CSN Elevate Book Club

March 9, 16, & 23, 2021

If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t stay stagnant. We always have to be improving and elevating ourselves. The world around us is changing at a breakneck pace, and we have to be continually improving to be the best versions of ourselves and keep up with it. This is especially true for leaders and supervisors, who need to be in their best shape to lead in this rapidly changing world. You can’t stay the same and expect to be able to lead teams in the future.

Robert Glazer, CEO of Acceleration Partners, wrote a book about this topic. He has led a fully remote team for years and has seen in the last year how people have had to adapt and improve themselves to work in and lead remote teams. He knows the importance of continual improvement and says it comes down to your daily habits and actions. You have to know where you want to go in order to put in the work to get there.

In his book, Elevate: Push Beyond Your Limits and Unlock Success in Yourself and Others, Robert lays out four ways to elevate yourself for continual improvement:

1. Spiritual. This isn’t necessarily religious, but it’s about knowing who you are and what you stand for. This includes the personal standards you live by each day. In order to improve yourself, you have to know where you are going and what you want most.
2. Intellectual. Spiritual elevation helps you realize where you want to go, intellectual elevation helps you get there. This includes establishing routines and healthy habits and setting long-term and short-term goals.
3. Physical. You have to take care of yourself physically to have the strength and energy to reach your goals. Elevate yourself with improved eating and exercise habits to take care of your body.
4. Emotional. Your emotional levels affect your relationships and how you react to challenging situations. Everyone faces stress and trials, but when you elevate yourself emotionally, you are better prepared to handle the ups and downs.

We discussed these capacities in detail in our three sessions, and were joined by the author during the last session for some in-person Q&A!

For access to the workbook and other resources shared at this book club, visit this link: https://go.wisc.edu/8jzpd8

Student Employment Forum Series:
Facilitating an Equitable Student Hiring Process

March 16, 2021

This presentation provided hiring managers and supervisors with information to best facilitate an equitable student hiring process. They covered best practices in key areas of student review, interviews, and inclusive language in job postings.

Peer Learning Collective:
Looking at The Three Lenses of Leadership

February 9, 2021

At this small group we discussed The Three Lenses of Leadership: “In moving quickly, we can easily become entrenched in our own perspective, oblivious to other forces that may affect our business success. One technique for calibrating what we see involves viewing an initiative through three types of lenses: political, strategic, and cultural.”

Ponder and Explore The Three Lenses’ Key Concepts:

Strategic: goal-directed, tasks, roles, information flows, interdependence

Political: power, influence, networks, autonomy, interests, dominant coalition

Cultural: artifacts, symbols, myths, values, assumptions, identities, subcultures

For more details on this topic, watch this ITLC Session:

At ITLC 2020, Brian McNurlen and Greg Konop presented a session entitled “Stuck In The Middle With You: A Leadership Journey Through Crisis.”  Greg and Brian have worked at the forefront of campus’s COVID-19 Continuity of Instruction effort, engaging with Vice Provosts, Associate Deans, IT Directors, faculty, instructional designers, consultants, and support staff. In their recorded session they share guiding principles, realistic scenarios, question participants about balancing personal values with professional obligations, and introduce productive ways to navigate around potential obstacles.

https://mediaspace.wisc.edu/media/1_u5rum2vq

Note: This is not formal training, but a self-directed discussion group. Timely discussion topics impacting leaders will be brought forward by the collective. A safe place for sharing and listening will be established with learning outcomes expected in developing professional competencies, sharing best practices, building networks, and offering personal and professional challenges in the workplace.

Building Momentum – Creating Short-Term Wins

January 29, 2021

Building and sustaining momentum in the workplace is vital to motivation, forward movement, and ultimately, to success. Whether large or small, wins motivate us all! Yet in our day to day routines, we seldom celebrate them. This is now more important than ever given our current environment.  During this interactive workshop, we identified ways to effectively recognize wins in the workplace, learned how to reinforce successes and identified resources for creating and sustaining momentum.

Presented by Shelly Vils Havel

Student Employment Podcast Series:
Our Identities in the Workplace

January 28, 2021

The Podcast Series seeks to support our supervisory and leadership skills with student employees by focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics. No matter whether you supervise students or not, everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate in discussions.

Featuring Guest Facilitators:

• Nicole Schumacher- Scholarship Aid Manager, Office of Student Financial Aid
• Lo Klink- Associate Director of Special Awards and Student Engagement, Office of Student Financial Aid

Student Employment Forum Series:
Giving Feedback to Drive Student Success

January 12, 2021

Feedback is key to our own personal growth and development as well as the students we supervise. Attendees learned about the Office of Student Financial Aid’s Success Services, as well as considering how we receive and give feedback. they discussed the value of feedback, distinguish constructive criticism from other forms of critique, and explored how to effectively provide, receive, and even reject feedback.

Student Employment Podcast Series:
October Featured Podcast: The Long, Bloody Strike for Ethnic Studies

October 26, 2020

Featuring Guest Facilitators:

• Dr. Louis Macias, Executive Director of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion for the UW-Madison Police Department
• Dani Barker, Associate Director for College Student Life Operations and Staff Development at UC-Santa Cruz
• Garry Morgan, Special Assistant for Diversity and Inclusion Education at Auburn University
• Nalah McWhorter, UW-Madison Student and President of the Wisconsin Black Student Union

Student Employment Forum Series:
Being a Student Mentor

October 22, 2020

Being a student’s supervisor and mentor is no easy task. It is a process that takes time, trust, and a high level of support to develop. However, mentoring relationships are crucial to student success, enhancing a student’s sense of belonging in the workplace. Please join other individuals who supervise students from across campus as we discuss challenges, successes, and ideas for being a positive student mentor.

Peer Learning Collective –
Promoting and Embracing Autonomy in Remote Work

October 14, 2020

As supervisors, many of us transitioned to leading remote teams due to the pandemic. How do you promote autonomy and empower staff to be productive when you are not together in the office? Let’s talk about embracing autonomy with remote workers in this discussion with your peers. We will also discuss Daniel Pink’s ideas of autonomy from the book DRIVE, including ROWE and the Four T’s of Autonomy. This is an open discussion; not a presentation. Please come ready to engage with your peers.

Student Employment Forum Series:
Supervising with Empathy

Held September 23 online

These past 6 months are unlike anything most of us have experienced in our professional journeys. Supervisors’ roles, perhaps more than ever before, will require emotional intelligence skills. Basic Needs Assistants Marie Nofodji and Erin Long discussed the importance of supervising with empathy when interacting with students and other colleagues in the workplace. The slideshow will be shared at a later date.

Peer Learning Collective –
Leading hybrid teams: remote and on campus

Held August 26 online / followup meeting September 23

This was a self-directed discussion group led by Christopher East, Organizational Career Development Specialist for Learning and Talent Development.  Timely discussion topics impacting leaders will be brought forward by the collective. A safe place for sharing and listening will be established with learning outcomes expected in developing professional competencies, sharing best practices, building networks, and offering personal and professional challenges in the workplace.  Monthly discussions will be approximately one hour and attendance is completely voluntary.  This month’s topic was “Leading hybrid teams: remote and on campus.” A few members of the group met again in late September to talk about any improvements or updates since August, and discuss other ideas the Peer Learning Collective can tackle.

Peer Learning Collective –
Ways to keep your teams engaged during COVID19 and beyond

Held June 30 online / followup meeting July 29

This was a self-directed discussion group led by Christopher East, Organizational Career Development Specialist for Learning and Talent Development.  The first kick-off topic was “Ways to keep your teams engaged during COVID19 and beyond.”  Some people from the group connected again in late July to check in on each other and see if progress was made on some of the challenges discussed.

Student Employment Forum Series

For managers of student workers

Held April 16 online

Kristina Rittel and Justin Mumford led the last Student Employment Forum Series, to dive deeper into the area of student management on campus. This session focused on providing engaging and meaningful work environments for workers, with professional development and a trusting relationship with management being key.

Download the PowerPoint slide deck here:

Student Employment Forum-Keeping Students Engaged Presentation

A Video Recording of the online presentation can be viewed here: https://uwmadison.webex.com/uwmadison/lsr.php?RCID=13eb1164429b4766b8264ec79c7b512f

Password: ZgmBRac2

See below for past student worker sessions and their materials.

Kristina and Justin thank you for your continued interest in Student Employment and for helping to better the employment experience at UW-Madison. Reach out to either of them with any questions regarding these sessions.

Student Employment Forum Series

For managers of student workers

Held March 10 at Gordon Commons

The first of three sessions focusing on student employment was held on January 16th. Kristina Rittel and Justin Mumford are now leading a Student Employment Forum Series, to dive deeper into the area of student management on campus, and focused on hiring, recruitment, and onboarding for the first meeting. This second session focused on accountability and discipline and talked about the important role you as a supervisor have in communicating clear expectations to your student employees.

Powerpoint Deck and Handouts can be found here.

One more session is planned at Gordon Commons on April 16th, 2 pm-3 pm

Each session will have a different focus, with plenty of time for discussion and collaboration.

Winter 2020 Networking Event:

Campus Supervisors Open Networking

Held March 3 at Union South

Network with your peers! Attendees effectively used this opportunity to build their network with supervisors from different units. This is the place to pose questions and seek input from the group or talk about successes and struggles you are having in your leadership journey.

What challenges are you currently facing as a supervisor? Attend the next open networking event to talk it over with your peers.

Winter 2020 Networking Event:

CSN’s first Bite-Size Book Club: Quiet by Susan Cain

Held January 23 at Union South

Campus Supervisors Network started 2020 with a new concept: “Bite-Size” book clubs, where we sent a summary of the concepts from a given book (not reading the whole book) and then talked about the topics in a group setting for one session. Participants left with a basic understanding of the topic and with some resources to explore it more on their own.

Our first book was Quiet by Susan Cain. She covers the topic of introversion (and extroversion) in the workplace in this NY Times best-seller.

For resources associated with this session, click this link.

Winter 2020 Networking Event Series:

Student Employment Forum Series

For managers of student workers

Held January 16 at Gordon Commons

The first of three sessions focusing on student employment was held on January 16th. Kristina Rittel and Justin Mumford are now leading a Student Employment Forum Series, to dive deeper into the area of student management on campus, and focused on hiring, recruitment, and onboarding for the first meeting. They covered important ideas, such as avoiding unnecessary barriers in the process, giving concise and detailed descriptions of the actual job duties, and how your onboarding process affects the staying power of employees in these recruitments.

Their PowerPoint presentation has a lot of detail and links; if you were not able to make this meeting, you will still find value in the slides, located here: Forum Series-Hiring Presentation

Two more unique sessions are planned at Gordon Commons

• March 10th, 10 am-11 am
• April 16th, 2 pm-3 pm

Each session will have a different focus, with plenty of time for discussion and collaboration.

Winter 2020 Networking Event

CSN Summer Book Club Follow-up Meeting on Intrinsic Motivation

Held January 8 at Memorial Union

It had been four months since we parted ways from the CSN Summer Book Club, where we learned about the concepts of Dan Pink’s book DRIVE. Participants at this gathering discussed:
• How we’ve implemented the ideas from DRIVE into our workplaces
• How we are promoting autonomy, mastery, and purpose with staff
• Successes in our work units, and heard from others on campus

A summary of the concepts of DRIVE can be found at https://campussupervisorsnetwork.wisc.edu/lmd.

Fall 2019 Networking Event:

Campus Supervisors and PSM Graduates Open Networking

Held December 3 at Union South

Network with your peers! Some CSN members used this opportunity to build their network with supervisors from different units. We discussed autonomy, the Leadership@UW framework, hiring practices, workplace conflict, motivating student workers with purpose, and much more in this open networking session. It was an intimate group all willing to share their experiences and learn from each other.

What challenges are you currently facing as a supervisor?

Attend the next open networking event to talk it over with your peers.

LMD Conference:

What Really Drives Employees: Learn about Intrinsic Motivation

A Summary of the book Drive by Dan Pink

Held November 13 at Union South

At the Learning and Management Development (LMD) conference, CSN chair Rich Gassen presented a summary of the book Drive by Dan Pink, focusing on autonomy, mastery, and purpose. This was CSN’s summer book club feature, and CSN had a lot of resources and links to share regarding this subject for managers to take back to their units and put into practice. For links to the materials and videos used for this presentation, go to https://campussupervisorsnetwork.wisc.edu/lmd.

Fall 2019 Networking Event:

Managing Student Workers Discussion

Held November 6 at Memorial Union

Do you manage students as part of your staff? Campus Supervisors Network got 50 people together to collect information from supervisors who lead student workers so we can help develop resources and share success stories with all of you. In small groups, we brainstormed ideas, asked where you struggle in this area, and talked about possible options to implement and resources on campus. We ended with a panel discussion to answer even more questions from the group.

Link to notes at each discussion table: Student Supervision Q&A 11-6-19

CSN was at the Wellness Symposium

CSN members Carol Hulland and Shelly Vils Havel greeted visitors to the Wellness Symposium October 23rd in Union South, at the CSN booth. Our message was about how CSN aligns with the Dimensions of Wellness: Health, Meaning, Safety, Connection, Achievement, Growth, and Resiliency. See our chart below. Here’s more information on the Wellness Symposium.

Download CSN Wellness Flyer as PDF File

Manager Information Sessions:

Held October 17 and November 8 at Microbial Sciences

Campus Supervisors Network has teamed up with the TTC Communications group to share information about the TTC rollout that is specific to supervisors. We hosted a Title & Total Compensation Project Manager/Supervisor Focus Group on October 17 and November 8 at Microbial Sciences. During these sessions, attendees were able to:

• Learn more about the TTC Project, especially about your role as a manager
• Preview and provide feedback on manager training and resources
• Ask questions about the project

For more information on TTC, visit https://hr.wisc.edu/title-and-total-compensation-study/

Fall 2019 Networking Event:

Held October 16 at 21 N. Park.

We delivered tips on “Managing Up;” being a leader while working with upper leadership more effectively to be successful in your role. Whether you are a first-line manager or an administrative assistant, this session was beneficial.

Managing up is about influence, negotiation, building trusting relationships, and communication, especially (but not exclusively!) with your boss. In this session, we reviewed the research, and why we all need to learn how to manage up. We talked about skills and strategies you can continue to practice beyond this session to grow your ability to manage up.

Managing Up Additional Resources Link

Speaker Bio:

Lynn Freeman is the Director of Learning and Talent Development at UW-Madison and is also Director of the Human Resources Communities of Practice.

CSN was at the Employee Benefits and Resource Fair

CSN members Rich Gassen, Carol Hulland, David Kuester, and Heidi Udelhoven greeted visitors at the 2019 UW-Madison Employee Benefits and Resource Fair on October 8.  We were able to talk about the benefits of getting involved in networking with other managers on campus to improve your skills and be better in your role as a leader. One particular conversation was with a supervisor from Extension, who works in Green Lake. We talked about the challenges of managing from afar, and discussed future plans to cater to this demographic with some of our sessions. For more information on the benefits fair, visit their website link at https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/annual-benefits-enrollment/benefits-fair/.

Fall 2019 Networking Event:

Campus Supervisors and PSM Graduates Open Networking

(Held October 3 at WARF room 1420)

Network with your peers! Use this opportunity to build your network with recent Principles of Supervision and Management (PSM) graduates as well as other supervisors from all over campus.

This group discussed the current state of TTC for managers regarding the upcoming SJD rollout and conversations managers will have with staff. We talked about concerns in each specific area we work in, and some members had advice for others on how to proceed. We also discussed future events coming to managers for more training and Q&A with TTC reps.

Fall 2019 Networking Event:

Overcoming Distractions

(Held September 24 at Carson Gulley)

A follow-up session to our recent Managing Priorities presentation
A follow-up to CSN’s recent Managing Priorities presentation—this session focused on the many distractions that confront us as contemporary professionals managing multiple priorities and utilizing numerous technological tools. Based on current neuroscience research, Jenny reviewed both the challenges to sustained focus and strategies for mitigating those challenges. The session was interactive and activity-based as we looked both to research and to each other for new approaches to this universal struggle.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Jennifer (Jenny) Faust currently serves as Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Director of the Office of Strategic Consulting. The Office of Strategic Consulting partners with departments and programs across the university on strategic planning, departmental culture and climate, professional development, process improvement, and project management. Prior to joining the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016 as a consultant, she served for twenty years as a faculty member in philosophy, a department chair, and an academic administrator. She has also worked with universities across the country on leadership development, strategy, and institutional culture and climate. The common thread running through her career in higher education, from faculty member to academic administrator to consultant, is a commitment to faculty, staff, and student success in high-quality academic programs. Leadership development has continued to be an avenue of interest, as this is where she can “pay it forward.”

Summer 2019 Networking Event:

Summer Book Club featuring Drive by Dan Pink

(Held June 25, July 16 and August 6 at SoHE)

Much of what we know about motivation is wrong. Tasks are either: (1) Algorithmic—you pretty much do the same thing over and over in a certain way, or (2) Heuristic—you have to come up with something new every time because there are no set instructions to follow. The carrot and stick approach to motivation is flawed.

In his 2009 book, “Drive,” Daniel Pink proposes a new motivational model that he believes is a better fit for today’s creative and innovative workplaces. Pink’s model focuses on enabling people to become intrinsically motivated – that is, using internal drives as a source of motivation. “Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives.”

The Campus Supervisors Network had its 3rd annual Summer Book Club, where we explored Pink’s ideas of intrinsic motivation. We met throughout the summer, and talked about sections of the book Drive. Registrants received a complimentary copy of the book as well as study materials and supporting articles around the concept of intrinsic motivation.

For a quick video on Dan Pink’s concepts, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc.

Summer 2019 Networking Event:

PSM Grads Networking Session

(Held July 24 at Microbial Sciences)

CSN facilitated a networking session for recent Principles of Supervision and Management graduates to get together, discuss the issues they are facing as a supervisor, and use each other as a resource to solve tricky problems. This session was held at Microbial Sciences. Watch for future networking events like this one!

Spring 2019 Networking Event:

PSM Grads Networking Session

(Held May 23 at Lowell Center)

CSN facilitated its first networking session for recent Principles of Supervision and Management graduates to get together, discuss the issues they are facing as a supervisor, and use each other as a resource to solve tricky problems. The group talked about different issues that were current hot items, like how to correctly plan a retirement gathering for a long-time staff member and also how to do succession planning for work tasks being handed off to others. Join us for future meetings to crowdsource answers to your questions.

Spring 2019 Networking Event:

Managing Priorities

(Held May 14 at Union South)

Do you find that you often have more on your “to-do” list at the end of a day than at the beginning? Are you interrupted so often that you don’t have time to focus on what is important? Do you have trouble finding time for your family and friends? All busy leaders struggle with these issues, but they can be especially challenging for those of us who became managers without any formal training. In this interactive, case-based workshop, presenter Jenny Faust focused on strategies for managing this common set of problems that we all face. Attendees left with practical solutions and resources that they can begin to apply immediately. Topics included: setting realistic goals, putting project time on your calendar, strategies to ensure that you get (uninterrupted) work time daily, developing “yes criteria,” and overcoming common distractions at work.

Leadership @ UW Spring Open House

CSN members Rich Gassen and Kate Skogen greeted visitors at the Leadership @ UW Spring Open House Thursday, May 2^nd at the Pyle Center. At this wonderful event, groups were awarded for the ways the Leadership Framework was used in their environments for positive change, and groups like the Campus Supervisors Network were on hand to talk with visitors about how they promote leadership on the UW campus. Kate and Rich were able to discuss the upcoming book club, current CSN events, and network with some of their peers in this relaxed atmosphere.

CSN was once again at Showcase!

On Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the Office of Strategic Consulting celebrated 20 years of Showcase—an opportunity for colleagues from across the UW-Madison campus to connect with each other, share best practices, and learn from each other’s successes. The free event featured poster exhibits, breakout sessions, and a keynote presentation, in addition to the popular poster flash talks.

CSN planning committee members Kate Skogen, David Kuester, Rich Gassen, Kathy Nelson, and Heidi Udelhovel displayed a poster and met many nice people at this popular event. We discussed CSN’s mission of serving campus supervisors and talked about how networking and employee development are critical to your success in leadership roles. More information about Showcase can be found at https://strategicconsulting.wisc.edu/showcase-2019/.

Spring 2019 Networking Event:

Universal Design – Application for Supervisors

(Held April 3 at Union South)

This presentation highlighted elements of universal design that serve as a useful application for supervisors managing diverse teams. Universal design is the design of buildings, products, environments, or instruction to be accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability, or other factors. Attendees learned about the history of universal design, its principles, current best practices within the classroom that are applicable to the workplace, and how universal design principles serve as a useful framework for supervision focused on developing staff strengths and promoting inclusion.

Click here for a link to Ruben’s presentation.

CSN was at Construct Your Career Day!

Members of CSN were present at the March 7 Construct Your Career Conference resource fair. Many people stopped by and visited with us, to learn more about the Campus Supervisors Network and the sessions we offer.

At the Construct Your Career Conference, attendees were able to choose from a variety of workshops on topics such as job change, the role of values, leadership development, career transitions, returning to school, and integrating soft skills into employee training programs. There was also a great session on networking.

Winter 2019 Networking Event:

Getting to know your staff using the Stickman Exercise

(Held February 19 at Gordon Commons)

Patti Havlicek of Campus Supervisors Network presented another mini session on the Stickman Exercise: a fun and easy way to get to know your staff and use this to support and motivate them in their career path. She demonstrated how to use the Stickman Exercise for onboarding, one on one discussions, or anytime you want to learn more about a staff member and promote:

• Higher job satisfaction
• Improved performance
• Showing appreciation for what they do
• Developing trust and a sense of family

Winter 2019 Networking Event:

Fostering a Culture of Employee Appreciation and Recognition

(Held January 9 at Middleton Building)

CSN once again offered this session with Rich Gassen as facilitator. Through his research, Rich has built up a variety of resources from online influencers on this important subject and shared his findings with participants.

Attendees came prepared to discuss current workplace practices for recognition and employee engagement; learned some stats, proven success stories on our campus, and ideas for a more appreciative work experience. Handouts and materials were provided, along with some tools to immediately employ in work areas.

Couldn’t attend but still interested in the topic? Find all of the materials from the recognition sessions at https://uwmadison.box.com/v/Recognition.

Winter 2018 Networking Event:

Overcoming Distractions

(Held December 13 at the Memorial Union)

A follow-up session to our recent Managing Priorities presentation
Jenny Faust from the Office of Strategic Consulting returned to present for CSN. Her new session focused on the many distractions that confront us as contemporary professionals managing multiple priorities and utilizing numerous technological tools. Based on current neuroscience research, we heard about both the challenges to sustained focus and strategies for mitigating those challenges. The session was interactive and activity-based as we looked both to research and to each other for new approaches to this universal struggle.

Fall 2018 Networking Event:

The CSN Holiday Mingle

(Held November 15 at Smitty’s Study Pub, in the Fluno Center)

Hopefully, you were one of the many people that came to the CSN Holiday Mingle – a chance to catch up and socialize with some of your peers and presenters from past sessions. No speaker; just fun networking and mingling with other supervisors from campus. We met at the Fluno Center on the 8th floor in Smitty’s Study Pub, with spectacular views of the University and Madison landmarks. Below are some photos from this event.

CSN was at the Leadership Conference!

Campus Supervisors Network was represented at the Leadership and Management Development Conference on November 7th at Union South. Our booth was visited by many, wanting to learn more about our community of practice.

The 20^th Annual Leadership and Management Development Conference, “Forward Thinking for Today’s Leader,” was Wednesday, Nov. 7, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. at Union South. The conference is designed to help faculty, staff, and community members develop the skills they need to lead and manage more effectively, whether they are currently in formal positions of leadership or looking to develop and grow into a leader.

Fall 2018 Networking Discussion:

Follow-up to our Summer Book Club

(Held October 18 at Middleton Building)

A follow-up networking session was advertised directly to attendees of the recent Crucial Conversations Book Club sessions we had this summer.

CSN Planning Committee members gathered in a small group discussion with other attendees to discuss concepts from this book in-depth, and put them into practice with our own real-life situations we were currently working through, and dissected them with the help of the group. Thank you to everyone who attended our book clubs!

CSN Fall 2018 Mini Session:

(Held October 9 at Union South)

Leadership Improv:
Practice being “in the moment” as a leader

CSN welcomed Sean Bossinger and Jason Erdmann from UW-IT Connects for another session on Leadership Improv. Through a variety of fun, engaging activities, Sean and Jason demonstrated how improvisational comedy skills can help supervisors work through difficult situations with staff and their peers alike.

Attendees of this fun and interactive event were able to:
• Get practice being “in the moment” (as leaders always are)
• Become more comfortable speaking from the top of mind
• Practice becoming more comfortable acting (as opposed to reacting)
• Learn the science behind why practice makes people more comfortable
• Participate in activities that focused on building and collaboration
• Learn about “Yes, and…,” a core competency of improv troupes everywhere

Our presenters:
Sean Bossinger is the Assistant Director of User Services in the Division of Information Technology.
Jason Erdmann is the Senior IT Consultant with MERIT in the School of Education.

Note: Leadership Improv also meets monthly at Union South — email Jason for more information.

Fall 2018 Networking Event:

Managing Priorities

(Held September 18 at Union South)

Do you find that you often have more on your “to do” list at the end of a day than at the beginning? Are you interrupted so often that you don’t have time to focus on what is important? Do you have trouble finding time for your family and friends? All busy leaders struggle with these issues, but they can be especially challenging for those of us who became managers without any formal training. In this interactive, case-based workshop, we focused on strategies for managing this common set of problems that we all face. Attendees left with practical solutions and resources that they could begin to apply immediately. Topics included: setting realistic goals, putting project time on your calendar, strategies to ensure that you get (uninterrupted) work time daily, and developing “yes criteria.”

Also see the event summary above, “Overcoming Distractions,” from December!

Followup to Recognition and Appreciation Sessions

(Held August 21 at Middleton Building)

A followup networking session was advertised directly to attendees of the recent Fostering a Culture of Employee Appreciation and Recognition sessions in April and July.

Attendees joined in a small group discussion on August 21st to discuss programs and events they could promote in their work area. Your peers discussed in more detail some of the ways you can show your employees that they are valued. We talked about things that each of us have done and ways others might incorporate some of them into their department’s regimen and increase employee engagement as a result.

Find all of the materials from the recognition sessions at https://uwmadison.box.com/v/Recognition.

CSN Summer 2018 Book Club

(Held June 27, July 18, & Aug 8 at Lathrop Hall’s Virginia Harrison Parlor)

Do you experience conflict from time to time in your role on campus? Are you sometimes caught off guard by situations with staff? Do you avoid conflict in the hope that it will go away? The Campus Supervisors Network got together and read and reviewed parts of the book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when Stakes are High by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan & Switzler, during our summer book club!

In this great book, Crucial Conversations are defined as “A discussion between two or more people where (1) stakes are high, (2) opinions vary, and (3) emotions run strong” and the outcome greatly impacts their lives. We touched on the major theme of the book, and unpacked sections that will help you prepare for and have more successful conversations in the workplace or in your personal life. Materials were provided, including a copy of the book and handouts / questions for discussion.

Materials are still available for self study: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/CSNCrucial

Early to Mid-Career Retirement Planning

Maximizing Your Benefits: Making Your Money Work

(Held 7/17/2018 at Union South)

Get control of your money at the UW! Thomasin Propson spoke how to be properly invested and positioned for your retirement. In this 90-minute informational mini-session, we learned about the following:

1. Introduce you to the UW-Madison Benefits Services office
2. Review shared retirement resources and process (UW & ETF)
3. And provide basic information on:

>> Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
>> How future WRS retirement annuity may be calculated
>> Sick Leave Credit Conversion
>> Supplemental retirement plans available 403(b) & 457(b)

If you missed this information-rich session, the link to the presentation (including links to many resources) can be found here: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/GettingYourMoneysWorth

Speaker Bio: Thomasin Propson, University Benefits Specialist

Thomasin joined UW-Madison’s Office of Human Resources 5 years ago and has served on the committees for Retirement Issues and OHR’s Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity. As a Benefits Specialist, she provides employees with a well-rounded view of the insurance and retirement plans by presenting to new hires at Benefits 101, sharing Benefits Changes updates each fall, and discussing the retirement process during group Pre-Retirement sessions. Prior to joining the UW, she worked for 12 years in Madison’s private sector supplying benefits and other HR assistance to small & mid-size businesses and not-for-profits.

Fostering a Culture of Employee Appreciation and Recognition

(Held 7/10/2018 at the Middleton Building)

CSN once again offered this session with Rich Gassen as facilitator. Through his research, he has built up a variety of resources from online influencers on this important subject and shared his findings with participants, including updates from his April class discussion.

The group discussed current workplace practices for recognition and employee engagement; learned some stats, proven success stories on our campus, and ideas for a more appreciative work experience. Handouts and materials were provided, along with some tools to immediately employ in work areas.

Link to materials and resources:
https://uwmadison.box.com/v/Recognition

Special thank you to the small group that attended our followup session on recognition on August 21st, after this presentation. Members of CDR’s High Five Club talked about some things they have implemented over the past five years, Rich talked about the Summer Sessions program his shop promoted this summer for staff to visit places like Allen Centennial Gardens, The Chazen Museum and more, and we discussed other topics like department calendars with staff-supplied photos, cookouts with themes (tailgate season approaching!!), and looking for awards programs to submit names of staff members to.

Autism and the UW: Supervising Staff in the Autism Spectrum

(Held 6/21/2018 at The Waisman Center)

Management issues can be a challenge for both parties when an employee is on the autism spectrum. Scott Allen, a professional and advocate on the autism spectrum, offered perspectives and experiences at this presentation, with an eye toward benefiting both employees on the spectrum and those who manage or supervise them. We also had an opening by Lindsay McCary, who presented a clinical perspective on autism.

Scott’s presentation slides, speaking points, and accommodations list are posted here: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/Autism

Speaker Bio:

Scott Allen, a self-advocate with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome, has been doing public speaking about the autism spectrum since 2002. He has a Master’s degree in counseling and is currently affiliated with the Waisman Center in Madison, WI until the end of June. Scott is happy to speak to more groups about this subject; he can be contacted at his personal email address of evolution__42@hotmail.com.

Getting to know your staff using the Stickman Exercise

(Held 6/7/2018 at DoIT Computer Sciences)

Patti Havlicek of Campus Supervisors Network presented a mini session on the Stickman Exercise: a fun and easy way to get to know your staff and use this to support and motivate them in their career path. She demonstrated how to use the Stickman Exercise for onboarding, one on one discussions, or anytime you want to learn more about a staff member and promote:

• Higher job satisfaction
• Improved performance
• Showing appreciation for what they do
• Developing trust and a sense of family

Click here to download the “Using Stickman to get to know your employees” presentations slides.

Successful Hiring Practices: Interviewing and Advertising Workshop

(Held 5/10/2018 at Union South)

CSN presented an engaging and informative session on interviewing and advertising for job openings, featuring Erica Fini-Marten and Tanya Hanson from OHR.

“Interviewing is the most widely used tactic to assess a candidate’s ability to meet the needs of a job opening. Learn foundational best practices and the do’s and don’ts of interviewing to ensure you have the right person. Prior to interviewing, you likely have an adequate quantity of applicants, but do you have the quality?  Discover the value of understanding where candidates, and more importantly hires, hear about job opportunities at UW-Madison. You may rethink how to advertise and share your job opening!”

This abbreviated session provided the opportunity to learn and discuss practices surrounding interviewing and advertising. Check out some recruitment resources that were mentioned in the session:

The TRE Toolkit has a plethora of information on TREMS features and how-to’s, Recruitment and Recruitment Planning, Applicant Assessment, Onboarding, Performance Management and more. It’s a great link to bookmark!

The TRE Toolkit: https://tre.ohr.wisc.edu/

Recruitment CoP: Communities of Practice are great ways to talk with others about their efforts and find out new ways to improve your recruitments. To join the mail list, please email Erica Fini-Marten at finimarten@wisc.edu or Sarah Carroll at sgcarroll@wisc.edu.

Presented by:

Erica Fini-Marten, Human Resource Specialist, UW-Madison
Tanya Hanson, Human Resource Specialist, UW-Madison

Leadership @ UW Spring Open House

CSN members Kate Skogen, Rich Gassen, and Kayla Driscoll were at the Leadership @ UW Spring Open House on May 1st, held at Lathrop Hall. At this wonderful event, students presented how the Leadership Framework was used in their environments for positive change, and we met many new people at our booth as well and were able to introduce them to the Campus Supervisors Network.

CSN Spring 2018 Mini Session:

Caring for Ourselves and Shaping A Culture of Wellbeing

(Held 04/12/2018 at 21 North Park)

Employee Wellness Leader Nicole Youngberg from OHR presented “Caring for Ourselves and Shaping A Culture of Wellbeing.”  Nicole discussed how to take care of yourself effectively so you can take care of others in your organization. She engaged with the audience about what well-being is, the concept of work-life integration, and how caring for ourselves can shape the culture we live in. Everyone was presented with materials to take back to their offices and reference.

Nicole can also meet with you to create a customized program for your department — reach out to her directly for a consultation. For more information on OHR’s employee wellness initiative, click here.

CSN Spring 2018 Mini Session:

Fostering a Culture of Employee Appreciation and Recognition

(Held 04/05/2018 at Middleton Building)

Our first mini session, “Fostering a Culture of Employee Appreciation and Recognition,” was facilitated by CSN member Rich Gassen. Through his research, Rich has amassed a collection of resources from online influencers on this important subject and shared his findings with the audience.

Attendees came prepared to talk about their current workplace practices for recognition and employee engagement; learned some stats, proven success stories, and ideas for a more appreciative work experience. Handouts and materials were provided, along with some tools to immediately employ in work areas.

The following are comments and survey responses from attendees:

“Thanks for an incredibly applicable training session on Employee Appreciation and Recognition. I’m still referencing all of the great materials you provided.”

“I loved the fast pace of the presentation and the wealth of resources to explore after the session.”

“It was interesting to see all the resources that are out there to reference. I loved all of the statistics and the book suggestions.”

The CSN Crew was at Showcase 2018

CSN planning committee members were once again presenting at Showcase on March 21st, 2018 at Union South. We hosted a booth to network with our peers, and discuss CSN’s mission of serving campus supervisors. Rich Gassen gave a flash talk about our poster and some of the events we have facilitated in the past year. The group also raffled off a copy of The Clover Practice and congratulate Jay Ray for being the winner!

For more info on Showcase, click here: strategicconsulting.wisc.edu/showcase/showcase-2018

CSN Discussions at Academic Staff Institute

CSN members Kate Skogen, Rich Gassen, and Kayla Driscoll presented March 15, 2018 at the Academic Staff Institute at Union South. ASI is an annual professional development conference for UW-Madison academic staff held during the spring semester. The conference is a joint effort between the Madison Academic Staff Network, ASEC, Secretary of the Academic Staff office, and the Academic Staff Assembly.

In our breakout session, we shared information about the Talent and Learning Development programs available to managers, were able to learn about concerns with Extension staff migrating to UW-Madison, and talked about upcoming CSN events. As always, we welcomed ideas on additional training so we can improve our service to the campus supervisor community. Thank you to all that listened to our information and participated!

Winter 2018 CSN Event:

Followup to Bridging the Generational Divide

A followup networking session was advertised directly to attendees of the recent Bridging the Generational Divide session in December.

(Held 1/29/2018 at Union South)

Several people joined us for an engaging and informative conversation around the idea of generational differences in the workplace. We had an open discussion about successes and struggles we have encountered in our environments, talked about the different communication styles and needs of the generational groups, and referenced some additional materials for possible solutions and advice in dealing with these challenges.

Click on the link below for a downloadable summary statement of our conversations.

https://uwmadison.box.com/v/Followup

Winter 2017 CSN Event:

Bridging the Generational Divide

Generational differences. We keep hearing about it, and we keep expecting the buzz to go away. But it’s not.

(Held 12/14/2017 at Union South)

CSN welcomed Alex Draginis from Accent Learning & Consulting for her presentation on “How to bridge the generation gap effectively”.

With 47% of the full-time workforce under the age of 34, managers and supervisors are trying to figure out how to hire, retain and motivate in a world of shifting demographics. Generational differences affect how employees function and relate to one another, ultimately affecting productivity and the workplace environment.

Alex gave her presentation on the following:

1. Who are the generations and what are the characteristics impacting leaders?
2. What are the common generational pain points for teams?
3. What are differences across generations in terms of change and feedback?
4. How the generations approach work using unique strengths that sometimes divide

The following are quotes from attendees of this event:
“Working with people both older and younger than me, the materials gave me a better understanding as to how they process things differently and how to communicate my points better, but respectfully.”

“Alex explained why staff are “programmed” to react to different situations and work challenges as they do.”

“I recruit, hire and (try to) retain staff such that understanding generational norms enables me to be responsive to their needs.”

Late Fall 2017 CSN Event:

Understanding the
Leadership Framework;
Supervisors Share
Their Perspective

(Held 10/25/2017 at Union South)

Campus Supervisors Network teamed up with Leadership @ UW for an interactive discussion with a panel of campus leaders to learn about, and better understand the UW-Madison Leadership Framework. The framework is founded on guiding principles of leadership. It focuses on institutional values and leadership competencies, which when enacted, can lead to an infinite number of positive outcomes.

The panel of distinguished managers and supervisors from across campus shared how they have integrated and use the Leadership Framework. Attendees were able to learn from their stories, successes, and challenges, and also find out how they might implement the framework in their specific units. If you missed this event and want more information on the Leadership Framework, contact Jessica Swenson at jessica.swenson@wisc.edu. A link to the materials that are utilized by this group can be found here.

CSN Fall 2017 Event

Harness the Power
of “YES, AND…” with
LEADERSHIP IMPROV!

(Held 9/26/2017 at Union South)

CSN welcomed Sean Bossinger and Jason Erdmann from UW-IT Connects for a session on Leadership Improv. Through a variety of fun, engaging activities, Sean and Jason demonstrated how improvisational comedy skills can help supervisors work through difficult situations with staff and their peers alike.

Attendees were able to:
• Get practice being “in the moment” (as leaders always are)
• Become more comfortable speaking from the top of mind
• Practice becoming more comfortable acting (as opposed to reacting)
• Learn the science behind why practice makes people more comfortable
• Participate in activities that focused on building and collaboration
• Learn about “Yes, and…,” a core competency of improv troupes everywhere.

Our presenters:
Sean Bossinger is the Assistant Director of User Services in the Division of Information Technology.
Jason Erdmann is the Senior IT Consultant with MERIT in the School of Education.

Note: Leadership Improv meets monthly at Union South — email Jason for more information.

(Held 6-27, 7/19 and 8/9/2017 at Lathrop Hall)

Do you want to be more effective and engaging in your role as a leader? Would you like to learn tips on how to handle stress, and how to leave the office feeling accomplished verses drained? In 2017, Campus Supervisors Network introduced the CSN Book Club Series; a new way to network and develop your skills as a supervisor.

The featured book in 2017 was from Kathleen A. Paris, Ph.D., who is an emeritus for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Quality Improvement (OQI). Her work, Staying Healthy in Sick Organizations: The Clover Practice™ shows you how to thrive professionally and emotionally in work environments that are frequently unhealthy. With clear directives and tools for how to be an authentic advocate for ourselves and others, and recognize the interconnections that influence our failures and successes. This book provides an elegant metaphor and tool kit for navigating organizational change.

Sorry, this great networking opportunity has passed; however, supporting materials are still available if you would like to self-study. Click below:

♣ Clover Discussion Qs_final

♣ Clover Tables

Also, we have this book in our new CSN Library, for you to check out and read!

Lynda.com is free and accessible through the MyUW portal. Please consider spending some time with us to get your feet wet in the Lynda.com environment. Learn the basics of navigating this tool, and see some of the offerings within it. Registration is now open this exciting CSN Brown Bag event!

KK Konicek of DoIT Academic Technology was our presenter. KK has been with the UW Madison for 18 years and in a variety of capacities for DoIT. KK has been with Lynda.com from its conception on campus and was involved in CIC (Community on Institutional Cooperation) Lynda.com topics. Note: KK retired from the UW Summer 2017; email Rich from the CSN planning committee for Lynda.com assistance at rich.gassen@wisc.edu.

Leadership @ UW Spring Open House

CSN members Kate Skogen, Rich Gassen, and Ruben Mota were on hand May 2nd, 2017 at the Leadership @ UW Spring Open House, where collaboration and idea sharing were front and center. Speakers presented how the Leadership Framework works into so many different areas of campus for people to assess their competencies and values relating the UW’s mission. Others, including CSN, had booths to showcase leadership on various levels in the university. CSN had our usual swag of notepads, upcoming event notifications, and candy to give out to visitors. Thank you to all that came out to this wonderful event.

CSN Winter 2017 Event

Ready, Set, GOAL!

Writing Effective Performance Review Goals and Other News on UW Performance Management

(Held 1/19/2017 at Union South)

Shelly Vils Havel is the Performance Management Coordinator at the UW’s Talent Recruitment & Engagement department at the Office of Human Resources. During this event, Shelly presented information on best practices of performance management, covering each step – setting goals, providing feedback, tips for effective writing of reviews etc. — with additional resources available for follow up.

Shelly spoke for most of the session, and there was an optional networking discussion afterward focusing on how to set goals for your rock star staff members — How do you motivate them without pay increases as part of the mix? Share with your peers how you keep staff engaged and motivated in spite of lack of funds to offer raises. In what unique ways do managers attack this challenge? Thank you to everyone that attended this event.

Click the link below to download all of Shelly’s handouts and materials from this event.

Ready Set Goal Materials

CSN Autumn 2016 Event

You Talkin’ To Me?

Resources for having difficult conversations with employees.

(Held 09/14/2016 at Union South)

Managers and Supervisors met with peers at this well-attended CSN Networking event and discussed how to handle difficult conversations and situations with your staff at the UW-Madison. We heard from Sherry Boeger at the Employee Assistance Office (EAO) on services available to managers and employees on campus, all free of charge, to help in these situations.

Click the link below to Sherry’s presentation on difficult conversations:

Coaching for Difficult Conversations

UW Leadership Open House Poster Show

CSN hosted a booth at the Spring Open House on May 4th 2016, which featured and celebrated leadership development across campus. The Leadership@UW (formerly CLI) has positively impacted curriculum, student organizations and employee engagement. CSN Planning Committee members were able to engage the community and speak about our mission during this event.

CSN Spring 2016 Event

S.O.S. — Supervisor Online Support

(and where to find them!)

(Held 4/7/2016 at 21 N. Park St)

CSN facilitated a brown-bag networking event to allow attendees to discuss successful strategies in employee engagement, and also present some services and training available to managers on campus. Our guest speakers were Julie Kovalaske and Molly Heisterkamp from OHR, presenting information on FL2L training and the UWELL health and wellness initiative at UW-Madison. Rich Gassen also introduced CSN’s new website at this event.

CSN Late Autumn 2015 Event

Investing in Employee Morale without Breaking the Bank:

Creative Alternatives to Rewarding Employees

(Held 12/8/2015 at Union South)

Discussion groups during this event brain stormed on best practices related to workplace morale, non-merit rewards of employees and keeping your own outlook positive. Some themes that surfaced were programs and events to reward staff (cookouts, etc.), hand-written greeting cards as a powerful tool to thank people for their efforts, and working on empowerment and innovation programs where staff are more invested and engaged in their work.

CSN Summer 2015 Event

CSN Kick-off Meeting

(Held 8/4/2015 at Union South)

The Campus Supervisor Network (CSN) is a newly formed Community of Practice at UW-Madison that provides a safe and welcoming environment in support of campus supervisors and managers, and to promote leadership and effective personnel management.

Attendees of this kick-off session were able to network and join in round-table discussions regarding every day topics you use that are critical to being an effective supervisor.

Topics included:

• What are your priorities as a supervisor – how do you see your role as a supervisor
• Little known campus resources – your secret go-to resource to be an effective supervisor
• Cultivating the CSN group – what you want this group to offer to help you be a more effective supervisor

(after this meeting, responses to our surveys guided the CSN planning committee to start offering future events geared to managers’ most need, and also drove our initiative to create and manage this website as a resource to supervisors. Your feedback and recommendations are always welcome.)