An Affordable Interactive Workshop That Equips Your Academic Middle Managers to Lead with Confidence, Purpose, and Resilience

From Surviving to Thriving: A Workshop for Department Chairs

How are you investing in your Department Chairs so they can lead-not just survive?

80% of administrative decisions on a campus are made by Department Chairs (Gonaim, 2016)

click hyperlinks above to see original sources

Only 1/3 of Department Chairs receive formal leadership training (Floyd 2016)

Department Chairs often report struggling while adjusting to their new professional identity(Kruse, 2020)

Many Department Chairs report they are not ready to handle the emotional labor involved in being a department chair (Cowley, 2019)

Previous Participants Have Said…

  • This workshop was an inspiring and enlightening introduction to the responsibilities and intricacies of working as a Department Chair. Ben's clear structure, discussion-based presentation was extremely engaging and it was a refreshing start to the semester.

    Andrew Papa, MFA

    Chair ofPerforming Arts at Detroit Mercy

  • The presentation and workshop facilitated by Professor Myers not only helped me to better frame my relationship to the chair position, but it also helped me to better define where I struggled in the position and to work toward improvement. My chair colleagues and I routinely bring up bits of wisdom offered by Professor Myers from his training in our meetings more than one year later.

    Emily Kofoed, PhD

    Chair of Fine Arts and Communication Studies at USC Upstate

  • This was an engaging and informative opportunity to discuss the wide ranging and complex issues facing academic department chairs in these challenging times. Dr. Myers provided an organized and structured approach to our dialogue in an open safe environment, where ideas could be freely expressed and shared. The chair workshop would help to provide a solid foundation of learning for newly appointed chairs and a forum for existing chairs to consider their unique roles as department leaders in an increasingly evolving academic landscape.

    Patrick Lawrence, PhD

    Chair of Geography at the University of Toledo

  • Professor Myers’ seminar offers a vital space for department chairs to connect, share experiences, and develop strategies for navigating the liminal space that department chairs occupy. The guided discussion allows department chairs to work together on problems unique to their institution; it's a highly constructive environment, which creates connections that allow for ongoing mutual support amongst these key university leaders.

    John Sarnecki, PhD

    Chair of Philosophy and Religion at The University of Toledo

  • Ben brings a rare mix of lived experience and research expertise to his workshop, offering language and perspective that helped me better understand many of the complex dynamics I’ve experienced as a long-time chair. His approach created a space for meaningful reflection—something chairs don’t often get time to do. Ben encourages conversations many department chairs want and need to have.st Item

    Tony Adams, PhD

    Chair of Communication Department at Bradley University

  • These sessions proved insightful for new and aspiring chairs as well as those who’ve been around the block a couple of times. The facilitation provided the opportunity to gain insight and perspective from a seasoned chair while also opening a space on my campus to dialogue with fellow chairs on some of the more nuanced, challenging, and lesser-known aspects of chairing an academic department.

    Summer Cunningham, PhD

    Chair of Women & Gender Studies Department at SUNY Oneonta

This workshop, based on the book The New Department Chair: 100 Daily Reflections for Mindfully Designing Your Term, engages your chairs in thoughtful conversations about about the nuances of academic middle-management.

Many of the structured conversations chairs find themselves involved in are about responding to immediate institutional issues. This workshop offers the opportunity for chairs to step back and reflect on both the complexities of their position and why the job matters.

Why this workshop?

  • Chairs workshops and conferences can be expensive and cost thousands of dollars per chair. By having the workshop brought to you can engage all your chairs in reflection for a fraction of the cost. Every institution’s needs are different, and I’m committed to making this workshop affordable and accessible.

  • The workshop is high energy, filled with personal stories and case studies, and discussion questions. Participants do not listen to a lecture, they are instead engaged in provocative and thought-provoking discussions.

  • Every institution has different needs, and this workshop can be tailored to whatever your chairs need. The New Department Chair has 100 topics, any of which can incorporated into a workshop. We will plan together what topics you want covered.

  • Ben teaches communication classes (organizational communication, small group, public presentations, business communication and communication theory). Additionally, he is well versed in the academic literature on academic leadership. The workshop is grounded in both the literature and his 12 years of experience as a department chair. Check out the “facilitator” website for more details.

  • This workshop has been successfully offered multiple times, and is scheduled for more in the coming months.

  • Investing in your chairs through providing a common learning experience is invaluable. Providing a shared learning experience allows chairs to go into more depths and to continue conversations long after the workshop is complete.

  • This workshop provides value to both new and experienced department chairs, offering essential guidance for those stepping into the role and fresh perspectives for seasoned leaders. Institutions benefit when chairs have opportunities to develop their leadership approach, reflect on challenges, and refine their strategies in a supportive, interactive setting. Whether addressing foundational skills or tackling long-term leadership growth, this experience ensures chairs at all stages gain practical, applicable insights.