In April, at the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (BMC SAS) we organized two intensive three-day workshops focused on leadership in research, led by instructors from the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). Research group leaders and other leaders had the opportunity to learn more about communication, providing feedback, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, or delegating tasks.
“Leadership is a key skill that is essential for conducting research today. Since we consider good relationships to be the most important prerequisite for the functioning of the institution, we decided to organize proven leadership courses designed specifically for researchers,” explains BMC SAS Director General Professor Silvia Pastoreková.
The leaders appreciated the positive and open atmosphere of the course, the quality of the presentations, and the opportunity to look at problems from a different perspective than usual.
“The workshop was practical and interactive, and it also gave me space for self-reflection. I found the topics of effective communication, providing feedback, and building trust within the team to be the most enriching. The shared experiences of other course participants were also a great benefit, giving me a better perspective on various approaches to team leadership,” describes one of the participants, Dr. Ľuboš Čipák, head of the Genome Stability and pre-mRNA Splicing research group.
One of the topics that resonated with the participants was delegating tasks. “We learned that as leaders, we need to protect not only others but also ourselves – for example, from tasks that someone tries to pass on to us when they could handle them themselves,” says Professor Pastoreková.
All participants indicated in their feedback that they would recommend the course to others, meaning they found it very beneficial. EMBO instructor Natalie Bamford adds that the atmosphere was exceptional as well. “The scientists brought a dose of humor and openness to the discussion about the most demanding challenges in leadership. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced a workshop with so much laughter,” she smiles.
Text and photo: E. Rybárová
