The Batten School Launches First Executive Education Course

CHARLOTTESVILLE — When it comes to working and making progress with people who may disagree with you, Professor Gabrielle Adams has your back. A social psychologist who conducts research on interpersonal dynamics and ethical leadership, Adams joined Batten in 2017. In just a year, she has made her mark with her Foundations of Behavioral Science course. This fall, she and a team of Batten colleagues will offer a new course for both students and business professionals interested in how to overcome work division and conflict, and make progress on even the most divisive issues. The course, titled “Making Progress in a Conflicted World: Navigating Disputes, Disagreements, and Divisions,” is the first Executive Education course offered by the Batten School.

On her new course, Adams said: “We’re excited to launch a new course about how to overcome divisions and resolve conflict. Whether we’re talking about office politics, political disagreement, or international conflict, being able to reach across the aisle is an important skill. We aim to lead the conversation in this space. The world-class Batten faculty have put together an engaging, evidence-based course that can teach concrete practical skills such as influence, bargaining, and conflict resolution. This course represents Batten’s foray into making Batten research and teaching accessible to a broader public audience.”

The weekend-long course will take place from Saturday, Nov. 10 to Sunday, Nov. 11 at Garrett Hall, home of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Over two days, participants will discuss the dynamics that result when people with conflicting viewpoints are brought together. This evidence-based workshop draws on research from social psychology, public policy, leadership, management, and organizational behavior. As a group, participants will explore the psychological and behavioral underpinnings of disagreement with an eye toward making progress on dilemmas ranging from interpersonal problems at work to public policy problems in developing countries.

Other professors and researchers who will lead sessions of the course include Eileen Chou, Ben Converse, Noah Myung, Andy Pennock, and Sophie Trawalter. Individuals interested in the course can register through Eventbrite.