Nearly 250 strengths champions from 20 colleges, universities and organizations across Nebraska and the Midwest gathered at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in July for the sixth annual Strengths Summer Conference.
Hosted by the Clifton Strengths Institute in the College of Business, the conference explored how understanding strengths helps people lead, teach and work more effectively. The full-day event featured keynote presentations, breakout sessions and conversations centered on strengths-based development. Speakers shared practical strategies for applying strengths in classrooms, organizations, athletic teams and entrepreneurial ventures.
Nebraska's Interim Chancellor Katherine Ankerson welcomed attendees by encouraging them to continue investing in themselves and the people they serve.
"Being here today tells me you have made the choice to invest in yourself. You have chosen to learn something new, and to bring these lessons back to the students, colleagues and communities you serve," Ankerson said.
Keynote speaker Mike McDonald, senior workplace consultant and learning business partner at Gallup, challenged participants to lead with greater intention by building trust through accountability.
"Unspoken expectations create conflict," McDonald said, encouraging leaders to establish role clarity, define deadlines and ensure people have the resources they need to succeed. He encouraged attendees to communicate what their teammates can count on them to do and what they need from their colleagues.
Nebraska Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Williams shared how strengths help shape the Husker women's basketball program. From onboarding new assistant coaches to helping new players build relationships, Williams said intentionality is central to her leadership approach.
"I want to learn and watch and see where his strengths are," Williams said of a new assistant coach. "Once we've identified where everybody's strengths lie, now let's give them responsibility and let them run."
She also described intentionally pairing teammates for lunch or an outing on campus or in Lincoln to help new players build meaningful relationships before the season begins.
Williams challenged attendees to prepare young people for the future by helping them become capable rather than comfortable.
"Sports has taught me you don't do it because it's comfortable," she said. "How can we help them step up, make mistakes and learn how to work through them?"
Entrepreneur Derek Branch, '25, a former Nebraska football player and Clifton Builders management graduate, shared how the Clifton Strengths Institute helped him discover his potential beyond the football field.
"When things weren't going right, the Clifton Builders program was a space where I could just be myself," Branch said. "It was one of the few places where the way my brain naturally works wasn't just tolerated, it was encouraged."
Branch described how the entrepreneurial mindset he developed at Nebraska continues to influence his work today through Branch Ventures, LLC, where he uses emerging technology to enhance his businesses and connect entrepreneurs.
"Innovation comes from putting an idea out there and having people from all walks of life propel your ideas forward," he said.
During the breakout session "Leading With Strengths: Women Breaking Barriers With Gallup Insights," Erin Stahla, co-owner of Stahla Services and a Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship community fellow, noted that understanding strengths helped her team navigate conflict and improve communication by focusing less on differences and more on each other's perspectives.
Maggie Olson, founder of Nova Chief of Staff, encouraged leaders to lean into their natural talents rather than trying to excel at everything. She reminded participants that strengths are tools they can intentionally develop and highlighted the value of surrounding themselves with people whose strengths complement their own.
Jennifer Lea, '99 & '06 MBA, executive director at Woods Aitken, emphasized the importance of investing in relationships throughout a career.
"Relationships are everything," Lea said. "Every time you invest in yourself, you expand your capacity, your relationships and your opportunity for growth."
Panel moderator Lindsay Thomsen, assistant professor of practice in management and director of business development for the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship, encouraged attendees to understand themselves before searching for the right organization.
"Know your strengths, know your values and find a place where they align," she said.
Kyle Holtman, assistant director of learning communities at Iowa State University, attended the conference for the second year because he values its focus on higher education.
"This conference is always a high-quality experience for the cost and a wonderful opportunity to invest in strengths-based professional development," Holtman said. "Both my supervisor and I are Gallup-Certified Strengths Coaches, so we're always looking at how other institutions are incorporating strengths into their work with students."
Holly Maim, program manager at the University of Nebraska Foundation, said the conference serves as an important opportunity to reconnect with strengths-based leadership.
"Our organization is strengths-based, so it's integrated into our culture," Maim said. "I love attending this conference because it helps me recenter around strengths. Every session I've attended, I've walked away with something I can apply."
The conference reflected the collaborative spirit it promoted. Clifton Strengths Institute Program Coordinator Dylan Anderson, who led planning and logistics for the event, said watching months of preparation come together made every detail worthwhile.
"Seeing meaningful conversations happen throughout the day made every planning meeting, checklist and last-minute adjustment worth it," Anderson said. "Events like this truly take a community, and I'm thankful to work alongside people who care so deeply about helping others discover and develop their strengths."
