AGILE LANGUAGE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION: Navigating Crisis and Change

Although most language program administrators (LPAs) are not formally trained to deal with crises that arise in programs they oversee, responding to complex situations is a normal part of the work that LPAs do. Drawing on insights from organizational development, this chapter offers a conceptual framework for understanding change and crisis management in LPA work. At the center of the discussion is the construct of organizational agility, the ability to discern and adapt to changes efficiently and effectively. To deal with change in the workplace, the agility framework encourages leaders to cultivate three areas in their work: psychological safety, decision-making, and a culture of sharing and experimenting with others. To illustrate these principles, two short vignettes representing complex situations that LPAs may encounter at different levels of influence are presented: one global and unanticipated, as seen in the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the other local and intended in the context of revamping collegiate language curricula. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research on how LPAs can navigate and respond to change where appropriate.