Virtual Business & Leadership Conference

Keynote
Turbulent Waters and Timeless Principles - Leadership in Uncertain Times

11:00 AM-12:00 PM | President Todd A. Olson

This keynote will focus on the ways leadership is needed in our current moment in American society. We are living in the wake of a global pandemic and a time of activism and upheaval in our social, political, and economic lives.

This is a time both for new perspectives and approaches, and for holding fast to some timeless principles. We are invited to see our situation through the lens of creative tensions, a concept Dr. Olson uses regularly in his practice and his speeches. These tensions include tradition vs. change, open discourse vs. respect for others, thoughtful process vs. nimble action, clear vision vs. collaborative listening, and more.

This speech will highlight the role (and the limits) of creative tensions in equipping our thinking and our practice as leaders.  Dr. Olson will share some recommendations, and offer some questions for leaders to consider as they navigate this complex landscape. 

Alumni Panel

12:00 PM-1:00 PM

Learn How to Learn... You Think You Know, But Do You?

1:00 PM-2:00 PM | Marcie Van Note, Business & Leadership programs director

“Quick, easy, fast, get up to speed as quickly as you can.”

Have you ever heard these words when you need to learn a new process, procedure, software or piece of equipment? Our world  is moving so fast that we simply need to learn things on the fly. During this highly interactive session, you will walk away with 22 tips you can put to use immediately on learning faster with application that will make an impact in your organization and  your life. These quick techniques will change your life and your thinking.

Natural Curiosity

2:00 PM-3:00 PM | Anne King, business advisor and outreach coordinator

To be successful in today’s business environment we need a skills list that never seems to end and yet one trait is often overlooked: natural curiosity.

Demonstrating a sincere interest in everything that surrounds you will enable you to build powerful mutually beneficial relationships with prospects, clients, and suppliers. Curiosity for all things occurring in your industry and with your clients will lead to success in solving problems that ensure on-time quality delivery as well as ways to identify new profit and growth opportunities.

Plan to join us to learn new techniques that are guaranteed to pique your interest!

Could I Do More Globally?

3:00 PM-4:00 PM | Todd Hutcheson, assistant professor of business

Almost every company—from start-ups to multi-million-dollar corporations-- transacts daily with another company outside its home country. It might be via their supply chain to procure parts for manufactured products, exporting/importing/joint ventures/licensing/foreign direct investment, or communication with customers beyond the border.

Learn what makes organizations successful operating in the global market, and what pitfalls can quickly derail global business efforts. Our objectives are to jumpstart your thinking about how to improve/start/accelerate your global efforts. We may even be able to interact with attendees outside the U.S. for a short tutorial on working with international clients.

Wherever you are, whatever you do, you shouldn't ignore this topic!

Quality Assurance Autopsy

4:00 PM-5:00 PM | Tony Rose, vice president of operational excellence and continuous improvement and adjunct faculty

Whenever an organization disappoints a customer, it’s a unique opportunity to investigate what went wrong. Good leaders will react to the problem, hopefully rebuilding the relationship with the customer and protecting future business by focusing on customer service. Great leaders, however, don't stop there. Great leaders use Quality Tools to "autopsy" the situation. These Quality Tools give us a deeper understanding of the root causes of an issue, so that we can take effective steps to prevent new problems going forward.

During this session, we will walk through the thought processes of these great leaders as they "autopsy" a hypothetical quality failure, introducing several Quality Tools along the way.

Keynote

8:00 AM-9:00 AM | Stefanie Munsterman-Scriven '14 MBA, '17 MSL, Director of Local Civil Rights Commission

Networking

9:00 AM-10:00 AM

Let’s Talk Compensation...  It’s Not Just Numbers!

10:00 AM-11:00 AM | Cherrie Spurlin, executive director and adjunct faculty

Compensation is so much more than pay. It is a philosophy! How your organization feels about compensation matters.

Together we will explore what having a pay philosophy means, the hottest trends in compensation, and total compensation statements. We might even have a live debate on pay transparency!

Results-Driven Decision-Making

11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Leslie Wright, founder of Collective Clarity and adjunct faculty

How can you ensure that your leaders and your teams deliver high quality decisions that drive your organization’s success? Learn how attention to context, people and process can deliver the results you seek.

Remote Work: How Many Hats Are You Wearing?

12:00 PM-1:00 PM | Deb Vogt, senior talent development consultant and adjunct faculty

As individuals, we all wear many hats during our interactions, in both personal and professional settings. People are working in hybrid remote environments now more than ever, and that requires us to juggle many hats at once. The balance between work/life balance can easily become blurred, and it’s sometimes hard to keep our heads above water.

This session will discuss the many roles we serve in a remote working environment and provide tips and tools for getting to and staying at your best, most productive, engaged, and satisfied self.