How Coaching Rebuilt a Team’s Identity at Wichita State — and Transformed Lives Along the Way

A Human Better EDU Case Study

When Vicki Wisenhant arrived at Wichita State University to lead a department that had recently weathered a punishing campus-wide initiative, she inherited more than a team, she inherited what she called “scar tissue”.

“The reputation of the department was damaged and there was team trauma from trying to lead disruptive change,” she said. “And more change was coming. I needed a team strong enough to process the past, resolve it, and get their power and voice back.”

She had worked with Human Better EDU founder, Gaby Jordan, in prior roles, and she knew immediately that bringing Gaby in was the move.

Introducing Coaching to a Wounded Team
She expected hesitation from her battered team. Instead, she got something else entirely. “It was exactly what they needed. They had insights they’d never had before, truths they could finally own. Some of them took meaningful action for the first time in their lives. It wasn’t just professionally transformative. It changed them as humans.”

The Moment She Knew “This Is Working”
Within months, the shift became undeniable. “The reputation of our team changed. I would talk to leaders across the university and hear, ‘Your people are different.’ And they were. We were the same individuals, but not the same humans.”

Service improved. Collaboration deepened. And most importantly, the team started laughing again.

“One of the gifts of Human Better’s approach is the shared language it provides. Someone will say, ‘Okay, my Brat is active,’ or ‘We’ve got a Chicken here,’ and it brings levity. It helps us see ourselves clearly and get unstuck together. And honestly, as serious as the work is, we’re all still big kids, so the playful tone of Human Better’s coaching resonates.”

Which Frameworks Hit Hardest in Academia?
Human Better’s Core Human Behavioral Model, which is a one-of-a-kind piece of the organization's offerings, is what served Vicki’s team the most.

This framework gave the team a clear map for how their beliefs, traits, and interpretations were driving their actions—and therefore their results. “Understanding the source of our results was incredibly powerful. Once we saw how we were each contributing, we could target what needed to shift. We could take ownership and create much better results.”

A Team That Became a Community
For a 30-person department, creating cohesion isn’t simple. But the coaching created something deeper than professional alignment. “We became open and vulnerable. The walls came down. We don’t just work together, we’re connected because we went through this coaching together.”

Ripple Effects Across Campus
The HR team touches nearly every corner of the university, which means their transformation didn’t stay contained. “We’ve introduced the Human Better frameworks to other departments—academic and administrative. We adapted the Champion Conversations template as a resource, and we’re using it to help teams have authentic, productive conversations.” Conflicts that once lingered now get resolved. Teams that were stuck now move. People who avoided difficult conversations now initiate them. “That’s culture change,” she said. “And it’s spreading.”

Would She Recommend This Work to Other Universities?
Her answer is immediate: “This work can transform you and your team. I’ve seen the difference. Even the toughest, most skeptical area on our campus became cohesive, appreciative, and open once they completed the program.”

She tells other leaders the truth plainly: “You can’t always see the value beforehand. But once you go through it—once your people go through it—everything changes.”

The Bottom Line
Human Better EDU didn’t just repair a department.

It rebuilt trust.
It rewired patterns.
It restored humanity.
And it created a ripple effect extending across an entire university.

Casey Seidenberg

is a Human Better EDU Program Leader and Executive Life Coach. She leads our popular Take Charge of Your Life course for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers. She also works with graduate-level educators to Kindergarten teachers and everything in between. Email Casey at casey@humanbetteredu.org

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