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K-State Today

March 15, 2017

K-State Leadership Seminar to focus on fresh thinking with 'Strategic Doing'

Submitted by Joshua Hilbrand

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Registration is now open for the 21st annual K-State Leadership Seminar on March 29 in the K-State Student Union. Early-bird registration ends March 17. 

"Strategic Doing" is an alternative to strategic planning. It is a lean, agile and fast strategy to solve complex and dynamic challenges by engaging teams to collaborate quickly, move toward measurable outcomes, and adjust for changes along the way. Such fresh thinking has the potential to make a profound impact on campus goal-setting and processes.

This year's K-State seminar, when compared to prior years' programs, is both the same and much different. It is the same in that single and group participants will leave with practical, hands-on information, tools, and best practices for effective leadership. The seminar's mission to enhance the leadership skills and capacities of our K-State community continues to be a common thread in this seminar series.

The educational benefit for single unit representatives is still there, as always, but this year, an added opportunity for teams from a work group, department, etc. to begin a process of "strategic doing" is aimed at a common problem or initiative. For some teams the seminar can help design and guide the collaboration necessary to make progress on K-State's Vision 2025 strategic plan.

The presenters will help the teams move beyond strategic talking (the plan) toward strategic action (the doing). For other teams it might be an opportunity to start working on a complex challenge in an environment when the future is not exactly clear. The seminar will help teams begin to identify what should, and will, they do collaboratively, and begin to establish some commitments for taking action. Keynote presenters include Scott Hutcheson, associate director at Purdue Agile Strategy Lab and Liz Nilsen, senior advisor at Purdue Agile Strategy Lab. Matt Deighton, entrepreneur and author of "Molly and the Tornado" and "Molly and the Stars of Hope," will speak during lunch. The day will conclude with words from Russell Disberger, founder of Aspen Business Group LLC, a local business and leadership training consultancy.

Registration is $99 for individuals, $90 per person for teams of four or more participants from the same department, or $80 per person for teams of eight or more from the same department. March 17 is the early registration deadline, after which prices increase.

Registration, agenda and other information can be found on the K-State Leadership Seminar's website

The purpose of the K-State Leadership Seminar is to give participants:

  • Practical, hands-on information and tools.
  • Best practices for effective leadership.
  • Inspiration to exercise leadership when it really counts.
  • An idea of where to go for additional leadership resources.
  • A connection to others who are working to grow their leadership skills.

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