LSU Leadership Development Institute

LSU Leadership Development Institute The LDI offers cutting-edge, customized, evidence-based leadership development programs.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? 💭⁠Sometimes, the words that stick with us most are the ones that shape how ...
10/02/2026

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? 💭
⁠
Sometimes, the words that stick with us most are the ones that shape how we lead, work, and grow.
⁠
We asked Amy and Theron, LDI Executive Coaches, to share the best advice they’ve ever received. Here’s what they had to say.
⁠

10/01/2026

How do you learn what motivates a new team member?
⁠
Every time someone new joins a team, we all have to figure out again what motivates them, because every person is different. Some people are motivated by their paycheck, while others may be interested in building relationships. Both are reasonable, and knowing which one matters to each person helps a leader decide how to support them.
⁠
Lacy Dicharry, our Senior Director, shared this on Episode 8 of Teams That Win, when Dave Lombardo, our Assistant Director of Operations, asked her how to motivate a group of people who come from different backgrounds.
At the LSU Leadership Development Institute (LDI), we use assessments like CliftonStrengths and Emergenetics to help each team understand its strengths and preferences. If your team is bringing on new people, you can head to the link below to share more about your organization so we can connect soon.
⁠
https://www.lsu.edu/ldi/contact.php
⁠
What do you think motivates you and your team?
⁠
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22QCT1U0UvV6FwLjpCi55b
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
⁠

What should you do first when you step into a new team?⁠Every team has its own culture and agreements, and if we try to ...
09/30/2026

What should you do first when you step into a new team?
⁠
Every team has its own culture and agreements, and if we try to immediately change things, it can definitely rub people the wrong way.
⁠
Dave Lombardo, our Assistant Director of Operations, has stepped into new teams throughout his career. His approach starts the same way each time: identify the culture, see where he fits into it, and build trust by living the example he expects of others. The changes come after that.
⁠
On Episode 8 of Teams That Win, he talks with Lacy Dicharry, our Senior Director, about what that looked like for him.
⁠
At the LSU Leadership Development Institute (LDI), we work with organizations as new leaders step into their roles. If someone on your team is going through a leadership transition, you can head to the link below to share more about your organization so we can connect soon.
⁠
https://www.lsu.edu/ldi/contact.php
⁠
What helped you most in your first few months with a new team?
⁠
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22QCT1U0UvV6FwLjpCi55b
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
⁠

09/29/2026

Is there a conversation you've been meaning to have but are struggling with how uncomfortable it may be?
⁠
As we head into October, many teams are taking notes about what's working and what needs to change before the year ends. Those decisions often lead to difficult conversations, with the people on our teams and sometimes with ourselves.
⁠
On Episode 8 of Teams That Win, Dave Lombardo, our Assistant Director of Operations, talks about having those conversations when you don't feel like a natural at them. After twenty-four years leading teams, his advice is to be honest about your discomfort and be direct anyway, because clarity is what lets a team align and move forward together.
⁠
At the LSU Leadership Development Institute (LDI), we help leaders prepare for moments like these through coaching and facilitation. If your team has decisions ahead this quarter, you can head to the link below to share more about your organization so we can connect soon.
https://www.lsu.edu/ldi/contact.php
⁠
What helps you prepare for a hard conversation?
⁠
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22QCT1U0UvV6FwLjpCi55b
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
⁠

On the field and in the workplace, strong teams are built through trust, communication, shared goals, and people who are...
09/25/2026

On the field and in the workplace, strong teams are built through trust, communication, shared goals, and people who are committed to working together. Every person brings different strengths and perspectives to the team, but success comes from learning how to bring those together toward a common goal.
⁠
At the LSU Leadership Development Institute, we know the best teams don’t just happen. They’re built with intention and teamwork . Strong leadership helps create an environment where people feel valued, understand their role, communicate openly, and know how their contributions support the bigger picture.
⁠
As we head into another LSU football weekend, we’re celebrating the teams that bring people together, both on and off the field.
⁠
We’re proud to be part of a community that understands the power of teamwork, and we can’t wait to cheer on the Tigers tomorrow!
⁠
Geaux Tigers! 🐯💜💛
⁠

Why is it difficult to talk about accountability at work without it becoming a controversial topic?⁠It's often because w...
09/24/2026

Why is it difficult to talk about accountability at work without it becoming a controversial topic?
⁠
It's often because we aren't clear about what we expect from each other, so we start to assume, "They should have known what to do."
⁠
Lacy Dicharry, our Senior Director, feels this is an important conversation for organizations to have, because naming how a team works together is what makes accountability possible. Her example is a simple one. Talking about people instead of talking to them is out of alignment, and going directly to someone when they need feedback is in alignment. Once a team has named behaviors like these, it becomes much easier to say, we all agreed to this, and here is what I'm experiencing.
⁠
On Episode 7 of Teams That Win, she spoke with Beaux Jones, President & CEO of The Water Institute, about how his team turned their values into behaviors everyone agreed on. At the LSU Leadership Development Institute (LDI), we sat with their leadership team through that process.
⁠
What helps you communicate expectations clearly with your team?
⁠
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22QCT1U0UvV6FwLjpCi55b
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
⁠

09/22/2026

Last Friday, we held the second session of the Women's Leadership Academy, focused on leading self, including self-leadership, self-compassion, and emotional intelligence.
⁠
Heather Blackard, Physician Practice Supervisor at Lane Regional Medical Center, joined the cohort early in her career to grow her own leadership style and bring it back to her team. She shared that understanding her own emotions helps her understand her team's, and be more compassionate as they work toward shared goals.
⁠
The Academy is a six-month partnership between the Junior League of Baton Rouge and the LSU Leadership Development Institute (LDI), built for leaders across Louisiana.
⁠
If you are part of this cohort and would like to share what you have learned, send us a message. We would love to highlight your work.
⁠

Today we are facilitating our second session of the Women’s Leadership Academy cohort alongside the Junior League of Bat...
09/18/2026

Today we are facilitating our second session of the Women’s Leadership Academy cohort alongside the Junior League of Baton Rouge.

The session is focused on the concept of “Leading Self”. We are working through self-leadership, self-compassion, self-betrayal and how these shape and impact our work, goals and perspective about ourselves.

We are having these conversations alongside an incredible group of women across Lousiana, including vice presidents, executive directors, directors of operations, and founders running their own organizations.

The Academy is a six-month partnership between the Junior League of Baton Rouge and the LSU Leadership Development Institute (LDI), built for senior and executive women across Louisiana.

Are you part of this cohort? Share what you learned from today’s session below.

If you’d like to learn more about the Academy or workshops we can hold for your team, send us a message.

September is National Su***de Prevention Awareness Month.⁠This month gives us a chance to talk openly about something th...
09/16/2026

September is National Su***de Prevention Awareness Month.
⁠
This month gives us a chance to talk openly about something that often goes undiscussed, and to share the resources that can help someone who may not be feeling their best.
⁠
You can save and share this post with someone who needs it.
⁠
If you know of a resource that has supported someone you care about, share it in the comments.
⁠
***dePrevention

09/15/2026

What can we do to be there for someone who needs emotional support?
⁠
September is Su***de Prevention Awareness Month, and if you are not sure where to start, SAMHSA has a list of warning signs we should pay attention to when someone may need help. These include withdrawing or feeling isolated, acting anxious or agitated, behaving recklessly, talking about being a burden to others, talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain, and talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
⁠
If you notice these signs, you can ask the person directly whether they are thinking about su***de. Asking does not plant the idea, and it opens the door to a conversation that can point them toward help. Knowing where to refer them is the other half of it, and that part is worth sorting out before you need it.
⁠
The 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text at 988, at any hour.
This clip is from our conversation with Beaux Jones, President & CEO of The Water Institute, on Episode 7 of Teams That Win.
⁠
Source: SAMHSA, samhsa.gov
⁠
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22QCT1U0UvV6FwLjpCi55b
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
⁠
***dePrevention

Address

Suite 206, Louisiana Emerging Technology Center
Baton Rouge, LA
70808

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12255783806

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when LSU Leadership Development Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to LSU Leadership Development Institute:

Shortcuts

Share

Category