Continuing our culture theme, I revisit past podcast conversations that explore how to foster positive research environments and cultures. We hear from people such as Elizabeth Adams, Tanita Casci, Jolanta Burke, Janet Reed, Alex Taylor, Kia Hook, and Lindsay Oades, who share their experiences and insights on creating a sense of belonging and collegiality within academic settings. Their stories emphasize recognizing individual strengths, promoting transparency, celebrating achievements, and the importance of supportive management practices for bringing out the best in people. Hopefully you will take away practical ideas and inspiration, and recognise the importance of both micro-actions and collective efforts in creating supportive, transparent, and inclusive cultures.

00:00 Intro

00:29 Episode introduction - fostering good cultures

03:48 Glasgow Uni's Research Culture Awards

07:51 Jolanta Burke on positive organisations

09:53 Janet Read on flexibility and supporting people with young families

11:47 Janet Read on know your team

12:32 Janet Read on bringing out the best in people

16:14 Alex Taylor on the power of the collective

22:25 Kia Höök on Fika

25:50 Lindsay Oades on autonomy, rationales and leeting people they are valued

29:58 Wrapping up

33:18 Outro

34:05 Repeating what Lindsay said

Related Links

Past episodes used in this curated episode:

Tanita Casci and Elizabeth Adams on supporting, rewarding and celebrating a positive collegial research culture (from May 2021)

Jolanta Burke on burnout, harmonious passion, positive workplaces & helping others (from Nov 2017)

Janet Read on charm bracelets, finish tape & the work to be a complete academic (from May 2018) 

Alex Taylor on research at the boundaries, moving from industry to academia, the labour of academia & the power of the collective (from July 2019)

Kia Höök on challenges of success & value of slowing down and re-connecting (from Feb 2017) 

Lindsay Oades on academic wellbeing, connecting to strengths, meaning and purpose, and not taking the system too seriously (from Sept 2018)

And others you can search for on Changing Academic Life who also talk about culture (among many others): Sarah Davies (part 2), Mark Reed, Karen Stroobants, Elizabeth Churchill.

Welcome to Changing Academic Life.

2

I'm Geraldine Fitzpatrick and this is

a podcast series where academics and

3

others share their stories, provide

ideas and provoke discussions about what

4

we can do individually and collectively

to change academic life for the better.

5

What are the everyday sorts of activities

and interactions that we can have in our

6

workplaces and in our research groups.

7

That contribute to creating great

research environments in which people

8

can really do great work together.

9

In this episode, we'll continue

on this theme of research

10

environments and research culture.

11

And we'll do this by revisiting some

snippets of past podcast conversations

12

from way back in the archive where people

have shared what they've been doing to

13

foster a sense of belonging and to create

collegial, supportive research cultures.

14

Hearing these diverse voices

and different approaches might

15

provide some food for thought.

16

And of course you can always go back

and listen to the full conversations

17

with the people that I've included here.

18

And I'll include links to their episodes

on the webpage for this episode.

19

And at the end I will also

point to yet more conversations

20

that I haven't included.

21

That also talk about culture

if you were looking for more.

22

Across the snippets.

23

I think you'll recognize a lot of

the themes that Nina from the Danish

24

young academy identified across

their research environment proposals.

25

And so we'll hear things like

the importance of recognizing

26

everyone as an individual.

27

And that can just be their own individual

preferences and styles of working.

28

It can be recognizing the particular

strengths that they bring, recognizing

29

their particular life circumstances

and how they can be supported in that.

30

We'll also hear about being very

explicit about rewarding and celebrating

31

both effort and achievements.

32

We'll hear about creating situations.

33

In which people can gather and meet and

talk and just connect in different ways.

34

Well, so I hear about the importance

of transparency and clarity

35

around roles and expectations.

36

And also being realistic about

what you can offer to people.

37

And all of these sorts of things

go towards fostering a sense

38

of collegiality and community.

39

And creating environments where

people really do feel seen, heard.

40

Valued and respected.

41

All really key aspects for

creating a sense of belonging.

42

And that sense of belonging is also a key

underpinning for what we talked about last

43

episode, in terms of psychological safety.

44

So the first extract I'd like to

45

with Elizabeth Adams and Tanita

Casci from Glasgow university.

46

At Glasgow university, they had also

implemented an awards program to

47

celebrate good research cultures.

48

And so they'll talk about

that program a little bit.

49

And also I've collated some where they

talked about including collegiality

50

as a criteria for promotion.

51

Elizabeth: So we introduced

the Research Culture Awards.

52

maybe two years ago.

53

We're on our third iteration now.

54

And the purpose of the awards was

really to showcase and highlight good

55

practice or things that people were

doing a little bit differently to try

56

to bring about a positive research

culture to run mentoring programs or

57

early career researcher networks, or

I think, supporting people to think

58

about open research or just new ways

of doing research that's maybe a little

59

bit progressive and something that other

people can learn from and to celebrate.

60

I think the important thing for me is

that the awards aren't just sitting there

61

on their own, because I think if they

were just out there on their own it would

62

feel quite tokenistic, like that we once

a year we celebrate the four things that

63

people have done of being nice to each

other, which, and it's not about that at

64

all That's one strand of a bigger plan.

65

So the fact that we've introduced

collegiality into our professorial

66

promotions criteria is really, really

important in sending the message

67

that this is important in all ways.

68

And the awards is just one way

of highlighting good practice,

69

but also it's expected.

70

that you will be collegiate in your

teaching and in your research and your

71

knowledge exchange and all the different

things that you do and that you'll support

72

others um and that by doing so um research

is going to be better for everyone.

73

Tanita: We try as much as possible

to convey the idea that culture,

74

as Elizabeth has said, is the

vehicle to better research.

75

It's not being nice to each other.

76

We, you know, I hope we are.

77

It's actually integral.

78

to the process of developing good quality

research that stands the test of time,

79

that actually, you know, pushes the

boundaries of knowledge, improves society,

80

and creates a welcoming environment in

which talented staff will be attracted

81

to, uh, and can develop within.

82

And we, we think very much

about the academic output being

83

publications, societal impact.

84

But I would add to that, the people

we develop, the skills that we

85

put out into the world, the next

generation of academics that we

86

develop, that needs to be a crucial

pillar of the academic endeavor.

87

And so we should be asking every

relevant, important opportunity,

88

how an academic has supported

the careers of those around them.

89

And if someone hasn't taken the

opportunity to give that back and to

90

create that sense of community and

camaraderie and, you know, that peer

91

group that supports each other and

what good quality research is, Then

92

they're missing an important part of

essentially what I think should be there,

93

a fundamental aspect of their role.

94

Geri: And isn't that a

lovely challenge to us all.

95

To think about what are the

particular ways that we can give

96

back to contribute to creating that

sense of community and comraderie.

97

To supporting one another.

98

And that if we're not doing that, We're

missing a really fundamental aspect of the

99

academic endeavor, because as Tanita says

at the end, It's the people we develop.

100

That's a crucial pillar of that endeavor

for the benefit of good science.

101

Tanita also made the comment about,

it's not just about being nice to

102

one another for its own sake that it

actually is what enables good science.

103

And this theme is also picked up on,

in a conversation with Jolanta Burke.

104

Who was a positive psychologist and she

was working at university of east London

105

when we recorded this interview in 2017.

106

And in this snippet, she's

reflecting on this whole notion

107

of positive organizations.

108

And she also talks

about the importance of.

109

I guess what being nice enables in terms

of bringing out the best in ourselves

110

and bringing out the best in one

another and working to our strengths.

111

A theme that we'll also hear towards

the end, in one of the final snippets.

112

Jolanta: So I think positive

organizations to me are organizations

113

that understand the importance of.

114

Working on people's strengths, on

creating an environment that has a nice

115

balance of, you know, creating positive

emotions, but also negative emotions.

116

They are really important in many

situations, but understanding this rather

117

than being, limited in your views and

maybe focus on one theory or another.

118

I think that's what's important and

we definitely need to come out, go out

119

to organizations with that message.

120

And unfortunately, the positive in

positive psychology sometimes is

121

stopping us from doing it because the

managers, leaders would straight away,

122

say, you know what we don't need.

123

We know that positivity is nice

and happiness and well being,

124

but this is not what it is about.

125

And it is not about happiness.

126

Positive organization is

about high performance.

127

It's about getting the best

out of people and for people to

128

get the best out of each other.

129

Geri: So getting the best out of people

and for people to get the best out of each

130

other, that we can do that for each other.

131

So this leads nicely to the next snippet.

132

I want to share with you here.

133

Which provides some practical

examples for creating those

134

positive cultures of care, I guess.

135

And this is from a conversation

that I recorded with Janet Reed.

136

Who's a professor in child

computer interaction at the

137

university of central Lancashire.

138

We've recorded this back in

139

airport if I remember correctly.

140

So in this first part, Janet shares

how important it is to understand the

141

situation that people in, for example,

people with young families and how to

142

really support them in having a good

home life, as well as a good work life.

143

Janet: and we have these

conversations in our group.

144

Which is nice, that's why groups are good.

145

Most of my group have got young

families, so, I appreciate they want

146

to go home and do sports day, they

want to pick the kids up three days

147

a week, or whatever, and, Whatever

situation they find themselves in.

148

Um, I've now got young

grandchildren, sometimes I'm

149

called upon to look after them.

150

Sometimes I just want to go

and have coffee with one of my

151

daughters, and I think that's

nice, you can do those things.

152

So, when my two younger ones

were little, The older ones were

153

old enough to notice things.

154

And they once said to me, Mum,

when you're working at home, the

155

children, the children, I mean this

was the nine year old, you know,

156

talking about the four year old.

157

The children don't know if

you're being a mum or not.

158

Geri: Oh, goodness.

159

Janet: That was very perceptive.

160

And I've taken this to my team and I've

said to my young team, who are young

161

families, who've got young families,

I'll say to them, guys, if you're

162

going to work at home, don't work

at home when you're being a parent.

163

You know, it's not fair on your young

children to do this, because my

164

children told me this and, they'll

say I'm working at home because they

165

think it's convenient to work at home

while they're looking after the kids.

166

Dream on, you're looking after the

kids, you're not working at home.

167

And so I think that's an interesting

conversation I think if you've got

168

a An understanding manager, they will

understand that if you are working

169

at home for seven hours and you've got

young children at home for seven hours,

170

you're probably doing two hours worth

of work, and there's only a certain type

171

of work you can do in that environment.

172

Geri: I love the respect and understanding

that this shows in recognizing the

173

situations that other people are in and.

174

Just having that honest conversation

about what your expectations are and

175

that it's okay to put family first.

176

Janet talks later on about also

getting to know people and the

177

ways in which they're different.

178

So a short snippet on that from Janet.

179

Janet: Other people can

never work to deadline.

180

You know, I have PhD students who never

worked in, you know, they, they wanna

181

have everything ready six days before.

182

And I found that bizarre, I

think, what's wrong with you?

183

But you have to also understand that

the people around you, and, and one of

184

the things about teamwork, you know,

in our team, you have to understand

185

each other's team practices, and you

have to understand how your colleagues,

186

Geri: how you're going to negotiate those

different preferences together, and how

187

Janet: they want to work

188

Geri: Janet also had some lovely things

to say about how to be a manager who

189

can help bring out the best in people.

190

And she starts on this topic

by reflecting on watching her

191

daughter in a management role.

192

Janet: So one of my daughters is

a manager in a retail company.

193

She manages the team and

she is such a good manager.

194

And I never understood

management until I watched her.

195

Watched her, as in not standing there, but

watched her as a human doing management.

196

And that's active person management, and

she gets the best out of those people.

197

And I think to myself, why have I not

had the luxury of that kind of management?

198

And that's a bit rubbish.

199

Even her recruitment processes.

200

Really robust.

201

Yeah.

202

Or appraisal processes are

really robust and in university

203

you don't get any of that.

204

It's just kind of all a bit ad hoc.

205

Yeah.

206

Yes.

207

You'd have thought the least you

would do is try and not manage as

208

in manage, but it's the fact that

it's, it's the encouragement, the

209

understanding individual needs.

210

It's those key things.

211

You encourage, you understand the

needs, you motivate, you say, well done.

212

Yes, you say well done.

213

You say well done.

214

Wouldn't it be nice to get

a well done sometimes, Sam?

215

Oh, well done, Janet.

216

You know, the other day I actually

emailed my boss and I said, Hey, I've

217

had a great day, by the way, today.

218

Two papers accepted, one

funded bid submitted on a roll.

219

Oh, yay.

220

He did actually e mail back and

say, great, that was nice, you know.

221

But, you want a little bit of

encouragement from time to time, you know.

222

Indeed, yeah.

223

What we have, we have this finish tape,

you know, for Children's Sports Days.

224

You know, on the run, they

run across the finish line.

225

So I bought this finish tape.

226

And anyone who finishes something that

they've really been struggling with,

227

they can come to me and get a finish

tape and we tape it across our doors.

228

. And then we had certificates.

229

We've got, like, certificates

of rosettes and things.

230

We have, like, rosettes for great work.

231

That's funny.

232

I just think they're so, so important.

233

But universities don't do this, do they?

234

. .

Geri: And do universities don't often do this, do they?

235

But what, what are universities here?

236

I mean, universities

really are ultimately us.

237

They're the people.

238

And I think what Janet has

pointed to so powerfully.

239

Is how important just

these little things are.

240

So she says, just to repeat what she said.

241

It's those key things.

242

You encourage, you understand the

needs you motivate, you say, well done.

243

Wouldn't it be nice to

get a well done sometimes.

244

And so it's just these really little micro

moments of connection and encouragement.

245

That can make all the

difference to people.

246

And I love the example of using a

finish tape that they hang up when

247

they've overcome something that

they've been struggling with, or

248

little moments of celebrations.

249

And.

250

And gestures and rituals

like their certificates.

251

Small actions that can have a big impact.

252

That all contribute to building this

culture of collegiality and support.

253

So I want to move on to the

next conversation snippet.

254

And this is with Alex Taylor.

255

Who's a reader in the center for

human computer interaction design

256

at city, university of London.

257

And we recorded this

258

Alex particularly talks about

the power of the collective.

259

And he talks about that in

a variety of different ways

260

throughout the conversation.

261

And here, I just pick up on some

parts in which he talks about bringing

262

people together, just through things

like creating meeting groups or the

263

reading groups or the different types

of meetings that they might have.

264

Again just creating those opportunities

for people to gather and talk and share.

265

Alex: and of course, you know, important,

particularly important to me were the

266

early career researchers, and that, as you

say, they feel totally vulnerable because

267

they don't have the position to say no.

268

In fact, their careers depend on

saying yes, and I just want to

269

create the opportunities for them

to come here or to work in place.

270

You know, my, my only advice in it.

271

Impoverished advice is to say,

find the right people that will

272

support you, that won't subject

you to those sorts of pressures.

273

And that allow you to flourish.

274

But of course, that's,

that's a non trivial thing.

275

recommendation.

276

Geri: But we can all be part

of creating those spaces.

277

Yeah.

278

Just thinking back, um, from the

beginning of this sort of university

279

position to now, and you talked

about learning, not that you don't

280

have to be good at everything.

281

And so what would be some of the

sort of key other lessons that you've.

282

learned

283

?

Alex: I've said this a few times, but I, I don't think there's any easy answers.

284

And I think this sense of having

people with you, um, and creating an

285

environment in which everyone can be the

best that they can be, not the worst.

286

Not the worst and I think, again,

that sounds incredibly grand, but

287

I think it gets done in small ways.

288

Um, and, you know, we've really,

within the centre, enlivened these

289

senses of meetings, not just for

meetings sake, but for spaces in

290

which we allow thinking to flourish.

291

Geri: So how do you do that practically?

292

Alex: So I think it is about getting

the right people to set the groundwork

293

for these spaces of, of thinking.

294

So in our writing group, we've

just hired a new, lecturers, Sarah

295

Heitlinger, who, has, has been doing

some great sort of feminist inspired

296

work and she's really trying to set

in place, uh, a turn to the writing

297

group, much like Ali Black spoke about.

298

, I have a reading group and it's about,

you know, I'm designing that reading group

299

to think both about obviously content

that's relevant to our students, our

300

PhD students and postdocs, et cetera,

but also that starts to introduce, um,

301

these layers of thinking and criticality.

302

And so, as we started

off saying earlier on.

303

These modes of being critical are

not somehow in parallel to what we

304

do, they're part of, they furnish

our intellectual capacities.

305

And so it's, it's letting

those things live together.

306

Um, Simone Stumpf, one of

our other senior lecturers,

307

is running a research group.

308

And, you know, everyone has a voice.

309

Everyone has the capacity to bring work.

310

Um, and I think it's just great.

311

And these things, of

course, all take time.

312

Well,

313

Geri: I was just going to ask,

how do you get people together?

314

Alex: Yeah, not everyone comes.

315

I think you have to kind of work from

where people are able to make these.

316

And, so in my own reading

group, I don't enforce it.

317

And different weeks, we

have different people.

318

And that's why, in a way, I think it's

about giving a sense of the environment

319

we're in and what we're open to.

320

Geri: Yeah.

321

Yeah.

322

So would these groups happen

each of them every week or

323

is there some sort of rhythm?

324

Alex: My reading group's every other week.

325

Yeah.

326

the writing group is every week.

327

It's a two hour block.

328

Mm.

329

Mm.

330

You bring something, um, and we kind of

talk about through what, what we're doing.

331

I think we're thinking also of

having writing retreats where, you

332

know, there's a different emphasis.

333

Um, the research group is once a

week, we have a once a week seminar.

334

And again, you know, each of these things

on their own could, could be trivial.

335

But collectively, who you ask to come

and talk in a seminar series, who you

336

read, what you write about together,

um, all those things start to add up.

337

Yeah.

338

, And set.

339

these conditions for what

we're in business about.

340

Geri: I can see lots of ways that

these would be really useful in creating

341

spaces for people just to connect.

342

Yeah.

343

For learning from each other,

from being supported, helping

344

the intellectual endeavor.

345

I mean, there's just

346

Alex: To make that possible for people

and to, for, especially for those who

347

are new to an academic environment.

348

life to realize that there

are places like that.

349

Um.

350

Geri: And they're all very collective.

351

You know, everyone's got

something to contribute.

352

Absolutely.

353

And conveying that message.

354

Yeah, I

355

Alex: really am, you know, I'm

thrilled to be part of a, a center

356

and an organization that, wants it.

357

that wills people to have a voice.

358

Geri: So some lovely examples

there of creating the spaces in

359

which people can come together.

360

And I love that emphasis on

enabling people to have a voice.

361

The next one is a short

example from Kia Hook.

362

Kia is a professor in interaction

design at KTH in Stockholm, Sweden.

363

And we've recorded this in person in 2017.

364

And Kia, will talk about a particular

practice that they have in Sweden

365

that you may well have heard of.

366

Called Fika.

367

And she will explain this and,

and their different sort of

368

approach in how they encourage

people to come together for Fika.

369

Kia: Oh yeah, yeah.

370

We had a very, very strong culture,

very much like you come to the seminars

371

and we had, you know, the Swedish fika.

372

So, uh, it's coffee, coffee breaks.

373

So we had one enforced fika every week on

Wednesdays where everybody had to come.

374

Geri: and

375

Kia: drink coffee and

sit around and socialize.

376

We call it the enforced socializing.

377

And it's so funny because I

would walk through the center.

378

This is an open office landscape.

379

I would walk through the center

and say, okay, now it's three

380

o'clock and it's Wednesday.

381

It's enforced socializing.

382

You come now.

383

And people were, yeah, yeah, yeah.

384

But I just need to, you know.

385

And then they would come, and then I

couldn't make them leave, because they

386

were all like, blub, blub, blub, blub, you

know, talking about their research, uh,

387

and so these things are super important.

388

So we did that, we did joint trips,

we would hold full day meetings at

389

a partner location, we would hold a

meeting at Ericsson or, or Nokia or

390

whatever, you know, so we really worked

hard on, uh, making this one center

391

Geri: So again, another example of very

deliberately creating the spaces and

392

opportunities for people to get together.

393

And, and it also reflects quite

a different approach to what we

394

heard Alex talk about in terms of

encouraging and making people attend.

395

And so I come to the final snippet

that I want to replay here.

396

And that's from a conversation

with Lindsay Oades.

397

Lindsey is a professor at the university

of Melbourne and director of the

398

center for positive psychology there.

399

And this is a conversation that we

400

the positive psychology conference.

401

What Lindsay starts off

reflecting on is the importance

402

of autonomy for many academics.

403

But also the parallel importance

of helping create clarity through

404

providing rationale for people.

405

It's that finding that balance

between letting people be totally

406

free to run off and do what they want.

407

Versus micromanaging.

408

And so that sort of a clarity

of roles and expectations and

409

transparency is really important.

410

And he also goes on to talk about,

people not being dumb and that

411

people really want to feel valued.

412

And that it's important that we tell

people what we value about them.

413

And to help them recognize what

their own strengths are and to help

414

them be able to shape their own

work with the term job crafting.

415

Now, during this conversation, this really

interesting part of the conversation.

416

Unfortunately, we did have a

problem with Lindsay's microphone.

417

It fell down a bit and neither

of us saw it early enough.

418

So see how you go understanding

what he says in his own words.

419

And if you can't understand it,

stay to the end of the podcast.

420

And I will repeat verbatim what

he said there so that you don't

421

miss out on his lovely insights.

422

So this is Lindsay.

423

Lindsay: The academics also,

they love autonomy and, but

424

they also love a rationale.

425

So, self determination theory, for

example, will tell us, give people

426

autonomy but also give them a rationale

for what, so autonomy doesn't mean

427

anything goes, it means, like, for

example, we got, we got some big research

428

income targets we got to hit, um, that's

an external thing, we got to hit it,

429

it's expected, um, so it's, here's our

challenge, we got to hit this, we got

430

to hit this research income target,

you That's not really that negotiable.

431

We've got to get these we've got to get

in this zone with this level of staff

432

This is what's expected How do we do

it and then let the smart people do it

433

don't come in and tell them and that

they've got to have micromanaged bits

434

and pieces And some of them the whinge

they'll say but it at it But there's a

435

rationale for why they've got to do it

and where, how they'll usually find a

436

way, um, because they're not dumb people.

437

Geri: So this, this points to you as a

leader or a director of center needing

438

very good people skills and being

prepared to take the time and having your

439

patience that you talked about earlier

440

And in part of responding to this,

he talks about a strategy document.

441

They have that helps people

see where they fit in.

442

And this is also where the audio

quality starts to deteriorate a little

443

bit more, as I said, see how you go.

444

Lindsay: And I've really been

pushing the strategy document so

445

that people can see where they

fit in where we're trying to go.

446

Um, and that takes time.

447

It does.

448

It actually takes a lot of time.

449

Geri: I'm always interested in turning

our research back on ourselves.

450

So if you think about what you would say

to workplaces, if you're doing well being

451

in the workplace consultancy externally,

And then you turn the lens back into

452

your own centre or academia generally.

453

What are the things that we're

not doing well or you're not doing

454

well or whatever that we would

be telling other people to do?

455

Lindsay: It sounds really trite,

but the evidence bears it out.

456

Fundamentally, people at

work often feel undervalued.

457

In general or by their immediate boss.

458

Geri: Yeah.

459

Lindsay: So simple things about what

do you actually value about your staff?

460

And have you told them and in

what medium have you told them?

461

So that, that's probably number one.

462

Yeah.

463

And number two would be the

stuff we've been talking about

464

too before about strengths.

465

Have you actually had

conversations with staff Oh.

466

About their role in the job

description and how it can be crafted

467

so they can use their strengths

more than they currently are.

468

And that might take time as well.

469

It's not, because there are

organizational constraints that, you

470

know, you've got to deliver this or

we've got to get this class taught or

471

we've got to generate this income or

we've got to get that contract done.

472

So right this moment,

we might not be able to.

473

get you exactly fully there but at least

having a conversation so there's a plan

474

of how it's going to migrate there um and

that those conversations are important

475

because again with academics if there's a

rationale and there's been a conversation

476

they'll probably accept it for a while

yes if there's a good intent yes yeah

477

um so there's a couple of things here

that's just that that that Enabling

478

them to feel valued and then enabling

them to use this strengths and mold

479

their work, or job craft their work.

480

Geri: And so I love that, I love that

valuing because that talks about that

481

issue that you mentioned earlier about not

getting any local validation and, but that

482

we can still do that as managers as with

anyone that we work with, whether you're

483

the director of a center or project team,

or even just a colleague, we could do

484

that colleague to colleague, couldn't we?

485

And now this is me back in real time.

486

I really loved those two simple

things that he talked about.

487

One is, what do you actually value about

the people that you're working with?

488

And have you told them.

489

Have you told them.

490

And the second one was having the

conversations that are about their

491

strengths and how you can help

people shape their work, to better

492

fit their strengths, where they're

going to do a much better job.

493

And it's also a way of bringing

out the best in people that

494

connects to what Janet said and,

and what others have talked about.

495

So I hope these snippets from different

people over the years might give some

496

food for thought about just different ways

that you might contribute to creating the

497

sort of environments that you want to see.

498

Recognizing that we all

have a part to play.

499

We can all make a difference.

500

And they don't need to be grand gestures.

501

They can just be little everyday things.

502

Uh, small actions can

have a really big impact.

503

And go a long way towards

creating cultures that are

504

collegial and supportive.

505

And then enable us to

do great work together.

506

And the snippets that I presented

here from way back in the archive.

507

And so if you're interested in the scene

to more conversations, Uh, that also pick

508

up on notions of culture and creating

great work environments in different ways.

509

I can recommend a couple of others that

you might put on your listening list.

510

So Sarah Davies in part two

of my conversation with her.

511

Sarah talked a lot about creating

cultures of care and things like setting

512

expectations, as well as acknowledging

the work, especially the sort of

513

invisible work that people do that

go to contributing to great cultures.

514

Mark Reed in the conversation with

him, he talked about building a

515

compassionate culture and then

talked about what that meant.

516

Karen Stroobants in my conversation

with her talked about culture.

517

More generally.

518

And in particular about how

we need change of culture.

519

As a key part of how we shift

the emphasis on just having, for

520

example, high impact journal.

521

Papers as the only output that we value.

522

And that we need to change that.

523

And Elizabeth Churchill.

524

Also talked about what they were

doing at Google when she worked

525

there towards creating more inclusive

cultures and in particular, she

526

focused on building a team culture.

527

So there are some other pointers that

you may want to go back and listen to.

528

And gather more ideas.

529

And I invite you just to

leave this thinking about.

530

What might be one or two small actions

that you can do right now, right today.

531

That contributes to creating

the culture that you want.

532

You can find the summary notes,

a transcript, and related

533

links for this podcast on www.

534

changingacademiclife.

535

com.

536

You can also subscribe to

Changing Academic Life on iTunes,

537

Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

538

And I'm really hoping that we can

widen the conversation about how

539

we can do academia differently.

540

And you can contribute to this by rating

the podcast and also giving feedback.

541

And if something connected with you,

please consider sharing this podcast

542

with your colleagues together.

543

We can make change happen.

544

As promised, I'm going to read out what

I could transcribe from what Lindsay

545

said when we had that microphone drop.

546

So you may remember that he'd been

talking about just letting smart people

547

get on and do it and you don't have to

tell them they have to have micromanaged

548

parts that'll usually find a way.

549

So he continues saying, You have to do

this both individually and as a group.

550

And I've been trying to push this strategy

document so people can see where they fit.

551

into it and where we want to go.

552

And that takes time.

553

I raised some question then about

turning the lens back onto academia.

554

And he says, it sounds really trite,

but the evidence bears it out.

555

Fundamentally, people at work

often feel undervalued in general

556

or by their immediate boss.

557

So simple things about what do

you actually value about your

558

staff and have you told them?

559

And in what medium have you told them?

560

So that's number one.

561

And number two would be the stuff we

talked about before about strengths.

562

Have you actually had conversations

with staff about their role, and the

563

job description, and how it can be

crafted, so that they can use their

564

strengths more than they currently are?

565

And that might take time as well,

because there are organizational

566

constraints, that you have to deliver

this, or get this class taught, or

567

we've got to generate that income, or

we've got to get that contract done.

568

So, while at this moment we can't get

you exactly fully there, at least we

569

have that conversation, so there's a

plan of how it's going to migrate there.

570

And those conversations are really

important, because again with academics,

571

if there is a rationale and there has been

a conversation, they'll probably accept

572

it for a while if there's good intent.

573

So there's a couple of things there,

enabling them to feel valued, and

574

enabling them to use their strengths

and mould their work, job craft

575

their work from a strength space.