Book Club: Beyond Anxiety by Martha Beck

Held May 29, 2025, online

Shelly Vils Havel and Rich Gassen explored some topics from the book Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose by Martha Beck.

All over the world, anxiety is skyrocketing, topping every other form of discontent as the most frequently diagnosed psychological affliction. In Beyond Anxiety, Dr. Martha Beck explains why this is happening around you and why it is likely to be happening within you. She tells you how to not only reduce your anxiety but use it to propel you into a life filled with peace, meaning, and joy.

Our conversation touched on Beck’s topics, like the “anxiety spiral,” a feedback system that can increase anxiety indefinitely. To keep from sliding back into anxiety, we must engage different parts of our nervous system—the parts involved in creativity. Beck describes a “creativity spiral” that, like the potential for anxiety, is built into our brains. Martha says creativity can applied in everything we do: dancing, painting, and writing, yes, but also parenting, leading, dressing, cooking, conversing, solving problems, moving through the world, and everything in between.

We also looked at “Squirrel Passions” – topics that fascinate us so much, the more we learn about them, the more we want to keep learning, like a dog relentlessly chasing a squirrel. These are the things in our lives that, when engaging in them, put us in a state of flow where we forget time and our worries, only focusing on the squirrel.

Discover the Healthy Minds Program: A Free Resource for Well-Being hosted by CSN

Held February 12, 2025, online

CSN members joined Stephanie Wagner, NBC-HWC, Director of Learning and Development at Healthy Minds Innovations, for an engaging session on how the Healthy Minds Program app can support your well-being and that of your team—completely free of charge!

In this one-hour session, we learned:

• Explore an evidence-based well-being framework developed by the Center for Healthy Minds and Healthy Minds Innovations at UW-Madison.
• Participated in a guided practice designed to build resilience.
• Learned about a free, science-backed resource to enhance your well-being.
• Connected with others through small group discussion.

You too can nurture resilience and well-being for yourself and your team.

Maximizing Potential: Skill and Knowledge Development at the Midpoint Performance Cycle

Held February 11, 2025, online

This workshop equips managers with tools and strategies to assess, support, and track their team members’ skill and knowledge development at the midpoint of their performance cycle. Participants will engage in discussions, interactive activities, and planning exercises to ensure the effective use of professional and career development resources at UW-Madison.

Outcomes:

• Managers will be able to identify strengths and development needs through effective conversations.
• Managers will know how to utilize the professional and career learning resources to support their team members.
• Managers will have a concrete plan for following up on employee development progress.

Below are links to the following resources from this session:

• Slide Deck & Resources from Event
• Professional Development site
• Knowledges and Skills Hub
• SJD Library

KS Hub use recommendations
1. Your employee would like to find ways to grow in their position, so you recommend the KS Hub as a first step to begin the process and request a draft of a development plan using the template provided on the KS Hub site.

2. You have a high-performing employee who is willing to continue learning or improving but is unsure where to start looking for learning options at the UW.
3. You notice some possible skill or knowledge gaps with your employee, you introduce the KS Hub for specific skill or knowledge gap discussion using the SJD as a starting point.
4. You introduce the KS Hub to your entire team when you would like them to consider a wide scope of training options and you would like them to draft a development plan focusing on skill and knowledge development.    Feel free to add any of your own.  Also, please encourage your members to contact me if they are interested in working with me on skill-based development or would like me to present this to a broad audience.
5. Your employee expresses the desire to be promoted and would like to know the skills or knowledge needed for other positions.  Use the KS Hub and direct the employee to search SJDs of interest.  You can start with their assigned job group or job sub-group or they can look at over 1,000 SJDs with KS.

Chris’s team is looking for feedback as you explore this new tool. He’s also happy to answer any further questions regarding this hub.
Christopher East: christopher.east@wisc.edu