Susan’s Services

Programs and Trainings

(One hour presentation to half-day training)

Susan’s presentations and workshops are customized for each university and audience. Titles and content vary with each client’s desired outcomes.


“Because of her history of work with the University, Susan understands the dynamics of interrelationships with the campus community. She is intuitive about people and quickly establishes rapport, and she enjoys a good reputation with managers and employees alike. You will find working with her easy, beneficial and rewarding.”

Mary Roberts, Business Information and Technology Services, UCSF

Working Effectively with Faculty

(or Staff-Faculty Partnerships– For staff and managers)

Presentation, half-day training, webinar, online course, book and eBook :

It takes strong, productive staff-faculty relationships to create the best in education, research and organizational effectiveness. Working with faculty members takes special insights, approaches, ingenuity… and patience. It helps to understand the structure and culture of academic institutions, faculty workstyles and priorities, and how to get things done on campus. You’ll benefit from the wisdom, practices and tips gathered from thousands of higher education staff, faculty and administrators from across the country.

As a participant, you will:

  • Discover principles and best practices for working with faculty
  • Understand faculty communication styles and how to interpret and adapt to faculty mindsets, work styles, priorities, needs and pressures
  • Discuss how to proactively orient faculty, communicate, manage faculty expectations, help them follow procedures, and cope with difficult faculty behaviors
  • Build your resources and relationships across campus
  • Appreciate the value of your contributions and key role on campus
  • Identify ways to manage your stress and build resilience

>> Working Effectively with Faculty has been customized for:

  • Research universities, Teaching universities, Technical universities, Public and Private universities and colleges, Higher Education conferences
  • Schools of Arts and Sciences, Medical Schools and their research hospitals, Law Schools, Schools of Education, Engineering Schools
  • Staff from the same department (e.g., Human Resources, Surgery, Environmental Health and Safety, Ambulatory Care, Bio engineering, Plant Pathology, Research Administration, Development)
  • Staff with similar function across departments (Student Services, Business Officers, Finance Officers, Laboratory Managers, Librarians, Faculty Affairs, Technology)
  • Shared Services staff and managers
  • Lean management leaders
  • Post-docs in Science and Medicine

See feedback from University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Used with permission)

Susan, tell me more . . .

  • “You nailed the behavior patterns very well. I like the way you get the point across that faculty are different and a different approach is needed.”
  • “Dr. Christy was amazing: dynamic, engaging, lots of good useable information.”
  • “Personal experience shared was great. Thank you, Dr. Christy, for keeping it “real”
  • “Your research and preparation made for a good presentation.
  • “Communicate with Faculty” section was great.”
  • “This should be required for every new employee.”
Feedback from Stanford University half-day programs

Working Effectively with Physicians and Researchers

– For Medical School and research hospital staff and managers
Presentation, half-day training, webinar.

The description is similar to Working Effectively with Faculty above. The content, stories, examples and discussion topics are specifically designed for administrative, research and clinical managers and staff in Medical Schools and teaching hospitals.

>> I have worked with thousands of academic medical employees at these Medical Schools and their research hospitals:

  • Stanford University
  • University of Michigan
  • University of California at San Francisco
  • University of California at Davis
  • University of Texas (MD Anderson Cancer Center)
  • Oregon Health and Science University
  • University of Washington
  • George Washington University

See feedback from University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Used with permission)

Susan, tell me more . . .
“Susan is an open and enthusiastic facilitator with a keen understanding of techniques necessary to awaken and reinforce communication skills in others. With her assistance, we made real progress.” Michael Sheesley, Director, Employee and Labor Relations, UC Davis
“…What is remarkable and unexpected is her striking and deft ability to work with individuals and teams experiencing group conflict. She speaks practically to them and stirs hearts and minds in problem solving.” Else Tamayo, Manager of Professional Development and Affirmative Action, University of San Francisco

Managing Staff Who Work with Faculty– For managers and administrators

Presentation, half-day training, webinar.

Working with your complex organization, faculty and staff takes understanding, special approaches and creativity. Here are academia-specific perspectives, tools and best practices for orienting your staff, helping them work with faculty, managing their performance and building a successful team. We apply research from the world’s best managers to your everyday management practices. This practical, positive approach helps you be a better leader and manager.

As a participant, you will:

  • Learn how to orient staff to academic culture/structure and explain faculty mindsets, roles, work styles, priorities and stresses
  • Discover principles, strategies and best practices for working with faculty and staff
  • Assist staff in partnering effectively with faculty, managing faculty expectations, and helping faculty members follow policies and procedures
  • Apply research on what the world’s best managers do differently
  • Discuss how to build a successful staff team and partner with colleagues
  • Help staff appreciate their challenges, opportunities, and key role in creating the best in education, research and organizational effectiveness

  >>Managing Staff Who Work with Faculty has been customized for:

  • University of Michigan
  • Stanford University
  • Oregon Health and Science University
  • Lehigh University
  • Notre Dame University
  • Association of Academic Surgical Administrations (AASA)
  • College and University Professional Assn. for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
  • National Association of Scientific Materials Managers (NASMM)
  • The Western Assn. of College and University Business Officers (WACUBO)
  • Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Assn. (CSHEMA)
  • Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)

See feedback from University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Used with permission)

Susan, tell me more . . .

“I heartily recommend Susan Christy as a management consultant. She helped me a great deal in building a more productive management team, intervening and resolving conflicts among members, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and providing supervisory coaching for other staff.” Martha Hooven, Director of Administration, Department of Psychiatry/Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, UCSF

Customer Service in an Academic Setting – For staff and managers in all departments

Presentation, half-day training, webinar  

People in universities and colleges sometimes resist business language – like customer, marketing, etc. But you have customers! Here is an interactive, practical approach to working skillfully with coworkers, faculty, administrators, students, other departments, etc. Participants learn to focus on customers’ needs, build lasting relationships, and practice strategies that solve problems and get things done on campus.

As a participant, you will :

  • Adopt a customer service orientation relevant for higher education
  • Identify your customers and their perspectives, needs, requirements and pressures
  • Understand how academic institutions have a different structure and culture from corporations
  • Appreciate how the dynamics between staff and faculty impact customer service
  • Discuss how to build relationships, manage expectations, help customer follow policies and procedures, and create results with customers across campus
  • Practice how to handle complaints, say NO, deliver bad news, and defuse angry customers and complainers
  • Appreciate your role in creating the best in education, research, the student experience and organizational effectiveness

>> Customer Service in an Academic Setting has been customized for :

  • Research universities, Teaching universities, Technical universities, Public and Private universities, Community Colleges, Higher Education conferences
  • School of Arts and Sciences, Medical Schools and their research hospitals, Business Schools, Nursing Schools, Dental Schools, Law Schools, Agriculture Schools, Engineering Schools
  • Staff in individual academic departments (e.g., Physics, Environmental Science, Psychiatry, Pulmonary Care, Biology, Thoracic Surgery, Viticulture and Enology)
  • Individual Departments: Human Resources, Contracts and Grants, Development, Controller’s Office, Dean’s Office, Medical Records, Hospital Information Systems, Bursars Office, Research Administration, Library, Housing, Material Management, Facilities
  • Shared Services staff and managers
Susan, tell me more . . ..
“The staff was thrilled to have such a productive and motivating day. Susan created an environment in which employees took some important risks. I myself learned about how I could interact with them more effectively. Since the retreat, we have made great strides. “Mary E. Kitchen, Manager, Dept. of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis

Crucial Relationships for a Collaborative Climate – For faculty and Chairs

Presentation or training

The faculty program takes different forms and titles depending on the client’s desired outcomes. Universities have wanted a more collaborative and inclusive culture, improved faculty-staff relationships or employee engagement, development of aspiring faculty leaders, or orientation for new Chairs. Whatever the case, creating the best is education, research and organizational effectives is a team effort. Faculty members appreciate the discussions across departments, new perspective on academic culture and staff concerns, and opportunities to plan and problem solve together.

As a participant, you will: (this is only a sample)

  • Examine and discuss work relationships in your department and university
  • Explore how the university structure and culture present opportunities and challenges for collaboration
  • Describe how differences in faculty, administration and staff mindsets, priorities, roles, work styles, and reward systems can sometimes put them at cross purposes
  • Discuss how you can move forward to create a more respectful, collaborative climate at your university

>> Crucial Relationships for a Collaborative Climate has been customized for:

  • Research universities, Teaching universities, Private colleges
Susan, tell me more . . .

“Susan’s efforts with us these past three years have significantly improved our internal communication and promoted a strong understanding by our employees for effective client service communication techniques.” Geraldine M. Jessup, Assistant Director, California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System

Consulting, Coaching, Retreats

Tapping people’s potential and solving ‘people problems’ takes sensitivity, creativity and advanced skills. Susan tunes in to clients’ needs and the group’s dynamics and then works closely with clients to define and deliver desired outcomes.

Besides being a tenured Psychology professor and then consultant to many universities Susan consulted for dozens of corporations where she specialized in team building, leadership/management skills, customer service, and how to work with difficult people. Her consulting is designed to bring the best of what both corporations and academia have to offer… carefully adapted to your university setting.

>> Consulting :

  • Improving campus climate, employee engagement, and faculty-staff relationships
  • Improving communication between administrators and employees, faculty and staff, one department and another
  • Creating a positive, can-do team culture
  • Implementing a Shared Services initiative

>> Coaching :

  • Coaching faculty members, administrators, managers
  • Coaching small groups to improve communication and productivity

>> Retreat planning and facilitation :

  • Department retreats with all faculty and staff
  • Retreats with a Department Chair and staff
  • Department retreats for staff at all levels
  • Dean’s Office retreats
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Susan, tell me more . . .
“The staff was thrilled to have such a productive and motivating day. Susan created an environment in which employees took some important risks. I myself learned about how I could interact with them more effectively. Since the retreat, we have made great strides”Mary E. Kitchen, Manager, Dept. of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis
“Susan’s efforts with us these past three years have significantly improved our internal communication and promoted a strong understanding by our employees for effective client service communication techniques.” Geraldine M. Jessup, Assistant Director, California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System