Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves - Howard Hughes ...
Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves - Howard Hughes ... Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves - Howard Hughes ...
Chapter 2 Obtaining Support and Assembling a Planning Team Types of Planning Teams Ideally, you will be able to form a core group of four to six people to help you plan the training and additional people who are willing to be speakers or organize specific sessions. You want to have enough heads and hands to spread the load reasonably but not so many that you jeopardize easy communication and decision making during the planning process. A small group may not be feasible, though, if you want to make sure all the necessary voices are heard. But even if you start with a large group, overcrowded calendars and waning interest may result in attrition, leaving a smaller, more manageable, and committed core group to take charge. In addition to or in lieu of a core planning team, some organizers recruit a group—faculty or others—to review and refine the planning team’s program or to contribute more directly to specific details of the training. This group can be much larger than the core planning group to allow for greater input and involvement. A Multilayered Planning Team Senior-Level Advisers Lend Credibility “Start with a core planning group of no more than five, including a chair, and others who are committed to launching this type of program. This small executive planning group has to be agile. It can set the timeline—the strategic planning needed to get the event ready—then decide who else to bring in for a second group, as an advisory committee. An advisory committee is a wonderful way to get buy-in from others. It’s also a good idea to identify a point person for the program, such as a director to coordinate responses to all questions.” —Joan Lakoski, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine “At UCSF we assembled a team of senior administrators and faculty who were well known for running well-managed research labs to serve as our advisory panel. We included the names of our advisory panel on most advertisements for the course. I think this gave a lot of credibility to the course early on.” —Samara Reck-Peterson, University of California–San Francisco Working with the Planning Team Once you have put together a planning team, you will have to clarify people’s roles and responsibilities, determine who has final decision-making authority, and decide how you will communicate with each other about expectations, the planning schedule, and deadlines. You will need to apply all your project management skills to keep the team on track. Lots of lists, a detailed timeline, and calendars with reminders will help. COLLABORATING WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION Partners help ease the load in terms of both labor and funds. They can also bring complementary resources, insights, and talents to the table that will enrich the presentations, allow for cross-disciplinary interactions, and give trainees amplified opportunities to listen, practice, and learn. On the downside, collaborations can raise issues of turf and primacy. Nevertheless, experienced planners agree that, on balance, the potential benefits of collaborations outweigh the possible drawbacks. 17
“” At a Glance QA Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves If you are at a small professional society, joining forces with another society can be a great way to increase the number of participants and networking opportunities, without having to duplicate the infrastructure needed to provide the training. Similarly, if two universities are located close to one another, a collaboration can turn a potential competition into something that will benefit trainees at both institutions. Chapter One Sensible Ground Rules for Productive Collaborations Regardless of whether you collaborate with a single organization or form a consortium with several, keep the following points in mind: At a Glance Choose your collaborators carefully. Make sure you have similar goals and aspirations for the project. When approaching an institution that already has a well-established program, be aware that it might not want to be a formal partner, but it might be willing to help you in an advisory capacity. You also want to make sure that your collaborator has buy-in from his or her organization’s leadership. You may want to begin small and test the effectiveness of a collaboration on a small event, then progress to a larger one. Get them involved early on. Try to identify and involve your collaborators as early as possible in the planning process, so that they don’t feel left out of the initial decisions. Ideally, they should work with you on the initial proposal. Define roles early and clearly. Outline each collaborator’s role and respect those boundaries. It’s important that collaborating partners agree about expectations and know about deadlines well ahead of time. Be open to what your collaborators have to offer. If collaborators don’t have comparable financial resources, they might be able to share costs in kind (e.g., one provides facilities and another covers catering). Put everything that is important in writing. Tacit expectations can trip you up at any stage. After each discussion, summarize in writing what you agreed on and distribute the document to all parties involved with the planning and financial support of the project. Be willing to compromise. Once you accept that you cannot control all decisions, it is easier to know when to concede gracefully and when to stand firm. Keep in mind that different organizations often have different administrative policies and programmatic priorities. Be frank with your collaborators about the matters on which you can compromise and those you cannot. Don’t be too controlling. Include your collaborators on all correspondence. Seek their advice and try to incorporate their suggestions. 18 Keep careful financial records. This is essential when collaborators share expenses, particularly when they don’t have equal access to financial resources.
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Chapter 2 Obtaining Support and Assembling a Planning Team<br />
Types of Planning Teams<br />
Ideally, you will be able <strong>to</strong> form a core group of four <strong>to</strong> six people <strong>to</strong> help<br />
you plan <strong>the</strong> training and additional people who are willing <strong>to</strong> be speakers<br />
or organize specific sessions. You want <strong>to</strong> have enough heads and hands <strong>to</strong><br />
spread <strong>the</strong> load reasonably but not so many that you jeopardize easy communication<br />
and decision making during <strong>the</strong> planning process. A small group<br />
may not be feasible, though, if you want <strong>to</strong> make sure all <strong>the</strong> necessary<br />
voices are heard. But even if you start with a large group, overcrowded calendars<br />
and waning interest may result in attrition, leaving a smaller, more<br />
manageable, and committed core group <strong>to</strong> take charge.<br />
In addition <strong>to</strong> or in lieu of a core planning team, some organizers recruit a<br />
group—faculty or o<strong>the</strong>rs—<strong>to</strong> review and refine <strong>the</strong> planning team’s program<br />
or <strong>to</strong> contribute more directly <strong>to</strong> specific details of <strong>the</strong> training. This<br />
group can be much larger than <strong>the</strong> core planning group <strong>to</strong> allow for greater<br />
input and involvement.<br />
A Multilayered<br />
Planning Team<br />
Senior-Level Advisers<br />
Lend Credibility<br />
“Start with a core planning group of no more than five, including a chair, and o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
who are committed <strong>to</strong> launching this type of program. This small executive planning<br />
group has <strong>to</strong> be agile. It can set <strong>the</strong> timeline—<strong>the</strong> strategic planning needed <strong>to</strong><br />
get <strong>the</strong> event ready—<strong>the</strong>n decide who else <strong>to</strong> bring in for a second group, as an advisory<br />
committee. An advisory committee is a wonderful way <strong>to</strong> get buy-in from o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
It’s also a good idea <strong>to</strong> identify a point person for <strong>the</strong> program, such as a direc<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong><br />
coordinate responses <strong>to</strong> all questions.”<br />
—Joan Lakoski, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine<br />
“At UCSF we assembled a team of senior administra<strong>to</strong>rs and faculty who were well<br />
known for running well-managed research labs <strong>to</strong> serve as our advisory panel. We<br />
included <strong>the</strong> names of our advisory panel on most advertisements for <strong>the</strong> course. I<br />
think this gave a lot of credibility <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> course early on.”<br />
—Samara Reck-Peterson, University of California–San Francisco<br />
Working with <strong>the</strong> Planning Team<br />
Once you have put <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r a planning team, you will have <strong>to</strong> clarify people’s<br />
roles and responsibilities, determine who has final decision-making<br />
authority, and decide how you will communicate with each o<strong>the</strong>r about<br />
expectations, <strong>the</strong> planning schedule, and deadlines. You will need <strong>to</strong> apply<br />
all your project management skills <strong>to</strong> keep <strong>the</strong> team on track. Lots of lists, a<br />
detailed timeline, and calendars with reminders will help.<br />
COLLABORATING WITH<br />
ANOTHER ORGANIZATION<br />
Partners help ease <strong>the</strong> load in terms of both labor and funds. They can also<br />
bring complementary resources, insights, and talents <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> table that will<br />
enrich <strong>the</strong> presentations, allow for cross-disciplinary interactions, and give<br />
trainees amplified opportunities <strong>to</strong> listen, practice, and learn. On <strong>the</strong> downside,<br />
collaborations can raise issues of turf and primacy. Never<strong>the</strong>less, experienced<br />
planners agree that, on balance, <strong>the</strong> potential benefits of collaborations<br />
outweigh <strong>the</strong> possible drawbacks.<br />
17