Inclusive Research Mentor/People Manager Training

The Inclusive Research Mentor/People Manager Training (TRAIN-UP) will open for registration again in spring 2024. To receive announcements about this series, join the OCPD listserv. We will be offering this series virtually via Zoom. To learn more about this course, see the module descriptions, dates, and times below.

Modules and Format

Modules 1-8 are open to all students and postdocs and may be taken independently of each other or together as a series. Participants who attend all workshops and complete all in-workshop activities and out-of-workshop assignments will receive a Letter of Completion issued by the UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development. This Letter of Completion is required if you wish to participate in the Inclusive Mentoring Fellows program.


Module 1. Assess Yourself: Which of the 5 inclusive strategies would work in your lab/on your team?
Many scientists with mentoring/managing responsibilities have the best of intentions, but lack clarity about which specific decisions and actions result in their diverse team feeling a sense of belonging and invested in the overall success of the lab. In this session, you will learn a framework to benchmark which decisions, behaviors and actions define what it means to be inclusive as a mentor & manager. Secondly, we will outline the 5 overarching strategies that most inclusive efforts and best practices map to. Finally, you will practice applying these principles to your own work life, by intentionally designing inclusivity into a common work responsibility (a 1:1 or lab meeting).


Module 2. Assess Yourself: Which of the 7 people manager (supervisory) responsibilities will you use to manage your mentee/employee’s productivity?
In this workshop, participants identify the skills they have, and those they need to develop, to effectively manage the productivity of their mentee/employee. First, you will self-evaluate your strengths and growth areas in executing the 7 fundamental people management responsibilities: (setting expectations, teaching/training and delegating, the three types of feedback, rewarding achievement, addressing performance issues, managing the inevitable conflict inherent in even the most functional teams, and providing appropriate protection and support.). Second, we’ll dissect the specific strategies individuals with research mentoring and/or managing responsibilities can use to equitably balance decisions in fulfilling their roles as a scientific mentor and/or a manager. Finally, participants consider ways to receive support and further develop their skills and abilities in these areas.


Module 3. Effectively supervising people who aren’t you: Managing different workstyles
In this module, participants consider how individual differences in values, approaches and relationship to work can impact productivity, morale and retention of team members. We also discuss tangible steps that managers can take to intentionally cultivate inclusive environments. We consider several factors that may make up our individual ‘operating systems’ when we engage in work, including how we prefer to communicate, make decisions, feel organized, and manage change/conflict. Participants will also have the opportunity to assess some facets of their own work style preferences, as well as develop the vocabulary to discuss others’ preferences without pathologizing their approach to work. Finally, we discuss and brainstorm tactics that team leaders can use to inclusively manage multiple work style differences and reap the benefits of working in diverse teams.


Module 4. How to transparently set (performance and conduct) expectations
Have you ever been surprised or frustrated that someone in your lab isn’t meeting performance or conduct expectations? Are you wondering about the organizational management benchmarks, strategies and best practices to transparently set expectations? Then this is the session for you!

In this workshop, we’ll discuss challenges and tactics to share the wide range of expectations that need to be set - from promptness to productivity and problem solving. Participants will also learn organizational management best practices to articulate, refine, reinforce and/or update those expectations.

Next, we'll cover how skillful leaders avoid common pitfalls (e.g. articulating only the "what" but not the "how" of expectations, failing to include tacit expectations, setting boundaries around key expectations such as problems, etc.) Finally, we’ll point out links and materials to institutional resources for further support.


Module 5. Teach/train and delegate: Using best practices to train your diverse team 
Using effective training practices is important in any organization, but it is particularly important in research organizations. In biotechnology companies, the constant evolution of knowledge requires a solid training process to stay up to speed on innovative technology and knowledge. In this module, we discuss common training issues that can result in loss of productivity for individuals and their teams, and can put team members from some underrepresented groups at a disadvantage. We propose evidence-based approaches to avoid, detect and correct these training issues.


Module 6. Communicating inclusively: Developing your own feedback strategy and style
Do you feel most comfortable offering positive (or kudos) feedback? Do you tend to avoid or sugarcoat corrective feedback? Not sure what ‘evaluative’ feedback is? Then this is the session for you. In this module, we begin by dissecting the three types of feedback that everyone (including you) needs to be productive: kudos, corrective and evaluative feedback. Participants will practice giving feedback using a protocol that works for both kudos and corrective feedback Next, participants will modify the protocol as they consider their style (including their personal values, approach and language). We’ll discuss strategies to both gain buy-in/determine how the recipient can best hear and act on that feedback, and how to engage when the recipient has a strong reaction to feedback. 


Module 7. When someone isn’t meeting your expectations: Strategies and resources to manage performance equitably 
When someone repeatedly fails to meet performance or conduct expectations, many research mentors/managers frequently under- or over-correct and mistakenly attempt to handle the situation alone (rather than reaching out for support). In this session, participants will learn tactics to determine how their particular organization expects them to manage performance or conduct issues, how to access organizational resources to help them navigate the situation (including HR, Learning and Development, etc.), and common mistakes and approaches (including building a circle of support/self care) to manage one of the most challenging responsibilities for any mentor/manager.


Module 8. How to inclusively hire: Which strategies will you use?
In this workshop, participants will learn evidence-based strategies to assess and select candidates using tactics from four inclusive strategy clusters: 1) adding intentional respect, 2) adding diverse voices, 3) adding accountability) and 4) leveling the playing field. Participants will learn how to transparently structure the overall hiring process, begin to develop their own questions/rubrics to assess for their priority qualifications, consider steps to prepare and manage a hiring committee, and discover tactics to mitigate others - and their own - unconscious biases. 

Facilitators:

  • Naledi Saul - Director, UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development and Interim Chief of Staff, SAA/Graduate Division
  • Karen Leung - Biotechnology Faculty, City College of San Francisco
  • James Lewis - Project Director Bridge to Biosciences, City College of San Francisco

What participants said about the course:

  • "I wish this course was offered before I had an intern! Very useful tools and I look forward to putting them to use in the near future."
  • "I have a much better idea of how to write a job description and conduct an interview in a way that will help communicate my expectations to my potential trainees."
  • "I plan to rely on the framework and strategies that were taught and practiced during the TRAIN-UP course. The seven steps of an effective mentor were excellent for me to refer back to and have as core concepts that I can remind myself of regularly."

 

Inclusive Research Mentor/Manager Course - Dates and Times

Module 1 - Assess Yourself: Which of the 5 inclusive strategies would work in your lab/on your team?
Wednesday October 11, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
 

Module 2 - Assess Yourself: Which of the 7 people manager (supervisory) responsibilities will you use to manage your mentee/employee’s productivity?
Monday October 16, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
 

Module 3 - Effectively supervising people who aren't you: managing different workstyles
Wednesday October 18, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
 

Module 4 - How to transparently set (performance and conduct) expectations
Monday October 30, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
 

Module 5 - Teach/train and delegate: Using best practices to train your diverse team
Wednesday November 1, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
 

Module 6 - Communicating inclusively: Developing your own feedback strategy and style
Monday November 6, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
 

Module 7 - When someone isn't meeting your expectations: Strategies and resources to manage performance equitably
Wednesday November 8, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
 

Module 8 - How to inclusively hire: Which strategies will you use?
Monday November 13, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Upcoming Events

Wed
03

Career and Professional Development Writing Retreat

Date: April 3, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Variable, see schedule)
Mon
15

OCPD Office Hours (for Graduate Students and Postdocs)

Date: April 15, 2024
Time: 4 - 5 p.m.
Tue
23

OCPD Office Hours (for Graduate Students and Postdocs)

Date: April 23, 2024
Time: 12 - 1 p.m.