Difficult Conversations Using Your Strengths

Tuesday, November 17, 2026

9 am to 12 pm

Facilitator: Anne Grieves

Rhode Island College, Gaige Hall Rm. 200, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence

Overview

Higher education professionals navigate difficult conversations constantly – delivering feedback, setting boundaries, saying no, addressing performance issues – yet most have little training in how to do this effectively, and default approaches often create tension and damaged relationships. This strengths-based workshop helps participants leverage their natural communication style as a foundation for handling these conversations strategically, using the CliftonStrengths framework to show how their strengths show up in conflict, where they may need to adapt, and how to practice conversations that maintain relationships while still addressing the issue.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Identify their natural communication style in difficult situations using the strengths framework
• Understand how their strengths both help and challenge them in conflict
• Navigate four types of difficult conversations common in higher ed:
◦ Delivering critical feedback
◦ Saying no / declining requests
◦ Setting boundaries
◦ Addressing performance issues
• Apply these types to real higher ed relationships, including:
◦ Students not responding to intervention
◦ Underperforming faculty or colleagues
◦ Difficult parents
◦ Problematic peer dynamics
• Practice difficult conversations with peer feedback
• Plan an actual difficult conversation they're facing

Facilitator: Anne Grieves

Anne Grieves is an Associate Director in Career Development at Northeastern University as well as a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach. Anne enjoys guiding individuals, groups, and teams towards identifying and achieving their goals. Collaborating with Anne, her clients learn how to focus on their individual strengths in order to maximize their personal and professional potential. Anne’s unique approach provides people with the tools they need to experience a paradigm shift in how to explore new possibilities and re-imagine their goal-setting. Her two daughters, husband, and dog fill the unscheduled hours in her day

Program Fee: A fee of $90.00 per participant will be billed to each institution.

Navigating Change: Co-Creating a Path Forward

Thursday, December 3, 2026

9:00 am to 12:30 pm

Facilitator: Sabrina Woods and Julie Palazini

Byrant University, Fisher Student Center, Rm 2 A/B

Higher education is navigating rapid, interconnected and unprecedented changes. In recent conversations with higher education professionals from Ivy Leagues to state schools, several key pressures consistently come to the forefront: budget cuts and hiring freezes, the fast-paced evolution of AI, changing government policies, and growing uncertainties around international enrollment, employment and immigration.

In this workshop we’ll be responding to these concerns and focusing on practical strategies to help staff and managers navigate change effectively. During our session, you’ll have time to think through how you, personally, manage the stressors that come with change, gaining tips from your colleagues as well. Using the Circles of Control, Influence and Care, we’ll explore how to bring focus and intention to create positive impact amidst disruption.

We will also introduce Appreciative Inquiry, a strength-based approach to exploring change through inquiry and curiosity. Participants will identify their unique strengths, experiences and capabilities that can be leveraged to move forward. Each person will identify micro-actions to support their work.

Facilitators: Sabrina Woods and Julie Palazini

Sabrina Woods

Sabrina Woods is a holistic career coach and international trainer with 20 years in the higher education field within career services at universities including Northeastern, Harvard and the University of London. In her private practice, her joy comes from tapping holistic and mindfulness-based practices while helping people with major career and life transitions. Sabrina also facilitates workshops,

staff retreats and train-the-trainer sessions ranging from the Myers Briggs to Mindfulness to Building the Foundations for Career Advancement. Her workshops combine her insights, enthusiasm and infectious energy. Sessions have been taught in the US, UK and Middle East for organizations ranging from MIT and Princeton to Cook County Health and Vanguard.

Julie Palazini

Julie Palazini is the President of Cheryl Alexander & Associates, Inc. She brings more than 20 years of experience as a performance consultant, coach and master business instructor in financial services, customer contact centers, and higher education. She has extensive experience leading change management efforts.

Her passion is helping others grow professionally, and her career has focused on skill development, individual coaching, and team performance. She believes individuals and teams that leverage personal strengths bring out the best in each other. Her work as a coach and trainer is about harnessing our inner resilience, creativity, and capacity for learning.

Julie holds a B.S. in Psychology and graduate certificates in Positive Organizational Development and Expressive Arts Facilitation. Outside of work, she is active in her community working to positively impact literacy and education for all students. She enjoys mentoring students and early career professionals. For fun, she loves reading, hiking and teaching ski lessons.