Biophysical Society Bulletin | November 2020

Career Development

The Importance of Leadership within the Lab and Workplace Q: Dear Molly Cule,

Leadership. As I briefly mentioned, there are many different lead- ership and organizational models. In academia, for example, we often observe hierarchical research groupmodels in which the PI is the head and directs the work of labmanagers, research scien- tists, postdocs, graduate students, and all the other labmembers. There are advantages and disadvantages to these frameworks that you should consider carefully as you set up your lab. Amodel that works well for a more senior or established faculty member may not necessarily work very well for an incoming junior faculty member. Youmay want to discuss your ideas with several other PIs to determine what works well in their cases and what does not. Teamwork. Early on in your career, be sure to establish norms for collaboration as the head of your research group. Since projects are often interrelated, model good ways for your mentees to share and teach each other important methodologies, while still working on their independent projects. Establish a culture in which regular group and individual meetings, journal clubs, etc. are informative and considered important aspects of the research process. Keep inmind that for collaborative projects or in cases where students are co-advised by other PIs, your established hierarchies may shift a little, so remember to remain flexible and adaptable. Do not forget to create occasional socialization oppor- tunities to build up team spirit within your group. Collaborative problem solving. Encourage all labmembers to actively participate in brainstorming to produce ideas for tackling issues that arise regarding lab operation or individual research projects. This goes hand in hand with the concept of teamwork. Project, time, and budget management. To encourage lab members to be successful and productive, demonstrate a proper balance between time management and productivity to prevent burn out. Avoidmicromanaging your mentees, it is unproductive for both you and for them. However, if individual members are not pulling their weight, do not hesitate to step in and offer guidance. To encourage teamwork, as stated earlier, maintain a set meet- ing schedule, and try not to inundate your mentees with overly frequent meetings. As newmembers join your lab, outline the current ongoing projects and procedures, keeping inmind that, although people work on individual projects and have different interests, they all add to knowledge across the board. This will keep your lab in line with an open flow of communication and information. Finally, be sure to provide your labmembers clear di- rection on the allocation of resources within the lab to keep them informed and engaged in running the lab. Conflict resolution. In any group or organization, conflicts are

I am inmy final year as a postdoc and recently accepted a tenure-track faculty position. Over the course of my graduate education and postdoc, I have experienced some hardships and failures in leadership by my PIs that I would like to avoid when I begin leading my own lab.

My postdoc mentor was particularly difficult. He expected his stu- dents and postdocs to be at work very early every morning and to work late into the evening. We were expected to work on week- ends as well. We had no opportunities to offer feedback or make suggestions, and no centralized office that dealt with postdoc- toral affairs at my institution. We all constantly felt overwhelmed, overworked, and burned out. When I spoke to postdocs in other labs at my institution, they did not have the same experience. This brings me tomy question. As I embark onmy new career as a junior faculty member, how do I lead a productive research group that maintains high standards without over-taxing my students and postdocs? I do not want to replicate the experiences I had, so how do I become a goodmentor without relaxing expec- tations of quality work? What skills do I need to develop as I move to leading my own group? —Respectfully, Learning t’Lead A: Dear Learning, First, congratulations on your new position! I am sure this success comes after many years of hard work and tireless dedication. The question you ask is an important one; a question that many junior faculty members attempt to answer at their respective institu- tions. There are several appropriate ways to lead a group in order to create a collaborative work environment, one where everyone feels that they have a stake in the success of the group and feel empowered to speak up if things are not working well. Most good leadership relies on some key factors, which I will describe. Effective communication. One hallmark of good leadership is clear and open communication. Remember, this goes both ways: You need to simultaneously speak well and listen well. It is important to establish an environment in your group in which open communication is encouraged. Labmembers should be able to express their needs and concerns both openly and respectfully. Help themunderstand that they can approach you directly and do your part to provide clear instructions and constructive feedback.

November 2020

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