A strategic, evidence-based approach to helping teams function better together and adapt well to change.
With Christine Lovely, Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at Cornell University
Cornell University is a globally recognized Ivy League institution shaping the future of higher education through its academic excellence, research and innovation.
Location:
Ithaca, New York
Industry:
Higher Education
Key Paragon services used:
In 2022, Christine Lovely, Cornell’s new Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, and her team struggled to find their footing.
After years of stability, they faced executive transitions and mounting systemic challenges common in higher education. Leaders and staff were fatigued from navigating a rapidly shifting landscape—outdated systems, cultural shifts, DEI complexities, lingering pandemic effects, and rising mental health concerns.
Despite the department’s high standards and being a highly accomplished team, years of operating under intense pressure had created a culture where uncertainty, stress, and interpersonal tension stifled their ability to adapt, collaborate, and innovate.
Some of the main challenges Christine and Cornell needed to solve were to:
Christine saw her team’s untapped potential but knew unlocking it required more than business-as-usual solutions. With compounding challenges, identifying the right levers to improve performance and well-being wasn’t simple.
To drive meaningful change, she recognized her team needed more than new strategies or wellness programs—they needed tools to better adapt, collaborate, and innovate amidst uncertainty. This is where Paragon stepped in, providing evidence-based solutions to transform the mindsets, behaviors, and relationships that shape how teams operate and succeed.
She also knew that real change doesn’t happen overnight. Even with decades of research proving what works, transformation only sticks when people experience it firsthand and take ownership of the process.
The solution? Start with the leaders ready for change—their transformation would serve as proof, building momentum for deeper shifts across the organization.
“Paragon’s work on intelligent energy management resonated strongly and inspired me to engage with them. I was feeling an urgency to support my team that was showing signs of burnout, overwhelm, and were drained due to the effects that the pandemic has had on our campus.”
Christine Lovely
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Office
Cornell partnered with Paragon to enhance cohesion, adaptability, and performance through a structured four-step process that transformed the cultural mindsets, behaviors, and team dynamics.
One-on-one executive coaching helped key leaders gain awareness and start showing up with renewed capacity.
Equipping every leader with evidence-based techniques created a team that self- manages stress, emotions and energy in real time.
Custom workshops combined learning, breakouts, and team coaching to trust and shift team dynamics.
Extending tools and practices to direct reports and daily operations to sustain behavioral and cultural change.
Paragon began with one-on-one coaching for Christine and three out of 15 leaders, introducing stress-regulation techniques. These early adopters saw immediate benefits—becoming more present, engaged, and effective in their roles.
This initial success created internal champions who could advocate for expanding the work throughout the department.
“People who have worked with me for years say I just look happier and lighter than before,” shared one leader. “I always showed up like I had a lot of weight on my shoulders, and I don’t show up that way anymore.”
Paragon led workshops with Christine and her senior leadership team, introducing evidence-based techniques to manage stress, regulate emotions, and shift unproductive mindsets.
Leaders developed shared language and techniques to recognize their own stress patterns, regulate emotions, and manage energy more effectively —allowing them to shift out of stress states quickly and in real-time, becoming calmer, more present, and focused.
The impact extended beyond individual wellbeing. As individual self-awareness and regulation improved, the team showed up differently for one another and team dynamics began to improve—creating the foundation for lasting cultural change.
“When I show up in a meeting, I’m in a much better place. I’m really focused on my team members, having conversations with them, listening to what they’re saying, and being present. I’ve been surprised at how open and honest they are with me, and it has improved our relationships,” says a senior leader.
Paragon led custom, experiential workshops where team members addressed long-standing tensions, aligned on shared values, and built genuine trust as they solved problems together. These sessions went beyond traditional team-building—they established new standards for communication and transformed how people saw each other and worked together.
These breakthrough moments became the crux of the program, creating a culture where open dialogue, collaboration, and trust became the new norm.
“Now, we have this better foundation in our relationships,” shared one senior HR leader. “We’re having more honest conversations as a leadership team that have been really beneficial.”
“We can have difficult conversations while still caring for each other. It’s built on the work we’re doing individually and those sessions where we get together with Paragon as a group, spending time building our relationships together and growing together.”
To sustain and scale the impact, Paragon worked with HR leadership to extend these techniques to direct reports and weave trust-building practices into daily operations. These tools became integral to team meetings, one-on-ones, and the department’s culture—reinforcing a culture of self-awareness, goodwill, clear communication, and agility.
Teams that once operated in silos began actively seeking collaboration and support, creating a self-sustaining cycle of trust and cohesion.
Beyond HR, Paragon hosted sessions on World Mental Health Day for team members and colleagues across Cornell — supporting more staff with practices to bring regulation and coherence into the broader culture.
The results after 18 months were remarkable*:
Cornell HR shifted from a stress-driven, competitive culture to one of adaptability and collaboration, where teams work well together to navigate change and create solutions. (*Data from independently administered Stress & Wellbeing Assessments after 18 months of implementation.)
A New Vision for HR
As individual and team transformations took root, the department’s mindset shifted from focusing solely on being the best to prioritizing people as a whole — recognizing that organizational growth and performance are built on the well-being and strength of the team.
Impact Beyond HR
Other departments across the university took notice. Internal ambassadors, inspired by their own transformation, introduced Paragon’s tools and techniques to colleges, departments, and initiatives across Cornell—expanding the culture shift beyond the HR department.
“We are a stronger and more cohesive team having opportunities to learn from Paragon in our retreats and sessions together. The tools and techniques work and the individual coaching… the focus on well-being and performance really resonates. I’ve seen positive changes in myself and across the team.”
Debbie Philip
Senior Human Resource Director
Cornell HR is strategically expanding Paragon’s solutions across the University:
Paragon Performance Evolution provides training and support for individuals and teams looking to improve how they manage stress, communicate, and lead—both personally and professionally. We design and deliver customized programs that help people build greater self-awareness, resilience capacity, and the ability to navigate challenges with more clarity and confidence.
While our work supports a wide range of clients—including FORTUNE 500 companies, Special Forces, professional athletes, academic institutions, Global First Ladies, and astronauts—we have a special focus on supporting colleges and universities. We collaborate with university leaders and teams to help them thrive in demanding environments, while also building skills that support well-being and meaningful growth over time.
At the foundation of our approach is guiding individuals to develop a balanced internal state, where they are better able to manage their thoughts, emotions, and stress responses. By achieving a more optimal internal state, clearer thinking, improved focus, and stronger, more trusted connections with others are enhanced. In today’s higher education setting, this helps people perform more effectively—whether in academics, leadership, or teamwork.
Paragon programs explore topics such as:
Paragon’s goal is to create a practical, supportive learning experience that helps people build skills they can use every day—leading to more intentional choices, stronger relationships, and greater impact in their work and life.
To learn more, visit performanceparagon.com.
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