Characterisitics of Effective Teagle Scholars

“It's difficult to know why it [the CILA approach] works. . . . It’s more a matter of knowing how rather than knowing that.”  –Kent Linville of Oxford College

We reviewed the feedback we have received from site visits and workshops since January 2010. We pulled out the most common themes about how Teagle Scholars are effective. In other words, these are specific things we do that people say are effective and have an impact when we work with them.

• Using a conversational style
• Asking good questions
• Being an active, careful listener
• Being a good observer and reading the verbal and nonverbal cues to learn about how a campus works 
• Using a down-to-earth, low-key, mild-mannered, friendly style 
• Being nonjudgmental, nonthreatening, nonconfrontational, and sensitive, particularly when delivering unfavorable news/data 
• Being approachable with a "we're here to help" attitude
• Being open to questions and making people feel comfortable asking questions
• Addressing faculty and other constituencies with their interests in mind; crafting messages to fit the audience 
• Being well prepared—showing an institution you are familiar with it and focused on it
• Challenging assumptions, but in a polite and supportive way
• Being diplomatic and polite even in the face of skepticism, hostility, etc. 
• Keeping things politely on track, even as others digress 
• Providing direct and candid feedback and ideas
• Using the power of being an outsider; saying things that sometimes folks on campus can’t