Three Keys to Promoting a Mindset of Adaptability and Continuous Improvement

Provide safe spaces for collaboration, experimenting, and learning

byScott D. Hanton, PhD

| 2 min read

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The lab is a constantly changing space. Scientific developments, new learnings, more advanced instruments, and more capable software all push the lab in positive ways to change and adapt. There are also more negative influences on the lab that force it to adapt, such as being understaffed, budget pressure, lack of investment, and unhappy stakeholders. Lab managers can provide a foundation of growth for the lab by promoting a mindset of adaptability and continuous improvement. Here are three tips that will help:

#1 – Encourage life-long learning

Perhaps the most important trait of high-performing scientists is curiosity. While it seems that all children are endlessly curious, most adults outgrow or lose the ability. Lab managers can help curiosity thrive in the lab by encouraging life-long learning. Asking good questions, seeking solutions, being creative, and wondering about options are all important when dealing with both the positive and negative influences on the lab. We need people around us who will exert their curiosity to solve the problems that the lab faces. It is much more valuable to have staff who can learn than just having people who know many things.

#2 – Create a safe place for experimentation

Lab work is all about doing experiments. Most scientists are very good at designing, implementing, and analyzing experiments. However, many people constrain these experiments to the lab bench. There are many other experiments that can be done to improve the lab. The lab manager needs to create a work environment for the lab that has safe places for a wide range of experiments like changing individual roles, rearranging teams, adapting workflows, changing vendors, and trying new approaches to the work. People need to feel safe to try new things and learn from experiments that don’t work as expected.

#3 – Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing

Encourage teamwork and sharing. Today’s science is too complex to be accomplished alone. It requires a team. The better the teams can interact, communicate, learn, and share, the better the lab will perform. Take advantage of the knowledge and experience that staff bring with them to the lab. Resist “not invented here” syndrome and incorporate what has been successful elsewhere into your systems. You never know who will have the spark of an idea that solves the problem. Enabling everyone to bring their best self to work and fully contribute takes full advantage of the entire staff to propel the lab forward.

The need for change is constant. Enabling your staff to be adaptable, flexible, and comfortable with continuous improvement will provide the foundation needed for the creativity and innovation for the lab to succeed.

About the Author

Scott D. Hanton, PhD

Scott Hanton is the editorial director of Lab Manager. He spent 30 years as a research chemist, lab manager, and business leader at Air Products and Intertek. He earned a BS in chemistry from Michigan State University and a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Scott is an active member of ACS, ASMS, and ALMA. Scott married his high school sweetheart, and they have one son. Scott is motivated by excellence, happiness, and kindness. He most enjoys helping people and solving problems. Away from work Scott enjoys working outside in the yard, playing strategy games, and coaching youth sports. He can be reached at shanton@labmanager.com.