Monitor on Psychology - December 2011 - (Page 44)

educatIon leadershIp conFerence Good science requires Photos by Charles Votaw good conflflflict the team’s goals in a 30-second “elevator cientists thrive on intellectual speech.” disagreements. But to advance Building trust is another crucial step scientific knowledge, research teams toward effective teams. must learn how to encourage scientific “The pivotal issue that affects almost disagreement without falling prey to every aspect of a team’s functioning seems personal conflict, National Institutes of to be trust,” said Gadlin. “It’s because Health Ombudsman Howard Gadlin, PhD, trust provides the framework from which told participants at APA’s 2011 Education other people’s actions and statements are Leadership Conference. interpreted and understood.” “The last thing scientists want to hear Building trust takes time. It also takes is that you’re going to take away what more than pizza parties or ropes courses, he gives energy to their work,” said Gadlin. national Institutes of Health and Bennett emphasized. “Some groups say, “Our primary orientation when we work ombudsman Dr. Howard Gadlin ‘I don’t know what’s wrong; we celebrate with scientists is to help people create an birthdays once a month,’” said Bennett. environment within which disagreement will While these types of social activities flourish while simultaneously creating an can help, said Bennett and Gadlin, what’s environment within which personal conflict more important are weekly meetings can be contained.” about data or cases where team members All sorts of interpersonal problems — get together for professional discussions. lack of trust, squabbles over authorship Choosing a strong leader who’s trusted by and turf battles, among them — can derail all group members can also help a group collaborations, said L. Michelle Bennett, cohere. PhD, deputy scientific director of the Simply recognizing the various stages National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at of team development can also be helpful, NIH. Investing time upfront to discuss how said Bennett. According to one model, you’ll manage such problems if they arise is Dr. L. Michelle Bennett of the she said, teams begin by forming and well worth it, she and Gadlin emphasized. national Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at nIH then start “storming.” “This is when the In fact, some teams craft the scientific big elbows come out,” she said. In the equivalent of a prenuptial agreement. norming stage, things settle down, allowing the team to achieve Developing a shared vision is also key. Leaders of the performing stage. The final stages are adjourning or collaborative research teams should articulate a larger vision transforming. for the group and ensure that each individual within the group This model gives teams a vocabulary and a helpful reminder understands that vision and his or her role in achieving it, said that tensions are normal, said Bennett. “We’ve had groups where Bennett. When teams get into trouble, she explained, it’s often people say, ‘Hey, I think we’re storming,’” she said. “That breaks because members either can’t articulate the vision or don’t all the tension because everyone remembers that that’s OK.” n share the same vision. —R.A. ClAy She recommends that team members be able to articulate 44 Monitor on psychology • DeceMber 2011 S

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - December 2011

Monitor on Psychology - December 2011
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
From the CEO
Willpower Pioneer Wins $100,000 Grawemeyer Prize
Single-Sex Schooling Called Into Question by Prominent Researchers
Maternal Depression Stunts Childhood Growth, Research Suggests
For Boys, Sharing May Seem Like a Waste of Time
Good News for Postdoc Applicants
In Brief
Treatment Guideline Development Now Under Way
Government Relations Update
Psychologist Named Va Mental Health Chief
The Limits of Eyewitness Testimony
Judicial Notebook
Random Sample
Time Capsule
Deconstructing Suicide
Questionnaire
A Focus on Interdisciplinarity
A Time of ‘Enormous Change’
The Science Behind Team Science
Good Science Requires Good Conflict
A New Paradigm of Care
Speaking of Education
Science Directions
New Labels, New Attitudes?
Psychologist Profile
Early Career Psychology
Unintended Consequences
Better Options for Troubled Teens
Saving Lives, One Organ at a Time
New Journal Editors
APA News
Division Spotlight
Guidelines for the Conduct of President-Elect Nominations and Elections
American Psychological Foundation
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - December 2011