I shared back in January that we were launching a Talent Tour of Duty at Collegewise, a nine-week program to help our Talent Department discover new and better ways to find, recruit, hire, train, and engage the very best employees. 18 Collegewisers completed the program last Friday. But the impact they’ve made will last much longer.

In just nine weeks, this group conceived of, built, and launched 12 projects. They created a diversity, equity, and inclusion board at Collegewise. They’ve scheduled a series of continuing education webinars by their colleagues, for their colleagues. They’ve created a welcoming committee for new employees, improved our student tracking systems, and initiated better ways to review applications. They’ve scheduled a more efficient series of college tours for our counselors, refreshed and improved our mentorship program, and designed a pathway for new counselors to develop an internal expertise. All in just nine weeks.

None of these ideas were handed down to them. Nobody was simply doing what they were told. They showed initiative. They took responsibility. They led and engaged and shipped their work. And Collegewise will be better because of it, and because of them.

Many organizations use authority to control their people. A select group with the authority comes up with the ideas; it’s everyone else’s job to execute them. But that only limits the number of minds thinking about how to fix problems, find better ways to do things, and improve the organization. Those in leadership positions have almost always shown some skills that deserve their title. But that doesn’t mean they have the market cornered on smart, creative, generous thinking. Why not unleash more of it?

How could you unleash more of the greatness in your club, office, or other organization? How could you invite more people to think, contribute, and take responsibility for bringing their ideas to life?

It feels good to make something that matters to you even better. To our 2019 Collegewise Tour of Duty draftees, thank you for making Collegewise even better: Abby van Geldern, Frank Martinez, Jackie Muralla, Jen Turano, Jordan Kanarek, Katie Konrad Moore, Katie Sprague, Kellie Graham, Laura Dicas, Liz Pack, Lindsay O’Sullivan, Megan Carlier, Michael Banks, Nan Yuasa, Nicole Pilar, Nikayla Loy, Olivia Vail, and Tom Barry.