IR 101: Communication and Negotiation Skills for IR · IR 101: Communication and Negotiation Skills for IR November 6-8, 2019 Monterey Bay Kristina Powers, PhD –Institute for Effectiveness

IR 101: Communication and Negotiation Skills for IR

November 6-8, 2019

Monterey Bay

Kristina Powers, PhD – Institute for Effectiveness

Paula Krist, PhD – University of San Diego

Waddell Herron, PhD – California State University Office of the Chancellor (Emeritus)

Leeshawn Moore, PhD – University of LaVerne

Handout available at www.instituteforeffectiveness.org

Services > Higher Ed Influencer > Big Ideas

http://www.instituteforeffectiveness.org/

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEYOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN THIS SESSION IF . . .

You want to identify and develop non-technical skills to

facilitate the changing role of IR.

You need to better understand the “big

picture” of the institution

You want to communicate with

institutional leadership effectively

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLETHIS PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE

Why Communication and Negotiation?

Multiple institutional examples

Questions/Discussion

Why Communication and Negotiation?

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEINSTITUTE FOR EFFECTIVENESS

IEHE works with institutions and individuals to capitalize on data to

elevate the effectiveness of the work they are doing.

✓ Resource Reinforcement

✓ Capability Building

✓ Effectiveness Enhancement

✓ Higher Ed Influencer

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLECOMMUNICATION AND NEGOTIATION

Negotiation is about understanding what each party is interested in and

finding a common middle ground.

New academic program approvals• Faculty Senate

• Provost

• Board of Regents/Trustees

• Accreditor

You need to work with people who do not report

to you and motivate them to help you accomplish

your goals.

Negotiate

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEIR AS A NEGOTIATOR SHOULD…

Remember timing matters

IR Application

New program

proposals should

consider supply

and demand –

which depends

upon timing.



Identify the other person’s goals IR Application

Development of

a successful

program and

avoidance of

future problems.



Identify the other person’s goals

Never waste a voice opportunity

IR Application

Ask other

questions about

the process to

gather

information that

will lead to a

better proposal.





Be “present” at the negotiation meetings

IR Application

We are pulled in

many directions

at a time but pay

attention to the

details.






Listen.

IR Application

Identify a person’s

subject matter

expertise and

how to integrate

it beneficially.






Listen

Realize a little win is still a win

IR Application

Focus on

continuous

improvement.

It is still

improvement.

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLETRANSLATE DATA FOR AUDIENCES

❖ Consider audience needs,

varying definitions, and

political implications.

❖ You may not be delivering

the data in person.

❖ Audiences consume data

and information without

the creator.

Current or Prospective Students/ Parents

Institutional Leadership

Community Leaders

Legislators

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLECOMMUNICATE DATA FINDINGS

❖ Communicate via face-to-face meetings with departments, publishing

findings in reports, and on IR website.

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEBE A DATA STEWARD

❖ Facilitate and promote data use

by making data available and

easy to use.

❖ Encourage the perception of IR

as data collector, not owner.




Perspectives – Paula Krist

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEPERSPECTIVES – UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

About University of San Diego …

❖ Private Roman Catholic institution

❖ More than 9,000 students (6,000 undergraduates)

❖ Institutional Research & Planning

✓ Strategic Planning support; President’s Cabinet

✓ Facilitates institutional collaboration

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLECOLLABORATION – CRUCIAL TO “GETTING IT” DONE”

❖ Problem solving

✓Begins with good problem identification

✓Include institutional wisdom

❖ Identify the key players and/or stakeholders

❖ Structure the solution

✓Convene initial meeting of stakeholders

✓Map out timeline

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXAMPLE – CHANGING A PROCESS FOR STUDY ABROAD

❖ Problem – Study abroad courses get onto student records after fall census. This can impact:✓ accurate data, records, counts

✓ student advising, timely graduation

❖ Stakeholders:

✓ International Center

✓ Registrar

✓ Information Technology Services

✓ Institutional Research & Planning

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXAMPLE – CHANGING A PROCESS FOR STUDY ABROAD

❖ Understand the problem and scope

❖ Structure the solution

✓ Convene initial meeting of stakeholders

✓ Map out timeline

▪ What can be done immediately?

▪ What resources are needed?

❖ Nurture the Process

✓ Ensure that collaborators feel valued

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLENURTURE YOUR NEGOTIATING TOOLKIT

❖ Enlist institutional wisdom

✓ Develop a “go to” list of individuals who have experience and perspectives that can allow a better understanding of:

Why things are the way they are.

What can be done to solve the issue.

❖ Build relationships

❖ Be brave

❖ Document, document, document




Perspectives – Waddell Herron

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEPERSPECTIVES – CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY

About California State University . . .

❖ Public university system

❖ 23 campuses

❖ Over 481,000 total enrollment, Fall 2018

❖ Nearly 53,000 staff and faculty

❖ Over 3.7 million alumni

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEDO YOUR HOMEWORK

Identify key people at your institution who are, and/or have direct links to, decision-makers.

Review past institution master plans, Board/Trustees decisions, etc., for historical perspective and context.

If possible, monitor/live stream Board/Trustee meetings to be aware of sudden or emergency IR data requests.

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLETEACH AS WELL AS PREACH THE VALUE OF IR DATA

In other words . . . don’t reinvent the wheel.

Develop a workshop to train colleagues, constituents, and key decision-makers on how to use the IPEDS online tools and data.

Develop (in conjunction with HR) an IR related workshop for new employees highlighting existing institution data resources.

Before addressing new data requests, visit requestor(s) to review existing institutional data sources that could meet their needs.

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLENO DATA REQUEST IS TOO MUNDANE

❖ You are assigned by the IR Office to address the Provost’s request for

data for a very low level/priority project/presentation.

❖ Your time and attention to the project produces a report deemed

valuable by the Provost.

❖ When pressed for future major institutional

reports/presentations, you (IR Office) become

the immediate “go-to” source.

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEIF OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS, ANSWER THE DOOR

❖ At 7:15 a.m., the President tries to find the AVP who oversees the IR office to

assist him/her in addressing an immediate data concern.

❖ By coincidence (and schedule), you are the only person present in your IR unit at

that time of day, much to the chagrin of said president. When (reluctantly) the

president asks if you are familiar with his/her data problem issue, you respond,

“Yes.”

❖ You complete the President’s data request and present him/her a report ASAP.

❖ Now, knowing your schedule and familiarity with the institution’s data, the

president bypasses the AVPs office and comes directly to you for future early

morning data inquiries/emergencies.

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEOWN THE RESPONSIBILITY & POWER OF YOUR POSITION

❖ If everyone at your institution knows they have to come to the IR

Office for their data needs, then insist such recognition be

acknowledged in any and all final summaries, presentations, and other

decision-making reports using the data.

❖ Be prepared to address/refute “rogue” institutional reports conducted

without verifiable IR data, but presented as such.

❖ Recognize that IR data is the “gold standard” for any institutional

assessment, and should be valued, respected, and utilized accordingly.

Perspectives – Leeshawn Moore

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEPERSPECTIVES – UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

About University of La Verne. . .

Private, not-for-profit university.

Hispanic Serving.

More than 8,000 students (over 3,000

traditional aged undergraduates and

adult learners)

Institutional Research

✓ Student Success Research; Co-Chair Data Governance

✓ Coordinates data response team

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEGETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

IR moves

back to

Academic

and

Student Affairs

Negotiate with Provost’s Office about work/life balance

IR Road Show to key leaders before presentations

Insist on calendar of data requests/PDFs of data to control possible data changes

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLETOOL-BOX FOR ADDED NEGOTIATING SUCCESS

Active listening

Advance meetings with key stake holders/leaders

WIFT – What’s In it For Them

Questions and Discussion




Documents

IR 101: Communication and Negotiation Skills for IR · IR 101: Communication and Negotiation Skills for IR November 6-8, 2019 Monterey Bay Kristina Powers, PhD –Institute for Effectiveness