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Session 1175

Leadership 102 – Your First Team – The Research Group

Jerry W. Samples University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Abstract

Graduating with a Doctorate and conducting research as a student does not prepare the average faculty member for team leadership. At most universities that require faculty to conduct research, secure funding and produce scholarly works, it is imperative that the faculty member have a research team and that the team produce. To develop a team and to make that team produce requires a certain amount of skill: leadership skill. Leadership of people is an acquired skill and differs vastly from management of things, although many feel that people can be managed. From selecting the right team members – to giving them the correct assignments, it is the leader who must carefully weigh the skills of the team member and the proper position for those skills. Time management becomes an issue early on and must be watched or time will become the enemy of the team. The leader must set priorities and must be clearly visible in taking the team to the next level. Effective and efficient teams win and so do their leaders. This paper will address the methods for building a team and the way to take a new group of researchers and make them operate at high speed.

Introduction

As an administrator, it is frustrating watching a new faculty member struggle with the process of preparing for tenure. Worse than the frustration is the need to tell a promising young professor that tenure will not be awarded because of a failure to achieve the minimum standard in the area of scholarly works. Frequently this happens because they have not focused on the mission of the university, or have neglected to do the hard work of getting research completed and submitted to the journals and conferences that provide the scholarly outlet.

Much has been written about the transition to teaching, having a balanced perspective during the tenure years and general tips about achieving tenure.1-3 Productivity is discussed with regard to classroom efficiency and dealing with students.4 Leadership and management discussions focus on the administrators and not on the needs of new faculty.5 New faculty, especially at the research university must develop skills that make them efficient in every facet of their job as an Assistant Professor.

Often the focus of young professors is their teaching and service duties: both important but not counted heavily toward the tenure decision at some universities. It is important to teach well, after all, they are professors and a portion of their mission is to teach undergraduates. Being a good teacher, one ready to “perform” every few days and “perform” well is important to survival. Teaching is a function that must be efficient and accurate. It must be organized and

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Samples, J. (2005, June), Leadership 102 – Your First Team – The Research Group Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14378