Managing Front Office Conversations, Conflict & Cranky People (T2)

If you are in the front line and work with parents, teaching staff, and students on a regular basis then this workshop is for you.

This program is ideal for general office staff whose role includes working with and supporting all members of complex school communities. Front of office staff drive the heart beat and often provide the first impression of ‘who we are’ at many schools -culture. Front of office staff are the often the ‘first responders’ to distressed and sometimes angry parents, anxious and often self-important students, stressed and sometimes demanding teachers. Establishing and sustaining productive relationships across the school is a key role of office staff and they need adequate training and skills to make sure their wellbeing is maximized and the office can function without toxic relationships and unnecessary conflict.

In this workshop participants will:
• Take away the very effective L.E.A.P approach to manage challenging conversations with people.
• Learn to implement a ‘10 step’ approach to facilitating courageous conversations with parents.
• Explore the influences that brain chemistry and emotional states (affect) can have on challenging conversations.
• Learn to have a 4 x 2 conversation with staff, students and parents.
• Learn how the physical environment and meeting and greeting protocols can influence how we do business with the wider school community .
• Investigate the origins of conflict and how people respond and what are the preferred outcomes.
• Learn to apply a wide range of effective strategies that defuse high level emotions and engage people in constructive conversations.

“I was one of the participants at your Zoom PD on Monday this week (Dealing with Cranky people) and the information you provided and went through was so incredibly helpful. I was expecting to come away with how to deal with cranky parents, but as the Office Manager of the school, I came away with so many ideas I want to incorporate for my team. My head was buzzing by the end of all the different ideas!

Ironically in how life works, when I came out of the PD and went back to my office to work, I was faced with a situation where I had to deal with a very cranky parent and I was able to put some of your suggestions in place e.g. let her vent and then I asked her “what would she like to see happen from here?” The parent just went silent as she wasn’t expecting that. I had a big grin on my face as that line worked perfectly in calming her down and she was much nicer after that.

Linda Barnes

Cedar College SA