Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of highly engaged employees has decreased. Why do we care? Highly engaged teams outperform the rest in outcomes critical to the success of your organization. Salary and benefits account for most of our budgets, so our competitive edge is based on the success of our people. Research shows that engaged employees have higher productivity and wellbeing, better retention, and lower absenteeism yet we spent little as leaders engaging staff in meaningful ways. This session will explain the competencies important to employee engagement and share tools you can use immediately.

We all know that culture can eat strategy for lunch, but how do you turn a feeding frenzy into feeding to fuel? Leaders of MSU Denver’s Advancement division undertook a multi-year initiative based on Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead curriculum to transform their staff culture that was challenged by lack of accountability, staff turnover, and underperforming productivity. Starting with an assessment of staff and organizational culture they went through a yearlong program followed by self-developed practices that have transformed their organizational culture and become a model for the rest of the university. These changes have resulted in a quadrupling of fundraising outcomes, staff feedback that they have grown professionally and personally, career advancement for many, and the attraction of top talent. This session will share their process and provide insights on fostering a healthy staff culture that will feed your strategy not serve it for lunch.