Mar 13 2009
Scientists Managing Scientists
Now this might be one of those times when the title – Scientists Managing Scientists – seems to be an oxymoron, something that is inherently contradictory.
Research scientists – the environment is very individualistic, people are promoted and rewarded for getting papers published or grants awarded. This is frequently as a result of their own efforts or of the results produced by junior staff or PhD students who work for/with them…
At it’s best this can be a meritocracy, more senior staff can mentor and develop aspiring researchers who want to learn the trade of “professional researcher”, an apprenticeship that lasts at least 6 to 9 years.
Along that path of individual accountability there’s a subtle shift.
A researcher acquires or is rewarded with the responsibility for a PhD student or maybe a technician. Maybe a few years later, a junior postdoctoral researcher comes along to be directed and trained, and then you get to the stage where you’re applying for your own grant funding…
It seems to be a surprise that a major part of your role now is not to conduct your own research but to guide others to conduct your research for you.
This slow dawning that you are now a manager reveals a challenge in staff management skills for which few scientists are adequately prepared – but my top resources are below!
Our role models in management almost certainly have had little or no training at all. Some are excellent and supportive managers, others, perhaps a majority, have more haphazard skills in staff management. When it works, it works, when it doesn’t, we just get on with it. A minority of managers should be fired – the science gets done in spite of their inept management style and refusal to change.
The typical length of a research contract is just 3 years and the most important thing to achieve in that time is the publication of your research results – publication almost certainly being dependent upon the support and goodwill of the group leader. It goes without saying that even if a researcher’s experience of their manager is “trying”, most will endure it for just 3 years and the sake of the published paper.
But management skills can be learned, even by research scientists.
There are some excellent management skills workshops and a small number of books which are written specifically with the scientific environment in mind.
If you feel inclined to improve your management skills you could begin by looking at some of the books above – these three have earned their place on my bookshelf! If you choose just one to look at, make it Lab Dynamics…
If you want to improve or develop a wider range of influencing skills I have two more recommendations and “Influence…” by Robert Cialdini would be my “must have” book. Enjoy!
