My Circus, My Monkeys

Using CliftonStrengths can be a huge asset to your team. A strengths-based approach can increase productivity and help with onboarding and employee retention. This episode features a discussion between three Gallup Certified Strengths coaches. Find out how they use strengths with their teams and students and how you can increase your own confidence and competencies using a strengths based approach with your own team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Employee engagement is vital for the success of your team and organization. Engaged employees are connected to their work, their team, and the wider mission of the organization. Unfortunately, most organizations don't actively invest in creating a culture focused on developing engaged teams. This is an expensive mistake both financially and in terms of lost potential, missed opportunities, and retention of your best team members. In this episode, you'll learn why employee engagement is so vital to the success of your organization and one way you can take action to develop an environment that increases engagement and thus your overall success. Ready to jump into action and create an engaged workplace? Join us for our newest program, Empower & Engage: The Path to Workplace Excellence. Our summer session starts on June 24, 2026. Get more information and register here: https://learn.strengthsuniversity.org/empowerengageIf you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

As leaders, especially in higher education, non-profits, and small businesses, you’re no strangers to tight budgets and difficult decisions. But economic uncertainty can magnify these challenges. So, how do you lead effectively when resources are limited? More importantly, how do you make sure we’re still supporting our teams and driving long-term success? In this episode, we’ll explore the unique challenges leaders face during uncertain times, why professional development is more important than ever, and how to prioritize your limited budget. Keep listening to get practical tips on how to navigate the storm while preparing your organization for the future.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Sometimes finding a new job isn't an option. But that doesn't mean you need to be stuck in the status quo and be forced to just stick it out. In this episode, we discuss three strategies for making the most of your current job while you're waiting for your next great opportunity.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

The patterns you have dictate the results you get in life, both professionally and personally. Yes, there are also external forces at play, but it's your underlying patterns - the things you do everyday that lead you one way versus another. In this episode, we discuss how important it is to identify the patterns in your life that that weaken your confidence and progress. Once you do, you can redirect your efforts and stories to be more aligned with your values and goals. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

It's spring! If you look outside, you see trees, flowers, and grass full of lush green growth. While this growth is beautiful to watch, not all growth is healthy. If you don't take the time to prune your garden AND your department, it can easily become overwhelmed and switch into survival mode. In this episode, we discuss how the same principles that keep your garden thriving apply to your team. Strategic pruning now, means better productivity and success in the future. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Do you want better communication, understanding, and productivity for yourself and your team? A Strengths-based approach can help you, your team, and your organization do all of that and more. In this episode, I give listeners several personal and professional that illustrate how understanding one's own and others' talent themes can lead to better self-regulation, improved delegation, and more effective collaboration. If you want to learn more about how CliftonStrengths can help you manage performance, resolve conflicts, and enhance well-being, be sure to listen. If you're ready to start (or resume) your Strengths journey, here's three great ways to dive in...CliftonStrengths Basics Online Course https://learn.strengthsuniversity.org/strengths101courseStrengths Accelerator Academy https://learn.strengthsuniversity.org/acceleratoracademySupervisor Strengths Institute https://learn.strengthsuniversity.org/InstituteIf you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Leadership is about collaboration, not control. In aviation, Crew Resource Management (CRM) training helps keep planes and passengers safe by improving communication and teamwork. But this powerful tool can also be applied to leadership and team management in the workplace. In this episode, we discuss five key components of CRM: respect, managing mistakes constructively, creating a supportive culture, preparation and standard operating procedures (SOPs), and handling rank differences and power dynamics. These components matter because whether you’re leading a team of three or thirty, your ability to manage resources, communicate effectively, and handle mistakes is critical for your team’s productivity and success. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

We've talked a lot about stress management and self care on previous episodes, but maybe I've been calling it the wrong thing. Is it self care or is it really your basic needs. In this episode, we'll explore whether you've been thinking about self care backwards and how to change your mindset so you can start showing up at your best. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

In this episode, we discuss how to identify and escape from ruts, which are patterns that no longer serve us effectively. I use the example of Sally, an employee who continues to perform a task incorrectly despite understanding the correct way, to illustrate how our conscious mind understands a change but our subconscious mind continues the old pattern due to deeply ingrained habits. Ruts are not necessarily about boredom but rather about ineffective patterns that can be challenging to break because our subconscious mind views these patterns as vital for our survival. You'll learn the importance of making small, consistent changes to create new pathways in your brain and gradually shift your identity to align with your desired behaviors. Listen and you'll be better able to identify your own ruts, outline new habits to replace them, and how to be patient and persistent in making these changes.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

You know too much stress decreases your productivity and your ability to effectively solve problems. Yes, you can focus on stress management to help curb its effect, but what do you do about all the things on your plate? Afterall, it's that increased workload that's contributing to your stress problem. In this episode, you'll learn about a tool that can help you better prioritize, achieve goals, manage your energy, and focus on the right habits, so you can use up to 80% less effort to get even better outcomes. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

When I left you in 2025, I challenged you to do a quick wrap up of the year. Now, I know some of you had zero energy to do any such thing, but in that wrap up, my last question for you to ponder was, "What’s the ONE thing you could upgrade in 2026 that would give you the biggest return on your investment?" In this episode, we’re going to focus on that ONE thing and how you can effectively put that thing into action. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

As we wrap up 2025, it’s a good idea to take the time to reflect on the year. And if you’re already thinking, nope! I have neither the time nor energy for such pursuits, just hold on to your horses. I’m going to make this as quick and painless for you as possible. The benefit of doing this is a better 2026. The cost of skipping it means 2026 might just be a rerun of 2025. And I don’t think anyone can afford that, so be sure to check out this episode. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

It’s a stressful time of year. If you’re in Higher Ed, you’re wrapping up the fall term and planning for the spring. Plus, you’re smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. That's a ton of expectations and stress for you and your team, so it's perhaps the perfect season to discuss boundaries. In this episode, you'll learn the difference between boundaries and rules. And you'll discover how you can set both around your unique Talent Themes. If you’d like to be more productive and less stressed during the end of the year, you'll want to check out this episode.  If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Have you been wondering how to effectively establish a Strengths-based culture with your team or organization? It's a fantastic way to increase your overall productivity, engagement, and wellbeing. But there are challenges. In this episode, I share the three key components you'll need to implement to ensure you have an effective and sustainable transformation. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Going to conferences can be a fantastic experience. But with so much going on in such a short amount of time, how can you make sure you're getting the most out of your time and money? In this episode, I'll talk about three main goals of attending a conference and five hacks that will ensure you make the most of your conference experience.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

CUPA-HR has released the results of another Higher Education Employee Retention Survey. The 2025 results found that supervisors are facing even more stress and responsibilities. But surprisingly, supervisors are now less likely to leave their positions. In this episode, I outline the changes for supervisors in the last two years and discuss two of the recommendations by CUPA-HR to retain supervisors. Whether you’re supervising non-managerial staff or leading a team of supervisors, this episode will show you what areas you need to assess and upgrade if you want to retain your supervisors on campus, including increasing your own job satisfaction so you want to stay.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

If you're like me, you have a tendency to over think. And that tendency often steals a lot of my energy and makes me feel like BLEEP. I've talked about how our stories and beliefs can get in our way in previous episodes. I recently came across a book by Joseph Nguyen, "Don't Believe Everything You Think" that really resonated with me and I believe adds another layer of understanding to this concept. Even better, it offers practical ways to curb your thinking AND increase your sense of wellbeing. In this episode, I talk about the pieces of Nguyen's book that most resonated with me and how his techniques can help you make a positive difference to everyone around you, including your team and students. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

In our last episode, I discussed a big picture perspective of how to navigate the all too common experience in Higher Ed of being down a staff member. In this week's episode, I continue the conversation but with more tangible to-do items. Learn how to focus on the most important aspects of what you do so you and your team have a reasonable workload and students get the most important things they need.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

What happens to you and your team when you're suddenly down a staff member? Many of you are knowingly dealing with this right now. And for some of you, it isn’t even knowingly because someone left long before you got there and your position absorbed their work. Either way, it means you and the folks around you are most likely doing more work, often without any additional compensation. So, in honor of Labor Day, let’s talk about how you can best navigate these situations, as well as the cost on you, your team, and your students when there’s not enough labor to do all the expected work.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Do you have a coworker or team member who frustrates you? More specifically, does the way they operate conflict with your strengths so much that it drives you crazy? Well in this episode we’re going to talk about what you can do to work better with those folks to decrease your frustration or anger and be more productive.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

It's that time of year again. You and your team are swamped prepping for the fall semester. But you don't have to let things get overwhelming because you and your team can use your superpowers to slay the stress and chaos. In this episode, we discuss how you and your team can harness your collective Talent Themes to be more productive over the next month. That includes better planning and hitting more of your goals with less energy and effort. We also walk you through a team activity you can do now to make sure you're not wasting time and energy. You can download the worksheets mentioned in the episode HERE.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

In 2017, Alicia and I founded Strengths University to help supervisors feel more confident, empowered, and less stressed. Alicia joins me on today's episode to talk about what we wish we would have known about supervising before we started Strengths University and really researching how to be an effective supervisor. Please enjoy this replay of episode 111 while the host, Anne Brackett, recovers from a recent car accident. Even if you've heard it before, it's a great time to think about how you might want to upgrade how you supervise your team for the upcoming year. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

If you’ve ever had conflicts on your team, encountered problems you need to solve, or need to accomplish the right things to help you students succeed, you'll want to listen to this short episode. We'll dig into one of the Guiding Principles of using CliftonStrengths, Differences Are an Advantage. This principle is key to getting the best outcomes for yourself, your team, and your students. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

One of the great things about using a Strengths-based approach, is leaning into the unique differences each one of us offers. In this episode, we dive further into that idea by honoring the neurodiversity of those who might be on your team, including perhaps you. Join me as I speak with Dr. Carolyn O'Laughlin about how to better support neurodiversity in the workplace.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

For many of us in Higher Ed, this semester has risen to the level of traumatic. Now we are used to dealing with trauma to a certain extent, but today I want to tackle a new topic for us - complex trauma. And to do this I’ve invited my sister, Laura Jarvis Brackett, a trauma focused therapist, back to discuss what complex trauma is and how it might be impacting you, your team members, and even your students. Now this is a longer episode, but I given the complex nature of the topic and our current political climate, I think it’s both helpful and warranted. If you stick with it, you’ll absolutely get some great tools to help you and your team better navigate these trying times. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Are you and your team getting the results you want? I know you're busy almost every day. But does that busyness actually get you where you need to be? If you're not getting the result you want, your autopilot programs might need some fine tuning. In this episode, we talk about the function of autopilot programs from the perspective of an actual pilot. You are on autopilot 95-99% of the day. If you don't know what your brain has been programmed to do during that time, there's a really good chance you're actually working against yourself and your goals. Listen and find out why you're not getting the results you want and what you can do to change your autopilot settings. The inspiration for this episode comes from Pilot Petter Hörnfeldt and his YouTube channel Mentour Pilot. You can find out more about him at his website - https://mentourpilot.com/If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Do some of these stressors sound familiar? Are you tired of not getting what you need from your supervisor? Are you frustrated that your team isn’t doing things the right way? Are you and your team rushing from meeting to meeting without time to think? And finally, do you and your team simply have too much to do on a regular basis? In this episode, I’m revisiting my interview last fall with Karen Smolarek, Director of TRIO Student Support Services at University of Wisconsin – River Falls and current President of the Educational Opportunity Association (EOA). During our conversation, she talks about how she’s upgraded how she supervises her team and changed her mindset around a few key areas that have made her and her team more impactful and less stressed. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Have you found it challenging to develop your younger employees into the leaders of tomorrow? In this episode, we answer a question from a listener that begins with, “Dear Anne, I am feeling like it is hard to build up the next cycle of leaders in my department.” And ends with “What types of things can I focus on to truly adjust the culture?” So we discuss not only how to grow leaders, but also how to truly adjust your culture so this process becomes automatic. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Whether it's midterms, the end of the semester, or prepping for the beginning of the semester, when things ramp up, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and wonder exactly how you're going to get everything done. In this episode, we'll dive into four ways you can better manage these stressful times, so you can not only get the most done, but also the most important things done.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Did you start having folks do Strengths on campus, but then things just kind of stalled? We often get asked, "How do you actually implement CliftonStrengths on campus?" Whether you already started this process and it fizzled out or you're considering using it with your team or on your campus, in this episode we cover three very do-able ways you can integrate Strengths on your campus.Want more information on how to implement CS on your campus? Join us for a free 60-minute webinar on Using CliftonStrengths with Your Students and Team Member, on Thursday, April 10, 2025 @ 11AM (CST). Register here - https://learn.strengthsuniversity.org/usingCSwebinarIf you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

If you're a supervisor, you want to be successful - both for yourself and your team. But since most supervisors don't get the training they need, where do you start? In this episode, we cover the three S's you need to be a successful supervisor - Strengths, Supervisor Skills, and (Effective) Systems. We'll cover why these three S's are so important and how to get started if you want to be more successful in your supervisor role.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

The new administration certainly started off with a bang. This left many of us scrambling to understand what changes might impact us, our team, and our students. In times of uncertainty, it’s all too easy to get sidetracked by worry. Unfortunately, worry doesn’t make anything better and zaps our energy. That means you’ll have less energy to push back or forward. In this episode, we talk about how making sure your nervous system stays regulated may just be the most important thing you can do for your team and your students. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

No matter which way you voted, the new administration poses challenges to the Higher Ed field, especially those working in DEI. Many of us are concerned for ourselves, our team, and our students. In today's episode, Dr. LaShawnda Fields,  Scholar of Equitable Experiences in Higher Education and teacher of social work practice, joins us to discuss her thoughts on the election and even more importantly, what we can focus on as we move forward in these uncertain times. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Happy New Year! It's 2025. We wrapped up 2024 talking about how small shifts in thinking and behavior can significantly change the trajectory of your life. If you wanted 2024 to turn out differently than it did, you probably had a list of things you meant to do to upgrade how you showed up as a supervisor and in your life that you never quite did. In this episode, we talk about getting into action around those changes we KNOW we should make. Listen to find out how you can start moving forward to turn 2025 into a year of change.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

As the end of the semester and year approaches, it's natural to think about all the things you have and haven't done. There's probably a few things that you wanted to change about yourself or your work, but you never quite got there. Thinking about having to add them to next year's to-do list can feel discouraging. In today's episode, we talk about how just making small shifts now can create big change in your life as you think about how you want to be in 2025. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

If you work in Higher Education, you're most likely concerned about what the election results mean for you, your institution, and your students. In this episode, we talk about ways to better process all these emotions, understand how we got here, and plan for the future amidst uncertainty.Link to article, Election Grief Is Real. Here’s How to Copehttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/election-grief-is-real-heres-how-to-cope/If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Supervisors frequently encounter similar challenges. When those problems pop-up, it can be easy to focus on the situation. When that happens, you spend loads of time and energy dealing with recurring problems. But when you dig deeper and find the root cause, you can change the systems that are creating the problem. In this episode, we break down three common supervisor challenges to discover what's most likely causing those challenges, so you can create better systems to support you, your team, and your students.  If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

If you want to be a better supervisor, you probably think you need to focus on information related to how to manage your team, right? While you do need to know what effective supervisors do, that's only part of the solution. Who you are now impacts the type of supervisor you are now. If you want to upgrade how you supervise, you also need to upgrade your identity. In this episode, we discuss why so many topics we cover may not seem to be directly related to supervising but are crucial to your success if you truly want to become a better supervisor.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

We’ve discussed in many episodes just how important self-care and stress management are to you as a person and a supervisor. Today, we have a guest, Morgan Starr-Riestis, who has a degree in neuroscience, is a licensed therapist, and had developed her own system to fill the gaps that current mental health practices miss when it comes to healing and growth. In this episode, Morgan goes into more depth about how important it is to keep your nervous system regulated if you want to be productive and get the best outcomes. During our interview, Morgan discusses what happens to your brain under stress; how to handle emotions in the workplace, including during those often-challenging accountability conversations; and finally, how to keep yourself and your team members regulated so you can do the important work in front of you.  If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

It can be challenging to give yourself permission and space to invest in yourself. But you cannot effectively supervise your team, if you don’t have what you need. In today’s episode of My Circus, My Monkeys, I interview Karen Smolarek, Director of TRIO Student Support Services at University of Wisconsin – River Falls and incoming President of the Educational Opportunity Association (EOA). Karen has gone through our Supervisor Strengths Institute, and we just recently did three training sessions for her team. I talked to Karen about how the Institute and those team trainings gave her the tools and support she needed to maximize her team and herself. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

The beginning of the school year brings excitement and challenges. Add to that people's emotions and motivations and leading your team can become complicated. In this episode, we unpack a question from an HR Director about how to manage team members who seem to shut down when their excitement is thwarted because their ideas or suggestions aren’t implemented. We'll unpack what might be going on and how supervisors can get clear on how to navigate similar situations.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

It's August. For most folks in Higher Ed, it's one of the busiest time of the year. If you've already been wondering whether you should stay in your job, this episode might seem like poor timing. But if you're trying to decide whether to stay or go, you need to know whether your institution and your supervisor really have your back. If not now, when? In this episode, we dig into a few things to consider when deciding whether to start that job search, including engagement, your stories and strengths, and fit. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

One important aspect of performance management is setting clear expectations for your team members. That can be challenging because supervisors are often so busy, we don’t feel like we have the time to get clear on what we expect. To make things even more complicated, there’s often a story that good employees should go above and beyond basic expectations. In this episode, we unpack where the idea of striving for excellence and doing more might come from. We also discuss how to set clear expectations so you can be both fair and kind to the folks you supervise. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

You know there are plenty of things that need to be fixed on your campus and in Higher Education. But when you have staff members that only seem to focus on the negative or are chronic complainers, it can negatively impact your team and add to your stress. Complaining is often a symptom of a larger problem, so in this episode, we’re going to dig into why folks on your team might be focusing on the negative. Then we’ll discuss how to better manage those individuals and prevent them from negatively impacting your team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

In a recent coaching call, someone asked me what they're supposed to do with all these emotions people are bringing to the workplace these days, especially with newer generations. We had a great discussion, so I wanted to break down a few of the key points we discussed for you here. In this episode, you'll learn the role emotions play in making decisions, how to figure out what those emotions are telling you, and how to more effectively navigate emotions in the workplace. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Using CliftonStrengths with your team is a fantastic way to increase your productivity, innovation, positivity and sense of wellbeing. And when we finally find time to set aside for that initial training, it can be a great experience. The tricky part always seems to be what comes next. For many teams, life gets in the way and that initial excitement just fades away. That’s why in this episode, I’m going to share six easy hacks to use the CliftonStrengths framework with your team. Whether you and your team have taken the assessment in the past and it fell to the wayside, or you’re just starting on your Strengths journey, you’ll walk away with some simple ways to integrate this framework into you and your team’s daily routine. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Chronic stress negatively impacts so many things in your life, including your relationships, decisions, creativity, productivity – the list goes on and on. But you know those people and situations that stress you out? You have the power to make them less stressful. In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to deconstruct the situations that cause you stress. Then you’ll learn how to upgrade how you react to those same things, decreasing your stress and increasing your productivity. We’ve made it even easier to deconstruct your stress with a worksheet you can use to follow along! You can download that worksheet here - https://strengthsu.kartra.com/page/deconstructyourstressIf you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Employee retention continues to be a hot topic in Higher Ed. Over the past six months, Alicia and I did a session titled, "The Truth About Employee Engagement" at conferences and as webinars based on the data collected in the CUPA-HR 2023 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey.  In today's episode, we're going to cover a few key take aways from that session, including the #1 thing you should do now to improve employee retention and the culture of your institution. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/

Last week, we watched the 2024 solar eclipse. Normally, the sun shines brightly bringing warmth and light into the world. But when there's clouds or a pesky moon that gets in the way, there's darkness. This is a great metaphor for our own lives. The world needs our warmth and light to transform. In this episode, we talk about how things in our own lives might be eclipsing our brilliance. Let's talk about what might be keeping you from being your best self and how you can start to make the changes you need to show the world your brilliance. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step – one that will give you the guidance and structure to take you to the next level of success – Strengths University has you covered. Have questions? Email Anne at [email protected] or set up a meeting with her HERE. Want more information about Strengths University? Check out our website at https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/