Executive Team Development for a Large Public University

The University

A public, top-ranked research institution known for its commitment to groundbreaking research and public service. The university is recognized for its wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, attracting leading researchers and students seeking an exceptional education.

The Situation

The chancellor of a renowned public university engaged Nebo to provide team development for the executive team, a group of highly skilled, passionate, and dedicated subject-matter experts. The core challenge was that the chancellor’s team was new to working with each other and functioned as a collection of individuals rather than a cohesive leadership team. At a time when the institution was facing an array of intense external pressures, from a polarized political environment to campus protests and complex relationships with state and federal governments, the team needed to build trust, establish collaborative norms for working together, and navigate a high-stakes environment.

The Solution

In partnership with the chancellor, Nebo designed a comprehensive, multi-month team development journey featuring assessments, one-on-one interviews to inform the design of the program, and a series of targeted team development sessions delivered in- person and virtually.

• Discovery and Assessment: The engagement began with 1:1 interviews with each executive team member to uncover strengths, areas for growth, and institutional priorities. Nebo also administered DISC and PIAV assessments to provide the leaders with deep insights into their individual behavioral styles and underlying motivators.
• Strategic Content: In facilitated sessions, the team explored "sensemaking" to navigate their complex environment and identified both the risks and the opportunities of their current political and economic reality. The team also established personal commitments to adapt their behavior—such as listening, asking questions, and responding to the environment and style of their colleagues—to improve team dynamics.
• Real-World Application: Nebo guided the executive team through a practical, high-stakes scenario using a communication framework to move from discussion to action. The team collaborated to build a comprehensive strategy for managing threats to the vital operations of the university.

The Impact

• Shift from Individuals to a Unified Team: The team learned to leverage each other's expertise and successfully defined working groups, identified "red lines" for institutional compromises, and clarified leadership roles to prevent future siloing.
• Transformed Crisis Planning: Rather than responding reactively to external threats, the team mapped out a clear, multi-lane action plan to address their challenges. They established actionable recommendations categorized by strategy, process, fiscal needs, relationship-building, and information-gathering.
• Common Skills & Understanding: The assessments and personalized team development sessions provided the team with a shared vocabulary to understand their colleagues’ behavior and motivators. By making specific commitments to adapt their individual behaviors, the executive team fostered a more trusting, collaborative environment to problem-solve together.
• Seizing Opportunity in Disruption: Through Nebo's facilitation, the team shifted their mindset regarding external challenges. Instead of defaulting to a defensive posture, the executive team recognized the crisis as a powerful opportunity to evaluate priorities, make overdue institutional changes, and build deeper alliances with their community.