Decode Your Team: Whole Brain® Thinking for Better Collaboration

Brilliant ideas do not always win in STEM. Communication breaks down, biases get in the way, and meetings can quickly go off course.

In this interactive session, workplace strategist Diane Ratigan-Schmidt will introduce Whole Brain® Thinking, a practical framework for understanding how you and the people around you approach information, decisions, communication, and problem-solving.

You will explore why teams can struggle even when everyone is capable and well-intentioned. More importantly, you will learn ways to address friction before it becomes a larger problem.

During this session, you will learn how to:

• Recognize common sources of team miscommunication and tension
• Better understand your own thinking preferences and those of your teammates
• Address bias and differing work styles more constructively
• Push back, ask better questions, and communicate clearly without creating unnecessary fallout
• Build more trust and make progress when a team is stuck

Expect practical tools, candid discussion, and ideas you can apply in your next meeting, project, difficult conversation and everyday life!

About Our Speaker
Diane Ratigan-Schmidt is the founder of Holistic Team Wellness and is a workplace strategy consultant with nearly two decades of experience helping organizations improve leadership, communication, and collaboration. Her background includes operational and technical leadership, higher education, organizational performance, and consulting with teams across industries.

Her work helps women and teams navigate bias, build trust, and turn workplace tension into productive progress through Whole Brain® Thinking and evidence-based collaboration tools.

Special Thanks
A heartfelt thank you to CRi for hosting and sponsoring this event and to the Nebraska Tech Collaborative for being our 2026 sponsor.

Agenda:
5:00 – 5:30 Networking, Food and Drinks
5:30 – 5:40 Announcements
5:40 – 6:35 Speaker
6:35 – 6:45 Wrap-up and Prize Drawings