Cheryl,
I believe you hit on a couple of extremely important points in your comments. I believe involving employees in the planning process is even more critical today then ever. There are so many external factors impacting higher education and the economy overall that people need a clear vision of where the organization is going and what it needs to do to get there. I believe honesty and continuing to include people in the process during difficult times is appreciated by employees and provides comfort that the organization has a plan on how to move forward. A collaborative corporate culture needs to remain inclusive during both good and bad times if it is to be effective over the long haul.
What is your background in corporate culture that you have mentioned?