Navigating Conflict as a Chair or Director—or Navigating Conflict with a Chair or Director

Oct 31, 2021

One of the biggest challenges of the role of near-peer leader is conflict with faculty. It can be tempting to avoid raising difficult issues or disagreements, but the role of Chair or Director sometimes requires hard conversations. Academic departments and programs are where faculty “live” and so, just like in the home, conflict is inevitable and hard. The following materials offer tips for managing conflict, approaching tense situations, and discerning when situations require outside support.

Useful conflict-management tips for faculty and chairs:

 

Scenarios for conflict management and problem solving:

 

Reflections on the shift from faculty-peer to faculty-peer-leader:

 

Exploration of authentic leadership in the academic environment:

 

Wider context and strategies for approaching conflict in your department:

 

Support for new faculty experiencing conflict (see chapter 11 on “Managing Dilemmas,” full text available at DU library):

 

Upcoming Webinars & Recordings 

November 5th: “Conflict Management: A Practical Workshop for Leaders
Academic Impressions

View anytime: “Build a Team Culture that Embraces Conflict as Productive and Positive
Academic Impressions

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