Doing research – research leadership
How to develop as a research leader
- Research Leadership
- Leading researchers
As you evolve on your researcher journey, you will likely progress from managing yourself to managing other researchers.
This section of resources is designed to prepare you for aspects of research leadership.
Leadership is both challenging and rewarding – read our advice below to help you develop into the best leader you can be for your researchers.
Research Leadership
Each person will have different styles of managing others, and that’s ok – it’s a process that builds up gradually over time and experience.
Developing your own approaches
There is research to say that the most effective leaders and managers are so because they act and lead authentically. However, this is only one way of leading – have a look at the leadership style below to see if it resonates with you.
Situational leadership
Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed the theory of situational leadership in the book Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources. The theory proposes that a manager’s leadership style should be flexible and adapted to the situation, the task at hand and the capabilities of the individuals involved.
Within this theory, there are four different styles of approach that can be taken that are outlined below.
Directing style
This may be used for a team member that lacks specific abilities but nonetheless is enthusiastic and committed. The leader will:
- Direct how the task or tasks are to be done
- Control information
- Establish and use channels of communication
- Allocate roles and responsibilities
- Supervise all aspects of team activity and interactivity.
Coaching style
This may be used when the team member lacks specific abilities leading to a sense of demotivation. The leader may need to ‘sell’ their way of doing the task to the team member, and communication is two-way. The leader will:
- Explain decisions
- Listen and provide advice and help with developing skills
- Offer feedback to boost performance and self-esteem
- Closely monitor performance
- Begin to solicit team members’ ideas and suggestions.
Supporting style
This is used when team members have the capabilities but lack confidence. The leader may facilitate encouragement, but ultimately the team member has to make the decision. The leader will:
- Involve team members in problem-solving
- Re-allocate roles and responsibilities where evidence supports change
- Share responsibility for decision-making
- Support the team to take decisions
- Provide positive feedback to improve performance.
Delegating style
When team members are fully competent and committed, they are able to work independently.
Supervision is very light touch and the team member feels empowered in their role. The leader will:
- Provide clear objectives and boundaries to team members’ authority
- Step away from the team
- Advise when relevant and appropriate
- Devolve team management to the team itself.
Adapting your leadership style
To be an effective leader, it is recommended that you are able to utilise any of the above styles in relation to the given situation. Therefore, being a good leader requires you to be flexible and adaptable and to possess empathy to know who needs the right approach when.
Some time management quick tips:
To lead others effectively you must be able to manage your own time effectively.
- Make sure you make time for the things that only you can do
- Look after yourself, you’re no use to anyone if you’re not fit and well
- Maintain your networks, they make your job much easier
- Operate on the ‘good enough is good enough’ principle but work out very carefully how good ‘good enough’ is
- Never say “yes” in the corridor
- Make time for people but don’t let them waste your time
- Develop a coaching style of management so that people learn to solve their own problems
- Make time for fun.
Things to take away
- Each person will have different styles of managing others, and that’s ok – it’s a process that builds up gradually over time and experience.
- To be an effective leader, see which administration and management tasks you can delegate to focus more time on leading.