Lead Forward Monthly Bulletin

Welcome to this month's edition of Lead Forward, designed for campus leaders of professional staff. Leadership remains at the heart of our collective success, and evidence shows that great leaders are consistently learning. This bulletin is designed to keep our leaders informed, inspired, and connected; offering insights, updates, and practical tools to help you lead with clarity and confidence. Each edition will highlight a brief micro-learning module with real-world strategies, timely calls to action for campus leaders, and resources to support your ongoing development. Together, we’re building a culture where every leader empowers others to thrive.

This month’s Lead Forward micro-learning focuses on intentional listening and inclusive collaboration. In this session, you’ll learn how intentional listening builds trust, improves collaboration, and helps every employee feel heard.

title page for Lead Forward June edition with picture of Bronco statue

Bronco Leaders Call to Action

Here are some ideas to consider over the next few weeks:

🎯 In your next one-on-one or team meeting, spend time listening before offering solutions or advice. Ask follow-up questions and focus on understanding rather than responding

🎯 Intentionally invite someone who doesn't usually speak up to share their perspective.

🎯 Ask your team for one suggestion that would improve their work experience, commit to taking action on one idea, and report back within two weeks.

Sha Duncan Smith , VP Inclusive Excellence

Inclusive communication and listening begins with the Jesuit value of presupposition—the commitment to first seek the most understanding and charitable interpretation of another person’s words, experiences, and intentions. Through active listening and practices such as the L.A.R.A. method (Listen, Affirm, Respond, Add), we create space for authentic dialogue rooted in respect, curiosity, and humility. Effective communication requires understanding intercultural contexts and a willingness to learn about different cultures, identities, and lived experiences in pursuit of mutual understanding, our common humanity, and an appreciation for the unique gifts each person brings. When we truly listen to people’s stories, seek to understand who they are as individuals, and explore what shapes their worldview, we receive a profound gift. There is no environment quite like Santa Clara University for fostering these meaningful connections. Make them here, and carry that spirit of encounter into every community you enter—affirming both what unites us and what makes each of us beautifully distinct. -Shá Duncan Smith, Vice President, Inclusive Excellence

We will be taking a break during the summer months, and Lead Forward will resume in September 2026 with more leadership insights and tools.

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