Have you been in organizations where values are everywhere and nowhere? They are painted on the walls, but hard to see in action. This session, led by Harvard Alumni Affairs and Development, will help make organizational values the heartbeat of your advancement team. We will share experiences and outcomes from culture-building programs, operational infrastructure, intentional communications, recognition, and accountability. Facilitated by COO and Associate VP, Siovhan O’Connor; Talent Management Director, Brittany Wilhelm; and Associate Director, Manager & Employee Effectiveness, Melisa Holzman, this session sits at the intersection of leadership, coordination, execution, and iteration necessary to live organizational values out loud.

Who are the key influencers in your organization? Who are the risk-takers? Is ambiguity feared, or is it embraced? In talent management organizations, the key influencers and risk-takers often sit at the top of the organizational chart. The vast majority of the team fears uncertainty. On the other hand, talent leadership organizations embrace ambiguity in every corner of the organization. People at all levels and functions feel supported and are encouraged to take risks, to exert their influence. We will explore the differences between managing people and leading talent and discuss strategies for building an organizational culture that motivates, inspires and challenges people to lead from where they are.

After the entire world economy came to a standstill in 2020, University Executives, Economists and Thoughts Leaders all realized that we were entering into a very different context than even the wisest among us acknowledged about the dynamics of 21st century work life. Of all of the ideas that have been considered on ways to build and sustain a high performing workplace that consists of the most diverse and talented professionals available, one thing is for sure: creating a Culture of Innovation, Engagement, Leadership and Performance in a hybrid world presents unprecedented challenges and significant new opportunities .

In this session, we will discuss a new approach to recruitment that explores ways to bring those without a fundraising background into advancement shops and help them flourish and thrive. By examining a case study from Louisiana State University and Advancement Resources, participants will learn the top three qualities new fundraisers should have (curiosity, grit, and professionalism), identify ideas for where to find these candidates and how to equip them for success, and make the case for recruiting outside the box..

Onboarding is a team sport in which managers and non-managers alike have an important role in contributing to a new staff member’s onboarding experience. An organized, thorough, and positive onboarding experience is critical for a new hire’s success and retention – but while an exciting time, it can also be overwhelming for both them and the existing team. This interactive session will provide strategies, tips, and templates for developing a standardized onboarding plan specific to your organization and team, no matter your role.

It is an industry trend for institutions of higher education to experience turnover among development officers at the end of a campaign. As the University of Florida ends their historic Go Greater campaign, we will discuss creative strategies for engaging and retaining high-performing employees as a campaign ends.

Recruiting major gift officers would be much simpler if new gift officers were easier to find. In this session, we will discuss a new approach to recruitment that explores ways to bring those without a fundraising background into advancement shops and help them flourish and thrive. By examining a case study from Louisiana State University and Advancement Resources, participants will learn the top three qualities new fundraisers should have (curiosity, grit, and professionalism), identify ideas for where to find these candidates, and gain new insights for how to equip them for success.