GRADUATE ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR RESOURCES
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Graduate Assistant (GA) Supervisor Guide: Strategies for proactively addressing challenges and conflicts |
Resolving Conflict: Proactively addressing challenges early is an essential skill for Graduate Assistant supervisors. Research shows that conflict is a normal part of supervisory relationships and, when managed constructively, can strengthen communication, accountability, and professional growth. By creating space for open dialogue and addressing concerns proactively, supervisors can turn potential challenges into opportunities for learning and collaboration.
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Core Practices for Supervisors:
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Recognize and Address the Nature of Conflict in Supervisory Relationships
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- Acknowledge conflict as normal and inevitable in supervisor–graduate assistant relationships due to role differences, power imbalances, and differing perspectives
- Identify implicit (hidden) conflicts early, such as disengagement, silence, emotional tension, or resistance
- Understand conflict types/ categories and conflict management styles
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Manage Conflict Proactively to Promote Growth and Collaboration
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Promote constructive, explicit dialogue by creating safe spaces for open discussion, feedback, and disagreement before tensions escalate
- Transform conflict into learning opportunities, using guided discussion to strengthen problem-solving skills, accountability, and professional development
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Monitor and intervene thoughtfully, maintaining regular check-in meetings while ensuring updates on the written expectations
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Quick GA Supervisor Checklist:
Regular Supervisor-Supervisee Meetings
Problem-Solving Skills
Letter of Understanding (Written Expectations)
Clear & Open Communication
Reference Resource:
McGill University Graduate and Postdoctoral Support offer practical advice for supervisors for resolving conflicts. It defines conflict in the context of supervisor-supervisee relationships, explains different categories, and provides strategies for coping with conflict when it emerges.
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