Presentation Reprised from the NASFAA 2014

ConferenceBy Pamela Fowler

University of MichiganAnn Arbor

Getting a Seat at the Table

1

Agenda of the NASFAA Session

• This session can be broken into 4 major components:

1.Relationships

2.Preparation

3.Opportunity

4.Participation/Persistence

2

Relationships: More than a Facebook status

Good professional relationships:

1)Are intentional

2)Need care and feeding

3)Are mutually beneficial

4)Are built across the organization (wide and deep)

5)Produce enormous benefits, including getting you a seat at the table

3

Who do you think you’re talking to?

1) How does your audience perceive you? Your role? Your office?

2) How do they perceive themselves and their role? (faculty vs. staff)

3) Thinking about those perceptions, what are the potential barriers to successful communication?

4) WIIFT: What’s in it for them? Why should they care?

4

My job: making the boss look good

1) If he/she looks good, you look good

2) Use every opportunity to show that your boss has competent, efficient and helpful people reporting to him/her

3) If you focus on this one rule, you are less likely to do something embarrassing to yourself and your boss

4) No surprises for your boss

5

What are we trying to do here?

1) Approach communication with the end in mind

• What is your goal? What do you want to achieve?

2) Less is more — distill the message to its essential elements

3) Tell others what your goal is, what you need from them, and why you need their assistance. Provide gentle direction.

6

Treat Everyone Equitably

1) This goes for faculty and staff as well as students

2) Don’t expect them to come to you — offer to come to their meeting to explain a situation that affects their area.

3) Give equal consideration to students from every department and work closely with them when scholarships and/or aid are critical

7

Be Prepared

1) Plan as much as you can and train your people well

2) Include the thoughts and ideas of others whenever possible

3) Survey all your customers and take their feedback to heart

4) Consider an advisory group

5) Remain flexible

8

It’s all Greek (FA) to them

1) Get rid of jargon. Can normal people understand your language?

2) Connect the dots

• Organizational mission

• Passion / agenda of your audience

• Students

3) Use your network

4) Data, data, and more data

9

Preparation: Context, data, outcomes

1) Think through your issue before bring it to others. Ask:

a) What is it? (identify the issue)

b) How do I know? (data & evidence)

c) What difference does it make? (data analysis and reasoning)

d) What should we do? (recommendations and outcomes; take responsibility)

2) Know your data, policies and practices, and relevant regulations

10

Participation: care & engagement

1) Write a short briefing paper in advance of a meeting. Advances your cause, and helps your boss.

2) Listen attentively, ask useful questions.

3) Stay open to learning new information.

4) Engagement shows that you truly care.

11

Opportunity: Be Part of the Solution

1) Financial aid is always viewed as the problem to get around; try to prove them wrong.

2) Offer a suggestion even though it will mean more work for you or your staff

3) Get involved if you think you can do it better but don’t force your solution on others

4) Organize the problem if needed, so no one wastes their time and effort

12

Place: bring the right skills, values

1) Having the right skills is important, but not always enough.

2) Does your institution share your values? If you’re not invited to the table, you may be in the wrong house.

13

Ask To Be Included

1. Often, people don’t think the problem has anything to do with financial aid

2. If you are overlooked at first, come in ready to be helpful, not resentful

3. Use every opportunity to inform and train people about what you do and how it affects them and their students

4. Don’t be afraid to meet them on their turf

14

Tell Me a Story

1) Always have one ready

2) Numbers speak louder than words

3) Strive to put the story in perspective

4) Is this an issue that affects 1 of 10, or 1 of 10,000

5) Graphs, charts need to stand alone

15

Possibilities: imagination, creativity

1) Make time to think creatively

2) Imagine something new

3) Go beyond operations, think about goals (not just how, but what? and why?)

16

Portfolio: The role of aid has grown

Then: Aid as a secondary consideration in American higher education

Now: Financial aid at the center of concerns on access, affordability, accountability

Aid is at the core of discussions of budgets, academic programs, and compliance issues

17