A Research Administrator’s Guide to Service Leadership
Originated by Robert K. Greenleaf (2002) in his essay “The Servant as Leader,” a servant-leader is, in essence, someone whose primary emphasis is on the well-being of those being served. For this article, we define research administrator servant-leaders as individuals who share their power with others, focus on the growth and well-being of people and their communities, and put the needs of others first. Servant-leaders do this to help people develop and perform as highly as possible—whether they be staff, faculty, or overall constituents. Because the term “servant” has a complicated relationship with labor practices, in this paper we have reframed to this topic as “service leadership.”
There are a multitude of ways research administrators (RAs) can practice service leadership within their overall locus of control. RAs contribute to the greater good of society through their role in supporting institutional research activities. They help build knowledge, advise researchers on administrative and compliance issues, and provide guidance about best practices to all who work with them. They maintain documentation for the projects under their care, building consistency across all activities; they ensure proper stewardship of the funding entrusted to our institutions. As managers, RAs practicing good service leadership are professional yet approachable and, most importantly, apply a non-authoritarian approach to leadership, allowing a safe space for honest feedback and dialogue throughout the research process. Service leaders always live by their word, which builds trust and sets an example for others to follow. Finally, true service leaders are always looking for ways to give back to internal and external communities by providing opportunities for learning and growth.
In everyday practice, service leaders listen to feedback and accept criticism, then pivot accordingly to manage positive change and continuous improvement. Service leaders put their immediate team first as they strive towards research administration success. Reducing administrative burden wherever possible is a hallmark of good service leadership—doing so streamlines processes and minimizes encumbrances for people juggling multiple activities. Exemplary service leaders are individuals who seek solutions to problems, look outside the box to find answers, and set manageable boundaries to support a positive work-life balance. Being self-aware and remembering that good service leadership can happen anywhere, at any time, and at all levels means this leadership model can be applied to all activities, no matter how big or small.
In particular, good service leaders can have a positive impact on workplace culture, which we define as the values, belief systems, attitudes, and sets of assumptions that people in a workplace share, which is often shaped by individual upbringing and social and cultural context (Heathfield, 2020). By practicing the activities described above, good service leaders can help build trust by providing clear and open communication, share knowledge by being as transparent as possible, and enhance the immediate culture in their organizations by being aware of differences and striving to find bridges among constituencies.
As service leaders, RAs enhance both the research environment and the overall community by setting clear boundaries (which enhances positive work-life balance and culture), demonstrating shared accountability (by setting expectations), promoting good stewardship (by striving to always do what is right), engendering trust, fostering true partnerships, and practicing community building within their organizations as well as in the profession. This form of leadership can be a vital asset to enabling all members of a team, organization, community, and domain to operate at peak performance, which in turn enhances good research administration for all parties. In addition, for service-oriented individuals, being of service for the greater good just feels good!
References
Greenleaf, R. K. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th anniversary ed.). Paulist Press.
Heathfield, S. M. (2020, March 6). Culture: Your environment for people at work. LiveAbout. https://www.liveabout.com/culture-your-environment-for-people-at-work-1918809
Melissa Karby, CRA, Associate Director of Research Administration, Office of the Vice President for Research
University of Michigan
Nicholas Prieur, CRA, Research Administration Senior Manager
University of Michigan
Pat Turnbull, Director of Research Administration, Office of Research
University of Michigan-Dearborn