Preparing for Tough Conversations: How to Set the Stage for Major Change on Your Campus

Very few people rise to leadership positions without facing challenges, but the changes roiling academe today seem more complex and frequent than in previous decades. There are plenty of reasons why a college leader might need to have a tough conversation with faculty members, students, administration, or other key groups on campus. Any leader who hasn’t yet faced an existential crisis on his or her campus most likely will.

This issue brief offers strategies and advice for approaching sensitive topics and leading difficult dialogues. Get expert insight on how to communicate and manage even the most complex challenges. Few enjoy difficult conversations in the workplace, but implementing certain strategies and practices can lead to meaningful and productive conversations that are more likely to result in positive institutional outcomes.

Learn how to :

• Develop strong relationships that will help you establish credibility
• Collect data to make the case for change and navigate shared governance
• Communicate your vision and get buy-in from campus skeptics
• Anticipate conflict while providing constant communication to all stakeholders
• Frame a crisis as an opportunity to bring about positive transformation

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