Basic Guidelines for Handling Complaints

Conflict Management Skill Development

When colleagues complain, what does it cost you … besides your sanity?

When a culture of complaint replaces a culture of collegiality on your campus, you suffer–and so does the rest of your leadership.

In fact, the entire campus community pays a steep price, because complaints impact morale, productivity, collaboration, retention and more.

So what are the best guidelines to handle complaints?

During this content-rich, 90-minute presentation, C.K. (Tina) Gunsalus, a leading expert on higher-ed personnel issues, will help you develop your conflict management skills to better handle complaints while protecting the interests of the institution and your own peace of mind.

In this seminar you will learn how to:

Recognize challenges to your neutrality and authority and respond effectively.
Proactively set the tone for discussion.
Gather input from all sides.
Recognize and defuse aggression spirals.
Focus on principles and facts, not personalities.
Know and protect your “hot buttons.
Choose your words carefully and intentionally.
Learn when to rely on facts, and when on instinct.
Document consistently and properly
Establish and adhere to follow-up plans.

Who will benefit from this seminar:

Deans
Department heads
Lab directors
Supervisors
Academic chairs
Anyone in a position of authority on campus

Don’t let complaints distract and discourage you from the important work you do on your campus.

Ms. Gunsalus is well-known as a columnist for Inside Higher Ed, providing insight and advice to college administrators on critical personnel issues. She’s also the author of The College Administrator’s Survival Guide, and serves as counsel and faculty member at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As such, she’s well-positioned to provide a keen perspective on the best ways to address complaints, resolve conflicts, and manage difficult people in academic settings.

TO ORDER: Basic Guidelines for Handling Complaints