As Lab Manager’s 2022 Leadership Summit draws closer, we invite you to get to know the laboratory and management professionals who will be speaking at this exciting event. Our exciting return to in-person events will take place in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on May 16-18. Visit https://summit.labmanager.com/leadership for more information and to secure your ticket.
Scott Hanton, editorial director at Lab Manager, will deliver a session called "Improve Your Lab’s Culture through Positive Leadership." Scott's presentation will outline the different ways that lab managers can lead their staff, and offer suggestions on how to tailor your leadership approach to best fit these different individuals. Learn how to promote the values and mission of your lab, and strengthen its bonds of belonging and community in the lab while at the same time improving the lab’s overall performance. Build your professional relationships, a culture of trust, and confidence in yourself as a manager by developing a positive leadership style—and learn how these improvements can help grow your lab in a variety of measurable ways.
Scott, along with fellow Leadership Summit speakers Paula McDaniel and Jonathan Klane, will also be on a special leadership panel, "Leadership Challenges and Solutions," as part of this event. This open forum welcomes attendees to bring their questions about their own management and leadership challenges. The speakers will offer helpful advice, personal experiences in leadership, and useful strategies to help lab managers run their labs like a business.
Watch Scott give a preview of his Leadership Summit session and why it's beneficial for lab managers to attend this informative talk:
Read more about Scott's background as a research chemist, his exciting new lab management certificate project with Lab Manager, and the most important skill he recommends all managers have in their toolbox. Register today at https://summit.labmanager.com/leadership for your chance to learn from Scott's experience and insight at the 2022 Leadership Summit.
Q: How did you get started in your career?
A: At 13 years old, I stayed overnight with a family as part of a youth retreat. The father talked about his work as a research chemist. I was hooked. Since that conversation, I wanted to be a research chemist myself. After success as a researcher, I branched out into supervision and lab management.
Q: What made you choose this career?
A: I’ve always been fascinated with the question, ‘Why?’ Being a scientist, and a physical chemist, helped me to answer a wide range of why questions.
Q: What are you most excited about in regards to your Leadership Summit talk?
A: The opportunity to share the benefits of positive leadership. Too many people associate leadership with authority, and think that once they are in charge, things will be done their way. Positive leaders are looking for the best ways to meet the lab’s goals, primarily through taking the best care of the people. Enabling others to thrive and succeed is a great way to enable the organization to be successful
Q: What is the biggest lesson learned in your professional career?
A: That having a focus on helping others brings both great satisfaction, but also leads to the opportunity for great success.
Q: If you had to have a different work-related role, what would it be and why?
A: I’d look for another way to teach and share my knowledge and experience. That may be in the classroom, through consulting opportunities, or through professional development
Q: What is one important skill you think that all leaders should have?
A: All leaders need to be good listeners. No one can know everything. It is vital to be able to listen to everyone around you. Listen to learn, not to respond. See what you can learn every day from the people you work with and encounter.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: Do you want to be right or be effective? Early in my career, I thought being right was the goal, but I sometimes struggled with being effective. This advice, from an excellent supervisor, helped me find a better balance. It became more important for us to be right, rather than for me to be right. That shift brought considerably more effectiveness.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years in your current position?
A: Build out the Lab Manager Academy. I’m really enjoying developing the lab management certificate program, and I’m looking forward to branching out to address safety, quality, and technical topics. I’d like the Academy to be a primary place where lab professionals can gain the knowledge and training, they need to be successful.
Q: What do you like most about attending/participating in events like the Lab Manager Leadership Summit?
A: I love the opportunity to learn from other lab managers. Despite big differences in the science we practice, many lab managers face common challenges. I like to hear their challenges, learn from their experiences, and share what I can to help others.
