The University of Nebraska–Lincoln took a significant step forward in strengthening leadership potential by offering the Gallup Manager Program to 30 of its supervisors. This premier two-day course, grounded in Gallup’s renowned research and the CliftonStrengths framework, is part of a broader initiative by Human Resources and the Department of Organizational Development and Training to expand leadership development opportunities for staff across the university.
“One of my favorite takeaways was the emphasis on building a strengths-based team culture,” said Drashti Bhatt, senior director of IT, data analytics and application development. “I feel more confident in guiding individualized conversations, fostering engagement, and creating an environment where people can thrive.”
The Gallup Manager Program equips leaders with the tools and mindset to become high-impact coaches. Participants engaged in a dynamic blend of live instruction and applied learning, gaining insights into how to lead with their strengths, foster meaningful coaching conversations, and build a culture of engagement. This strengths-based, development-focused approach has been shown to significantly boost employee engagement — an essential factor in retaining top talent and driving organizational success.
“Building a healthy workplace culture at UNL isn't just important — it's essential to our mission,” said Ben Lennander, assistant vice chancellor of human resources and chief people officer. “This is why we are strategically focusing on leadership development. Through the Gallup Manager Program, we are developing 30 key supervisors who collectively influence the work experience of hundreds of employees.”
As the university continues to prioritize employee development, programs like this one ensure that supervisors are not only managing but truly leading — coaching their teams toward greater performance, engagement and success.
Organizational Development and Training will further expand leadership development offerings through a new, monthly professional development series called NSPIRE, which will roll out this fall. More details will be announced soon.
Questions, suggestions, or feedback about leadership development for staff members can be directed to Celeste Spier, director of organizational development and training, at cspier2@unl.edu.
