Academia in Motion: ‘Trying to do everything yourself is inefficient’
A stronger focus on personal talents and team science. ‘Stop searching for those elusive hen’s teeth: they’d only get in the way’, says Professor Laura Heitman about Academia in Motion. ‘It’s unrealistic to excel in everything.’
Laura Heitman is Professor of Molecular Pharmacology at the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR). For her, Academia in Motion means: ‘Showing how diverse our university community can be and valuing all our unique talents.’
How does unique talent relate to quality in academic work?
‘For me, quality means doing good work in the area where your talent lies. That applies on all fronts: teaching, research and leadership. If you’re a lecturer, quality means being a good teacher who motivates students. You also need to be willing to adapt if you find your teaching methods no longer resonate with today’s generation of students. You have to keep innovating.
‘For managers, it involves balancing these three areas and accepting that people are better at some things than others. Having the right mix of talents and qualities in your team is essential for an effective organisation.’
‘Having the right mix of talents and qualities in your team is essential for an effective organisation.’
How do you ensure everyone’s talents are used to the fullest?
‘By looking beyond the number of publications or the amount of research funding someone brings in. Coaching people and making sure they’re in the right place may be less visible, but it’s equally valuable. It’s not enough to secure lots of funding if you’re unable to create a safe environment, for example.
‘Staff shouldn’t be expected to excel in everything. That’s completely unrealistic. We’re constantly searching for those elusive hen’s teeth: they’d only get in the way. Trying to do everything yourself is inefficient. It’s far better to bring different people together who can work as a team. I firmly believe in team science: doing science together rather than as individuals. The term is still in its infancy, though; at the moment, it’s mostly words that still need to be translated into actions.’
How are you putting this into action within your own team?
‘One of my team members excels in teaching. I’ve worked hard to ensure he can progress on a teaching pathway. He’s great at linking teaching and research and has a much better “educational compass”. I’m open about that and am not afraid to say so.
‘I’ve also sat down with my team to look at everyone’s talents. Ideally, you complement one another in those three areas. If too many people have a similar profile, you’re bound to end up with gaps.’
If you reflect on quality: what are we good at and what could be improved?
‘I think the quality of our staff is great across all areas. We’re really good at finding the right people. But we could do better at recognising and rewarding their talents. We all agree that we need good, energetic and motivated lecturers, but as soon as you suggest they should also have opportunities for promotion, you hear “That’s not possible because they don’t bring in research income.”’
‘People who currently make decisions tend to have quite traditional views. They see things differently.’
What else in the university’s systems needs to change?
‘People who currently make decisions tend to have quite traditional views. They see things differently. That’s something we really need to think about: how do we bring people with different perspectives into leadership roles, perspectives that are better aligned with a diverse organisation, today’s society and the way we work today.’
Imagine one of your children wants to work in academia. What do you hope will have changed by then?
‘I hope we will no longer be having the man-woman discussion. I’d also like to see space at the beginning of someone’s career for a conversation about their talents and how they want to develop them. This would prevent them from getting stuck further down the line.’
What can team leaders do right now? Laura’s tips:
- Look closely at your team’s talents. Not everyone needs to excel in research, teaching, and leadership.
- Discuss with your team where each person’s strengths lie. We don’t all need to aim for the same profile.
- Create space for different career paths.
- Encourage collaboration rather than competition. Team science thrives on complementary talents.
How we’re setting Academia in Motion at Leiden University
This interview is part of a series highlighting the various actions colleagues are taking to support culture change at Leiden University. Together we are becoming an open knowledge community, closely connected to society, that recognises and rewards everyone’s contribution to our strategic goals. Curious? Visit the Academia in Motion website.
Text: Margriet van der Zee