Managing Conflict in the Research Arena

Survival Skills for ResearchKelly Edwards, PhD

Department of Bioethics & HumanitiesITHS Regulatory Support & Bioethics

Conflict is fun!

Aiksaath.com

Authorship

• One of 8 team members has taken the lead on the first paper that will come from the group.

• Five members of the team sign-on to this paper.• Two of you invest time with the first author

getting the paper ready to submit.• Another team member is up for promotion

review and has been told by his Chair that he must have another publication in order to have a chance at succeeding in his review.

Conflicts in Research

• Authorship– Order, Inclusion

• Publications– Target journals, interpretation, writing style

• Team Issues– Project direction, communication– FTE investment

• Critical Incidents– Responding under stress

Human Relationships 101

Do you want to:

Process internally or externally?Talk about feelings or facts?Prioritize relationships or deliverables?Preserve harmony or address issues?Give in or be right?

http://www.kilmann.com/conflict.html

Model for Team Effectiveness

Goals:• Agree on the desired results• Clear priorities and deadlinesRoles:• Understand the main tasks• Clear responsibilitiesProcesses and Interpersonal:• Agree on the standards and expectations• Have a plan for solving problems

• (GRPI) Tang&Wenzlik on collaborationideas.com

Data Ownership

• You have been collaborating with a senior person from a different department on a project for the past three years.

• While he collected the data, your task was to provide the analysis.

• He is unhappy with the progress thus far and pulls the data from your office to take to another colleague.

• You have invested significant time into the project thus far and have a grant and several papers pending on preliminary results from this work.

Value of Trust

Trust is the foundation for all productive relationships. How do you build trust?

Partnership Agreements

– Project purpose and scope (duration)– Authorship– Expectations

• Communication• Mentorship• Standards• Contributions

– Decision Making– Contingencies

ombudsman.nih.gov

Prep for a Difficult Conversation

1. What is your purpose for having the conversation? What would be an ideal outcome?2. What assumptions are you making ?3. What “buttons” of yours are being pushed? 4. Are you curious or concerned? 5. What might they be thinking about this situation? What are their needs and fears? 6. How have you contributed to the problem?

Mediate.com/ringerj1

Teams Matter

Pearls

• Reputation is everything• Integrity is everything• Humor goes a long way• Do prepare upfront • Know what you can (and can’t) control• Make choices about teams with care• Compassion for yourself and colleagues helps

Resources

• ITHS Research Ethics Consult Service – iths.org

• UW Medicine Professionalism Consult Service– profconsult@uw.edu

• Ombudsperson, including faculty conciliators– ombuds@uw.edu

• ombudsman.nih.gov/tools.html

Take Home Points

What is one strategy or idea you are taking away from today?