A Large Barrier: Emotional Readiness
One barrier touched upon but often underestimated: The emotional state of the student. I have found that students who are anxious, pessimistic, defeatist, depressed, etc. are much less likely to self-promote with enthusiasm. Is anyone doing any training with their team on how to instill confidence, eagerness, hope, optimism, patience, etc. ?
Hi Tom,
Great question! On my campus, we had one of our lead faculty members share with the staff about cultural sensitivity. It was a 1 hour long presentation about being sensitive to varous cultures, students' needs/concerns, and openly listening to students.
We touched on listening skills and even did an exercise that gave each staff member the opportunity to test their listening skills.
What type of university and/or college do you work for?
Regards,
Ryan N. Parks
