Interpersonal Communication

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2003; 67 (4) Article 112.

STATEMENTS Using Supportive Communication to Foster the Department Head/Junior Faculty Relationship

David A. Latif, PhD, MBA

Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University

The quality of the department head/junior faculty relationship is critical to, not only the professional development success of the faculty member and the intrinsic satisfaction of the department head but to the likelihood of the faculty member staying at the institution. A previous study on pharmacy junior faculty satisfaction reported that, in general, junior faculty members are somewhat ambivalent about career satisfaction based on the roles of teaching, scholarship, and service. This paper advocates the incorporation of supportive communication principles into a regularly scheduled personal management interview program between department heads and their junior faculty members. A detailed discussion of how department heads might implement a personal management interview program that incorporates eight principles of supportive communication is provided.

Keywords: Personal management interview, supportive communication, junior faculty members, department heads, Professional development

INTRODUCTION

Surveys consistently reveal that the ability to effectively communicate face-to-face with subordinates is the most critical factor in retaining employees and receiving promotions.1-4 One critical relationship in schools of pharmacy that requires effective communication is the relationship between a department chair and his or her junior faculty members. Simply stated, if junior faculty members are satisfied with the quality of academic life at their institutions they will be less likely to leave. Satisfaction with the quality of academic life is especially important in retaining junior faculty members because of the increased opportunities for pharmacy faculty; both in academia and elsewhere. Since many...