professional development

a burnt meal, band aid, crumpled paper, and a broken tool

Losing well: How honest reflection turns defeat into a growth

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – attributed to Thomas Edison

Let’s be honest: Failure stings and stinks. No matter your role, you’ve probably felt the gut punch of watching a project misfire, losing out on a key client, or realizing efforts missed the mark. When things go sideways, it’s human to want to move on quickly. Many teams bury frustrations and quickly shift their focus, hoping that momentum will heal their wounds. However, pushing past failure without proper reflection seems like a missed opportunity, doesn’t it? When you study teams that adapt and outpace competitors, there’s a noticeable pattern: not fewer failures, but better learning. The best teams aren’t perfect, but they lose exceptionally well.

Let’s take a look at how losing well can fuel lasting progress and smarter innovation and how to transform setbacks into real momentum.

Why we avoid failure and miss the gold

There’s an unspoken pressure to perform flawlessly. Perfection is rewarded and mistakes are typically not celebrated. While striving for excellence isn’t a bad thing, it’s easy for teams to equate imperfection with weakness and to see loss as a threat rather than an asset. But think about this:

Innovation thrives on experimentation
Experimentation guarantees failure along the way
Growth is the result of honest reflection

Avoiding mistakes doesn’t make a team stronger; it quietly erodes resilience. When failures are hidden, teams repeat blind spots and compound small errors into bigger ones. On the flip side, teams that openly reflect on defeats learn faster and recover stronger. Research on psychological safety (Google’s Project Aristotle, 2012–2015) shows that when people feel safe to admit missteps without fear, teams collaborate and outperform peers.

The defeats that teach the most

Not all failures are created equal. Some are careless, driven by lack of process or attention. Others are courageous, rooted in calculated risks or bold experiments. Only the latter have the potential to boost team learning. Celebrate those, and see careless ones as signals for better process.

Lost opportunities

Maybe you spent weeks tailoring a proposal, only to watch the prospect choose a competitor. Rather than shifting blame, dig into the detail:

What signs or signals did you miss?
What did the winning team do better?
What assumptions guided your strategy?

Feature flops

Perhaps you launched a product update with fanfare and high expectation but saw usage plateau or feedback turn sour. Resist the urge to blame the market or end users.

Were you actually solving the right problem?
Did you test enough, and with the right audience?
Were you listening for real user friction, or just echoing internal assumptions?

Team misfires

Maybe communication broke down on a deadline, you missed a key deliverable, or morale slumped. These misfires are often swept aside with generic retrospectives, but there’s so much value in the specific questions:

Where were expectations or roles unclear?
Did feedback dry up at a key moment?
Did anyone flag the issue early, and how did the team react?

Reframing mistakes from shame to strategy

A healthy learning culture meets mistakes with honest inquiry, not finger-pointing. Instead of “Who messed up?”, start with “What do we know now?”. Here’s how resilient teams process loss:

Lead with genuine interest and curiosity

Brené Brown, in Dare to Lead, argues, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” Openly naming failure removes the shame and creates pathways for learning. Try questions like:

“What do we know now that we didn’t before?”
“What surprised us?”
“Where did we make assumptions?”

This frames loss as valuable and insightful data, not defeat.

Distinguish two types of failure

Avoidable: Slips due to lack of clarity, miscommunication, or skipping process.
Exploratory: Outcomes of smart experiments where risk was expected.

Reward honest reporting of both, but celebrate exploratory failure. True innovation requires teams to risk getting it wrong and report back.

Capture what you learn

Verbal debriefs fade fast. Build a habit of short write ups after every meaningful loss:

What did we try?
What didn’t work?
What signals pointed to the issue?
What will we do differently next time?

This simple practice builds a searchable database of “lessons learned”, turning memory into an asset.

Make space for losing well

Learning from defeat requires deliberate cultural cues. Here’s how to create psychological safety and normalize loss as fuel for growth:

Model learning from the top

When you admit your own misjudgments or openly review a failed project, you give your team permission to do the same.

Try language like:

“This didn’t go as planned. What can we learn from it?”
“The effort matters. The result surprised us, but I’m proud we went for it.”
“This is a data point, not a disaster.”

Make reflection public

Some team insights will be sensitive, but when possible, share mini case studies internally.

What we tried
What didn’t go as planned
What we learned
What we’ll try next time

Public reflection removes stigma and amplifies key lessons.

Recognize learning behaviors

Most organizations reward achievement. Start also rewarding the mindset and actions that drive better outcomes over time:

Spot and recognize when someone calls out risk.
Celebrate quick course corrections after a red flag.
Share wins from teams that pivoted due to lessons learned from prior refusal.

Recognition shifts focus from outcomes alone to continuous improvement.

Turning mistakes into momentum

Turning reflection into forward progress requires more than just good intentions. Here are some quick tips to get started

The 5 Whys

Start with the surface explanation and ask, “Why?” five times.

Example:

Why did we lose the RFP? Because our proposal didn’t clearly address the client’s top priorities.
Why didn’t it address their priorities? Because we misunderstood what mattered most to the selection committee.
Why did we misunderstand? Because we didn’t speak directly with a stakeholder before submitting.
Why didn’t we speak with one? Because we assumed the RFP document provided enough context.
Why did we make that assumption? Because we were focused on meeting the deadline and didn’t want to slow the process with outreach.

You’ll often find the true root is three or four whys deeper.

Hold a (blameless) postmortem

Frame postmortems as system and sequence reviews, not blame sessions.

What happened and in what order?
What were the contributing factors?
Where could the process have caught the problem/error?

Avoid naming and shaming. Focus on gaps in process, communication, or understanding.

Share learning case studies

At the end of a project, write a brief snapshot detailing:

What worked
What didn’t
What you’ll change in future attempts

Give a platform for team members who raised a red flag or pivoted quickly.

Make learning a routine

Consider a Slack channel, Notion board, or short section in team meetings to regularly share “lessons from last week.” Small, honest updates build team memory.

Moving forward

The difference between teams that plateau and those that bounce back higher lies in their willingness to examine what happened, honestly and intentionally.

Effective teams:

Ask better questions about every loss
Make learning public and persistent
Celebrate those who surface insights, not just successes

If you can shift your culture from loss-avoidant to learning-forward, defeats become data, fuel, and even a quiet kind of advantage. Every loss, when analyzed with honesty, is one less blind spot and one more step in the right direction.

Failure is only failure when you refuse to look at it. Otherwise, it’s necessary and invaluable research.

What are your tips for using failure as an opportunity?

Why Leah Williamson Is the Leader Every Team Deserves

I’ve been a massive soccer fan all my life, and have always wanted to do a leadership spotlight in the world of soccer. Leah Williamson was an easy choice, as there are many lessons to be learned from her leadership approach, even for seasoned leaders, and certainly for me.

Leadership isn’t always about being the loudest voice in the room. Sometimes, it’s about thoughtful action, quiet confidence, and a deep sense of purpose. Leah Williamson, captain of the England women’s national team and a cornerstone for Arsenal, where she’s played since she was a kid, shows what modern leadership truly looks like. Her influence extends far beyond the football pitch, offering a powerful lesson in leading with intelligence, empathy, and authenticity.

Leads through intelligence, not impulse

Williamson’s leadership begins with the way she plays. As a defender, her greatest strength is her ability to read the game. She anticipates attacking moves before they happen, positioning herself and organizing her teammates to neutralize threats with calm efficiency. You won’t often see her making desperate, last-ditch tackles because her football intelligence means she’s usually already a step ahead. Although you can count on her to be your last line of defense any time.

This composure under pressure is a hallmark of her captaincy. She leads with a steady hand, providing a sense of control and stability that resonates throughout the team. Yet, when the moment requires decisive action, she has the courage and skill to step in. This blend of calm anticipation and assertive action defines her on-field presence.

Elevates everyone around her

A great leader makes others shine brighter. Williamson consistently elevates her teammates through clear communication, constant encouragement, and leading by example. Players often speak of the confidence she instills in them, creating a secure and organized backline where everyone feels empowered to perform at their best.

This supportive leadership was instrumental during England’s historic Euro 2022 victory. Thrust into the captaincy just months before the tournament, she fostered a resilient and united squad. Her focus was never on her own performance but on building a collective strength that could withstand the pressure of a major final. This year, Williamson made history again by leading England to their second consecutive Euros win, a first for the team and a testament to her exceptional ability to inspire and unite those around her.

Champions the team over self

Humility is a rare but powerful leadership trait. After lifting the Euro 2022 trophy, Williamson immediately shifted the focus to her teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans. Her words highlighted the shared effort and belief that brought the team to victory. For her, the captain’s armband is not a symbol of status but a responsibility to serve the group. This team-first mentality builds trust and creates a culture where every member feels valued.

Uses her platform for good

Off the pitch, Leah Williamson is a dedicated advocate for causes she believes in. She uses her influential platform to speak out on gender equality in sport, mental health awareness, and the importance of inclusivity. She approaches these complex conversations with the same thoughtfulness and conviction she brings to the game.

She speaks not as a celebrity seeking attention, but as a person committed to making a positive impact. Her willingness to be vulnerable and authentic makes her advocacy powerful and relatable, inspiring a new generation of athletes and fans to stand up for what is right.

Proves introverts can lead powerfully

Leah Williamson is living proof that you don’t need to be extroverted to be an outstanding leader. She is often described as quiet and thoughtful (“I’m not very social,” she once said about herself), preferring to listen and observe before stepping in. Yet, this reflective approach allows her to connect deeply with her teammates and understand what the group needs.

Leah recognizes the importance of genuine connection, even in the smallest moments. For example, she started drinking tea simply to spend more time with her teammates, using those shared breaks to build trust and camaraderie. Her willingness to step outside her comfort zone for the good of the group shows true adaptability and emotional intelligence. Through these everyday acts, Leah demonstrates that leadership is about creating bonds and making others feel seen. Sometimes, a cup of tea and a listening ear can be just as powerful as a rousing speech.

She is also known for being exceptionally well spoken and well mannered, traits that shine through in press conferences. Leah consistently greets each reporter who asks her a question and always thanks them after she responds. These small gestures reflect her respect for others and highlight yet another way she leads through kindness, humility, and professionalism.

What makes Leah even more relatable and authentic as a leader is her willingness to laugh at herself and openly admit her own quirks and weaknesses. She’s not afraid to share that she’s actually terrible at riding a bike or that she only eats plain foods, lighthearted confessions that endear her to fans and teammates alike. By being open about these little things, she breaks down barriers and shows that you don’t have to be flawless or larger-than-life to be respected. This self-deprecating humor and honesty make her approachable and reinforce the trust she builds within her teams.

Understands the value of balance

While Leah gives absolutely everything on the pitch, as evidenced by the many injuries she’s battled throughout her career, she also recognizes the importance of being well-rounded beyond football. Off the field, she’s found meaningful ways to recharge and grow. Leah is an accomplished children’s book author, sharing stories that inspire young readers. During the COVID lockdowns, she took on an entirely new challenge: learning to play the piano. Her dedication paid off in a truly remarkable way, leading to a performance with the BBC Concert Orchestra. These pursuits show that, even for someone at the height of their sport, cultivating interests outside of football is vital. Leah’s commitment to growth, both as an athlete and as a person, sets a powerful example for anyone striving to be their best self.

Redefines modern leadership

Leah Williamson represents a new model of leadership, one that values empathy over ego and intelligence over intimidation. She proves that quiet confidence, thoughtful action, and a genuine connection with others are incredibly powerful tools. Her style is a masterclass in leading with heart and purpose, demonstrating that true strength lies in authenticity.

Her influence reminds us that leadership is not about command, but about inspiration. By leading with her values, Williamson doesn’t just guide her team to victory. She shows us all a better way to lead.

What about you? Which athlete’s leadership style do you admire and learn from?

Looking at constraints as a positive

Most people see constraints as obstacles to overcome. But what if your biggest limitations might actually be your greatest opportunities for breakthrough thinking and meaningful progress?

When resources are scarce, deadlines are tight, and options feel limited, our natural instinct is to focus on what we can’t do. We get stuck in frustration mode, wishing we had more time, more budget, more resources, or more freedom. But this mindset misses a fundamental truth: constraints don’t just limit us. They can actually be liberating.

Hear me out.

Don’t underestimate the power of limitations

Constraints force us to think differently. They strip away the paralysis of infinite options and demand focus on what truly matters. When you can’t do everything, you’re forced to do the right things really well.

Consider the most innovative solutions you’ve encountered. Chances are, many emerged not in spite of constraints, but because of them. Look at all the innovations and pivots that happened during COVID!

Take Georgia State University, for example. When in-person orientation was canceled during COVID lockdowns, they didn’t try to replicate the traditional experience with clunky Zoom calls. Instead, they launched a gamified digital orientation that used mobile apps, behavioral nudges, and personalized messaging to walk students through everything from class registration to financial aid. Not only did engagement increase, but the infrastructure they built continues to support hybrid orientation year-round. The constraint became a springboard for deeper personalization and better outcomes.

Or look at Little Sesame, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant in Washington, D.C. When they had to shut their doors, they could’ve waited it out. But instead, they pivoted to launch “Hummus at Home” meal kits, a creative way to bring their brand into customers’ homes. They paired that with a community initiative called “Feed the People,” delivering free meals to frontline workers and local families. In the process, they built a new revenue stream, expanded their customer base, and deepened their brand’s emotional resonance.

These are perfect examples of how constraints can channel creative energy into focused, high-impact solutions. When limitations demand better thinking, organizations often uncover approaches they wouldn’t have considered in times of abundance.

How constraints may foster better thinking

When facing unlimited options, we often freeze. Research shows that too many choices can lead to decision fatigue and decreased satisfaction. Constraints narrow our focus to what’s actually possible and important.

With limited resources, you can’t pursue every good idea. Instead, you must identify what matters most. This forced prioritization often reveals insights that would remain hidden in environments with excess.

Constraints make us more creative with what we have. When the usual solutions aren’t available, we’re pushed to find novel approaches, repurpose existing resources, or discover efficiencies we never knew existed.

Shifting Your Constraint Mindset

The key to leveraging constraints isn’t to pretend they don’t exist or to simply “think positive.” It’s to fundamentally shift how you relate to them.

“I Can’t” -> “How Might I?”

Instead of focusing on what constraints prevent, ask what they make possible. What new approaches do they open up? What assumptions do they force you to challenge?

Problem -> Parameter

Treat constraints as design parameters rather than problems to solve. If you’re building a house, the lot size isn’t a problem—it’s a boundary that shapes your design. Apply the same thinking to your professional limitations.

Scarcity -> Focus

Reframe limited resources as focused resources. When you can’t do everything, you get the rare chance to do the right things exceptionally well.

How you talk about constraints matters.

In my post “Venting: The Not-So-Silent Culture Killer”, I explored how habitual complaining creates a ripple effect of powerlessness. When we vent about constraints without reframing them, we reinforce the idea that we’re stuck. But when we treat constraints as catalysts, we reclaim the narrative and the power.

Getting started

Embrace “good enough”: Perfectionism and constraints rarely coexist. Often, a good-enough solution delivered on time and within budget is far more valuable than a perfect one that’s too expensive or too late.

Look for unconventional resources: When traditional resources are limited, think creatively. Can you partner with another team? Leverage user-generated content? Build a minimum viable version first? Let your constraint spark resourcefulness.

Question assumptions: Constraints surface hidden assumptions. Use them as prompts to challenge standard approaches and uncover new paths.

Use and build on what you have: Inventory what’s already working. Often, progress comes not from acquiring more, but from better using what you already have.

Even in the most constrained situations, you retain control over your response. You can’t always change your circumstances, but you can change how you approach them.

As noted in “Developing Resilience in the Face of Adversity”, focusing on your locus of control is essential to both personal effectiveness and professional impact. When you shift from lamenting constraints to leveraging them, you unlock a form of agency that’s deeply energizing.

When a constraint shows up, pause before defaulting to frustration. Ask:

What does this limitation force me to focus on?
What creative solutions does this constraint make necessary?
How might this restriction lead to a better outcome?

Keep a record of times when limitations actually led to better solutions. This helps build confidence that the next constraint could be a new opportunity.

And when you see colleagues struggling with limitations, share your own constraint-to-clarity stories. This builds a culture that sees possibility where others see barriers.

What about you? When have you benefitted from a constraint?

sticky notes with yes and no written on them

Why saying no by default is not a strategy

Saying no can be liberating. It’s a word that leaders, product managers, and founders often use as their shield against scope creep, burnout, and loss of focus. Yet, I wonder if the real art isn’t about defaulting to a firm no. It’s about knowing why you’re saying no, understanding the impact, and being open to other paths when possible. What if we can shift from knee-jerk rejections to meaningful, strategic decisions that serve both our business and our customers.

Why revisiting our no matters

It’s been years since I explored why we shouldn’t shy away from saying no to projects, features, or deals that don’t align with our vision. But time and experience have shown me that “no” is not a free pass out of tough conversations. Nor does it automatically mean you’re operating in the best interests of your team or users. The nuance lies in the decision-making process and the honesty behind it.

With over a billion results for “saying no to a feature request,” the topic is far from new. Yet, many teams still struggle to move beyond a templated refusal, missing out on growth, innovation, and customer goodwill in the process.

Identify the real reason behind your no

Be honest with yourself

Before saying no, dig deeper. Is your answer rooted in what’s truly best for your product and customers? Or are you being swayed by something less objective, like risk averseness, internal bandwidth issues, or personal bias? Sometimes, a quick refusal feels safer than challenging assumptions or pushing your team outside their comfort zone.

Tracking your decisions helps. Document every no and, more importantly, the reason behind it. This reflection gives you valuable data, helping you spot patterns like resisting new ideas, underestimating team capacity, or playing it too safe. You might discover that your “no” is occasionally more about your own limits than your customers’ needs.

Separate product needs from personal preferences

Maybe a feature request sounds wrong simply because it’s not what you’d want as a user. Or maybe a contract term feels risky, but you haven’t weighed the potential upside. By being transparent, you open up space for objective analysis.

Here’s an idea. Start an internal “no log.” When you turn down a request, capture what was asked, why you’re declining, and the true business reason. After a quarter, review for trends or missed opportunities.

No doesn’t always mean never

Consider no, but add “but”

The word no doesn’t have to be a conversation-ender. Sometimes, a flat rejection is appropriate. More often, a “no, but…” unlocks better dialogue and creative alternatives.

Contract terms: Maybe you can’t agree to everything the partner asks, but could you offer a concession elsewhere?
Feature requests: If a proposed feature isn’t feasible, could an integration with another tool help your customer achieve the same outcome?
Project proposals: Resource-constrained? Suggest a partnership with a trusted contractor instead of rejecting the project outright.

Whenever you deliver a “no,” challenge yourself to also offer a workaround, a timeline for revisiting, or a different way forward. You’ll build trust and demonstrate that you’re listening.

Weigh the consequences of saying no

Balance ROI with opportunity cost

Rejecting a new idea or feature is rarely risk-free. Of course you should ask, “What will this bring us?” But you must also flip the question: “What could we lose by turning this down?” Each no closes a door, possibly for good.

Could refusing a feature be the difference between keeping and losing key customers?
Is turning down a contract leaving money and future partnerships on the table?
Will a pattern of no responses become a reputation risk over time?

For example, a SaaS platform might skip a small feature to focus on core improvements. But if that feature is critical to a cluster of customers in a lucrative segment, the opportunity cost could outweigh the savings.

With every major no, write a short post-mortem. Review both the intended gains and potential losses, and discuss as a team before finalizing.

Stay flexible as context changes

Adapt your no to the times

Business climates evolve. That means your “no’s” should, too. Maybe last year you avoided broad integrations because of limited resources, but now, economic shifts or new partnerships demand a more open approach.

Are current market or global trends changing customer expectations?
Has a new law or regulation made your earlier decision irrelevant?
Could tighter budgets mean you revisit previously shelved ideas that now look more viable?

As leaders, we need to widen our lens to include industry shifts, economic downturns, and even global crises. What was a hard no yesterday might be a qualified yes, a “maybe” with caveats, or a “no, but” today.

Regularly revisit your default responses. At your quarterly strategy review, ask, “Is our no still the right answer given what’s changed?”

Align the best for customer and company

There’s nothing weak about turning down a customer, a feature, or a contract term. What matters is that your decision aligns with long-term goals for both your company and the people you serve. These interests are not opposing forces. The sweet spot is where they overlap.

Make decisions with transparency.
Communicate your reasoning.
Demonstrate that you’ve weighed impacts on all sides.

When your team and your customers see that your no’s are principled instead of arbitrary or reactionary, they’re far more likely to stick with you.

Let’s rethink our relationship with “no.” The next time you’re asked for a feature, project, or partnership, pause before defaulting to a refusal.

Track and analyze your decisions for hidden patterns.
Look for “no, but” opportunities wherever possible.
Evaluate both the costs and opportunities of every no.
Stay alert to shifts, from market sentiment to legislative changes.
Be transparent with your reasoning, building credibility inside and out.

Saying no is an essential leadership tool. But it’s a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. Use it to cut out what’s unnecessary, not to block growth, innovation, or trust.

What about you? How have your views on saying no changed as your context has evolved?

How higher ed marketers can build an AI Flywheel

I’ve been thinking about higher ed a lot (even more than usual) these days, as it’s facing some challenging times, so I’ll be posting a bit more higher-ed focused content on here.

AI isn’t just another way to save a few minutes on your next campaign. For marketers in higher ed, it offers a lot more. In fact, if used wisely, it can become a system that makes every piece of work more efficient, more insightful, and more effective the more you use it. It’s often referred to as the AI Flywheel.

Let’s take a look at how higher ed marketing teams can move beyond one-off AI prompts and quick fixes, and start building systems that get smarter, faster, and more valuable with each cycle. If you’re spending too much time feeling like every enrollment or giving campaign is a new lift (like planning Welcome Week for the third time in six months), this approach will help you shift from reinvention to momentum.

Why AI in higher ed is not just about faster emails

Higher ed marketers operate in a world defined by big challenges and limited resources. Budgets are tight, teams are lean, and institutional expectations keep growing. And yes, you’re still somehow expected to write like a copywriter, strategize like a VP, and test like a CRO, all before lunch.

Think about it like this: You don’t want a robot that spits out a decent subject line when you ask. Instead, you want to me more ambitious and develop a process that helps your marketing team get sharper, learn from every email sent, and make the next campaign even more relevant, personalized, and achieve better results.

What is the AI Flywheel?

The AI Flywheel is a feedback loop with the intention to compound value. Instead of approaching tasks in isolation, the AI Flywheel connects every prompt, every campaign, and every data point so that the next round is always easier and more effective.

For example:

Ask AI to draft initial content for anything from an email to an event invitation.
Refine the output, shaping the tone and content to match your institution’s brand, tone, and values.
Reuse the structure or logic behind successful outputs for new use cases or audiences.
Analyze the response data. Did students click more? Did parents open less? What seemed to resonate?
Feed those insights right back into the next prompt, so that each turn becomes faster and smarter.

Instead of improving by accident, you develop a plan. Your systems, prompts, and institutional knowledge compound, which can make each campaign more agile and aligned.

How to build an AI Flywheel in higher ed marketing

Here’s how your marketing team can get started:

1. Design prompts for systems, not just single results

Don’t just ask AI to “write a welcome email for new students.” Instead, break the campaign down and think in terms of building blocks you and your team can reuse across future projects.

For a student welcome series, your AI prompt structure might include:

A general template with modular sections (intro, campus highlight, quick next steps, CTA)
Personalization variations (first-generation, out-of-state, transfer)
Follow-up text messages
Web teasers for cross-channel promotion

Whenever possible, capture not only the result but also the reusable logic and variants. This way, your initial prompt seeds a content system rather than a one-and-done piece.

2. Create a living context file

AI is only as good as the context you give it. Feed your key institutional inputs into your AI companion or prompt library:

Brand voice and tone (welcoming, inclusive, aspirational, empathetic)
Personas (prospective students, parents, alumni, faculty, donors, employers)
Differentiators (small class sizes, experiential learning, first-year programs)
Strategic goals (increase applications, grow out-of-state reach, boost giving, increase student retention)

Example:

“Using our brand voice, draft a headline and subhead for our rural-first-gen scholarship landing page.”

Your context doc becomes a shared institutional brain, without needing to Slack a coworker for that one tagline she wrote back in 2019.

3. Turn every output into a future input

Every campaign, message, or landing page is a learning opportunity. Once you send an email with great open rates or a text message that parents forward widely, don’t just celebrate and move on. Feed that result back into your AI system.

For instance, prompt your tool with:

This open house email had a 52% open rate and strong parent engagement. Use it as a model to draft a campaign for our admitted student event.

This way, you’re building institutional intelligence that compounds, turning AI into a digital team member who remembers what worked (and what fell flat) last semester, last year, and beyond.

4. Systematize with a prompt library

Organize your prompts and templates so you’re never starting from scratch. Think of this as your team’s living playbook, where you collect and annotate things like

Outreach plan evaluations
Donor message variants based on giving history
Career-focused homepage copy
Accessibility and language audits
Infographic summaries

This living library becomes more valuable with each project, which can help make every new campaign both faster and more targeted.

Benefits of the AI Flywheel for higher ed teams

Scalable personalization: AI enables you to deliver tailored messaging, but the flywheel structure prevents your small team from reinventing the wheel with every campaign.

Consistent messaging: Centralized inputs, living prompt libraries, and reusable assets mean that your voice, values, and strategy show up seamlessly wherever your audience is.

Smarter and faster decision-making: Data feeds back into your system after every initiative, enabling rapid learning and focused improvements instead of guesswork.

Sustainable marketing systems: Even with staff changes or shifting priorities, your documented systems make it easy for new team members to ramp up and keep improving what’s working best.

How to get started

You don’t need a large team or a massive investment to begin. Start small and intentionally:

Save your three most-used prompts and tweak them with every cycle
Keep a shared doc with core messaging, personas, and brand guidelines
Make a habit of reviewing results and adding insights back into your system

Over time, your flywheel will pick up speed, giving your institution compound returns and marketing agility.

What about you? Have you started working on your AI Flywheel?