To support the development and growth of leaders at the university, the Employee Success Center in partnership with the College of 成人直播 & Human Development facilitates the Cardinal Leadership Institute, which cultivates university leaders who understand the university’s vision and can effectively foster its growth.

The 2023 Cardinal Leadership Institute cohort included 21 UofL faculty and staff who recently celebrated completion of the five-month program. This year鈥檚 institute graduates are:

• Tammy Albers, School of Public Health and Information Sciences
• Shirin Bolhari, Procurement Card Team
• Johanna Boone, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Nacetia N. Burke, Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
• Priscilla Calvo Castillo, University Housing
• Jody Carroll, Office of Technology Transfer and the Office of Industry Engagement
• April Clark, Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
• Jennifer A. Coffey, School of Medicine
• Kari L. Donahue, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Christopher Dye, College of Business
• Heather Egan, University of Louisville Police Department
• Stephen Fairley, University Advancement
• Adora Burdette Hicks, Athletics
• Jacek B. Jasinski, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Brittney M. Luckett, School of Medicine
• Manjiri Menezes, College of Business
• Natalie Oliner, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Cecilia Peredo, College of 成人直播 and Human Development
• Edwina Lynn Peterson, School of Medicine
• Kaitlyn Robinson, School of Medicine
• Erica Walsh, Office of Communications and Marketing

鈥淲e believe that an institute of higher learning should be a place where everyone 鈥� not just students 鈥� have opportunities to learn, grow and succeed personally and professionally,鈥� said Brian Buford, executive director of university culture and employee success.

Buford serves as a Cardinal Leadership Institute faculty member along with Meagan West, training specialist for the Employee Success Center; Douglas Craddock, vice president of community engagement; as well as Ann Herd and Matt Bergman, both clinical associate professors in the Department of 成人直播al Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development. Institute curriculum consists of online and in-person sessions and focuses on supporting organizational change; leadership and management; diversity, equity and inclusion; coaching and talent development; and university culture and values.

Kaitlyn Robinson, a project manager in the School of Medicine, was encouraged by her supervisor, Glenn Gittings, to participate in the institute. According to Robinson, she realized that if she wanted to see change and be a part of change at the university level, she needed to find ways to better support herself as a leader.

鈥淭he Cardinal Leadership Institute challenged me to rethink stances on situations where leaders are often forced to make difficult decisions and helped me identify ways to encourage change at our university,鈥� said Robinson. 鈥淚t also challenged me to look more deeply at my overall wellbeing by way of establishing routines that can help to reenergize myself despite the heavy tasks we all face daily in our lives.鈥�

Recruitment for the 2024 Cardinal Leadership Institute will begin in Fall 2023. Information about the Cardinal Leadership Institute requirements, benefits, application and information sessions on the institute鈥檚 . For questions, contact Meagan West in the UofL Employee Success Center.

Sinek is a renowned motivational speaker, author and TED Talk presenter. He is best known for his TED Talk, 鈥淗ow Great Leaders Inspire Action,鈥� which has amassed over 53 million views worldwide. Sinek and Bendapudi discussed how leadership, employee engagement and initiatives through the ESC can contribute to making the University of Louisville a聽 great place to work, one of the goals of the 2019-2022 .

The center, currently located in suite 202 of Grawemeyer Hall, provides UofL employees with professional development opportunities, onboarding, mentoring, workshops and other engaging initiatives and programs.

Bendapudi and Sinek鈥檚 discussion was facilitated by Brian Buford, executive director of university culture and employee success. Although this event officially signified the opening of the ESC, Buford and his teammates, Laura McDaniels and Meagan West, have been working tirelessly since last fall to get the ESC off the ground. Throughout the past few months, the team has provided over 20 Learning Cafes and other virtual workshops to university employees, for example.聽

Bendapudi and Sinek started the virtual event by discussing the role of leadership within the university community. Sinek said true leadership is the responsibility to see those around us rise. The ESC serves to embody this type of leadership by encouraging and supporting university employee development. Bendapudi expressed that the goal of the center is to nurture the leadership potential of university employees while guiding them on their journey to becoming better, effective leaders. Sinek further highlighted the importance of this employee-centered initiative from university leadership.

鈥淚 love the fact that [the University of Louisville] is focusing on its own people.鈥� Sinek said. 鈥淪o many universities don鈥檛 understand the role of leadership. At other universities if you ask senior leadership 鈥榳hat鈥檚 your priority?鈥� they will always say the same thing – the student, which it鈥檚 not. The role of senior leadership is to take care of the people who take care of the students.鈥�

The two speakers also touched on the importance of employee engagement and empathy in the workplace, a main pillar of the ESC.

The center will strive to make the university a great place to work by providing various employee-centered resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth. It serves as a safe space for employees to have honest conversations with other members of the university community. Coaching circles allow employees to gather and collaborate on significant topics, such as anti-racism initiatives. Well-being retreats and mindfulness initiatives are also offered to cultivate a strong community of care. All of these efforts complement that “great place to work goal” and, ideally, will lead to happier, more productive employees.

鈥淲hen people in an organization feel like the organization sees them, hears them and recognizes them as human beings – that they have ambitions and stresses鈥� [when the university] looks to take care of them as human beings – then they can invest all of their energy into the work that they’re supposed to be doing,” Sinek said.聽

This emphasis on care was echoed by the ESC staff. According to Buford, the success of the university hinges upon the ability to care for each and every member of the community. The center aims to provide a necessary source of care for employees by ensuring that their voices are heard and their personal and professional development is prioritized. To the ESC staff, success goes beyond the easily measurable metrics such as retention or productivity. Creating a great place to work requires a commitment to caring for the employees.

鈥淭o be a great place to work, we have to create an experience where employees feel connected to UofL and have a sense of belonging, hope and trust; where they are growing and learning new things they can put to use in their lives or future jobs; and where they are part of a community that cares about them,” Buford said.聽

Buford also announced that as part of the ESC opening celebration, the new Cardinal Leadership Institute will also launch in early March. Among the audience for the virtual event were several instructors for the institute, as well as 23 university leaders that will comprise the inaugural cohort.

Current measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 are in effect and all events with the ESC are currently held virtually on Microsoft Teams. A of past meetings and workshops can be found on the , as well as the video recording of the .