Uncategorized ← Cosgrove & Associates

Transforming Ideas into Action

Nov

23

2015

Building Networked Improvement Communities to Help Scale Innovations to Improve Community College Student Outcomes As a result of the innovative work funded through rounds 1, 2, and 4 of the Department of Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants, Missouri’s community colleges continue to experiment with program design, delivery, and intentional student ...

Investing In Rural Communities Through First Responder Training & Education

Apr

12

2015

The increase in climate-related natural disasters and the expenditures associated with recovery efforts have created a demand to improve community disaster preparedness and resiliency. Community resilience refers to the collective ability of a neighborhood or region to deal with stressors and efficiently resume the rhythms of daily life through cooperation.[1] A community’s investment in its ...

The Art of Engaging Stakeholders In Thoughtful Interpretation of Data

Dec

5

2014

Data-driven decision-making continues to be the holy grail of management and continuous improvement gurus. Yet despite its popularity, effective data-driven decision-making eludes many organizations. The breakdown between theory and reality may occur for a variety of reasons: lack of quality data, inability to acquire timely data, and disconnect between key public policy questions and data, ...

The Art of Leadership with Dr. Dale Allen

Jul

28

2014

The Art of Leadership Much of what is written about leadership focuses on the theoretical approach that contemplates how to become an effective leader, sort of a “do’s and don’ts of leadership.” Although this theoretical perspective holds merit, we believe that successful leadership is more of an art than a perfect science. Our research reveals ...

The Art of Leadership with Dr. Casey Sacks

Jul

21

2014

The Art of Leadership Much of what is written about leadership focuses on the theoretical approach that contemplates how to become an effective leader, sort of a “do’s and don’ts of leadership.” Although this theoretical perspective holds merit, we believe that successful leadership is more of an art than a perfect science. Our research reveals ...

The Art of Leadership with Dr. DeRay Cole

Jul

14

2014

The Art of Leadership Much of what is written about leadership focuses on the theoretical approach that contemplates how to become an effective leader, sort of a “do’s and don’ts of leadership.” Although this theoretical perspective holds merit, we believe that successful leadership is more of an art than a perfect science. Our research reveals ...

The Art of Leadership with Dr. Rebecca Lake

Jul

7

2014

The Art of Leadership Much of what is written about leadership focuses on the theoretical approach that contemplates how to become an effective leader, sort of a “do’s and don’ts of leadership.” Although this theoretical perspective holds merit, we believe that successful leadership is more of an art than a perfect science. Our research reveals ...

Focused Leadership

Feb

17

2014

We are currently working with a number of colleges to support transformative innovation through the use of utilization-focused, developmental evaluation (Developmental Evaluation: Applying Complexity Concepts To Enhance Innovation and Use, Patton, M. 2011). Although colleges aspire to support innovations, meaningful transformative change related to existing programmatic and student support structures often provides a unique set ...

Innovation—How to Measure Your Efforts

Jun

15

2013

By J. Cosgrove Innovation is a popular trend in many organizations. Although the willingness to explore new ideas and develop innovative solutions should be applauded, how can an organization determine if such efforts are worthwhile? We propose reviewing the following five steps to help examine the extent to which innovations are accomplishing the desired outcomes. ...

Innovation Is More Than A Good Idea

Jan

29

2013

By J. Cosgrove Disruptive innovation is a popular topic on many college campuses. The problem is that on too many campuses it seems to be only that—a topic. Too many colleges view innovative approaches like their mother’s fine china—you know, something to be brought out when special guests (legislators, accrediting bodies, key funders, etc.) come ...