managererial styles

[Sandra Weller]

In article <lab_sakano-2001961431360001 at lsa6mac33.berkeley.edu>,
lab_sakano at maillink.berkeley.edu (Linda Kingsbury) wrote:

 I will soon be looking
> for my first postdoc and have come to realize just how big a deal
> managerial style can be to a student.  Are there any books, etc. that
> list/describe (pigeonhole?) different styles and help you learn to
> recognize them quickly, determine which styles are most compatible with
> your personality, and advise how to best work with managers of different
> types?  
> Also, any other advice on how to find a good postdoctoral supervisor would
> be appreciated.


I am not aware of any books on this subject, but one strategy for picking
a graduate or postdoctoral advisor would be to ask for advice from
currrent and past members of that laboratory.  In addition, there are
several questions you sould ask a prospective postdoctoral advisor such as
policies about whether projects can be "taken with" you when you leave the
lab.  I do feel that managerial syles between men and women can be
different, with some women being more supportive or nurturing to students
and postdocs.  However that generalization does not always hold: I know
many men who are extremely supportive and some women who are so insecure
themselves that they are not effective mentors to either women or male
students.  I am very interested in issues of mentoring and in my eleven
years of being a graduate advisor am still learning how to be a good
advisor.  Some students need more encouragement and want to discuss every
experiment and others seem to prefer to be left alone until ready to
discuss the "whole experiment".  I try to provide the guidence and
managerial style that I perceive is needed by each student.  I am not sure
my male colleagues would consider taking the time to do this.  I am
rambling and my biological children need me to read to them right now.  I
think this is an important issue and I look forward to reading other
responses.  Sandy Weller, Ph.D. and just promoted to full Professor of
Microbiology.