What does it truly mean to welcome someone into an organization? That question drove a recent Reell Insights conversation led by Dr. Stacy Frost, Adjunct Professor in Augsburg University’s Master of Leadership Program. Drawing on doctoral research and three decades across hospitality, ministry, and higher education, Dr. Frost invited participants to reflect on their onboarding experiences — as newcomers and as insiders — and to consider how leaders at every level can do better.

Orientation vs. Onboarding

Orientation is about compliance and clarification — paperwork, policies, and directives. Onboarding is something deeper: culture, connection, and relationship. Onboarding never truly ends — it’s an ongoing process of understanding an organization’s values and the networks that actually get things done.

Dr. Frost drew on researcher Talya Bauer’s framework — the 4 C’s (Compliance, Clarification, Culture, and Connection) — to map the full welcoming experience. Most organizations handle the first two reasonably well. The last two — the ones that determine whether a newcomer truly flourishes — are where investment most often falls short.

Connections and Peak Moments

Dr. Frost offered a guiding idea from Dr. Arthur Aufderheide of the University of Minnesota: “All knowledge is connected to other knowledge. The fun is in making the connections.” Newcomers aren’t just absorbing information — they’re building a web of meaning, and the richness of that web depends on the quality of relationships they’re invited into early.

Drawing on the Heath brothers’ work on peak moments, Dr. Frost also noted that the most memorable experiences — good or bad — shape the story a person carries about an organization for years. Intentional early moments are an investment with lasting returns.

Onboarding Is Everyone’s Responsibility

The most important takeaway: onboarding belongs to everyone in the organization. The newcomer experience is shaped not by a single program, but by hundreds of small interactions — how a question gets answered, whether someone goes out of their way to make an introduction.

Frontline employees are often the most pivotal. The administrative assistant who offers supplies, the peer who explains how things really work — these informal culture-carriers matter as much as any formal mentor or manager. Managers play a key role too, but only when they move beyond clarification into genuine connection.

As Dr. Frost put it: we can do better. Most of what matters costs nothing. It requires only attention, intention, and the willingness to see the whole person in front of you. It’s bringing our own humanity into the workplace that makes the difference.

Watch the Full Conversation Here:

The Reell Insights Series is hosted by Augsburg University’s Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole and explores practices that foster curiosity, dignity, humility, and trust in leaders and organizations.

The Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole is excited to launch its 2026 Insights Series with a conversation on The Art of the Welcoming Experience, featuring Dr. Stacy Frost.

Join us for free on Friday, January 23rd from 12:00 – 12:45pm.

Leading through uncertainty is at the heart of understanding the onboarding experience. You will reflect on your own onboarding experience as well as your experience as an existing employee. How does the newcomer approach challenges with curiosity and humility? While the newcomer experience is unique for each person, themes of building trust, honoring one another, and promoting dignity, all while getting the work done are prevalent. We’ll explore Talya Bauer’s (2010) framework, the 4 C’s of onboarding: compliance, clarification, culture and connection as it applies to Seeing Things Whole.

Dr. Stacy Frost, Adjunct in Augsburg’s MAL Program, will lead our conversation. Stacy earned her undergraduate degree in Hotel Administration from Southwest Minnesota State University. She earned her doctorate in Higher Education Administration from St. Cloud State University. Her professional experience over three decades is unique, as careers in the hospitality industry, ministry, and higher education, included newly created roles in each organization. This led to an ongoing curiosity and ultimately, Frost’s doctoral research, focused on onboarding experiences in higher education. Through qualitative research, she discovered unique experiences of both newcomers and existing employees.

Lessons from a 33-year career at 3M on transformation, trust, and the leaders who get it right

Humility doesn’t come naturally to most leaders as many organizational cultures have rewarded confidence, decisiveness, and authority. Somewhere along the way, we confused humility with weakness.

Chris McLaughlin (adjunct in Augsburg University’s School of Business) who spent 33 years at 3M navigating sales, marketing, and international operations across cultures and continents, has a different perspective. Humble leadership, he argues, isn’t about shrinking yourself. It’s about expanding your focus — from yourself to the people around you.

Putting the Followers, and Data, First

Humble leadership begins with a simple reorientation: it’s not about the leader. It’s not arrogance, intimidation, or the “big stick” style of management that might produce short-term compliance but rarely produces lasting change. Instead, it puts emphasis squarely on the people being led.

This matters most when an organization needs to change. People often resist it — sometimes openly, sometimes quietly. McLaughlin’s process for navigating that resistance starts with an analysis of stakeholders, honest and direct communication about the nature of the challenge being faced, and work to address the reasons why individuals may not be on board immediately. The humble leader doesn’t steamroll any of these groups. They meet them where they are and seek to address the whole of the challenge as opposed to making mandates that followers won’t follow.

McLaughlin believes it’s essential that people with power to drive change should spend time with the people most resistant to it. Rather than managing around those that resist change, it’s important to get curious about them. Treat them as equals. Dig into the “why” behind their resistance.

Data also matters a great deal. Transformation without measurement is just motion. What’s the baseline? How will you know things are improving? The data isn’t just about accountability — it’s how you help people see the need for change in the first place, and how you demonstrate that the effort is working.

One practical lesson McLaughlin shares from international business experience is the value of language. Instead of announcing sweeping changes that feel threatening, try calling something a pilot. It’s softer, lower-stakes, and gives people room to engage without feeling like they’re losing something.

Storytelling matters just as much. The stories that circulate inside an organization become its culture. Leaders who want to shift a culture have to be intentional about which stories they’re helping to write — and which ones they’re allowing to calcify into unhelpful myths.

Growing the Leaders Around You

Humble leadership is also about how you develop the people below you. That means trusting others to grow — even when they’re not fully ready, even when the path isn’t clear.

For emerging leaders especially, the advice is clear: jump in. You won’t have all the experience you think you need, and you’ll find most of it on the job anyway. Failure isn’t a setback; it’s the curriculum. Taking chances builds self-confidence and generates the stories that will carry you into the next opportunity.

Leaders that give people room to fail — and to learn — create the conditions where an organization can genuinely thrive.

In a world that keeps confusing confidence with competence, humility turns out to be one of the most powerful tools a leader can carry.

Watch the Full Conversation Here:

Chris McLaughlin shared insights and stories from his work as part of the Reell Insights Series hosted by the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole at Augsburg University.

Turn Your Education into Professional Success

Are you a sophomore or junior wondering how to transform your liberal arts studies into meaningful career opportunities? The Strommen Center’s new Internship Preparation Program provides the wraparound support you need to secure internships and thrive as a future professional.

Proven Results

Our approach delivers real outcomes. Through our established Travelers Edge Pipeline Program, 100% of eligible students secured internships last year, and two-thirds of graduating seniors already had full-time job offers in hand. Now we’re bringing this same intentional support to humanities students across all career paths.

Essential Skill Building

You’ll walk away with these skills and so much more:

• Discover your professional identity through assessments of your values, strengths, and career mission
• Master essential communication skills
• Apply these tools to secure your summer 2026 internship
• Develop your unique leadership style and critical thinking skills
• Build reflective practices that set you apart in the workplace
• Develop professionalism and teamwork abilities employers’ value most

Your Commitment

Your commitment includes attending three half-day workshops (Fall 2025: Sept. 27 and Nov. 1), Spring 2026: 1 date TBD), completing assigned activities outside of workshops, participating in your summer internship, and meeting with program staff when needed. Students who participate will receive a stipend.

Internships are Essential

Internships provide essential hands-on experience, skill-building, and professional connections that translate academic knowledge into workplace readiness. They boost employability, clarify career direction, and build professional confidence. While this program does not guarantee an internship, it will provide all the support needed to give you the best opportunity to secure an internship for summer 2026.

Your critical thinking and communication skills are exactly what employers need. Let us help you show the world what you can do.

Apply Now – Limited to 12 Students

Join our inaugural cohort and transform your humanities education into professional success. Applications due September 15^th for Fall 2025 start.

Apply for the Internship Prep Program.

Got Questions? Contact:

Keri Clifton, Program Director (Office of Seeing Things Whole)

Email: cliftonk@augsburg.edu

Phone: 612-330-1525

You can also schedule an appointment with Keri on her calendar.

Are you a leader facing a big challenge at your workplace? The STW Roundtable Dialogue offers a unique process designed to assist leaders and organizations in gaining valuable perspectives on critical decisions.

The Reell Office is currently offering Roundtable Dialogues at no cost. These gatherings provide leaders with a platform to connect and receive meaningful insights and connection as they navigate today’s leadership landscape.

Reach out to Keri to discuss this opportunity further!

The Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole is partnering with the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work to launch a new Internship Preparation Program to equip students with the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in the 21st-century workforce. The program focuses on students developing their NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) career competencies: career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology. By combining a skill-building approach with tangible, real-world internships they will learn to see the whole of themselves and their potential in the workforce.

We know that, “Close to two-thirds (64.8%) of employers reported that they use skills-based hiring practices for new entry-level hires,” highlighting a critical need for students to effectively communicate their capabilities. Yet many students struggle to translate their academic strengths—critical thinking, cultural insight, and creative problem-solving—into language that resonates with employers.

Rooted in the Seeing Things Whole Leadership philosophy, the new program directly addresses this challenge through intensive support focused on the eight NACE competencies, helping students bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace application.

Starting with a pilot cohort in the 2025-2026 academic year, the program will scale over three years with the hopes to serve more than 60 students annually. The comprehensive approach includes:

• Self-Discovery and Career Exploration: Students examine their values, strengths, and interests, then apply this self-knowledge to concrete career development activities.
• Professional Communication: Targeted training helps students articulate their unique value proposition to potential employers.
• Leadership Development and Workplace Readiness: Practical skills preparation coupled with staff support in securing summer internships.
• Real-World Experience with Reflection: Summer internships combined with ongoing mentorship to maximize learning and professional growth.

The program goes beyond student preparation—staff will actively cultivate internship opportunities with businesses and organizations. While we won’t guarantee a placement, students can leverage these relationships to secure these learning experiences. We’ll focus on securing paid positions as these experiences typically lead to higher-paying first jobs after graduation.

This program represents more than career preparation—it’s an investment in educational equity. By providing structured support and internship access, the initiative aims to prevent the “permanent detour” of underemployment that too often derails promising careers.

As the job market evolves and needs the interdisciplinary thinking Augsburg students are trained for, the Internship Preparation Program represents a strategic response to the evolving needs of both students and employers, creating pathways for meaningful careers that fully leverage students’ education and unique talents.

This fall, the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole will offer several professional development opportunities to expand your knowledge about leadership and the ways Seeing Things Whole can integrate into your daily routines. Join us!

Communication Planning for Maximum Engagement

When: November 12^th at noon via Zoom

Cost: $40

What: Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful leadership and organizational performance. This session focuses on strategic communication planning that prioritizes engagement and clarity to ensure your message resonates with your intended audience.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Define effective communication
• Recognize the importance of seeking clarity
• Have the tools to develop an engagement plan

Register Here: https://bit.ly/4fSIA49

Questions: Contact Us!

This fall, the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole will offer several professional development opportunities to expand your knowledge about leadership and the ways Seeing Things Whole can integrate into your daily routines. Join us!

Foundations for Whole Leadership

When: October 9^th at noon via Zoom

Cost: $40

What: Seeing Things Whole is a leadership framework that cultivates whole leaders and thriving organizations to positively impact the common good. During this presentation, we will introduce the framework for thinking about our work built on three interconnected dimensions. We will walk through an interactive dialogue to consider your current organizational challenges and how this leadership model can create organizational success across multiple bottom lines.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Define and articulate the core principles of the Seeing Things Whole
• Consider strategies for implementing elements of Seeing Things Whole in alignment with your organizational values

Register Here: https://bit.ly/3JfR6O5

Questions: Contact Us!

by Davide Guidetti, guest writer

Simon Sinek’s TEDx talk, ‘Start with Why’, shares a strong message that goes beyond leadership. It tries to explain what actually matters to people and how groups can work better together.

This resonates with the ideas behind Seeing Things Whole, which seeks to help people and organizations think in a complete and ‘whole’ way.

The Golden Circle and Wholeness

Sinek talks about the “Golden Circle” or “Why, How, and What.” He says great leaders begin with the question Why do they do what they do. Looking at Seeing Things Whole’s framework, which focuses on Purpose, Process, and People, the idea is similar. Both say that knowing your true purpose is the most important part, and only by knowing this will you be able to thrive. When you start with your purpose, your actions and decisions become clearer and more meaningful.

A New Look at Leadership

According to Sinek, being a leader is not only about being in charge. It’s about inspiring others. He uses examples like the Wright brothers and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr; these leaders didn’t just talk about what needed to be done; they shared what they really believed in. Seeing Things Whole asks that leaders connect people to a bigger purpose for themselves and for their organizations.

Belief Over Products

Sinek says people follow beliefs, not just products. People aren’t just workers or customers; they have values and want to be part of something bigger and more impactful. When an organization shares its mission and vision clearly, people are more likely to trust and support it.

I am very passionate about fashion, and the first example that comes to mind is Patagonia and their mission, ‘We are in business to save our home planet.’ This is not just marketing; it is what guides their decision, and this is essential in order to build trust, loyalty, and attract more customers who want to be part of this environmental movement. Since 1985, they have also donated 1% of their sales to environmental causes and, in 2022, they decided to transfer the ownership of the company to a trust that makes sure that all the profits, estimated more than $100 million a year, will be used to protect nature and to fight climate change. This financial commitment underscores their dedication to preserving the environment and greatly amplifies their impact.

When leaders only talk about what they do or how they do it, they often don’t inspire others. This leads to confusion and a lack of connection, also between employees. Seeing Things Whole helps people avoid this by teaching and reminding them to keep their purpose, people, and processes in balance. It’s about making sure everything fits together.

Leading with Purpose in a Group

One powerful example Sinek gives is the 250,000 people who showed up to listen to Dr. King speak without being invited. They came because they shared his beliefs.

Seeing Things Whole is that strong communities are built on a shared purpose.

People don’t follow just because someone tells them to, they follow because they care.

Conclusion

Sinek’s talk and the Seeing Things Whole framework both show that having a clear purpose matters. It helps people trust each other, work better together, and make a bigger difference. In a world that can often feel busy and divided, starting with why and keeping the whole picture in mind can guide us to better leadership and stronger communities.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to our newsletter for practical advice on building stronger teams and becoming a better leader. Your journey to better leadership starts today.

In the eighth episode of the Reell Insights Series in April 2025, Dr. George Dierberger shared some helpful ideas on how leaders can take a thoughtful approach, what we call “Seeing Things Whole,” to lead across the five generations and many differences that exist in today’s workplace. 

Valuing Generational Differences

One big idea from the session is that each generation brings different experiences and values to the office. From the oldest Traditionalists to the youngest Gen Z, each group sees things in their own way. So, the same message from a leader can mean something different to each generation.

Good leaders don’t see this as an issue, instead, they see it as a chance to grow by understanding diverse perspectives. Seeing Things Whole supports efforts to lead people with respect and build trust by creating a space where everyone feels heard and can learn from each other.

Clear and Thoughtful Communication

An important takeaway was the necessity of clear communication. It’s not only about saying the right thing, but making sure people understand what you actually mean. This means following up, checking in, and adjusting your message. Good communication takes effort, and that effort helps people feel included and valued.

Doing the Right Thing as a Leader

Some companies, like Cargill and Marvin Windows, handled hard times in a kind and fair way. Instead of laying people off during COVID, they chose to share the burden so no one lost their job. These actions build trust and show care while tending to the financial realities of the business. Leaders must balance the multiple bottom lines while seeking what is right for the whole of the organization.

Adapting to a Changing World

Today’s workers change jobs more often and care about different things than in the past. Good leaders don’t fight these changes, they adjust to them. They build workplaces that are flexible and supportive. This shows the idea of moving forward while still respecting the past.

Conclusion

Leading different generations is about supporting across generational differences so everyone can perform at their best. When leaders stop for a moment and look at the full picture, at each person’s strengths, and at the team’s purpose, they can lead the whole. The Reell Insights session reminded us that good leaders seek to humbly to see things whole.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to our newsletter for practical advice on building stronger teams and becoming a better leader. Your journey to better leadership starts today. You can also watch the full Reell Insights linked below.