"Create positive feedback loops"

These were the words the Dean RnD uttered to me when I asked him for advice about a tricky situation where one option was punitive and the other was damage control and moving on. He said that there were always going to be some problems that labs experience but the only good way to move forward was to ensure that everyone ultimately has a positive experience. This then has a positive feedback effect where students join the lab for the right reasons and over time, you get good motivated students. 

Related to the dean's advice on creating positive feedback loops, I came across this book recently (Fig 1) by Adam Grant. The author makes a compelling argument that givers, those who try to add value to those around them, have found success across domains. Therefore, being self-centered and extremely competitive does not have to be the only way forward. When you're a member of a research lab, this principle applies with great effect. If you are someone who likes to help people out, generally speaking, the other people in the lab will root for your success and will want to return the favor. There are several ways in which you can help your labmates out: by giving them credit for the work they did or the ideas they contributed by inviting them to be co-authors on your paper (after discussion with the PI), by giving them honest and constructive feedback on their presentations and papers, etc. So it pays to be a giver and not a taker, but do it not because it pays to do it but because it is a healthier way to go through life. 


Fig 1: "Give and Take" by Adam Grant. Source: https://adamgrant.net/book/give-and-take/


 

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