Goff Strategic Leadership Institute

At Goff, we believe in the power of connection and lifelong engagement. Our Thought Partners, featured in our Explorers Internship Program, are a shining example of this commitment. They’re not only giving back to the community but are also enhancing their own professional growth by coaching young undergraduates while they pursue their first professional experience. ? As Thought Partners, Goff Grads are instrumental in guiding students through the exciting—and sometimes challenging—milestones of their early careers. Through advising interns on topics like navigating supervisor meetings, asking for constructive feedback, delivering strong results, and career decision-making, Thought Partners are making a real impact. Along the way, Thought Partners also hone essential skills, such as people development and leadership. ? In the words of 2023 grad, Connor Kuhl, "Staying connected with Goff has allowed me to thrive as a young professional. [Goff has] enabled me to be a mentor and allowed me to give back to the wonderful program and people that outfitted me for success!" ? A heartfelt thank you to all our Thought Partners for your dedication and support. Your contributions not only empower our students but also enrich the entire Goff community. Thought Partners, what has been the most rewarding part of working with Goff Explorers interns? ? Yash Vyas Sydney Smith Rylie Halliday Connor Kuhl Parker D. Airmet Taylor VanderToolen Ashley Thai Alissa Jones Derek Newton Summer Rand Vishwa S. Dave Shaw Francisco Meza Lillian Wagner Andrew Young Anna Dorn Ella Bachorowski Parker Mitchell Ayden Richards Abukar H. Jason Nguyen Matt Barker Jacob Ward Julie Paredes-Pozas - and many more! ? #GoffExplorers #ThoughtPartners #Mentorship #ProfessionalGrowth #Leadership #GoffInstitute #StrategicLeadership #EarlyCareerist #YoungAlumni

What makes Goff, Goff? A few years ago, we brought in an outside agency to research what truly makes the Goff Strategic Leadership Institute unique—to validate that what we were doing wasn’t just different, but distinctive. ? Their findings? Our guiding principles included: ? Real-world challenge ? Growth & impact ? Experimentation & feedback ? Care & trust ? Community ? In other words, these aren’t just what we do—they’re who we are. ? And at the heart of this experience? The incredible faculty and instructors who bring these words to life every day, inside and outside the classroom. ? To embody these principles isn’t easy. It requires: ?? Embracing ambiguity—navigating the unknown with confidence ?? Customization—adapting learning to fit real-world challenges ?? Vision—thinking about what could be, not just what is ?? Creativity & curiosity—adjusting on the fly, making space for innovation ?? More than a lesson plan—designing experiences that truly create value ? It takes effort, energy, and a mindset that prioritizes impact over routine—and I am so grateful to work alongside people who do this every day. ? Cheers to the incredible instructors and faculty who make Goff what it is—we appreciate you! ? Bonita Austin Stephanie G. Baugh Maya J. Solomon Lin Sean McKelvie Tom Georgis Allison Boxer, Ed.D., MBA Debbie Stephens Stauffer, Ed.D. Heidi Herrick ?Bill Hesterly Todd Zenger

Last week we hosted an Ask Goff, where Goff Grads from across the country logged on to catch-up, swap stories, and share advice on some of life's big questions. We tackled questions like: + What goes into making the next, right decision in your career?? + How to maintain and bring creativity into your life? + How to find balance?? + And, a classic Ask Goff question, What is the meaning of life???? ? This group continues to grow. As of this spring, we will welcome 61 more Grads, growing our Goff Grad community to 386 - professionals ranging industries, countries, and graduate schools.? ? Our next Ask Goff will be in May! We will discuss navigating next career steps, and as always, no questions are off the table. Goff Grads, keep an eye on LinkedIn and our newsletter for more details. Daren Thai Chloe Carr Cathleen Zhang Richard Monsen Zuri Vasquez Bedolla Andrew Young Creed McCord Sydney Smith Shane Haynes Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA Stephanie G. Baugh Maya J.

The Goff Strategic Leadership Center is now officially the Goff Strategic Leadership Institute! This transformation reflects not just a change in name, but an expansion of our vision, impact, and commitment to leadership education at the David Eccles School of Business and the University of Utah.? Thanks to a robust endowment and a generous $10 million gift from Greg Goff, our Institute is empowering students, alumni, and professionals to transform knowledge into action and aspirations into impact.? Since 2020, the Goff Institute has seen...? ? Experimentation in the Goff Lab nearly double from ‘16-’20 to ‘20-’24. ? 1,400+ business professionals have elevated their strategic leadership abilities through graduate classes and the Goff Lab. ? 700% increase in demand for our undergraduate programs. ? 255 student-led projects have advanced the missions of community partners, tackling real-world challenges. ? Goff alumni earn $12k more annually than their business peers* and have launched careers at companies like Microsoft, Bain & Company, and Goldman Sachs.? We are excited to embark on this new chapter with you as we continue to build a lasting legacy. For more information about the Goff Strategic Leadership Institute, visit Goff.Utah.Edu and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn for strategic leadership resources. *Since 2022 University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, Kurt Dirks, University of Utah, Eccles Alumni, Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA, Todd Zenger, Maya J., Stephanie G. Baugh, Sydney Smith

We are excited to share the latest University of Utah Magazine feature, “Is College Still Worth It?” which highlights the Goff Strategic Leadership Center’s unique approach of blending academia with real-world experience. Goff goes beyond traditional learning by fostering meaningful connections and practical engagements. As Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA, Managing Director and CEO, shares: “Our students don't just learn; they participate in projects that make them job-ready, gaining critical skills and confidence to face real-world challenges.” Explore the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g8RfxmXs University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, Todd Zenger, Maya J., Stephanie G. Baugh, Sydney Smith, Eccles Alumni, Kurt Dirks, Katie Hoffman-Abby

Did you know that over half of Gen-Z employees feel their education did not prepare them for the professional world, and 61% of executives feel unprepared for the strategic challenges they face? At Goff, we’re tackling these issues head-on. Demand for our programs has skyrocketed, increasing over 700% since 2020. Our work is funded by generous contributions from our donors. As we strive to expand and open doors for leaders at all levels, we invite you to support our growth and impact today. Your donation will shape a world where leadership is not just a title, but a force for meaningful change. Donate here: https://lnkd.in/guFhVZ_D University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, Eccles Alumni, Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA, Stephanie G. Baugh, Sydney Smith

We are incredibly proud of our Goff Strategic Leadership Center students, whose research and insights on AI have been published by Korn Ferry Institute! Their articles delve into critical issues, including how sustainable AI implementation can address environmental concerns, and how AI-driven learning and development (L&D) can revolutionize personalized training. These projects are not just timely but vital as the world continues to embrace AI at an unprecedented pace. Korn Ferry leadership praised the students, stating, "The Goff students provided valuable market and competitor research, demonstrated a deep understanding of our organization, and made recommendations that spanned our range of services and aligned with our core values. Every engagement with the Goff program has exceeded expectations in both administration fluidity and work caliber." We are thrilled to see our students making real contributions to the future of AI and its role in driving sustainable business practices. Watts Going On, authored by Chase Parry and Ben Ludlow (https://lnkd.in/gEGcza6X) AI and L&D: The Dynamic Duo, authored by Francisco Meza and Isaac Denison (https://lnkd.in/g7YJwjUJ) Big thanks to Chloe Carr Bonita Austin Tessa G. Misiaszek, PhD, Amelia Haynes Annamaria Scaccia Stephanie G. Baugh and many others for providing this opportunity to our students.

At Goff, we always seek new, innovative ways to teach students techniques to problem find, and last year we partnered with Cord Bowen, Professor (Clinical) & Director, Doman Innovation Studio, to facilitate a design thinking challenge. Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test, and we tasked challenge participants to apply this technique to answer the question: "How can we make our business school spaces more welcoming for all?" Our students spent hours observing spaces and interviewing community members which led to some very thoughtful and well researched recommendations that were presented to the public at the end of the challenge. Carter McDaniels demonstrated relentless value creation by staying on the project after graduating (and has since been hired by Amazon) to lead his younger peers, Diego Alvarez and Bjorn Johansson, in fine-tuning the challenge recommendations to present to school leadership. They decided to focus on two high-priority ideas for the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building : 1) Increase safety by adding a raised sidewalk to alert drivers to pedestrians crossing 1800 E. 2) Create more individual and quiet study spaces in our building to provide a variety of spaces for students to use This challenge was just one example of how students can leverage the "Goff Lens" to influence stakeholders and make a difference. From this experience, our business school spaces are now safer and more usable for all community members! Shout-out to our incredible school leadership who helped bring these recommendations to life. From facilities, IT, and our Dean's Team - thank you for championing student work! University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah, Eccles Alumni, Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA, Stephanie G. Baugh, Maya J., Sydney Smith

Which meeting would you rather be in? We often see presentations or meeting agendas begin with a static “table of contents” or “outline.” Limiting ourselves to describing what we will cover hinders audience involvement and diminishes the overall impact and intent of the meeting. When drafting your agenda, consider your audience’s or team members’ roles in the meeting. What do you need from them? Set the expectation at the top of the meeting, and allocate time to meet your objectives. Use this tip in your upcoming meetings, and make the most of your team’s time! Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA, Maya J., Stephanie G. Baugh, University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, Eccles Alumni

Today is the day! Presidential Professors of Strategic Management, Jay Barney and Todd Zenger (also Goff Academic Director), are hosting the third ever Strategy Summit. Previous summits, held in 1977 and 1990, significantly influenced how researchers and practitioners think about and discuss strategy - leading to landmark advances in the field. Goff is proud to sponsor this impactful event, which brings together world-class researchers from around the world. View the Summit’s livestream here: https://lnkd.in/g8btd8Cq University of Utah, University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, Ruchi Watson, EdD, MBA, Allison Boxer, Ed.D., MBA, Strategy Science, Jason Snyder, Bill Hesterly, Matt Higgins, Jen Brown