Leading Higher Education Teams Through Significant Change
A Virtual Workshop
August 6, 2021 1:30-3:30 pm EDT
Register here
Cost: $39
Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay
The COVID-19 crisis, the resulting financial and enrollment challenges, and the protests of the past few weeks are forcing colleges and universities to make massive changes in our usual ways of doing business. Higher education leaders are working hard to create a safe, just, and inclusive learning environment this fall, and they are communicating regularly with campus communities about the pending changes.
It’s not enough to plan new strategies for doing business or to communicate them with stakeholders. For effective change, it’s also essential to help faculty and staff come to terms with the changes. Helping teams process their fear, anger, disorientation, and sense of loss is a necessary step to moving forward. Not every person processes these reactions on the same timeline, but it is possible to provide space to help faculty and staff let go of the old ways of operating and accept or even embrace new conditions.
“It isn’t the change that will do you in; it’s the transitions. They aren’t the same thing. Change is situational. . . . Transition is psychological.”
This interactive workshop is designed for anyone who is leading a higher education team through these changes. Based on organizational consultant William Bridges’ ground-breaking work on managing transitions, this workshop will explore specific strategies leaders can employ to help faculty and staff come to terms with change.
In this workshop we will focus on:
· The difference between change (the situational force such as physical distancing standards on campus) and transition (the internal psychological process of coming to terms with the new situation)
· The three overlapping stages of transition
o Endings
o The neutral zone or the wilderness
o Beginnings
· Strategies and best practices for helping faculty and staff navigate transition and move forward
· Developing your post-workshop action plan
Each group will be 5-8 participants and will be facilitated by Melissa Walker, Ph.D., a coach with more than 30 years experience on both the faculty and administrative sides of higher education. Melissa’s coaching practice focuses on academic professionals and people in transition.
Register here.