Finding Your Voice in Challenging Workplace Conversations (Series Begins Jan. 13, 2027)

For this webinar series, participants will automatically be enrolled in all 5 sessions.

Speaker

Lisa MacDonald, M.Ed., Founder, Lisa MacDonald Consulting, LLC

Description

This interactive webinar series focuses on real-time situations and conflicts that educators are currently navigating in their workplaces. Participants are invited to consider how they would respond in complex, often uncomfortable moments involving supervisors, colleagues, student issues, or families. Using a structured approach, the series explores how to notice and name challenges, identify internal barriers, clarify what is within one’s control, and align responses with professional values. Throughout the 10 weeks, you’ll be able to provide your own (anonymous) questions, concerns, and scenarios focused on gaining practical language, decision-making skills, and responding in real time. 

This series is a re-offering of a previously delivered webinar that received strong feedback. Due to the similarity in structure and content, it is not recommended for individuals who have participated in prior sessions with the presenter.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must attend all 5 sessions, either live or via the recording, and successfully pass a quiz following Session 5. Within 24 hours of the live webinar, registrants will be emailed a link to view the recorded webinar. The recording will be made available for 7 days after each session.

We begin by helping participants explore how their values, roles, and internal narratives shape their approach to difficult conversations. This session builds self-awareness and encourages participants to reflect on why certain interactions feel particularly hard. You’ll gain clarity about your communication style and how to stay grounded when the stakes are high.

This session helps participants understand how bias, assumptions, and past experiences influence their perception of difficult people and situations. We’ll explore tools to move from frustration to curiosity and shift from reaction to reflection. The goal is to increase clarity in how we interpret others, and ourselves, when tensions rise.

In this session, we’ll focus on language and strategies to communicate clearly, respectfully, and confidently, even when we’re unsure how it’ll be received. We’ll explore how to respond to uncomfortable comments, set boundaries, and handle pushback. Tools like bystander intervention, email tone management, and intent vs. impact are featured.

Individuals often navigate conversations complicated by power dynamics, egos, or unclear expectations. This session offers strategies for staying composed and confident when dealing with authority figures, colleagues, or tense team dynamics. You’ll learn how to assess risk, name your concerns, and speak up without losing your voice.

Our final session helps participants sustain their confidence and keep showing up with clarity, even when conversations feel polarizing or unresolved. We’ll explore how to say no without guilt, hold boundaries with care, and stay motivated when things don’t change overnight. This is also a space to revisit participant-submitted scenarios and build personalized takeaways.

About the Speaker
Lisa MacDonald, M.Ed.

Lisa MacDonald, M.Ed., (she/her) is the Associate Dean of Equity Assurance at MassBay Community College. As a member of the College’s President’s Office, she provides ongoing education on harassment and discrimination prevention, serves as an investigator for harassment and discrimination complaints, and is co-chairing the College’s Review of Policies and Procedures. Prior to arriving at MassBay, Lisa was primarily in Student Affairs at small private institutions where she served as the Director of Residence Life at Babson College (2006-2012) and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Director of Student Conduct at Curry College (2012-2018). Passionate about creating positive relationships and fostering confidence in others, Lisa has her own training and development company, where she provides schools and organizations with training, coaching, and best practices on how to engage in difficult conversations and gain confidence in conflict. She resides in Natick, Mass., with her husband and daughter.

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.

 

Register

FREE
MEMBER PRICING
Register Now

All sessions are 9:30 am – 11:30 am

  • Session 1: January 13, 2027, Who Am I In This Conversation?
  • Session 2: January 27, 2027, Why Do I See It That Way?
  • Session 3: February 10, 2027, How Do I Say It? 
  • Session 4: February 24, 2027, What’s Mine, What’s Theirs, and What Gets In the Way?
  • Session 5: March 10, 2027, What’s Left?