Description:
Higher education is a world of committees, governance, and constant change. How can project management thrive in this environment? In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast, hosts Dr. Vernon Smith and Dr. Michael Cottam sit down with Bridget Davis, PMP, CSM, DASM, to explore how both Agile and predictive project management frameworks can help leaders succeed in academic settings.

Bridget brings a unique background—religion, Viking Studies, and a passion for music—that shaped her approach to leading projects. She shares lessons on trust, planning, and accountability, along with candid stories of pitfalls and wins from her career.

Whether you’re a leader in higher ed, a project manager in another sector, or simply someone who wants to see teams work better together, you’ll find inspiration and practical advice in this episode.

What You’ll Learn:

Why higher education requires blending Agile and predictive project management.

How to create flexible frameworks tailored to specific projects and teams.

The importance of planning, documenting, and clarifying roles early.

How Scrum builds trust and consistency through small, iterative cycles.

Why CliftonStrengths is a valuable tool for building stronger, more collaborative teams.

Mentioned in This Episode:

MACRO Leadership book: https://amzn.to/3IAp2VG

The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey: https://amzn.to/3KkvUHh 

CliftonStrengths® assessments & coaching: Engage with us for your personal and professional leadership growth

The American College of Financial Services: The American College of Financial Services

Scrum framework overview: Scrum.org

Reflection Question:
How might you bring more predictable structure—or more agility—into your current projects?

Subscribe & Connect:
🌐 Learn more about MACRO Leadership coaching and workshops at https://engagedbydesign.com .
👍 Like, comment, and share to support our work.

Description

Leadership often happens in the middle—not at the very top. In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Michelle Loyet, we explore how to lead effectively without relying on positional authority. Michelle shares her experiences at Webster University, where she learned to build coalitions, invite people into change, and balance responsibilities up, down, and across the institution.

Michelle also opens up about her unexpected background in roller derby and the leadership lessons it taught her—resilience, persistence, and teamwork. We also discuss Webster’s long history of serving military students, and how strategies like tuition alignment and transfer credit help meet their needs. This episode is full of practical insights for anyone managing from the middle of an organization and looking to create lasting impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

- How to manage up, down, and across with authenticity

- Why inviting people into innovation works better than coercion

- The power of complementary strengths in leadership partnerships

- How roller derby shaped Michelle’s perspective on persistence and teamwork - Practical strategies for supporting military students in higher education

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome and introductions

02:00 – Managing from the middle: strategies for success

06:00 – The importance of invitation vs. coercion

12:00 – Complementary strengths in leadership partnerships

14:00 – Resilience and persistence: lessons from roller derby

20:00 – Role models, coaching, and team-building with Yelp Roulette

28:00 – Supporting military students through tuition alignment and transfer credit

32:00 – Reflections on leadership impact

33:00 – Outro & reflection question

Reflection Question for Viewers:

What can you do this week to build coalitions of support—up, down, and across your organization—to move an important initiative forward?

Links & Resources:

📖 MACRO Leadership – https://amzn.to/3IAp2VG 

📘 Free MACRO Leadership Workbook – https://engagedbydesign.com 

Episode 22

What if your academic background could become your greatest leadership strength?

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Dr. Michelle Loyet—known as the “Shenanigans Wrangler” in the book MACRO Leadership—joins Dr. Michael Cottam and Dr. Vernon Smith to share how anthropology became her leadership superpower. As interim Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Webster University, Michelle has spent nearly two decades helping the institution innovate, adapt, and serve learners around the globe.

In this episode, Michelle reveals how anthropology’s tools—cultural observation, data analysis, and adaptability—translate into practical leadership skills. She also takes us inside the launch of Agile sprints at Webster University, where quick wins, visible progress, and language shifts helped overcome skepticism and accelerate change.

- How anthropology prepares leaders to understand and adapt to organizational culture
- Why data analysis and meaning-making are vital leadership skills
- The story of Webster University’s first Agile sprints and their impact on student success
- How quick wins and visible accountability built momentum for change
- The role of language in shaping culture ('impediments,' 'how might we,' and no 'devil’s advocate')

00:00 – Welcome and introductions
02:00 – Michelle’s journey from anthropology to administration
06:00 – Anthropology as a corporate superpower
10:00 – Launching Agile sprints at Webster University
15:00 – The power of quick wins and visible accountability
20:00 – Overcoming naysayers and skeptics
30:00 – Building coalitions across academics and IT
35:00 – Visualizing progress with sprint boards
45:00 – Language shifts that changed the culture
48:00 – Outro & reflection question

How might you apply your own disciplinary superpowers—whether anthropology, linguistics, biology, or statistics—to your leadership practice this week?

📖 MACRO Leadership book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IAp2VG 
📘 Free MACRO Leadership Workbook: https://engagedbydesign.com

Episode 21

Competency-Based Learning and the Future of Work — with Dr. Calli Morrison (Part 3 of 3)

In the final part of our three-part series, Dr. Cali Morrison dives into the world of competency-based education (CBE), micro-credentials, and the future of learning and work. She shares how she helped build direct assessment CBE programs at American Public University System, explains the value of micro-credentials and NanoCerts, and discusses how digital badges give learners visibility and ownership of their skills.

Calli also reflects on her current work at EdAssist, where she helps healthcare organizations build career pathways that grow talent from within. Along the way, she offers leadership lessons for innovators—especially women—about embracing failure, taking risks, and engaging learners through authentic assessment.

This episode highlights how education and workforce development are converging, and how innovation can serve real learners.

How can you build in authentic assessment to make learning more visible and relevant?

The technology we used 

Episode 20

In this second part of our three-part series, Dr. Cali Morrison takes us inside two major projects that shaped the future of higher education: Transparency by Design and the Predictive Analytics Reporting (PAR) Framework. These efforts paved the way for program-level transparency, skills-based hiring, and data-driven student success strategies.

Calli shares how Transparency by Design helped adult learners make informed decisions by comparing program-level outcomes, and how the PAR Framework demonstrated the power of shared data to predict student persistence and drive interventions. Along the way, she tells the unforgettable story of her daughter Bryce—the 'PAR baby'—born on the very day a Gates Foundation grant proposal was due.

This conversation highlights the importance of transparency, collaboration, and the human side of innovation in education.

How could your team use data not just to measure, but to intervene early and change student outcomes?

The technology we used 

Episode 19

In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast, Dr. Vernon Smith and Dr. Michael Cottam kick off a three-part conversation with Dr. Cali Morrison, Senior Director of Workforce Education and Strategy at EdAssist by Bright Horizons.

Calli shares how a rural sociology class—and one infamous challenge involving cow urine—helped spark her unexpected entry into higher education. She reflects on the power of engaged learning, the importance of clear learning objectives, and why she walked away from a major when a professor couldn’t explain the purpose of an assignment.

Most importantly, Cali reveals her personal “why”: to help adults keep learning throughout their lives without giving up the parts of life that matter most. Inspired by her parents and mentors, she has built a career committed to making education more flexible, accessible, and meaningful.

Where in your courses, programs, or trainings do you need to clarify the learning objectives so learners know exactly why it matters?

Episode 18

In part two of our conversation, Dr. Jennifer Brock discusses program innovation, credit for prior learning, and how AI is reshaping course design and student success at scale. 

In this second episode with Dr. Jennifer Brock, we explore her leadership in designing stackable credentials, building credit for prior learning pathways, and leading groundbreaking grant-funded projects like Rio Compass. She shares insights into scaling student success through technology and human connection, her experience presenting to Bill Gates, and how AI is helping accelerate course development without sacrificing quality. Jennifer’s career illustrates how innovation in education requires both passion and persistence — whether in the classroom, in program design, or in rethinking how technology supports learners.

Reflection Question: How can your institution better recognize the learning that students bring with them—whether from work, life experience, or prior education?

Affiliate Links:

The technology we used

Episode 17

Dr. Jennifer Brock shares her journey from theater to sciences, her path into teaching, and the transformative power of dual enrollment in shaping student identity and confidence.

In this episode of the Engaged by Design Podcast, Vernon Smith and Michael Cottam welcome Dr. Jennifer Brock, Executive Vice President of Online Education, Academics, and Services at the Academy of Art University. Jennifer reflects on her journey from musical theater to biology, her passion for teaching, and her pioneering role in dual enrollment. She shares how early opportunities shaped her confidence and how dual enrollment empowers students to see themselves as college-ready.

We also hear about her transition into higher education leadership and her early innovations in program design.

Reflection Question:
How has a teacher, mentor, or early opportunity shaped your confidence and career path?

Affiliate Links:

The technology we used

Episode 16

In part two of our conversation with Dr. Shannon McCarty, Vice President of Learning and Instruction at Calbright College, we shift from Calbright’s mission to the challenges and lessons of leading innovation.

Shannon shares candidly about her leadership journey, the mentors who shaped her path, and the values she carries into her role. She reflects on how authenticity, feedback, and even humor create stronger teams, and why being open and vulnerable is key for leaders navigating change.

Highlights from this episode include:

Shannon leaves us with a challenge question: to know your purpose and let it guide your innovation and leadership.

Affiliate Links: 

Books referenced in this episode 

The technology we used 

Episode 15 

In part 1 of this conversation, Vernon Smith and Michael Cottam reconnect with their longtime colleague and friend, Dr. Shannon McCarty, Vice President of Learning and Instruction at Calbright College.

Shannon shares her journey from faculty at Rio Salado College to leadership roles at National University and Bay Path University, and now to her work at Calbright — California’s 116th and newest community college. Together, they explore:

Shannon reminds us that meaningful innovation isn’t about adding more technology — it’s about designing around student needs, fostering equity, and keeping the focus on outcomes.

Reflection Question for Listeners:
What lessons can you beg, borrow, or steal from Calbright that might apply to your context and your institution?

Next Episode Teaser:
In part two of our conversation, we’ll go deeper into Calbright’s team culture, the challenges of building something new, and the role of AI in shaping the future of higher education.