AWIS Webinar
Closing the Innovation Gap: How Successful Leaders Are Driving Results
Led by: Janet Crenshaw Smith, CEO, Ivy Planning Group
Thursday, June 25, 2026
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
About the Session
Organizations across academia, research institutions, and industry are operating in an environment where innovation, talent, and adaptability have never been more important. Yet many leaders are unknowingly leaving value on the table—not because of a lack of expertise or commitment, but because subtle workplace dynamics can limit who contributes, who is heard, whose ideas gain traction, and ultimately, which innovations move forward.
In this thought-provoking session, participants will explore the “Innovation Gap”—the difference between the talent organizations have and the results they achieve when all perspectives, expertise, and contributions are not fully leveraged. Drawing on research and real-world examples, this webinar examines how everyday leadership behaviors, team dynamics, and organizational practices can either accelerate or unintentionally hinder innovation, collaboration, and scientific advancement.
Designed for scientists, leaders, HR professionals, and decision-makers, this session moves beyond politics and ideology to focus on what drives performance. Participants will explore how successful leaders create environments where talent thrives, innovation flourishes, and organizations are better positioned to solve complex challenges.
Participants will learn how to:
• Recognize the hidden factors that contribute to the Innovation Gap
• Identify subtle dynamics that influence collaboration, visibility, and contribution
• Strengthen innovation by creating conditions where expertise is fully utilized
• Apply practical leadership strategies that improve engagement and retention
• Foster cultures that support scientific excellence and organizational performance
Speaker
Janet Crenshaw Smith is cofounder and president of Ivy Planning Group (Ivy), a leading consulting, training, and coaching firm specializing in leadership, strategy, and change management. For more than 36 years, Ivy has served large private-sector companies, federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofits, and more than 100 associations and professional societies. Smith has been recognized as a strategist, entrepreneur, and change leader, including being named one of Consulting Magazine’s Top 25 Consultants and receiving the Working Woman Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. She has also testified before a U.S. Congressional Subcommittee as an expert on performance, leadership, and diversity. Smith works directly with CEOs, executive teams, agency administrators, and senior officials to develop strategy, facilitate critical conversations, and advance organizational goals. She is the author of 58 Little Things that Have a Big Impact: What’s Your MicroTrigger? and The Diversity Action Book: 143 Things To Go Do. A graduate of Harvard University, Smith began her professional career at IBM.
About Ivy Planning Group
For more than 35 years, Ivy Planning Group has helped organizations strengthen leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness. Ivy has partnered with scientific and professional associations, research-focused organizations, federal agencies, healthcare systems, universities, and Fortune 500 companies to address complex workforce and performance challenges. Through its innovative methodologies and practical, results-focused approach, Ivy helps leaders identify the often-overlooked factors that influence engagement, collaboration, innovation, and organizational success.
Zoom captioning and a video recording will be available.
This webinar is FREE for all to attend. (Join AWIS for free access to all upcoming webinars, an on-demand library of past sessions, and other great resources!)