I hope spring is bringing you some peace and optimism as our challenging times continue. This month I want to share some advice that I gave a colleague who is going on sabbatical. Like many of you, this person excels in their work and loathes the idea of self-promotion. We have talked about bragging effectively and using peer amplification to get the word out. I thought of another strategy for staying top of mind that felt acceptable and feasible: the AWARE Share. And yes, it's an acronym (Awareness of Work and Achievements through Relevant Emails). Consider sending quarterly updates to key stakeholders who should be aware of you but are not in your immediate mentoring circle. Here are my tips.
The Best Policy
It’s March 2022, and I can’t say whether time moves quickly or slowly any more. The state of our world is hitting me hard right now, and I am sending solidarity to all who share this feeling. I spoke to a small group of mid-career faculty recently, and they followed up after the meeting with the following question: “We suggest a future blog post on techniques and strategies for supporting excellence on research teams. We admire your ability to maintain high standards for your team.” My first thought was that I don’t do anything to make my team perform at such a high level- they do it themselves. I shared this question with Sarah Lisker, our lab’s program manager, and to my surprise, she pointed out three things that I do that support high standards for our team’s work. Based on our conversation, here’s my advice.
Try Try Again
The Proof Is In the Pudding
I’m writing to you over winter break, looking out at the snowy Sierra landscape. I hope when you’re reading this you feel recharged and ready for 2022. As you may know, I don’t agree with the “New Year, New You” mentality. I like the person you are, and I hope you do too. At the same time, I endorse wanting to learn and grow over time. Setting goals is critical for my personal growth, but when I fall short, I can succumb to unhelpful self-criticism. I want to offer you a different way to think about past and future goals.
One Step At A Time
The end of the year can be a crazy time. Everyone is pushing to get through their pre-vacation to-do lists, and that means things land on your plate just before you head out of the office (figuratively). I am also finding it time-consuming to navigate holiday fun- so many last-minute changes in plans and venue! On top of that, we are still working as though we are in lockdown. I have been asking colleagues how they manage the year-end rush, and here is the best answer I got: “All my strategies went out the window in 2020.”
Hello World
It’s November, and the recent vaccine approval for children has me feeling especially thankful. Let’s hold on to optimism as we look forward to the holidays. Since I last wrote to you, I’ve stepped out into the world several times- I attended two scientific meetings and my college reunion. After all these months of isolation, being with others has been a blessing that has left me mentally overloaded. So, I’m really writing to myself as I process what it has been like to start to re-enter the world professionally.
Braaaaaaaains
It’s October, my favorite month. The mood here is the most cautious of optimism, all of us wondering if our fragile hopes for normality will be dashed once again. This month I drew blog inspiration from an unlikely source- the movie Zombieland, which I just saw for the first time. Quarantine has led me to be more flexible about movie night at home. It’s hardly a cinematic masterpiece, but I did like the protagonist’s Rules for Survival. As I watched it, I couldn’t help thinking that some of the Zombieland Rules apply in our world too.
Throw in the Towel
Sound the Retreat
Understanding that we as humans have seasonal rhythms, and taking these into account, has made me both happier and more productive. The pace of work slows down in summer to accommodate vacations, social gatherings, and weather that lures us away from our desks. Instead of setting goals that don’t match this reality, I suggest a work retreat.
Taking Off Our Masks
How are you? It’s been a long, hard pandemic slog, but June- Pride month- is great time to find our optimism. As a Gen Xer, I’ve seen a revolution in my lifetime in how we think about our LGBTQIA friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and it gives me hope that we can make progress towards racial and gender justice. I’m starting to feel like I can see my way through the fog of the past 15 months, and it’s a good time to take stock.
Switching Costs
This month’s topic was inspired by a mentee question about managing simultaneous deadlines. What do you do when you have multiple papers and a grant to push out the door? How do you efficiently work on more than one writing project? The more senior you become, the more critical it is to master this way of working. I don’t have a perfect solution, but I can share a few strategies.
You Are Not Lazy
Happy March! How can time be both flying and crawling by? How is your work going? When someone asks me this question, my first instinct is always to reply “I’m so behind.” I doubt I am the only one who sets goals from a place of optimism and/or overestimation, cannot attain them, and subsequently feels inadequate.
Put Your Best You Forward
I hope you are all well and safe, and taking heart in the promising vaccine trial results. Better days are ahead! As 2020 draws to a close, I know that some of you are preparing for your next step in your career, and all signs seem to be pointing to job interviews. I have been interviewing residency candidates. The career development curriculum I lead just had a panel about interviews, where two of my colleagues shared their interviewing wisdom, and I recently completed a series of interviews myself. (I’m not looking to move; I recently took a department-wide role at UCSF that complements my research and mentoring.)
Rest Shouldn't Be a Four Letter Word
Since my last message to you, 2020 has not gotten better. There’s a lot, and I especially want to acknowledge the anger, frustration, and grief at the failure to hold anyone responsible for Breonna Taylor’s murder. We truly can’t go on like this. I know many of you have had incredibly difficult personal challenges too, and I hope that you will reach out if I can provide support and/ or a listening ear. It’s OK to struggle right now. (And if you are feeling guilty because other people have more difficult circumstances, I have to ask, is that guilt helping you or anyone else? Be kind to yourself.)
Brag is Not a Four Letter Word
I hope you are as well as you can be as 2020 marches on, and on, and on. One of you inspired this post, by reflecting on a wonderful boss “who recognizes contributions from people who are understated.” I know that I recently encouraged you to share your accomplishments, and some of you have even shared them with me- thank you! I hope this post will help those of you who continue to struggle to share your accomplishments.
Time in the Time of Coronavirus
I hope all of you are safe, healthy, and as well as you can possibly be at this challenging time. My father reflected to me recently that he always conceptualized his move to the US from India as similar to his own grandfather’s move from their hometown to the city of Lahore- one day’s journey. Now COVID has stretched the distances between us, and as I hit “send” I hope for the day I can see you in person!
Like A Boss
Dear friends,
What I know is that everyone is struggling right now. Whether you are in a new and worse economic position or grieving lost family members and friends or simply trying to get through the day with kids at home, I am sending you support. Please do whatever brings you comfort, even if it is momentary.
Jump Start Your Brain!
We spoke on Thursday about productivity. To reiterate, I don't expect anyone to be at full steam right now. I can't pretend that I don't feel worry or pressure about our inability to do lab work. I think we all feel that, and it is normal to struggle with expectations when the world has been turned upside down. But going on as if things aren't any different than they were a month ago is not a solution to the problem at hand. We have to take our current situation and see what is possible for each of us. I hope in the weeks to come that we can continue to challenge ourselves to think differently about our work so that we are prepared to hit the ground running. I hope each of us will have the opportunity to better understand ourselves and be more resilient in the face of pressure.
Do You Feel Fine
I am writing to all of you before my next planned update because these are such challenging times, and I feel the need to connect. How are you? Are you working from home? Pulling extra clinical time in preparation for a patient surge? Both? I am sending my best to you and your loved ones, especially the vulnerable people in your circle. At this moment I don’t feel like I have advice or answers; I hope my thoughts help you feel seen/ validated.
Unfocus
Today’s question: Has anyone told you to “focus” or “find your niche” or “narrow down your interests?” This is extremely common advice for early-career academics, and I think it is 100% wrong. I am a generalist by training and inclination, and I like following my interests where they lead. However, I find this advice wrong-headed for reasons that have more to do with external factors than with me.