UA News

The University of Arizona ADVANCE distinguished speaker will be Deborah Kolb, Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Professor for Women and Leadership at Simmons College.

Negotiation is a critical skill in academia; it is one of the ways the system works. When a woman faculty member fails to negotiate for what she needs to be successful, the potential for the accumulation of disadvantage magnifies. This is true for faculty members early in their careers and for more senior faculty members who need to negotiate to be successful in leadership roles.

Research suggests that women faculty members are often less likely than their male colleagues to negotiate for what they need, in part because they do not recognize the opportunities to negotiate, and also because they can meet resistance when they do so. To be successful in negotiations requires clarity about what can be negotiated. However, more goes on in a negotiation than the debate over terms of the agreement. As we bargain over issues, a parallel discussion – or shadow negotiation – is taking place simultaneously. The shadow negotiation is where relationships, perceptions of power and control, and hidden agendas are most likely to surface. 

Working from case examples drawn from a variety of settings, Kolb will help participants develop practical skills for managing the shadow negotiation in ways that promote their interests and those of the University.