A Firsthand Experience by MBA Candidate Leah Knights: Transformational Leadership with CREATE Portage County
MBA PROGRAM FELLOWSHIP CREATE PORTAGE COUNTY
A Firsthand Experience by MBA Candidate Leah Knights: Transformational Leadership with CREATE Portage County
A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS I love a good all-rise story. Don’t you? And sometimes in my enthusiasm for the rising, I forget the hard work of disturbing. One of my favorite rules of thumb when leading change is this: All we really know for sure is that we can disturb the system. I’ve spent a great deal of time and effort trying to learn and teach others to disturb systems in more productive directions.
CREATE Portage County is the most disruptively productive force that I’ve ever encountered. CREATE’s community, county and regional interventions are simple, powerful and enabling. CREATE provokes a tide of local connection that lifts our entire state. When we established the UW-Stevens Point MBA, Kevin Bahr, Ph.D., imagined a nine-credit track of classes focused on leading the Wisconsin economy. I’ve heard over and over again that this focus is one of the most unique elements of our applied curriculum. Pairing Leah C. Knights and Greg Wright in our first MBA Thriving Communities Fellowship is one of the best parts of my job. It’s one thing to promise applied learning and thriving communities. It is an entirely different thing to watch two superstars like Leah and Greg learn, disturb, transform and produce together.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Fellowship Introduction..........................................4-5 Transformational Leadership.................................6-7 Agility.......................................................................... 8 Agility Applied............................................................. 9 Transformed Lives are Transformed Systems........ 10 Permission to Play, Rapid Prototyping....................11 Embrace Tension.....................................................12 A Nonlinear Journey.................................................13 Change Requires Disruption................................... 14 Championing Connection........................................15 Credits/Thank You................................................... 16 About Leah Knights................................................. 17 MBA Program Faculty and Staff..............................18 About UWSP.............................................................19
I hope you enjoy Leah’s CREATE story. May we continue to all rise together!
All my best, Lyna Matesi, Ph.D. MBA Director
Digital version available for download on the College of Professional Studies blog at blog.uwsp.edu/cps.
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“D evelop revenue-generating strategies to build, sustain and grow the viability and national impact of CREATE” was my statement of purpose upon entering my role as MBA Fellow with CREATE Portage County, an organization whose impact on our community is rooted deeply, and with work that’s not always highly visible. Throughout the course of this article, I’ll be sharing some highlights from one of the most impactful engagements of my professional career to-date – and hopefully some encouragement for you to find deeper meaning in your own work. My intent in joining CREATE was, first, to do everything I could to support this high-impact organization that’s doing such innovative community development work and, more specifically, support the design of offerings welcoming communities. It was important to do so in a way that would support growth and impact locally in Portage County – where the roots of this organization lie. Continuing the strategic discussion around brand recognition was also a priority, especially considering the novel approach in our community, and sometimes difficult-to-define nature of CREATE’s work. Our conversations included elevating CREATE’s strength as a thought-leader in innovative approaches to community and economic development. The organization achieves this specifically by leveraging the creativity of people – and connecting people and resources in promotion of collaboration. The fellowship with CREATE gave me the opportunity to apply key learnings from the professors at UWSP and via collaboration with my talented MBA cohort. Many of CREATE’s organizational strengths are in direct alignment with the central concepts of the MBA curriculum – specifically rare leadership and agility. that would generate growth while staying grounded in the mission of CREATE: to advance vibrant and FELLOWSHIP INTRODUCTION
... the mission of CREATE: to advance vibrant and welcoming communities.
Chris Klesmith, Greg Wright, Leah Knights
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TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Many organizations are missing the agility mark, even when leadership teams explicitly prioritize this quality. Meyer describes, “even when there is action that prioritizes agility, it’s initiated and executed using the same models and methods that inhibited agility in the first place.” A change to a more agile and creative organizational culture requires a change in mindset. A mindset that values flattened hierarchies, shared accountability, free flowing exchange of information, amoeba-like decision making processes that flexibly morph to include the right parties to achieve a quick direction, versus the excruciatingly slow “up the chain of command” due- diligence process. The CREATE mindset embraces the unforeseen outcomes that can be realized with consistent action bringing forth value and collaborating amongst our networks. What can feel like chaos and lack of structure to someone who comes from the process-oriented world is the work of shifting from “information to interaction” according to Meyer. The action-oriented nature of continuously interacting with our networks can feel, at times, like there’s lack of clarity to the next step.
an expert in ergonomics and human factors, and she explained the importance of systematic process to lessen potential of human error. Process results in improved organizational quality and safety. There are clear environments in which process must prevail. What a process-oriented culture can miss out on, though, are the fruits of an agile and creative culture. One thing I love most about CREATE Portage County is the culture of – you guessed it – creativity. CREATE possesses a culture that is not only open to creative ideas, but one that fosters creativity, encouraging new ideas, valuing all opinions, and leading by example. It’s been proven that when we work with a group or team that we perceive to be creative, our own individual creativity is enhanced. Thus, it’s an organizational advantage to be perceived as creative. But CREATE’s culture is more than creativity – it’s a culture of agility. CREATE is an organization that not only prioritizes agility, but practices it - regularly. To be agile is to first, assess and understand a situation and, second, move in accordance with that assessment. Both the assessment and action are done quickly and easily – and, typically, with enthusiasm. In The Agility Shift by Pamela Meyer, she describes agile teams as “more productive, collaborative, and innovative; and agile organizations are more profitable.” Agility is about developing competence, capacity and courage in ourselves and our teams. And the potential for impact is only as strong as our networks with which we work and interact. What a process-oriented culture can miss out on, though, are the fruits of an agile and creative culture.
The key is to embrace this.
What I’ve learned at CREATE is to embrace the nonlinear nature of work. Embrace the freeform activity as it comes. Focus on relationships and valuable interactions within your dynamic network. Advance your most viable opportunities. And, don’t become paralyzed by your tactic-driven to-do list. In due time and with commitment to your agile and creative culture, there will emerge new solutions, partnerships and opportunities. As Meyer explains, “with a conscious, continuous commitment to interacting…you will be more effective than you ever imagined.”
Dondi Bueno, Chris Klesmith, Derek Bell, Greg Wright, Ann Vang
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p until this point in my career, I’ve leaned on more traditional, linear ways of working. Standardized processes were my crutch, offering a rational and
It’s the way many organizations work – large and small. There is a product or service that needs to be delivered, and with that comes an expectation of the quality or outcome of that service. To ensure efficiency and affordability, best practices and process flows are adopted, and the work is replicated – client to client, product to product, patient to patient, initiative to initiative. Process works – especially in systems where potential for error, human error included, can be catastrophic – i.e. the healthcare or airline industry. In 2017, I interviewed a former colleague, Sally Mergendahl,
thorough approach required to manage the workload of today’s corporate demands. Several clients or marketing initiatives might require our attention at one time, compounded with tracking and reporting out on status updates and impacts of each of these initiatives regularly to our leaders. By replicating our approach over and over, we are less likely to overlook or miss something, and we are more likely to offer the same, high-quality level of service across the board – our approach: prudent and sensible.
The action-oriented nature of continuously interacting with our networks can feel, at times, like there’s lack of clarity to the next step. The key is to embrace this.
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AGILITY
AGILITY APPLIED A gility can be difficult to grasp conceptually, but its application reveals tremendous value. My work at CREATE provided some concrete examples that might demonstrate how to lead with an agile mindset, as well as its many benefits. I learned quickly at CREATE that how my impact would unfold would not be completely in my control. I could not control the priorities or resources of our prospective clients, or even their interest in our service.
U p to this point in my career, I’ve leaned on more traditional, linear ways of working: think, plan, prepare, execute, evaluate, repeat. I led with a mindset that emphasized planning and process as my crutch – a rational, but sometimes unimaginative approach to manage the workload of today’s corporate demands. My approach: prudent and sensible. Simply put, process works.
What I could control were the small, regular action steps I took each day to communicate CREATE’s powerful message and advance our work forward, maximizing my impact in my short timeframe with the organization. As one example, I made a goal to meet one new stakeholder each week with whom I would share our message and gather feedback on our ideas. I met with former marketing colleagues, community leaders, business owners, and leaders of municipalities and
Simply put, process works. Until it doesn’t.
Until it doesn’t.
nonprofits. This was one simple system I could implement that would impact our broader, complex organizational system. I entered these conversations open-minded. As CREATE Executive Director Greg Wright has challenged me, don’t always enter a conversation with an end in mind. I focused on relationships and valuable, organic interactions within my dynamic network – including connections where the potential value or benefit wasn’t apparent. I learned to keep my mindset open to cultivating a different pathway – even after spending months preparing for another. I learned to resist the temptation to expend energy on formalizing. I strived to maintain a confident and solution-focused mindset, even when I didn’t know what the answer was. I embraced this as a season of growth. In due time and with commitment to an agile and creative culture, there will emerge new solutions, partnerships and opportunities – with clarity. As agility expert Pamela Meyer explains, “with a conscious, continuous commitment to interacting … you will be more effective than you ever imagined.”
Humor me: let’s put agility in the paradoxical bucket of planning and process to explore this. I’ve learned key pieces of agility include leveraging our network to foster intraorganizational connections, resisting the urge to formalize, and expanding collaboration during strategic decision making. This includes blurring the lines between planning and action. What can feel like lack of structure – or even a bit chaotic – to someone who comes from a more traditional, linear, plan and process-oriented world, includes the work of shifting from “information to interaction” according to agility expert Pamela Meyer. The action-oriented nature of work can feel uncomfortable and, at times, like there’s lack of plan or tie to broader strategy within which we comfortably modulate.
This discomfort is the work of agility!
I had the opportunity at CREATE to embrace the discomfort that can accompany the nonlinear nature of work. As I got more comfortable, it started to feel valuable going out of order – there was value stemming from our nimbleness that informed our work.
Chris Klesmith, Greg Wright, Leah Knights, Amanda Elsen
I focused on relationships and valuable, organic interactions within my dynamic network – including connections where the potential value or benefit wasn’t apparent.
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TRANSFORMED LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED SYSTEMS
PERMISSION TO PLAY, RAPID PROTOTYPING
“T ransformed lives are transformed systems.” MBA Director Prof. Lyna Matesi once said this to me in one of our many visioning conversations. Both CREATE and the MBA program at UWSP are intentionally designing initiatives that lead to transformational impact. I’ve witnessed significant thought leadership and activation of individuals doing tremendous work through these two organizations. Adding in the layer of network or community is critical here, because we know transformation doesn’t happen alone. In Prof. Elizabeth Martin’s Wisconsin Leadership Seminar, a key takeaway for me was defining success as the equivalent of our network plus what we have together. I’ve learned to be deliberate about building networks and connections – they don’t just happen accidentally.
I’ve also been a part of something deeply important – women supporting women. I’ve enjoyed the network of powerful and inspiring female leaders who make up my MBA cohort – some of whom are already amidst the work of transforming systems – including Lizzie Messerli, Jessica Andreae, Quyen Hom, Paula Erickson, Meilyn Xiong, Natalie Aneskavich, Emily Swanson, Lauren Van Natta and Maddie Williams to name just a very few. Women can be a powerful force, especially when we’re one another’s active partners, allies and mutual mentors. CREATE, as an organization, is leading transformational work – some may even call it a movement – in communities and individuals, and the future of their work is incredibly energizing. Though my fellowship has ended, the work is just beginning. The mindset shift that has occurred while working with CREATE has equipped me to lead organizations, networks and
Ann Vang, Barry Calnan
A ccording to agility expert Pamela Meyer, agile teams are described as “more productive, collaborative, and innovative; and agile organizations more profitable.” Agile leaders challenge the status quo and try unconventional strategies. Agility is about developing competence, capacity and courage in ourselves and our teams. And the potential for impact is only as strong as our teams. CREATE sees capacity and prioritizes action – helping individuals and teams recognize they are prepared to get started, and that we might miss out if we wait until things are perceived, in our eyes, as perfect. I’ve learned to lean on my expertise and track record in place of what I would call “preparedness.” I’m not advocating for leading without strategy – in one of Prof. Lyna Matesi’s classes she shared a quote that has stuck with me: Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. I agree with this wholeheartedly. I’m advocating for more elasticity around strategy – and integrating what Meyer describes as “permission to play” and “rapid prototyping.” When we give ourselves
permission to play, we enable our teams to join us. Our strategies become nimble, working strategies that are responsive to our dynamic environments. I continue to be so impressed with CREATE’s ability to pivot. The organization has an ability to find meaning and key learnings from all challenges and respond effectively and appropriately. CREATE has cultivated an incredible network of expertise that allows for quick and effective shifts and solutions. When the impacts of COVID-19 struck mid-fellowship, a few of our prospective clients fell off the map – understandably. We led with a nimble mindset and took the time to truly listen and propose new directions in communities during this pandemic. As a result, the organization is on the cusp of securing its third contract since the beginning of the year, and it continues to be in conversations with communities and regional leaders around how CREATE’s initiatives make tremendous sense as a regional model.
When we give ourselves permission to play, we enable our teams to join us.
As a fellow through the MBA program, I’ve worked within a network at CREATE that demonstrates the power of connecting. CREATE has perhaps the strongest network of innovative, creative, impact-seeking thinkers in the region, like Jeremy Solin, owner of Tapped Maple Syrup, who was a critical piece in helping us work through key questions and informing our strategy early on. I’ve also been fortunate to be a part of a wicked talented group of professionals in my cohort. My colleague Amanda Elsen has enthusiastically joined me at CREATE – jumping right in and volunteering her time and talents. Through Amanda, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with Mary Gronen with Schmid Innovation center in Dubuque, Iowa, doing incredible work in community building.
communities forward. It’s empowering to consider our potential when shifting our mindset, viewing limitations as nothing more than constraints set within ourselves and our organizations and fully embracing the power of connection.
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EMBRACE TENSION M y process with CREATE has been a deep dive. A deep dive into the organization, myself, my new teammates and mentors, and how we would work together – oh, and how we would work together, again, amidst COVID-19. It also required a significant amount of reflection: What makes communities better? What leaves people feeling more inspired? What role do each of us play in our collective purpose striving to maximize impact on community? At times, we’ve seen things differently. Experienced tension. We’ve become frustrated with one another. We’ve experienced conflict – even disagreed about whether or not we experienced conflict. On the other side of tension lies a depth of understanding, trust and camaraderie required of successful and agile teams. Agile teams continuously strive to lead with creativity and innovation during environments laden with dynamic change and unpredictability. The magic, I have learned, lies on the other side of conflict, and is best described as CAMARADERIE and COHESION. To cultivate this, I learned to lead with a mindset that consistently seeks understanding and prioritizes communicating effectively – this means being curious, not critical. I learned to be more patient – doing more listening than speaking. Entering conversations with the standard of 70% listening, 30% speaking was a wonderful technique discussed in Prof. Elizabeth Martin’s Wisconsin Leadership Seminar. Listening is an art that takes practice. I learned to practice asking excellent questions that are open-ended and seek a greater level of understanding – and even help the speaker reach greater clarity. One of my teammates would share he learned throughout this engagement the importance of togetherness as it relates to taking a next step or moving forward. “Steamrolling” was a descriptor we used for ‘moving forward without the readiness or buy-in of stakeholders’ – and it can leave potentially valuable
A NONLINEAR JOURNEY
From these solutions, we synthesized and prototyped our service as a marketing brochure. We shared our concept brochures with the CREATE Board of Directors and gathered feedback from business and community leaders in and outside of Stevens Point.
We repeated this process over and over.
We leveraged the outstanding work CREATE has done in network building to gather feedback from prospective clients, communities and business leaders – both regionally, from Stevens Point to Antigo, and nationally, including small communities in New York, Iowa, and even Alaska. These conversations informed our work significantly. After hearing directly from the individuals we would serve, it was easier to begin aligning their needs with the talent, thought-leadership and expertise within the walls of CREATE. Each time we spoke with a potential client community, we put together a viable proposal that responded to their specific need, emphasizing the importance of a thorough intake process that helped CREATE understand their unique situation, capacity and stakeholders. Though I started with CREATE with the intent of a clear, phased process (think, research, plan, design, launch, evaluate) that ended with a clean launch of a well- defined product, it was most definitely not a linear, 1-2-3 process. As an agile, effective strategy should, our process has turned into an evolving, working product that is responsive to community and client need, but proactive in anticipating and proposing value. The best part: each iteration is informed by the last and becomes stronger moving forward as we continue delivering this value-rich, high-impact work across communities.
Chris Klesmith, Leah Knights
M y purpose in joining CREATE as a fellow was to develop revenue-generating strategies that will sustain and grow the organization’s impact into the future. I’d like to share the interaction- intensive and nonlinear nature of my journey in hopes of offering helpful takeaways as you embark on your own development strategies. We started our development process with a lot of group think – more as a trust-building opportunity than anything. Given “group think” is not as effective in strategy brainstorming as it is individually, we shifted to individual brainstorms – posing a key question and bringing back a proposed solution or pathway.
partners and teammates behind, disengaged, or out of the loop completely – something detrimental to a cohesive team. During a time when nothing is certain, be certain about the strength of your teams. People doing good work is a tremendous place to invest your talent, time and treasure. During a time when nothing is certain, be certain about the strength of your teams.
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CHANGE REQUIRES DISRUPTION C REATE’s work challenges the status quo – and may even be described as unconventional, or disruptive at times. CREATE leans into discomfort as its best opportunity for growth, while leading positive change and impactful transformation.
CHAMPIONING CONNECTION
W hat better way to end this story than with the value that is perhaps most central to my fellowship experience with CREATE Portage County and the MBA program? That value is - you guessed it - connection. We’ve identified the importance of culture as we tell our impact story. Another key pillar of the organization’s values has stood out above the others: connection. The work CREATE champions is about connecting people to each other – and to places and possibilities. As CREATE secures more work and increases revenues and funding, its growth and impact – through connection – will simultaneously multiply. As time goes on, you will see and experience more and more impact resulting from CREATE’s work in our community through consulting, development and community-based projects. The success of the organization
We identified a need to build a portfolio – to demonstrate the organization’s track record of success. We needed to ensure CREATE was regarded as an expert in the areas in which the organization has worked for the last five years. It was telling stories like when the community asked CREATE to address entrepreneurship, they implemented the IDEA Center that has successfully launched over 40 start-ups locally. It meant leveraging local relationships that have already been on the receiving end of CREATE’s expertise in space planning and development initiatives – like the Village of Plover – as an initial client as we built out our portfolio. It meant sharing successes like the regional viability of the IDEA Center model. CREATE will be a partner in implementing CREATE Adams County, the second co- working space CREATE has launched in our region. Based on what I’ve seen in 10 short months, I feel passionately that CREATE is going to transform communities – work that has already begun in Stevens Point. And, I am hopeful that the businesses and communities on the receiving end of CREATE’s expertise will contribute to its growth of resource to support expansion of impact.
Amanda Elsen, Greg Wright
The service we were developing was disruptive. Mostly to the consulting industry. It attempted to keep dollars that are often spent on outside consultants local. This required articulating the value of an in-community firm versus hiring professional expertise in firms from outside our area. For starters, as a community-embedded consultant, CREATE has capacity to lead development and community-based projects. CREATE’s strength lies in connecting people and resources while identifying where duplication of effort exists, a common side effect when multiple strategic initiatives occur simultaneously within one community. Based on the premise of living where they work, CREATE has a depth of understanding of our community history and network with which no external consultant can compete. More importantly, CREATE has longstanding relationships with these organizations and individuals. Further, CREATE’s model is financially accountable, with the dollars staying local AND within an organization whose mission is to advance OUR COMMUNITY. When you put it on paper, it is almost a no-brainer. Yet, there remained a disconnect.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of this important work.
The work CREATE champions is about connecting people to each other – and to places and possibilities.
Greg Wright, Chris Klesmith, Leah Knights
is bolstered by the incredible people in this community.
After all, we are the sum of our networks and communities and what we create together.
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THANK YOU, CREATE PORTAGE COUNTY
ABOUT LEAH KNIGHTS L eah Knights has experience in several industries, as both an owner and employee. Leah is the founder of Leah Knights Creative, where she offers high-level consulting in marketing and brand strategy coupled with creative services, including brand photography and graphic design. Most recently, Leah launched into the influencer marketing industry where she has experienced rapid growth. Leah’s work is primarily in the interior design space, which led her to add interior design consulting to her scope of service. She continues to grow her social media following, which has reached a following of nearly 20k in just eight months. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Leah leveraged a successful eight-year career in healthcare marketing with Ministry Health Care, now Ascension, where she led the marketing strategy for clients with Ascension onsite clinics. Leah earned her bachelor’s degree in strategic communications from the University of Minnesota. Leah considers herself a lifelong learner, seeking to challenge herself in unique ways to enhance her communication, relatability and effectiveness as a leader. She looks forward to applying knowledge and techniques developed in the UW-Stevens Point MBA program to capitalize upon the multifaceted nature of her career. Leah continuously seeks to refine and improve approaches to brand, marketing and strategic development on behalf of the clients she serves. Becoming an MBA candidate at UWSP is a response to her desire to challenge herself as a lifelong learner. Getting back into the classroom and learning from and connecting with other accomplished professionals is highly valuable to her. Leah defines purpose as dynamic and changing, much like our life circumstance, priorities and communities – all which mold our purpose. Currently, Leah feels her purpose is to be responsive to opportunities and challenges that she feels compelled to explore. Leah has a special place in her heart for building community, in Stevens Point and beyond. She has served in several community organizations, namely CREATE Portage County, Saint Michael’s Foundation, Women’s Fund of Portage County, and most recently, as the founding president of Uplift, a national organization whose mission is to transform the lives of women, with special attention to those in crisis.
Greg Wright, Leah Knights, Chris Klesmith, Amanda Elsen, Prof. Lyna Matesi
T he UW-Stevens Point MBA program would like to thank CREATE Portage County for being our first fellowship partner and for being an example of exemplary leadership in our community. CREATE practices data-driven strategies to promote creativity, connection and collaboration in an effort to grow our regional economy through investments in creativity. CREATE’s research into communities that were growing economically and successfully attracting new professionals found that those communities had strong creative identities with infrastructure to support the arts, innovation and entrepreneurship. CREATE piloted its IDEA Center to explore a small-town adaptation to amenities and infrastructure typically found in larger metro areas, and the concept has been highly successful.
CREATE won the statewide 2020 Community and Economic Development Award (CEDA) in the category of Economic Development Initiatives, which recognizes innovative economic development efforts that successfully promote growth and prosperity in Wisconsin communities. Learn more about CREATE’s impact in our community and beyond at createportagecounty.org and the following social channels:
Leah Knights
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MBA PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF
MISSION Through the discovery, dissemination and application of knowledge, UW-Stevens Point fosters intellectual growth, provides a broad-based education, models community engagement and prepares students for success in a diverse and sustainable world. VISION The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will continue to be recognized for developing, supporting and educating students and citizens to constructively engage in local, regional and global communities. VALUES In addition to our primary value of education, we also value: • Community engagement • Critical thinking • Diversity and inclusivity • Lifelong learning • Professional preparation • Research, scholarly and creative activity • Student-centered environment • Sustainable management of natural resources and other resources ABOUT UW-STEVENS POINT
Kevin Bahr Professor of Business
Ricardo Boeing Assistant Professor of Business
Lori Brandt MBA Adviser
Nikolaus Butz Assistant Professor of Busines s
Kim Carroll MBA Administrative Assistant
Ruixue Du Associate Professor of Accounting
Brian Krolczyk Assistant Professor of Executive Health
Elizabeth Martin Professor of Business
Lyna Matesi MBA Director; Assistant Professor of Management
Kevin Neuman Head, School of Business and Economics
Leah Rose Administrative Program Specialist
Chris Spranger Associate Lecturer
CONTACT US mbainfo@uwsp.edu uwsp.edu/mba
UW-Stevens Point is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Reed Stratton Assistant Professor of Business
Scott Wallace Professor of Economics
Greg Wright Associate Lecturer
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MBA in Applied Leadership and Decision-Making uwsp.edu/mba
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