How do you deal with conflicts or disagreements between your supervisee and other stakeholders?
As a research supervisor, you may encounter situations where your supervisee has conflicts or disagreements with other stakeholders, such as co-authors, funders, reviewers, or colleagues. These can arise from different expectations, perspectives, interests, or values, and can affect the quality and progress of the research project. How do you deal with these challenges and support your supervisee to resolve them effectively? Here are some tips to help you navigate these situations.
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Create a safe space:Ensuring a supportive environment allows for honest conversations. In practice, you can establish regular check-ins and encourage openness, which helps identify the true roots of conflicts.
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Weigh costs vs. benefits:When addressing conflicts, consider the economic and personal impacts of potential solutions. Gauge whether the benefits of resolving an issue outweigh the effort required to do so.