Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research (2004).

Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research (2004) Alice Sapienza, Wiley-Liss, Inc., 246 pp.

Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research is the kind of book that researchers in all disciplines, not just the sciences, will want to read in their capacities as Principal Investigators (PIs), collaborators or team members. It is equally useful to research administrators charged with the responsibility of assisting scholars who may benefit from help in leading, managing, and collaborating with peers, students, post doctoral fellows, and bureaucrats. Alice Sapienza believes this second edition further illuminates those consequences that arise when PIs are unable to mediate, mentor, or manage their projects. Like others who write in her field, Sapienza notes that "poor leadership results almost invariably in poor productivity and a lack of creativity" (Preface, p. x), and that emerging theories, polices, and practices need to be easily accessed and implemented to ensure maximum output from the research project and its participants. She suggests that "the journey from occupying a managerial/leadership role to being an effective leader sometimes begins with a book" (Preface, p. x), and this book is one that she feels will provide researchers with context-specific examples of the joys and challenges of leading and managing in an academic milieu.

I am not a scientist, but in my capacity as a university administrator I offer assistance in managing scientific research projects. Over time I have come to understand that many of the challenges researchers face are not unique to their discipline. I also understand that, while they are cognizant of the latest scientific studies in their fields, they typically are not aware of emerging leadership literature. As a result, my role as an administrator involves apprising them of those theories, models, and practices that will have an impact on their work. This role is one that we, as research administrators, are called upon to assume in our capacities as managers, leaders, planners, counselors, conciliators, and compliance officers, so we need to be aware of these new and emerging theories and tools.

Alice Sapienza also supports this assertion, and as a professor of leadership, she is uniquely situated to study and appreciate the issues articulated to her by individuals who take part in scientific research. Over a three-year period she and a colleague conducted a study of scientists engaged in research; the results of her findings are published in this book. Encouraged by her reflections, new theories of management and leadership, and a renewed enthusiasm for the topic area, she has written a book that is an excellent resource for research administrators, PIs, and others engaged in scientific research.

What makes this book of interest to members of SRA is the author's unique perspective--one that is familiar to us. Sapienza knows that, based in a setting where the main activity "occurs between the ears of scientists" (p. 168), it is difficult to adapt management strategies from the private sector to academia, as there is a difference between a "discovery organization" and "development organization" (p. 168-169) in regards to the expectations related to output.

She suggests that we need to be cognizant of the differing purposes of discovery and development organizations, as well as the project management language used in each. For example, there is a marked difference between the traditional definitions of project management and those used in discovery organizations. Words such as develop, construct, and implement are widely used in development organizations, while explore and discover (p. 168) are used in research settings. These differences need to be understood by research administrators who are disseminating information on new approaches to leadership and project management. We need to be selective as to what theories or models will be most useful to our cohort prior to addressing their questions and concerns about the management of their research projects.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on this differentiation that Sapienza writes about. This dearth of information is both what compelled her to conduct research on this topic and what has encouraged me to undertake doctoral studies in project management and leadership within a knowledge-based university environment.

We both know that discovery organizations are unique in their development and structure, but as an emerging scholar, I do not have the breadth of experience that Sapienza possesses. Therefore, I refer to her book, among others, when deciding on an approach I might suggest to researchers starting a new project or revamping an existing one.

The approaches I choose are based on what I read in journals and books such as this one, and what I hear from researchers when they "find themselves leading other scientists and technical personnel" (Preface, p. xi). I am particularly drawn to Sapienza's chapter on organizational structure, as it is beneficial to all of us in the business of supporting researchers as they design and create a practical and operational organization for their new or floundering projects. Chapter Nine is devoted to this discussion and the unique culture within which we develop these structures.

A chapter entitled Being Different refers to the cultural, ethnic, age, educational, and gender diversity found within collaborative research teams. Comprised of individuals from different disciplines and backgrounds, these team members need to sort out divergent views on appropriate methodologies, philosophical approaches, power, equality, role differentiation and the sharing of intellectual property rights.

These divergent viewpoints may also affect how a collaborative is managed. In Chapter Seven, Sapienza addresses the issue of project management and the important role it can play in developing creativity and respect among members. PIs need to think about designing a management structure and developing a leadership style that best meets the needs of the participants, while research administrators have an obligation to assist them by reading, deciphering, and retrofitting current theories to their unique environment.

This sentiment is echoed by Sapienza in Chapter Three, where she discusses the definition of motivation and theories related to it. She writes that, to be proficient at motivating employees, a fit must occur when balancing job demands, personal competencies, and organizational characteristics. Her diagram depicting three intersecting circles provides the reader with a visual representation of how important it is to balance these three spheres to create an optimum environment for creativity and knowledge creation. She also notes that there are human and technical aspects within each circle that must be considered. For example, education, skills, and training are found within the technical aspects, while work, motivation needs and leadership style are considered human characteristics.

The latter is what Sapienza suggests is the most difficult, and I am sure that most of us in our roles as research administrators would agree, based on what we hear from researchers. In my capacity as an Associate Director of Research Services I cannot recall more than a handful of questions from faculty members regarding the research process, but in relation to human resource and management issues, the queries are numerous.

It is precisely for this reason that books such as this one are important for us to read, understand, and relay to our constituents. Easy to follow, it combines a how-to approach while interweaving context-specific, new and established theories on leadership and project management.

Divided into 10 chapters, Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research outlines issues related to effective communication, conflict resolution, assessment of the working culture, and leading change. It includes examples from within the research environment and results from the three-year research project that formed the basis for the book. It lists new understandings that the author has acquired as a result of her research, indicating the ongoing personal growth that she says is so important when managing or leading people.

She writes that we all need to understand ourselves, and in so doing, respectfully articulate our needs to ensure the achievement of personal and group goals. These skills are not innate, so it is imperative that we, as research administrators, are aware of the latest theories and tools that will assist researchers, then package the material and deliver it in a timely and accessible format to our target audience.

For example, contrary to what classical scholars believed, it is now widely held that the contingency model of leadership effectiveness is the best. Sapienza discusses this model in the fourth chapter by referring to Fred Fiedler's assertion that proficient leaders emerge only as a result of a good fit between leadership style and three other elements: 1) leader-member relations, 2) task structure, and 3) power position (p. 73). It is this model that she introduces as a basis for her discussion on the need to change one's leadership style to suit unstable environments and the ever-changing situations that emerge from within and outside of them.

She also suggests that we need to employ all the resources we have at our disposal when dealing with conflict, as well as individual, organizational, and power differences. For example, I rely on my skills as a social worker when acting as a mediator between researchers who may not agree on the direction of the research, my planning skills when assisting them with their management structure, and my teaching skills when relaying new information to them that I have learned as a result of my doctoral studies. I know that I need to keep abreast of the changes in my environment, so continue to read, study, and disseminate my knowledge to those I serve within my institution.

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