Managing to the Mission

Short Program Description:

Managing to the Mission is a three-session program at Creighton University that helps campus leaders network with other people managers, receive collegial support, and integrate the mission more concretely into their work. This program focuses on practical mission application by leveraging participants’ wisdom and guiding them through management and leadership situations that campus leaders have encountered. The three session topics are:

• St. Ignatius as an Administrator
• St. Ignatius’ Guidance for Difficult Conversations
• Reflection and Discernment in Decision-Making

Program Goals/Intended Outcomes:

The goals for the program are to build:
• Trust across colleagues and departments;
• Relationships across managers throughout the University; and
• A shared sense of responsibility to continue to carry the mission forward in new situations and in deeper ways.

How long does it take to complete the program?: Half day

Total Program Length: The program currently meets three times during the fall semester; each meeting lasts for 75 minutes.

Key University/Other Partners: This program is a collaboration between Human Resources and Mission & Ministry.

Funding Source(s): Human Resources

Stipends Paid or Other Participant Benefits: Other

Other Stipends: No participant stipend. Lunch is provided at each meeting, as well as program materials.

Program Material 1: Managing to the Mission Invitation

Program Material 2: Managing to the Mission Program Survey

Lessons Learned:

For the 2024 and 2025 programs, two managers (outside of Human Resources and Mission & Ministry) served as the program facilitators. Including these two managers in program planning and facilitation has brought additional insights and perspectives. It also offers participants the opportunity to see two of their “peer” managers facilitating and guiding the program, as opposed to the program being led only by Human Resources and Mission & Ministry.

An important part of this program is the opportunity for small group discussion, centered around case studies/examples submitted anonymously by participants.

Assessment Data:

Fall 2025 marked the third year for the program. In Fall 2023, there were six participants; in Fall 2024, there were 13 participants; and in Fall 2025, there were 33 participants.

The Fall 2024 cohort was the first cohort for which a program assessment was completed. Only four responses were submitted, thus that data sample was very small. All four individuals did indicate that the program was “Very Helpful” or “Helpful” in response to the question: “Overall, how helpful was the Managing to the Mission program in strengthening your understanding of how to draw upon Creighton’s mission in your work as a people manager?”