Today I am introducing a multi-part series that discusses the role a research administrator plays in helping new faculty members initiate their research careers. The information in this series comes from a session titled “New Research Faculty and University Research Administrators: Our Role in Initiating Their Research Careers” that I presented at the 2009 Annual meeting of the Society of Research Administrators in Seattle, WA.

So, let’s get started with our first point.

In the business of research, the first role of the administrator is to help stop the new scientist from to making a fatal assumption: That Fatal Assumption is “If you understand the technical work of [an organization], you understand [an organization] that does that technical work.” The E Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber.

Initially your new scientist is apt to be focused on his science and his first grant application. Both are technical in nature. Both are necessary. But, a successful research career involves much more. The first role of the administrator is to help change and direct his focus– from self to others, from technical to entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur? Are you sure? Yes, I am sure. Don’t retreat so quickly. Didn’t the start of our great high tech and pharmaceutical companies start with discoveries?

There are great similarities between a successful business career and one of a research scientist. Both start with cultivating ideas, building teams, and creating systems. And, both start with vision. That’s the lead in to our next point.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, October 22, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

There are many ways to analyze vision, but the ones that I like best involve Identity and Future: who you are and where you are going. Jim Collins and Jerry Porras provide a great description of vision with this perspective in their best selling book “Built to Last.” They speak of complete vision with 3 components:

Core Values,
Purpose, and
Envisioned Future.

Core values are about identity. They come first because everything flows from them. Everything else must align with them. This is true in successful business, research, and life. Your core values are unique to you, and are the same, no matter what you do – research, sales, teach, manage, etc. Examples of core values include: integrity, product excellence, respect and concern for the individual, continuous self-improvement, run lean, and others. There is no one theme to the “ideal” set of core values. What is important however, is the authenticity of the (three to six) values to which you attain. When your core values are true to self, they will not change, even if you change careers. Don’t try and determine what core values you should have. Discover which ones you already hold.

Knowing your core values helps you make decisions. When posed with a question, make sure the possible outcome aligns with your core values. If not, saying no comes easy.

In terms of a research career, core values can act as your internal IRB or IACUC committee. They can tell you who and who not to collaborate with or who to hire. They can tell you how to spend your money, which grant money to accept, and how to remain focused.

Identifying your core values is not a 5 minute assignment. It requires internal reflection. It requires effort. But it is the key to a successful career. And just as important as identifying them, is remembering them. So write them down. Review them. Post them in a place that is visible to your entire research team.

Next we add purpose to our core values.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, October 30, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

What is the purpose of the research scientist?

The second component of vision is purpose. While core values are based on identity, purpose is about the importance of work. The purpose of your new research scientist defines his fundamental reason for existing. A proper understanding of his purpose helps drive desire and is the major motivating force behind his work.

When talking about purpose in the world of research, it is important to look beyond short term goals such as funding, publications, and tenure. Those are goals. Purpose is more idealistic. While goals can be fulfilled, purpose can not. Purpose is pursued. It is a never ending challenge for the scientist. It is a guide that constantly inspires the scientist to change (not in his purpose, and not in his core values, but in ways that create progress towards living according to his purpose.) Real purpose may exceed the life of the scientist.

Collins and Jerry Porras provide examples of purpose that can be found at:

Vision Framework PDF or Core Purpose

The core values and purpose of my company, IT Works, can be found at:

http://www.itworks-inc.com/corevalues-purpose.htm

The initial process of discovering core values and purpose can be quite daunting. The role of the research administrator is to act as a guide as the research scientist undergoes this discovery process. A team effort that includes a more senior faculty/mentor is recommended. Keep in mind that the discovery process will take time. It will require the scientist to take a look under the hood of his soul. And again, remind them to stay authentic. This is a discovery of who the scientist is. It is not about his capabilities or about what he thinks he should value. The end result is the discovery of values and purpose that will not change with time.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, November 5, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

Can the Research Scientist envision the future?

An envisioned future is the third component of vision. Envisioned future is actually represented by two components 1) a BHAG (an abbreviation used by Collins and Porras for a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal”) and 2) a description of the outcome and the by-products realized once the BHAG is completed. While core values are realized today, envisioned future is yet to be realized. It is about fulfilling your purpose.

When considering envisioned future, you need to think impact – in both scale and arena. Scale, as the term BHAG implies, large scale. A BHAG is a goal that will be a major stretch for him. It will force the research scientist to think beyond his current capabilities and will require 10 to 30 years to accomplish. It should not be a sure thing, i.e. there will no guarantee success. By now, the arena should be obvious – in the area of your purpose. One question to ask is, “What goal can be set to advance your life towards your purpose?” Once accomplished, “What it will be like to achieve your BHAG?” This is your description. It may include a description of the journey to the end as well as the end itself. In any case, it needs to create an exciting picture that a team can buy into. It needs to motivate.

Whereas core values and purpose involves identity, envisioning the future is about creation. In years to come, it will give the research scientist something to look back on and say, “WOW!”

Collins and Porras provide examples of BHAGs and Envisioned Future that can be found at:

http://www.bonner.org/resources/modules/modules_pdf/BonCurBHAGS.pdf

After identifying core values, purpose, and the envisioned future, organize and display them in an easy to read document. The following slide is an example from Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras. It illustrates the vision of Merck that was developed in the 1930’s. The vision developed by Merck is also a testimony of how real vision will withstand the test of time. (You can read Built to Last to see a vivid description of Merck’s envisioned future as well as other examples.)

So far, we have considered “what” and “why” questions in our discussions. Next we talk about “how” the research administrator can begin to help the research scientist develop and realize his vision. But before we do, we will stop and look at the relationship between career and personal life and how they impact vision.

Your life is about something bigger than yourself.

Today’s posting is a follow up to the last four. It involves how the research administrator and the research scientist look at themselves and their work. To start with, both need to realize that their work is not their life. This is a point worth repeating. Your work is not your life. I say this because most people, men in particular, never come to this understanding as indicated by numerous studies regarding the traumatic effect of retirement. (See Traumatic Effects of Retirement and Traumatic Stress , The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society for examples.) Many times work becomes the primary focus of one’s life. And as a further result, one’s identity is in their work. Aside from the numerous relational, mental, and physical health issues that stem from this belief, it is detrimental to creating and following through with a complete vision.

Remember, complete vision is a very, very big thing. There will be setbacks along the way to completing it. If one’s identity is tied to his work, the research scientist is more apt to be taken out by these setbacks. More importantly, because of its scale, the research scientist will be just one of many individuals contributing to his vision. Fulfilling the complete vision requires the intentional integration of the unique talents and abilities of many lives in a purposeful manner.

The research scientist needs to understand the multiple aspects of his life (he is likely to have a family, etc. as well) and his unique roll in each one. And, 1) that the different parts of his life are at least partially dependent on one another. And 2) that other areas of his life are likely more important than his research. Neglecting one area will adversely affect another. When developing the requirements of his vision, the research scientist must factor in the time commitments of his personal life. Otherwise, both are apt to be thwarted. This brings us to one of life’s great struggles. On one hand our world today needs people fulfilling big visions. On the other is the need to balance home and office requirements. When faced with this struggle, the research scientist (and the rest of us) is often quick to search for what the world needs and then try and do that. This mistake can easily lead to a career that under utilizes his unique gifting and abilities – one that ends in frustration. So make sure the research scientist keeps his vision in line with his life.

We finish today with a quote out of John Eldredge’s book Wild at Heart. You may find it worthwhile to pass it on to your new scientist as he contemplates his vision.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Posted by Jim Wrenn, November 19 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

How Research Administrators Help Research Scientists Build their Complete Vision

The past three articles have identified the components needed to help build a complete vision for a new research scientist. Today we discuss how the research administrator works with him to accomplish this task. The quick answer is A) by example and B) up close and personal.

By example requires the research administrator to not only have a complete vision for themselves, administrative team, and their entire department, but to also live by it.

If you don’t have one, identifying and developing it is the first place to start. A document by Jim Collins that provides an excellent tool with exercises to follow to help guide you through the process can be found at:

http://www.jimcollins.com/tools/vision-framework.pdf

If you have completed a similar exercise in the past and have defined your vision, then ask yourself the question – how well do I live by it? To answer this question, take a look at the level of passion you and your staff bring to your office everyday. And, quiz your staff. Do they know it?

Up close and personal requires getting into the life of the new scientist. You want to display an authentic life style. This will help build trust which will in turn invite the administrator as part of their team. As an active team member, administrator can take on more management responsibilities, freeing the research scientist to utilize their unique abilities in achieving their BHAG.

Louise Peterson at Columbia University is a good example of a research administrator who has accomplished this feat. She is not just a research administrator, but has become an active member of a research team led by Dr. Martin Chalfie, her department chairman. The team has been incredibly successful. So successful, that Dr. Chalfie was presented with a Nobel Prize for Chemistry last December. While Dr Chalfie received most of the credit, Louise was rewarded for her part on the team with a trip to Stockholm when Dr. Chalfie delivered his Nobel Lecture.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, December 3, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

Our last article looked at “how” a research administrator can help a research scientist discover and develop a complete vision. We talked about displaying an authentic life style in order to build trust. I would call this a personal investment on the part of the research administrator. The importance of this cannot be understated. It is only through the door of trust that you can begin to understand the scientist’s past and personality. And, an understanding of both is critical when identifying core values and purpose.

Building trust is somewhat mysterious in that there is no set formula for it. There is time involved, but also comparisons to other people in the life of the scientist. Do you know who you are being compared too? The most likely answer includes the scientist himself and key people in his past. These people will have had varying degrees of trustworthiness. You are also likely to be compared to institutions. For example, one of the jobs of most administrators is to provide financial information or statements about ongoing research budgets to the scientist. Do you know who else in his life performs a similar function? Most likely, it is a bank. While the reputations of banks have taken a severe hit recently, they do a remarkable job in delivering accurate financial statements in a timely manner. How many times have your bank statements been late? How many times have they contained errors? How would your scientists compare their experiences with their bank statements to their research accounting reports? We will discuss this more in a future article.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, December 10, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

As previously stated, complete vision should remain constant throughout the career of the research scientist. While we are discussing how to help initiate a research career, we want to develop a picture of where we are going long term. And, we want to develop a framework that supports our vision. To help with this task, we have divided the career of a research scientist into four practical stages. These stages involve the different levels of phases of the management of both people and finances.

One of the first steps in launching a career as a research scientist involves acquiring and managing funding for the scientist’s salary and capital equipment if necessary. While initially departmental funds may be the primary source, it is important to find other sources quickly. If departmental funds are used, it is important to track and manage their use against a set budget. This means providing financial statements regarding their remaining balance and usage.

This is a good place to both apply knowledge of the researcher’s past and prepare for managing future funding. If you have to make an assumption, assume the new scientist has limited financial management skills. Our recent national debt problems are evidence that a significant percentage of the general population lacks sufficient financial management skills. The average American carries $10K in credit card debit – and research scientists are just like everyone else. So start with simple summary reports that include encumbrances or commitments of personnel costs for predefined time periods. Then, teach the scientist how to interpret them.

The next three stages in the career of the research scientist involve more people and more money. Stage two involves creating a team. Stage three involves generating a steady flow of funding for the team. Stage four is about creating a research enterprise. This final phase includes reproducing leadership, accomplishing the BHAG, and creating an enterprise that can operate beyond the life of the scientist.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, December 17, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com

In the last article we began to develop the concept of team building as an important part of the career of a research scientist. Today I want to make a point about team building. It needs to be an intentional process. Long lasting teams do not come together by accident. And, they can be very easily broken apart. In fact, statistics show that the majority of teams do not survive for extended periods of time.

It is important for the research scientist to understand that he must be intentional not only in building his team, but in taking measures to develop it and keep it in tack. It is difficult to accomplish a BHAG or fulfill a vision when you are constantly rebuilding a team. This concept takes us back to what we discussed in the opening article of this series. To keep the team in tack, the scientist must stay “others focused.”

Posted by Jim Wrenn, January 7, 2010, blogger@itworks-inc.com

Last week, we presented some rather dismal statistics regarding team breakups. Today, we present the good news – team breakups can be prevented. The fact is that most team breakups result from one of two issues – lack of character and/or financial mismanagement. Examples of the both issues have filled the news last year in almost every arena of life.

Character issues also tend to fall into two areas – sex and what I call the “jerk factor.” I think the first is obvious to everyone. The second describes the personality of a person who constantly alienates practically everyone around him. (While I would consider greed a character problem, it doesn’t necessarilyy cause team breakups unless it is combined with other financial mismanagement reasons.)

I sincerely hope that you will seek to be proactive in your administration– choosing wisely team members who have unquestionable integrity and living up to that characteristic for your self as well. Posted by Jim Wrenn, January 14, 2010, blogger@itworks-inc.com

Our last article looked at “how” a research administrator can help a research scientist discover and develop a complete vision. We talked about displaying an authentic life style in order to build trust. I would call this a personal investment on the part of the research administrator. The importance of this cannot be understated. It is only through the door of trust that you can begin to understand the scientist’s past and personality. And, an understanding of both is critical when identifying core values and purpose.

Building trust is somewhat mysterious in that there is no set formula for it. There is time involved, but also comparisons to other people in the life of the scientist. Do you know who you are being compared too? The most likely answer includes the scientist himself and key people in his past. These people will have had varying degrees of trustworthiness. You are also likely to be compared to institutions. For example, one of the jobs of most administrators is to provide financial information or statements about ongoing research budgets to the scientist. Do you know who else in his life performs a similar function? Most likely, it is a bank. While the reputations of banks have taken a severe hit recently, they do a remarkable job in delivering accurate financial statements in a timely manner. How many times have your bank statements been late? How many times have they contained errors? How would your scientists compare their experiences with their bank statements to their research accounting reports? We will discuss this more in a future article.

Posted by Jim Wrenn, December 10, 2009, blogger@itworks-inc.com