Examination of innovation leads off HR’s fall Learn@Lunch series









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Mike Wagner
This fall, the UNMC Human Resources Department’s Learn@Lunch Series will focus on “Innovation: Putting Diversity of Thought to Work.”

There are three sessions scheduled:

UnManagement: Confronting the inconvenient truth about innovation

  • 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 17
  • Durham Research Center Auditorium (Room 1002)

Jason Lauritsen of Talent Anarchy will lead a session to provide a deeper understanding of innovation, discussing many common misconceptions about how it works. Participants will confront the inconvenient truth that much of modern management practice is anti-innovation, and that innovation begins with culture. Participants will learn that leading successfully in an environment of constant change that demands innovation requires new thinking and a different approach. Gain a more complete understanding of innovation, how it happens and what obstacles commonly prevent it.

Diversity + Inclusion = Innovation

  • 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 16
  • Durham Research Center Auditorium (Room 1002)

Joe Gerstandt of Talent Anarchy will discuss the increasing significance of cognitive diversity to our organizations due to the integral role that it plays in decision making, problem solving and innovation. This session will address the role of cognitive diversity in driving a group’s or organization’s ability to share information, make meaning from information, make quality decisions, solve problems, innovate and utilize the talent that is available to them. Participants will have a clear and actionable definition and framework for understanding cognitive diversity.

Uniting the Diverse: Getting the work done as one

  • 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 20
  • Durham Research Center Auditorium (Room 1002)

Mike Wagner, CEO of White Rabbit Group, will discuss an organizational model that unites diversity of thought into a shared, innovative departmental brand. The truth is many organizations fail to focus finite resources and diversity of thought around the delivery of remarkable service. Innovation must create agreed upon value. Leaders, managers and team members will learn the brand analyzing tools and design strategies that truly put their team’s diversity of thought to work.

Registration is required. A boxed lunch will be provided to the first 150 participants who attend the session. To register, log on to UNMC Employee Services, click on Education tab, then on Event Registration.