Leadership Center

at The Ohio State University

OPPORTUNITY: In 2003, like many other higher education institutions, Ohio State University started implementing cost recovery strategies for many of its programs. The OSU Leadership Center, for the first time since being created in 1990, faced the challenge of bringing more dollars into the program.

RESULTS: Fran Kick consulted on-site for three days to research and share ideas which would help strategically grow various areas of their program offerings to the numerous markets they served. In addition to exploring future curriculum modules and brainstorming program ideas, a number of potential product ideas were sketched out for the Leadership Center to produce. The first of which was a “lessons in leadership” video focusing on Coach Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes. A draft outline for the video was written right then and there with Garee Earnest, Program Leader and Beth Flynn, Leadership Education Extension Associate.

Work began on campus with the OSU Athletic Department and in 2004 the project was featured in a presentation to the Association of Leadership Educators (ALE). The training package included:

30-minute training video (VHS and DVD)
PowerPoint presentation slides
Facilitator’s guide
Opening activity

Up until Jim Tressel’s resignation in 2011, this training package was one of the signature programs and products offered by the OSU Leadership Center to their corporate, association, and organizational clients.

“Thank you very much for spending three days with us here at the OSU Leadership Center. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to work with you more closely as one of our advisory committee members as well as a private consultant. The time we spent together brainstorming programming ideas, discussing cost recovery options, exploring potential curriculum modules, as well as drafting an outline for a ‘lessons in leadership’ video. It will be great to collaborate with you and others here on campus to develop and make the ‘lessons in leadership’ video a reality. Your ‘outside’ perspective from the academic world really adds richness to our ideas, discussion, and possibilities.”

Garee Earnest, Program Director The Ohio State University Leadership Center

“The three days you spent with us at the Ohio State University Leadership Center has allowed us to dream new dreams for our organization. Your enthusiasm is contagious and has sparked us to create a broader vision tor how we can strengthen leaders in Ohio. You expertly guided us through the roadblocks that have kept us focused on small details and directed us to envision new horizons. We all have renewed energy and there is a higher level of excitement about the impact we can make through our programming efforts.”

Beth Flynn, Program Specialist The Ohio State University Leadership Center

TEAMBUILDING WORKSHOP: The OSU Leadership Center hosted Fran Kick along with Mark Henson, sparkspace™ founder and chief imagination officer, for a teambuilding workshop designed to inspire teams to work at their best, get better at what they do, and have fun in the process. The public program took place on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 9:00 A.M.–12:00 P.M. on the campus of The Ohio State University at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center.

“This was the best training that I have attended in a long time. Fran’s energy and enthusiasm was contagious.”

Bev Kelbaugh, Southeast Director

OSU Extension

“Fran reminds us that our perceptions can make all the difference in the world. The one exception to that rule may be in viewing Fran's expertise and enthusiasm—both are delightfully apparent, any way you look at them.”

Matthew Dyer, Director Employee Services

State of Ohio Library

“Fran shared some great ideas with a large audience, got us all actively engaged, and provided us brain food to chew on focusing on how to spark teamwork with those in our worlds. Fran was great, and provided us with several new ways of thinking and doing. Thank you for a great event.”

Scott Graham, Associate Professor of Leadership

Wright State University

“Thank you for facilitating the Kick It In and Spark Your Team event on November 10, 2009. This workshop was the second largest in attendance that the OSU Leadership Center has sponsored. The Team Event was a huge success and after covering your fee and expenses we still netted more in cost recovery than any other event in the twenty years the Leadership Center has been in existence. I truly appreciate all of the marketing and training ideas that you shared with the OSU Leadership Team as we planned the workshop. Working with you was a joy and we truly appreciated all of the help you gave us the day of the workshop and with additional resources to share with the participants after the event. Planning a workshop with an outside facilitator has never gone as smoothly and been as easy as working with you.”

Beth Flynn, Program Specialist The Ohio State University Leadership Center

The Ohio State University Leadership Center is led by a group of professionals dedicated to providing leadership-centered education and research to individuals, organizations and communities. They provide high-quality, practical programs to build and strengthen leadership capacities.

“A terrific learning program”

James Kouzes, Coauthor of the bestselling The Leadership Challenge

Leadership Center

at The Ohio State University

CONNECT WITH FRAN KICK