(S9E1): Show Some Appreciation and Change Your Research Culture for the Better, with Ruth Winden

Ruth Winden [: 00:00:04

Welcome to the Research Culture Uncovered podcast, where in every episode we explore what is research culture and what should it be? You'll hear thoughts and opinions from a range of contributors to help you change research culture into what you want it to be. One of the real perks of working in researcher development and research culture is hearing about the incredibly exciting and complex work researchers do, the many challenges they overcome, the ingenuity and skill it takes to do what they do. On top of it, researchers are the nicest, most capable, and motivated people I could wish to work with so often. Listening to their stories, I I can't help but be in awe of what they give to their research community and how determined they are to solve the most pressing problems of our time. But one thing that strikes me in those conversations is that despite all their greatest efforts and contributions to research and their many, many talents, they don't always feel appreciated for what they do and who they are. And this is what I want to talk to you about today. How can we in researcher development help our colleagues feel more valued? Welcome to this summer episode. My name is Ruth Windon and I'm the careers with research consultant at the University of Leeds.

Ruth Winden [: 00:01:32

In our roles, we learn about our institution's research culture and how it presents itself in our researchers lives. Every day we hear about the great, the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. I see a real need to address one of the ugly issues, and that is feeling undervalued in the workplace. No one wants to feel they're being taken for granted, but there are things that we as researcher developers can do to address this sense of feeling unseen and unheard. Of course, many structural issues affect the lived experiences of researchers and and how they feel. But I won't go into those today. Instead, I want to focus on things we can all change, irrespective of our hierarchical power and influence. And that is how we can change behavior and behave differently with each other so that our colleagues get that sense of satisfaction and recognition that we as human beings crave.

Ruth Winden [: 00:02:34

Before I dive deeper into this topic, let me say this. Employees feeling underappreciated is sadly a common experience in the workplace. What I describe here is not unique to Leeds. It's not unique to the university sector. Feeling underappreciated is a global workplace issue that's being discussed worldwide, increasingly so after the pandemic. I want to share five ways that researcher developers can contribute in this space. These are five ways I use. I'm sure there are many, many more I'd be so interested to hear how you approach this topic.

Ruth Winden [: 00:03:10

So what are my five? Let's get started. First of all, it's our values. For me, it all begins with thinking about the values we implicitly and explicitly bring to work. Having a strong value set helps me guide what I do and how I do it. I strongly believe that when we base our behaviors with and towards each other on our core values, we can achieve a great deal in creating a more collaborative, positive, supportive research culture. These are the four core values across my institution here at Leeds. Number one, collaboration. We work together to achieve our goals and ambitions.

Ruth Winden [: 00:03:46

Number two, compassion. We're caring and considerate in our words and actions. Number three is inclusivity. We're a community where everyone is welcome and belongs. And number four, integrity. We're open and honest in our words and actions. I hope it's easy to see how all these four values come into play when we want to address a lack of appreciation that researchers might feel. The one that stands out here for me is compassion.

Ruth Winden [: 00:04:14

If we really want to care and be considerate in our words and actions, then we can't dismiss anyone telling us they feel unappreciated. It's about translating these values into actions. Agreeing to values is an important starting point, but unless we take things further and let these values guide our actions and behaviors, the impact will be limiting. Which takes me to point number two. My second point is about challenging perceptions and helping researchers recognize their value and uniqueness. As researcher developers, we hear so many stories about how researchers tackle complex problems, overcome challenges, show grit and determination. What they do is pretty awe inspiring. But when you discuss their achievements and career aspirations, how often do you hear them say, oh, anyone could do this, or I just did my job, or I was so lucky that I got this opportunity.

Ruth Winden [: 00:05:12

Aren't researchers just masters at playing down their accomplishments? I know why they tell me they hate feeling like they want to show off. They want to be seen as decent and humble, and they worry about being seen as bragging. I do understand where they're coming from, but I won't let them get away with it. A because I want them to recognize their talents and abilities so they can share those in a way that feels comfortable. Ultimately, I want them to get the opportunities they deserve, and that will be hard to do if they don't own their achievements, if they don't recognize the value that they offer. And that's also about self appreciation and b if they don't recognize their own value and contributions, how do they expect others to show them the appreciation they want. As Brennie Brown describes so well in her research, leaving it to others to appreciate us without appreciating ourselves first is a road that leads to disappointment. If we want to feel appreciated, we also need to appreciate ourselves.

Ruth Winden [: 00:06:16

I find Brene Brown's work so helpful here. I'll put a link to the book I'm referencing into the show notes. My third point is focusing on the positives and saying no to deficit model at Leeds we fullheartedly embrace a strengths based approach to researcher development. What do you do well? What can you build on and how do you play to your strengths? Is a much more effective way to develop, learn and grow than the outdated deficit model which addresses so called weaknesses or shortcomings, ignores where our natural talents are, and sadly, that approach is still around in some corners. Of course, focusing on the strengths, that doesn't mean we don't encourage researchers to fill any skills gaps. They might need to be effective in their roles, but we need to challenge their habit of emphasizing what researchers don't have, what they can't do yet, and where they're falling short of their own expectations. Because in my experience, the focus on what they lack is often their default response. It is rare to hear researchers share what they're good at and enjoy most at work, unless I probe them.

Ruth Winden [: 00:07:31

Becoming clear on one's strengths is another way to recognize one's value. It all starts with appreciating ourselves, and as researcher developers we can challenge each other in the kindest and most constructive ways to do just that. My number four is managing upwards and asking for what you need. And this is probably the area where I get the biggest pushback. When researchers tell me that they feel unappreciated by their line manager or colleagues, I always ask, do they know how you feel? Most of the time they don't. Commonly, those researchers have never dared to mention what they miss and what they need from their colleagues. I understand it's tempting to ignore what bothers us. Asking for what we need can feel uncomfortable.

Ruth Winden [: 00:08:18

It is brave, and it does take courage to bring these topics up, especially if these kinds of conversations are uncommon in our research group or department. We worry about the response we might get and the consequences if these questions aren't welcome. And still, I would argue that not addressing these issues does more damage over time than nothing. Unless we raise our concerns and share our needs, how are we giving others a chance to reflect on their impact on us and how to change their behaviours? After all, they might be totally unaware of what's going on for us. One way to overcome our reluctance to address these interpersonal issues is to refer to common values. So in our case, it leads our workplace values of collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity. If we really want to embrace those values, conversations about feeling unappreciated have their place and should be welcome. As a next step, I often craft responses with researchers.

Ruth Winden [: 00:09:23

Together, we come up with some ways to ask those uncomfortable questions and have those conversations, depending on the researchers contexts and environments. Like a script, they can amend and adapt to their own context. It could be as simple as saying something like this to one's research leader during a conversation just between the two of you."I wanted to share something about the project we've been working on together. I realize I do my best work when I understand what I need to do differently to solve the problem where I got stuck. And thanks so much for those pointers that you gave me. They were really helpful. But I also welcome your views on what I've done well in this project so I can build on the positives for our next grant. Can you give me some specific feedback on what I did well in this project so I can make sure I repeat it next time?"

Ruth Winden [: 00:10:17

I would hope that a gentle approach like this would be a possible starting point. It might feel like a big step to take, especially if it's uncommon to speak about your needs at work. But if we want to change research culture for the better, we do need to address the elephant in the room, ideally in a way that the other person can take our perspective on board and offer solutions. It's not about complaining, it's about expressing what we need and finding common understanding so we can do the best work together. In case this all sounds a bit odd, in my view, these conversations are an important part of our working lives. How we work together matters, and you never know what shifts in behavior can occur when you have the courage to say what needs to be said, especially when it comes from positive intentions and a constructive point of view. And that brings me onto my fifth point, and that is sharing a sense of appreciation with our colleagues.

Ruth Winden [: 00:11:14

As researcher developers, we have ample opportunity to help researchers feel appreciated and share their appreciation with each other. I promise it doesn't have to feel fluffy or odd, at least not once we all get started and experience it ourselves. Firstly, as researcher developers, we hear many, many beautiful stories that researchers tell us about their work. It is easy to see what matters to them, what motivates them, what their talents are, and what a difference they make. One of the most rewarding parts of our roles, in my view, is being a witness to those stories and when appropriate and welcome, reflecting back to them what we see and heard and helping them make sense of their contributions at work. Most of the time, in my experience, they will take their talents for granted and it is so useful for them. A real eye opener when we point out what is obvious to us, but what might not be obvious to them. Receiving this type of affirmation can be precious for researchers.

Ruth Winden [: 00:12:15

Our feedback can make a real difference. Secondly, we can encourage participants in our workshops and programs to show appreciation for each other. I recently worked with a group of ten postdoctoral researchers in a four month group program. A recurring discussion point was how to feel appreciated at work. In the final session, I chose a particular exercise so they could experience what it feels like to show and receive appreciation as they had to got to know each other so well during the program, I knew that each and every one of them had something positive to share about each other. I gave everyone a blank piece of a full paper with their name and this sentence at the top of the sheet. What I appreciate about you is Dot, dot dot. I then asked them to pass this piece of paper to the person on their left, who would fill in the blanks and write down their response at the bottom of the sheet, then fold it over and pass it on to the next person so they could make their comments until the piece of paper had done the full round and everyone had had the chance to write down their positive comments.

Ruth Winden [: 00:13:27

By the way, I deliberately asked everyone to fold over their responses before passing the piece of paper to the next person, as I wanted the feedback only to be visible to the recipient. That really took the pressure off them, and it seemed to work well for them. In other scenarios, I might be more open about this, but for this group, this more private approach seemed to be the right way to do it, and they loved it. After a few giggles and some nervous looks, they got on with the task and really threw themselves into it. Apparently. I heard they shared the loveliest comments with each other, and those precious pieces of feedback from all their peers will be there for them whenever they need a reminder of how much they're valued and how much they, as people, are valued, too. So here they are. My five ideas of how researcher developers can help change behaviors and co create a more positive research culture where everyone feels valued.

Ruth Winden [: 00:14:28

All the things I've shared are simple things to do. Simple, yes, but not always easy. But they're doable if we take time and pay attention. If we're more intentional in our behaviors, and if we show our colleagues how much we care. I'd love to hear what you make of this episode. Whether you're a researcher, developer, a researcher, or research leader, what do you find that helps you make our workplaces more appreciative? Let's share ideas and ways of behaving. Feeling appreciated at work and being seen as a whole person is something we don't talk about enough, in my view. And yet it is so important.

Ruth Winden [: 00:15:10

Just like doctor Maya Angelou said, I've learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Until next time, bye bye.

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