Jennifer Sasser, PhD Assistant Professor University of Mississippi Medical Center

Outline  Unique issues for trainees in research laboratories  Potential Sources of Conflict  Strategies for Avoiding and Resolving Conflict  Example Scenarios

A laboratory environment is different from other workplaces.  Conflict is inevitable.  Limited Resources  Reagents  Equipment Use  Time  Competition  Within the trainee group  Between the trainee and the mentor  Diversity of Lab Personnel  Cultural differences  Family commitments  Education level  Personal Goals  Limited Training in “soft” skills

So… how do you deal with conflict to maintain a harmonious environment????

Be a Team Player  First, start with yourself  Recognize and respect the needs of others  Know what your own needs and goals are  Be willing to compromise

Focus on “issues” not “people” in the situation  Conflicts can be escalated by clashes in personality  Set a time to rationally discuss issues or behaviors instead of in the middle of a heated argument  Discuss perceptions and motivations that cloud the issues

COMMUNICATE!!!  Talk about problems and address them early.  Don’t let little problems fester  Work together and brainstorm to mutually decide on a best-fit solution.  sign-up sheets for commonly used equipment  rotation schedules for recurring tasks  Again, compromise! You can’t always try to “win”.

COMMUNICATE!!!  Don’t assume that your mentor always knows what you need.  Find out what the expectations are, and set aside time to review your progress  Professional Development  Coursework and Research  Develop an Individual Development Plan (IDP)

Conflict Resolution: How to keep everyone happy!  Sometimes this is impossible!  GET OUT of a toxic situation  It’s OK to move on  Find people who can help  Committee members  Department Chair  Postdoctoral office/Graduate Program Advisor  Human Resources / Ombudsman

 Johnny was a Summer Undergraduate Researcher between soph/jr year, and he had been volunteering in the lab since then to finish up the project he started to get his first publication.  The next summer, he got a paid internship and left MRU City for 10 weeks. A competing lab was working on a similar project, so the PI gave the project to a 4 th year grad student to complete.  When Johnny returned in the Fall, he was dismayed to hear that the paper had already been written and was ready to be submitted with him as 2 nd author and the grad student listed 1 st.

Points to ponder…  Is Johnny justified in his anger?  What should he do?  What if –  A competing lab was performing the same experiments, and the PI assigned the project to avoid being “scooped.”  The graduate student had taught all of the techniques to Johnny and worked closely with him on the project. Also, the student really needed this publication as a requirement for graduation.

 Sally Postdoc asked her advisor to review the aims page for her K99/R00 application.  Her advisor was livid, and threw the page back on Sally’s bench!!! The PI said Sally could not do any of the proposed work, as this project was staying in the PI’s lab. End of discussion!!!  Sally was shocked – she had been completely devoted to this project for 4 years, and the future directions were her own ideas. What was she going to now??? She didn’t have time to get preliminary data and write a proposal on a new topic before the end of the “5 year window.”  As she vented to the Lab Manager, he calmly listened and said that everything would be OK. The same thing happened with the last 2 postdocs in the lab, and now they’re both doing very well.

Could this have been avoided?  No clear plan for independence  Talk about ownership issues early  Develop an IDP and discuss goals  Have a side project  Talk with previous trainees!  Choose your advisors carefully.  Know what to expect, and be prepared. What is the path forward?

Choose your advisor carefully!  Before joining a lab, try to get a picture of what the PI’s management style is like and if that matches your personality.  Will you have a clear set of projects and goals?  What are the PI’s expectations of you?  Is the PI approachable so that you can ask questions and express your feelings?  Once you’re in the lab, try to maintain open communication.  Work with your PI to set goals for your professional development as well as research/coursework milestones.  Review and revise goals - make sure you’re both on the same page regarding your progression in the lab.

Helpful Websites  American Physiological Society - APS/ACDP List of Professional Skills for Physiologists and Trainees  Reports-/Higher-Ed/skills/Personnel-and-Management-Skills Reports-/Higher-Ed/skills/Personnel-and-Management-Skills  Howard Hughes Medical Institute – Lab Management   Mentornet   National Postdoctoral Association  -rcr-toolkit/113-rcr-toolkit-difficult-communication -rcr-toolkit/113-rcr-toolkit-difficult-communication  Science Careers 

Thank you!