In my role as Ombuds for the Academy of Management, a 19,000-member association for academics in the management field, I often work with researchers having disputes with research collaborators. Perhaps they believe someone plagiarized their work. Or the author order on their manuscript isn’t right. Or they are afraid a coauthor’s bad behavior will affect how editors perceive their own (non-plagiarized) work. These are emotional, high-stakes situations that may have been prevented. How? By ensuring that the research team starts off on a sound footing.

A great resource for finding out more is Bennett, Gadlin, and Levine-Finley’s “Collaboration & Team Science: A Field Guide,” published by the National Institutes of Health (2010). This guide presents a deep dive into what it takes to lead an effective research team. It focuses on thoughtful preparation, how to choose qualified researchers with team skills, and managing the team so success is optimized. Here’s a brief list of their recommendations:

• Prepare. First, look at yourself. What’s your personality? Introvert? Extravert? Do you procrastinate? Is it hard for you to hear criticism as constructive? How do you resolve conflict – do you compete to make sure your side wins, or do you collaborate to achieve the best solution? Answering these questions gives you information about what you may need to work on to be an effective research leader.
• Build your team deliberatively. Consider “interviewing” potential research partners to identify those who will be productive and constructive team players. Make each person’s roles and responsibilities clear and set expectations. Ensure everyone understands the end goal and timetable. Be prepared for disagreements and conflicts – have a plan so team members will communicate openly if they see issues with the research or the process. Agree on how you’ll share the data, establish author order now and update it as needed as the project evolves
• Lead the team and help it succeed. Understand that group processes develop over time. It may take a couple of meetings for new people to work easily together. Remember conflict is normal and the right kind and amount is actually good – it encourages creativity and optimum decision-making.
• Develop trust and a shared vision. Ask team members to describe how this project fits into their overall research strategies. Consider if a written agreement about work roles, authorship, etc. would minimize stress and enhance trust. Encourage team members to take responsibility and give them credit when credit is due.
• Establish rules about communication. Set ground rules for proper interactions and urge everyone to contribute to conversations. Hold periodic meetings so communication is regular and predictable.
• Hone your conflict-management skills. If everyone seems to be agreeing too much, consider coaxing positive conflict by taking a “devil’s advocate” position to introduce new ideas. If there’s negative conflict, establish methods by which the team can effectively manage it.

My personal solution to effective research collaborations is to work only with people I trust. However, sometimes that’s not possible, if the skills you need don’t exist in your close network. In that case, it’s essential to have some tools in your belt to ensure success in collaboration.

If you need help with a research collaboration or with any work-related problem, UMKC’s Faculty Ombudsperson is available to help you. Please don’t hesitate to contact me.