Building a successful research team

How can early-career researchers prepare themselves for leading a research team? Consultant Shelda Debowski says that building a strong vision, giving feedback and supporting team members are essentials for success.

The transition from early-career researcher to research leader is a pivotal stage in the progression of a researcher. Some individuals may have supportive supervisors, mentors and role models, but many operate with limited insight about their role and strategies. In this article, I offer an overview of the features of successful teams, ways in which a research leader can build that success, and implications for the development of research leaders.

Research leaders grapple with a number of expectations, including