Colleagues, At Berkeley Lab, people with a variety of skills come together to tackle large-scale, impactful scientific challenges. We call this Team Science. Today, as we think more critically about how we do Team Science, we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute so we never miss the chance to consider potentially valuable feedback or ideas. It’s important to recognize … [Read more...]
Three Questions For Merlin Lopez
Merlin Lopez, an electrical coordinator working on the ALS-U Upgrade project, has only been at the Lab for six months, but has already spearheaded a cost-projection effort to help streamline the purchase of electrical equipment for the project. He enjoys the people he works with and the challenge of the work, but what he’s really happy about is the no-car commute he now has. Rides on … [Read more...]
Three Questions For NERSC’s Cory Snavely on Psychological Safety
Of the five key components of effective teams that have been identified by researchers at Google, psychological safety is the most critical. The term “team psychological safety” was introduced by Harvard organizational behavioral scientist Amy Edmondson in 1999; she defined it as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.” In Edmondson’s … [Read more...]
Three Question For LaTonja Wright on Team Effectiveness
There are five components to team effectiveness that create, foster, and empower a team: Psychological safety Dependability Structure and Clarity Meaning Impact These components can be put into practice by establishing a common vocabulary, creating a forum to discuss team dynamics, and making a commitment to reinforcing this behavior with the team. LaTonja Wright puts … [Read more...]
Director’s Message on Fostering a Respectful and Safe Workplace
Colleagues, Many of us had the opportunity, during her recent visit, to spend time with Dr. Frazier Benya, study director for the landmark National Academies report “Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.” If you missed her excellent presentation, you can watch the video. The report, which I shared with you last June … [Read more...]