Sometimes, the first step toward balance is just pausing long enough to notice where you actually are.

This session offers that pause. Through guided self-assessment using a Wellness Wheel and reflective prompts, you’ll explore key areas of well-being—movement, sleep, nutrition, emotional health, and rest—not in isolation, but as interconnected parts of your daily life.

You’ll get a snapshot of where things feel steady... and where they might need a little more attention. And instead of vague advice or overambitious routines, we’ll focus on practical tools—small shifts that are actually doable in real life.

You’ll also have a chance to try out simple, evidence-informed techniques, like mindful movement, breathwork, or visualization. By the end of the session, you’ll walk away with a personalized wellness plan built around your own values, rhythms, and goals—not someone else’s idea of what “wellness” should look like.

Because real well-being isn’t about overhauling everything—it’s about knowing what supports you, and making space for it, one choice at a time.

What you’ll take away:

• A personalized wellness snapshot across domains like rest, movement, and emotional health
• A clearer vision of what holistic wellness means for you
• Easy-to-apply tools and strategies that fit into busy schedules
• Guided practices to help regulate stress and restore balance
• A customized Wellness Action Plan to take with you beyond the session

Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it just starts with the question: What would make me feel a little more like myself today?

You know that coworker who somehow makes everyone around them feel seen, heard, and respected? That’s not magic—it’s often coaching. And it turns out, you don’t need a formal title or a certification to bring that same energy into your workplace. Being coach-like is something we can all practice, and when we do, it opens the door to better conversations, deeper trust, and stronger teams.

In this session, we’ll talk about coaching not as a buzzword, but as a mindset that helps people grow—on their own terms. You’ll learn how to create space where your colleagues feel safe to speak up, work through challenges, and come to their own solutions. That’s not just good for individuals—it’s good for culture.

We’ll look at how coaching behaviors like active listening, asking powerful questions, and resisting the urge to jump in with advice can shift team dynamics in meaningful ways. And we’ll explore the connection between coaching and a psychologically safe workplace—where curiosity is welcomed, mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, and everyone feels like they belong.

You don’t need to lead a team to benefit from this session. Whether you're a new hire, a mid-level manager, or someone who’s just tired of meetings where no one really says what they mean, these tools can help you show up differently—and help others do the same.

What you’ll take away:

• A clear understanding of what coaching is (and what it’s not)
• The difference between coaching, mentoring, and managing
• Coach-like behaviors you can use in everyday conversations
• A list of powerful, open-ended questions to support reflection and problem-solving
• Insight into when coaching is the right tool—and when it isn’t

A deeper sense of how coaching contributes to psychological safety and trust

Culture doesn’t shift overnight. But moment by moment, question by question, we can build workplaces where people feel valued, heard, and empowered. Coaching helps us get there.

What if leadership isn’t something you are, but something you do—in small, decisive moments that shape how people feel, think, and work together?

This session invites you to rethink leadership as a series of moments—brief, meaningful opportunities where your way of being, thinking, and acting have the power to shift culture, build trust, and create momentum. Whether it’s a tough conversation, a split-second decision, or an unexpected chance to listen more deeply, leadership lives in how we show up when it counts.

Together, we’ll unpack six key components that define every leadership moment. You’ll reflect on the way you move through those moments—what you bring to the table, how you respond to pressure, and where your habits help (or hinder) connection. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being aware—and learning to lead with intention, not just instinct.

What you’ll take away:

• A reimagined view of leadership based on presence, not position
• Insight into the six defining elements of every leadership moment
• Reflection on how your mindset and habits shape team interactions
• The six core skills that support leadership across a range of moments
• A simple but powerful framework for flexing your leadership across five levels
  
  

Leadership isn’t always a title. It’s a moment. And when you know how to meet that moment with clarity and care, that’s when real change starts.

Let’s face it: hybrid work isn’t going anywhere—but the constant pinging, switching, juggling? That’s not sustainable. Productivity isn’t about squeezing more into your day. It’s about designing workflows that actually work—for your role, your team, and your brain.

This session is for anyone who feels like their digital tools are running the show—or worse, running them into the ground. We’ll take a close look at common workflow traps in hybrid environments and map out smarter, simpler ways to work. The goal? More clarity, less chaos.

You’ll get to explore practical tools like Microsoft 365, Notion, and Trello—not just what they do, but how to use them strategically to cut down on redundancy, improve communication, and stay focused on what really matters. You’ll also learn how to balance deep work with the flexibility that remote and hybrid environments demand.

This isn’t just theory. You’ll walk through real-life examples from higher ed—think advising teams, academic departments, and administrative units—and practice applying the concepts to your own daily grind. Whether you’re leading a team or trying to stay afloat solo, this session offers tools and insights you can put to work right now.

What you’ll take away:

• A practical method to spot inefficiencies and rethink your workflow
• A framework for balancing team coordination with solo productivity
• Digital tools that cut clutter and support real collaboration
• Templates for mapping your current work routines (and reworking them)
• Scenarios that show how productivity strategy plays out across roles
• A post-session toolkit to keep applying what you’ve learned
  
  

Getting “more done” isn’t the point. Getting the right things done—with clarity, focus, and room to breathe—is. Let’s start there.

You’ve probably heard the term 'neurodiversity' more often lately. Maybe in a training, a DEI conversation, or a team meeting where someone brought up sensory needs or communication differences. But beyond the buzz, what does it actually mean to build a workplace where neurodivergent folks don’t just survive—but feel seen, safe, and supported?

This session is about moving from surface-level inclusion to something deeper: community care. We’ll explore what it means to adopt a neurodiversity-affirming mindset—and why that matters not just for neurodivergent employees, but for everyone on your team.

You’ll leave with tools to create more accessible, welcoming spaces—like understanding how ableism shows up in everyday interactions, how sensory environments affect focus and stress, and how language itself can open doors or shut them. You’ll also reflect on your own assumptions (we all have them) and how small shifts in mindset can make a big difference.

Whether you’re a supervisor, a teammate, or someone simply trying to do better, this session offers a roadmap to help you show up with empathy, awareness, and intention.

What you’ll take away:

• A neurodiversity-affirming framework you can bring to your own team or department
• A clearer understanding of ableism—and how to interrupt it
• Practical tips to adjust environments and interactions with sensory awareness in mind
• Ideas for shifting communication habits to make room for different processing and expression styles
• Space to reflect on your own assumptions and build more inclusive habits
• A deeper sense of how belonging is built—and sustained—through everyday choices

We can’t redesign every system overnight. But we can build cultures of care—one interaction, one decision, one reflection at a time.

AI is no longer just a buzzword, it’s become part of the job. But using it well, especially in higher ed settings, means balancing convenience with caution. That’s where Microsoft Copilot Chat comes in. It’s secure, practical, and designed with institutions like ours in mind.

In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to bring Copilot Chat into your daily workflow—without feeling overwhelmed. From summarizing documents and writing emails to building presentations and generating reports, we’ll show you how Copilot Chat can save you time and help you focus on the work that matters most.

We’ll also walk through key privacy features that make Copilot different from other AI platforms—because knowing your data’s safe matters just as much as getting the job done. You’ll test out simple prompting strategies, see what works (and what doesn’t), and leave with a resource library you can use long after the session ends.

What you’ll take away:

• How to access and set up Copilot Chat in your work environment
• A clear understanding of why Enterprise Copilot is safer than many other AI tools
• Prompting strategies for writing, summarizing, and planning with AI
• A prompt library for quick wins across common workplace tasks
• Tips for using Copilot Chat to streamline busywork and boost your focus 

If you’ve been curious about AI but unsure where to start, this session is your entry point. Practical, safe, and tailored for higher ed staff—it’s time to make AI work for you.

Note: This session focuses exclusively on Microsoft Copilot Chat (the stand-alone web-based version) and does not cover Copilot features embedded in Word, Excel, or other Microsoft 365 applications.

What happens when IT, enterprise risk management, and administration & finance all pull in the same direction? At UMB, the answer is a smarter, more connected approach to strategic planning—made possible through a tool built in-house.

This session offers an inside look at UMB’s Strategic Plan Implementation Management System (SPIMS)—a custom web-based platform designed to track, align, and operationalize strategic goals across every school and administrative unit. You’ll learn how the system was developed by the Center for Information Technology Services (CITS), how the Administration and Finance department (with 57 strategic goals) uses SPIMS to model best practices, and how the Enterprise Risk Management program integrated risk assessment into the platform to strengthen a culture of informed decision-making.

This isn’t just a tech story—it’s a collaboration story! Through the lens of three key campus units, you’ll see what’s possible when open communication, shared goals, and institutional innovation come together. Whether you’re building a system, managing one, or looking to better connect planning to execution, this session will leave you with real examples and new ideas to take back to your team.

What you’ll take away:

• A firsthand look at how UMB built and uses SPIMS to track strategic goals across a complex organization
• Overview of steps involved in developing a homegrown system rather than using off-the-shelf solutions
• Determinant factors of custom design versus off-the-shelf solution
• Practical insight into how enterprise risk management and strategic planning can work hand in hand
• Lessons from cross-departmental collaboration that can be applied at any institution
• A renewed perspective on the power of partnerships across technical, administrative, and operational departments

The tools we use matter—but how we use them together matters even more. This session shows what happens when collaboration drives both innovation and impact.

Do you know what to do when you don’t know what to do? When everything changes—again—and you're somehow expected to already have a plan? That’s where agility comes in. Not the buzzword, but the leadership “superpower” for a world where change is the only constant: the ability to assess, adapt, and move forward with purpose despite unknowns.

This session gives you a potent technique for when life takes an unexpected turn and you’re not sure what to do—but you still have to lead. We’ll talk about agility as a mindset, not just a skillset: how it helps you adapt in real time, lead with more ease, and stay grounded despite detours in the road ahead.

Explore what it means to be agile, why agility is one of the most lauded leadership characteristics, and how it helps you adapt past learning to new situations and unforeseen circumstances. Through self-assessments, scenario reflections, and skill-building sessions, you'll map out your version of agile leadership—and uncover your superpower to thrive through change. POW!

What you’ll take away:

• A working definition of agility that goes beyond the buzz
• A chance to reflect on how you show up in moments of uncertainty
• A snapshot of your agility strengths—and where there’s room to grow
• A chance to develop learning agility traits like curiosity, resilience, and innovation
• A plan to use this superpower to navigate a specific change in your life

Agility doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means knowing how to move—thoughtfully, flexibly, and with enough confidence to bring others with you. This session is your starting point to harnessing this superpower. ZAP!

Strong workplace cultures aren’t built by handbooks alone; they start with how people show up. And more often than not, that begins with leaders taking a long, honest look in the mirror. That’s where this session comes in.

We’ll explore how self-reflection, a little healthy “navel gazing", can become a real tool for shaping connected, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent workplace cultures. Through real-world examples and interactive reflection, you’ll uncover how everyday leadership patterns, tone, timing, and unspoken habits can either build trust or quietly erode it.

This session offers more than insight. You’ll walk away with your own “leadership reflection map,” a practical guide to understanding how your leadership habits may be helping (or hindering) your team’s ability to thrive. Together, we’ll explore how reflection not only transforms individuals but also shifts teams, especially in moments of change, tension, or resistance.

What you'll take away:

• A clearer link between self-awareness and team culture
• Insight into how leadership behavior affects psychological safety
• Simple reflection practices that support long-term culture change
• A personalized “leadership reflection map” to guide your growth
• Tools to lead more thoughtfully in moments of stress or uncertainty
• A renewed understanding that culture lives in the everyday

Culture isn’t something we set and forget, it’s something we model, every day. This session helps make that modeling more intentional.

Some problems can be solved. Others? They just need to be managed, held, balanced, and navigated. That’s where polarity thinking comes in. Because let’s be real: leadership isn’t always about making clean decisions. More often, it’s about wrestling with tension—between stability and change, compassion and accountability, individual needs and collective goals.

In this highly interactive session, you’ll learn how to work with, not against, the natural push-and-pull that shows up in every team. You’ll explore the leadership practice of bridging polarities, a mindset that doesn’t pick sides but instead looks for the value in both. Rather than framing complex challenges as either/or dilemmas, we’ll look at how to name tensions, map them visually, and make better choices by leaning into both perspectives.

This approach isn’t abstract—it’s been used in fields as diverse as climate response, organizational change, and even conflict resolution in fractured communities. It’s also deeply personal. By naming your own leadership paradoxes, you’ll begin to build the self-awareness and emotional agility needed to lead with greater clarity, trust, and resilience.

What you’ll take away:

• A fresh lens for approaching recurring leadership dilemmas
• Tools to differentiate polarities from problems (and why it matters)
• A visual polarity mapping exercise you can use with your team
• Practice surfacing team tensions in a way that promotes trust instead of defensiveness
• A mindset shift that makes space for complexity and curiosity
• Strategies to cultivate more inclusive, values-based decision-making

Leadership isn't always about fixing. Sometimes, it's about holding space for two truths—and helping your team see the strength in both.

Resilient teams don’t just happen. They’re built—moment by moment—by leaders who know how to pause, listen, and respond with empathy, especially when things get hard.

This session explores what it really means to lead with emotional intelligence. Not as a soft skill, but as a steady hand—one that helps people feel seen, grounded, and motivated to keep going. Using the HEART of Leadership framework, we’ll look at five essential skills that support trust, emotional regulation, and real connection in the workplace. Because when teams feel safe and supported, they don’t just survive change—they rise through it.

We’ll break down how emotional intelligence plays out in everyday leadership moments—like giving feedback, managing conflict, or navigating a hard shift in direction. You’ll reflect on how you show up under pressure, and how that impacts the people around you. And you’ll leave with practical tools you can bring back to your team—no fluff, just things that actually work.

What you’ll take away:

• A clear framework for leading with emotional intelligence during stress and change
• Tools to navigate tension, feedback, and difficult conversations without shutting down
• Insight into how empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation build team trust
• Strategies to model grounded, connected leadership—especially when stakes are high
• A deeper understanding of how emotional intelligence supports resilience and results

You don’t need to have all the answers to lead well. But you do need to bring your heart to the work. This session helps you do just that—calmly, clearly, and with courage.

You know that feeling—when you know things need to change, and yet no matter how clear the need or how urgent the goal, things just... stall? That’s not always a strategy issue. Sometimes, it’s about leveraging influence - how we move people toward something better, even when they’re hesitant or unsure. This session is about getting unstuck.

Attendees are encouraged to identify a sticky challenge or opportunity and practice identifying and applying high-level strategies, tactics, and skills to initiate change. It’s for anyone trying to lead change—whether you're driving a new process, adjusting a team dynamic, or just tired of hearing “we’ve tried, and it doesn't work.” We’ll walk through a practical framework that looks beyond vision and into vital behavior as a tool to facilitate change in the desired outcome. Together, we’ll explore how to shift behavior by strategically targeting just a few high-impact actions.

You’ll learn how to use motivation and ability at the personal, social, and structural levels to bring about change. And you’ll reflect on what it means to lead with clarity when things feel murky, slow, or resistant.

What you’ll take away:

• A practical framework to bring upon change
• A clear understanding of how one vital behavior change results in the desired result
• Strategies to move people from inaction or opposition to active engagement
• A clearer sense of your role in making change successful
• Develop a positive and proactive problem-solving mindset