Good afternoon,
Last week, members of the Operational Excellence team attended the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation (NCCI) Annual Conference. Candace and I presented the “Carolina Embedded Transformation Model,” Georgia and Nick presented “Setting Your Project Team up for Success,” and Candace also presented “How to Leverage AI in Change Management,” which she co-created with ITS Senior Change Management Specialist, Jackie Treschl. In addition to the OE presentations, the team attended several insightful sessions focused on change management, process improvement, strategic planning, project management, and innovation in higher education.
One of my favorite sessions was “Leadership and Continuous Improvement: Insights from a Children’s Book.” We discussed the lead character’s methods of leading his community towards positive change, then looked at practical applications of these principles and leadership strategies in our roles within higher education. It should not surprise us when we learn valuable lessons from a children’s book!
I want to thank Collette Brown, executive director of continuous improvement, staff development and engagement at the Service Center of Excellence, for introducing me to NCCI a few years ago. Carolina has a university membership to NCCI, so our entire campus can access all NCCI programming. If you are interested in NCCI, you can create an account through our campus-wide membership.
Finally, I am excited and honored to share that I will serve as president-elect for NCCI over the next year and will assume the role of president in July 2025. If you have any questions regarding NCCI, please contact me directly.
Please feel free to share this email with your colleagues. You can also visit our website to learn more about Operational Excellence, read my previous updates, and submit feedback. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at wernoski@email.unc.edu. I read every email.
Best,
Rick