The Researchers' Newsletter – Jun 2025
As a research leader, how do you balance Leadership and Scholarship?
How do you lead effectively without sacrificing your own research? The broad answer lies largely in planning and delegation.
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As a research leader, how do you balance Leadership and Scholarship?
How do you lead effectively without sacrificing your own research? The broad answer lies largely in planning and delegation.
If you teach, plan to negotiate a realistic teaching load. Where possible, delegate administrative tasks to staff who can benefit from the experience for their CVs. Plan to share research leadership roles by setting up sub-teams focused on specific themes, with clear targets for publications, partnerships, and funding.
Above all, plan to block out your own research time. It’s not selfish—it’s essential. Your visibility as an active researcher inspires trust and motivates your team.
Creating the Right Environment
The success of your research team—and your own research—depends on the environment you create. A strong research culture has three ingredients: clarity, collaboration, and inspiration. Teams thrive when there is a shared sense of purpose around exciting research questions. They stay motivated when communication flows freely, successes are celebrated, and equity issues are addressed openly.
Consider simple practices: a weekly “research update” meeting, an annual planning day, or writing retreats. These aren’t ‘could do’ items—they are investments in building a connected, high-performing team.
Managing Priorities Without Burning Out
As a leader, you will face more demands than you can possibly meet. You can’t do everything—and you shouldn’t try. Use a simple process that works for you to guide your decisions: for eg ask yourself, How important is this task? And who could do it, and benefit from doing it? This isn’t about shirking work; it’s about preserving your energy for tasks that truly matter and helping other gain experience.
Build a Resilient Team
A strong research environment isn’t just about producing outputs—it’s about creating a team that can adapt and thrive under pressure. Encourage your researchers to create career plans and contingency strategies. Support them in applying for funding, networking widely, and managing workloads. When your team feels supported and prepared, they’ll be better equipped to weather the inevitable storms of research life.
Your Leadership Legacy
As a research leader, your influence extends far beyond your publications. You are shaping the careers of others and the culture of your area and institution. Model what it looks like to integrate leadership and scholarship with integrity and balance. By doing so, you’re not just advancing research—you’re building the next generation of resilient, successful researchers.
Next steps: RCA coaches heads and research leaders on all aspects of self-management, managing others and managing for strengthened research performance. RCA has written materials that you can access to complement this coaching.