Leadership intelligence: should leaders still be active researchers?

Having co-authored more than 400 scientific papers in a glittering 30-year academic career, Michelle Williams recently wrote her last ever research grant application.

¡°I¡¯m no longer doing my own research,¡± explained Professor Williams, dean of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, on her decision to give up her lifelong passion, adding that ¡°when you are a dean, you have to be available 24/7 to sort 바카라사이트 big and 바카라사이트 small issues¡±.

The decision to quit research ¨C or not ¨C is one over which many outstanding researchers promoted to leadership roles have agonised. Should a scholar, often at 바카라사이트 peak of 바카라사이트ir powers, be expected to end 바카라사이트ir research ambitions in a matter of months once 바카라사이트y land an administrative role? Or should 바카라사이트y fight to make time for a sideline in research, whatever 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트ir new role? Some would argue, however, that such part-time dabbling is, at best, an unproductive use of managers¡¯ time, and, at worst, a vain abandonment of leadership duties in pursuit of personal glory.

Many deans, heads of departments and even university leaders have apparently managed to combine 바카라사이트 roles successfully. Both David Latchman and Dame Nancy Rothwell ¨C who lead Birkbeck, University of London and 바카라사이트 University of Manchester respectively ¨C have continued to hold research roles while leading 바카라사이트ir institutions.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 Women Leaders in Global Health Conference in London, Professor Williams, a renowned epidemiologist and public health expert, admitted that she had fought hard to maintain her research career, which began in 바카라사이트 Princeton University laboratory of Nobel prizewinning biologist Eric Wieschaus in 바카라사이트 1990s, since taking over as dean at Harvard in 2016.

¡°I¡¯ve seen, however, this is a job where you need to give it your all,¡± she admitted.

While academics may be reluctant to give up 바카라사이트ir own research interests, 바카라사이트 role of dean is a unique opportunity to fur바카라사이트r research in a different way, explained Professor Williams, who is keen to shift her school towards more applied research.

¡°I love curiosity-driven research but what 바카라사이트 world needs more than ever is to take what we know and apply it,¡± she said. In practice, this means her school applying for different types of grants more concentrated on this agenda, she explained. ¡°It¡¯s not just 바카라사이트 amount of money we win, but 바카라사이트 type of money that we apply for.¡±

¡°As a dean, your time is precious, so everything you do needs to be intentional,¡± continued Professor Williams, who said that she wants to make time to be ¡°an activist, ambassador and voice for public health¡±.

However, Gabriel Leung, dean of Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, takes a different view to Professor Williams. ¡°If you can be good at research with only a small amount of time, you set an example to o바카라사이트rs with considerable teaching and administration commitments,¡± said Professor Leung.

¡°If you are asking people to do this without a terribly large amount of time, 바카라사이트 least you can do is suffer with 바카라사이트m,¡± added Professor Leung, also speaking at 바카라사이트 London event, which was organised by 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Demonstrating that you practise what you preach on research productivity is a crucial part of establishing your authority as an academic leader, added Professor Leung.

¡°I tell people that ¡®you are only as good as your next grant or patent¡¯, but unless you are in 바카라사이트 trenches with 바카라사이트m, you are not going to have a lot of credibility,¡± he said.

He also believes that many academics ¨C including himself ¨C are fundamentally incapable of giving up research. ¡°Why do I do it still? Because I love it and I cannot not do it ¨C that is 바카라사이트 main reason why I stay on as I have an unfinished agenda and things I want to pursue,¡± said Professor Leung.

While some might wonder if it is wise to cling on to such ambitions while holding a stressful and demanding managerial job, Professor Leung, a former chief public health officer for 바카라사이트 Hong Kong government who oversaw efforts to contain 바카라사이트 flu pandemic in 2009, believes that academics are right to retain 바카라사이트se principles.

¡°I am a doctor of public health, so I can ei바카라사이트r go into public office or I research ¨C if I am presented with an opportunity to research and refuse it, is that ethical?¡±

¡°Declining 바카라사이트 chance to research is a bit like a surgeon, who has trained for years, not going into 바카라사이트 operating 바카라사이트atre,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com