Responsible
2010 Vitae Researcher Development Framework
descriptor B1.6
- What is responsibility?
- Why is responsibility important?
- How can you develop responsibility?
What is responsibility?
Responsibility means owning your actions, developing independence, and effectively delegating tasks. It also involves prioritising the well-being of others in your team or research environment.
Why is responsibility important?
As your research career advances, your responsibilities will naturally expand. Initially, you may focus on managing your own projects and well-being, but over time, you’ll take on roles that require managing broader research programmes and supporting research teams.
The 2008 Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers outlines key responsibilities that researchers can expect to hold. Researchers are responsible for:
- advancing knowledge and developing independent, honest, and critical thinking
- sharing knowledge to benefit their institution, society, and the economy
- upholding ethical standards in conducting and disseminating research
- planning their careers by identifying skills and training needed to reach their goals.
For those leading research groups, the responsibilities grow further. Beyond delivering research outputs, research leaders are expected to secure funding, provide intellectual leadership, manage their teams, and foster the well-being and professional growth of their team members.
Well-being at work is crucial to long-term health and productivity. Workplace pressures—such as tight deadlines, complex tasks, and high expectations—can erode well-being if not managed effectively. Today, understanding and supporting team members’ well-being is an essential part of any manager’s role.
How can you develop responsibility?
Clarify expectations
Ensure you know what is expected of you in your role, both from your institution and any research funders. Seek feedback from academic and administrative colleagues, or consult your HR or staff development department for guidance and training.
Embrace autonomy
True responsibility comes with autonomy; being accountable requires having the freedom to make decisions. Reflect on whether you have sufficient autonomy to fully meet your responsibilities. If not, discuss with your line manager how this can be enhanced.
Refine your management style
If your team members hesitate to take responsibility, it could stem from micromanagement or unclear delegation. Avoid hovering over every decision; instead, delegate tasks clearly and give your team room to make independent choices, offering guidance only when necessary. This builds their confidence and shows them that their contributions are valued.
Prioritise the wellbeing of others
Reflect on your workplace culture and identify any unhealthy stressors that could impact your team. Strive to create a balanced environment where motivation is encouraged without unnecessary pressure. How can you reduce stress factors, support work-life balance, and promote a healthy, supportive workplace?
Support personal development
Regularly review and support the personal and professional development plans of your team members. Understand their career aspirations, help them set achievable goals, and foster the skills they need to excel within the team.
Example of evidence
- Statement
I take responsibility not only for my own projects but also for supporting students and less experienced colleagues. - Situation
I was supervising a PhD student who had fallen behind in their research project and was at risk of missing their completion deadline. - Task
My goal was to identify the support my student needed to get back on track and help them complete their project on time. - Action
I arranged a focused, extended meeting to discuss any challenges the student was facing and invited them to share openly about areas where they felt additional support could help. Together, we pinpointed specific obstacles and areas where guidance was needed. - Result
We created a clear, fortnightly action plan with achievable steps to ensure steady progress toward the final goal. The plan provided both structure and encouragement, ultimately leading to the student submitting their thesis on time. The experience reinforced the importance of active supervision and tailored support in achieving successful outcomes.
- Situation
I am committed to developing highly skilled researchers for both academic and non-academic careers, prioritising their professional growth and well-being.
Recently, I secured a major international research project for our university, which features an award-winning, innovative training and development package for researchers. - Task
To promote our training and development package across our research community and beyond, allowing others to adopt it as a model of best practice. - Action
My research team and I actively sought opportunities to share this training package. I presented at several international conferences, highlighting its unique benefits and impact. - Result
Since the start of the year, a leading research funder has published our training materials on its website, and 20 universities have begun incorporating the package into their own researcher development programmes.