Students are often under financial, professional and personal pressure, and this can be reflected in their behaviour towards staff. University staff find themselves worrying about coping with strong emotion, challenging behaviour and noncompliance. In this 3-hour online workshop, we will examine approaches to managing student behaviour supportively and collaboratively, while maintaining an appropriate environment for learning and teaching support. 

Programme:

Problems and Principles

• Intros: I hate it when…
• Chat: listening debrief
• Talk: categorisation and summary
• Chat: Discussion: reasons for behaviour
• Group work: Advocacy
• Debrief: Good general principles
• Talk: Starting well—the 3 S’s

We start with an exercise which makes clear why people can sometimes behave badly, and establishes values for a good conflict-free approach. Having established basic values, the course goes on to look at potential areas of conflict between the client and the librarian. First, we look at beginnings – what kind of environment the student encounters when entering the library in terms of layout, signage, and other signals. This leads into a discussion about effective voice and body language for creating a positive encounter

Practical Techniques

• Group work: delivering criticism
• Chat: cultural differences
• Group work: dealing with strong emotion
• Debrief: defusing situations
• Talk: shutting down encounter—gears
• Chat: finishing gracefully—dessert/coffee

Next, we look at how to successfully deliver difficult information, e.g. criticism for talking in the library. In a series of exercises we look at delivery of ‘clean communication’ to get willing compliance from the library-user. After a short session on cultural differences in communication, we go on to see how to defuse strong emotion and complaints. Only then do we go on to a method to use when positive resolution is impossible: the gears technique. The day finishes with a quick look at ‘closing’ techniques: how to end encounters which are going on too long.

““Brilliant session, I laughed a lot and had such a fantastic time, I would happily attend another one of these”. Attendee, November 2025

“A fantastic session! Really appreciated that the suggestions and discussions were grounded in reality, rather than theoretical”. Attendee, November 2025

Trainer:

Ash Charlton, Creative Director at Ace Training, has been delivering useful and enjoyable training courses for over 20 years.  His clients include universities, charities, local authorities, central government and the UN. He specialises in ‘people skills’ such as Customer Care, Empowering Staff, Emotional Intelligence, Time Management, Diversity and Cultural Awareness – for a complete list, go to www.acetrainingcourses.co.uk.

Information for joining:

• This session is virtual and will run via Zoom. Once your booking has been confirmed, joining instructions will be emailed the day before the event.
• Electronic CPD attendance certificates can be provided on request. Please request via cpd25@london.ac.uk

Cost
£25 members
£50 for other institutions.

Cancellations less than one week before the event will be charged a 50% cancellation fee. In the event of a ‘no-show’ on the day, the full fee will be charged.

To book a place, please use our online booking form. Remember to include a purchase order number if required for payment.