Inspiring Leaders, Transforming Labs MEANINGFUL NETWORKING LEADING WITH PURPOSE IMPROVING LAB OPERATIONS RESOURCE GUIDE 2 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA APR 7-9 2025 REGISTER NOW! Contents Lead with Confidence Discover how influential leadership can shape the future of your lab. 03 Positively Energizing Leadership Exclusive insights from 2025 Leadership Summit Keynote Speaker Kim Cameron. 05 LabOps Success Stories Turn challenges into triumphs with proven strategies for operational excellence. 08 Meet the Experts Get inspired by the thought leaders and innovators shaping the Summit. 11 Motivation Mastery Unlock the three keys to energizing and engaging your lab team. 12 Inspiring Testimonial A journey through the challenges and triumphs of lab management. 13 Hands-On Learning Enhance your leadership with expert-led workshops. Our Valued Partners A look at the sponsors making this event possible. 10 15 3 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! APR 7-9 2025 Lead with Confidence, Succeed with Impact For 20 years, Lab Manager has been a valuable resource for laboratory professionals across academia, government, and industry. Our print publications, online resources, events, and the Lab Manager Academy eLearning program equip current and aspiring lab leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to “run their lab like a business.” Now in its fifth year, the Lab Manager Leadership Summit embodies the mission of Lab Manager by bringing our readers together for three days of learning and networking. What is the Lab Manager Leadership Summit? The 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit, taking place April 7-9 in Pittsburgh, PA, is your chance to reset, gain fresh insights, expand your skill set, and return to the lab with renewed motivation and practical strategies to elevate your team’s performance. With a packed agenda of 20 expert-led sessions, small group discussions, and workshops, this year’s event ensures attendees can explore a wide range of topics across different tracks while delving into advanced leadership strategies designed for senior-level managers. Whether you are a seasoned manager or aspiring to become one, the 2025 summit promises invaluable takeaways to enhance your leadership skills. Here are some of the highlights you can expect: Hands-on workshops: Practical skills to elevate your lab The 2025 Leadership Summit offers workshops that equip attendees with practical skills ready for immediate application. These interactive sessions go beyond presentations, engaging participants with expert-led guidance on topics like handling workplace conflict, crisis preparation, and improving lab efficiency. Attendees will tackle real-world scenarios, share insights with peers, and leave with a game plan to implement back at the lab. Specialized tracks: Clinical lab management and lab safety Returning this year are two specialized tracks designed for clinical lab professionals and lab safety leaders. The clinical lab management track will dive into some of the most pressing challenges for clinical lab leaders today, such as navigating regulations, combatting misinformation, and succession planning. The lab safety track will feature three speaker presentations and a roundtable discussion that will equip attendees with knowledge on THE 2025 LAB MANAGER LEADERSHIP SUMMIT IS A CAN’T-MISS EVENT By Lauren Everett NEW for workshops this year: Two of the three workshops will be led by Lab Manager Academy instructors who will teach their respective eLearning courses live! This is the perfect chance to speak directly with an instructor and participants will receive a certificate of completion. 4 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA APR 7-9 2025 REGISTER NOW! building both safety and security among lab staff, how to benefit from near-miss incidents, leveraging leading indicators to prevent accidents, and how to develop strong onboarding practices to elevate your lab’s safety culture from day one. Advanced topics for experienced managers An important aspect of the 2025 event that differentiates it from previous years is an emphasis on advanced learnings for seasoned lab managers. Recognizing the need for experienced leaders to continually refine their skills, the summit features a third track of presentations on topics such as strategic decision-making, leading through ambiguity, and managing multiple locations/teams. These sessions are designed to challenge experienced attendees and provide them with fresh perspectives and tools for navigating the evolving demands of laboratory management. Returning attendees and those with extensive leadership experience will find these advanced topics invaluable for staying at the forefront of their field. The 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit brings together a diverse array of learning opportunities to support lab leaders at all stages of their careers. Don’t miss the chance to connect with peers, gain new knowledge, and elevate your leadership at this premier event for lab professionals. Highlights of the 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit 20 EXPERT SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS 6 ROUNDTABLES 3 WORKSHOPS 2 PANELS REGISTER TODAY: HTTPS://SUMMIT.LABMANAGER.COM/LEADERSHIP 5 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! APR 7-9 2025 How Positively Energizing Leadership Drives Exceptional Outcomes What is the key to producing successful outcomes in scientific organizations? How do we reach spectacular levels of productivity, profitability, quality, innovation, customer satisfaction, and employee retention? What is the most important factor that accounts for outstanding success? Abundant empirical evidence confirms that the organization’s leader is the single most important predictor—more important than strategy, culture, incentive systems, processes, or facilities. If all these factors are in place but the organization has a poor leader, high levels of success are unlikely. Being a good lab leader requires a variety of skills and traits. However, empirical research has identified one specific factor that tends to trump all others—the positive energy of the leader. The power of positive energy Positive energy elevates individuals, is life-giving, and fosters vitality. In nature, the most common source of positive energy is the sun. It is the life-giving force. All species, including human beings, are inclined toward and flourish over time in the presence of life-giving energy, and they avoid and languish in the presence of life-depleting or lifeendangering energy. This phenomenon is called the heliotropic effect. It is important to note that several kinds of energy exist, and not all are life-giving. For example, physical energy diminishes with use. If we run a marathon, we need recovery time because we have become physically exhausted. Physical energy wanes when expressed. Mental energy and emotional energy are the same. When we study for an exam or investigate and solve a perplexing problem, we need a break. We need to recover and rejuvenate mentally. The same is true with expending emotional energy. An intense debate or argument, or even cheering exuberantly at an athletic event tires us out. We need time to recover. When expended, these forms of energy diminish in strength. Relational energy is different. It is the positive energy exchanged between two people, and it can be exchanged in momentary interactions such as an encounter with a store clerk, a bus driver, or a neighbor. When relational energy is demonstrated, it elevates and renews itself. We seldom become exhausted, for example, by being around loving, supportive people who help us flourish. In fact, we often seek individuals who provide positive relational energy to become renewed. Relational energy uplifts and refreshes us This is why one of the most important things a lab manager can do is demonstrate positive relational energy. My own research on positive energy over the last decade has shown that when leaders display positively energizing behaviors, the effects are almost always remarkable. Profitability, productivity, and quality rise substantially compared to other organizations. Customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty increase significantly. LEARN FROM KEYNOTE SPEAKER KIM CAMERON ABOUT HOW LEADERS WITH POSITIVE ENERGY BOOST PRODUCTIVITY, INNOVATION, AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION By Kim Cameron 6 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA APR 7-9 2025 REGISTER NOW! Organizational change initiatives are more widely accepted. Here are other beneficial outcomes of positively energizing leadership, backed by empirical research: • Positive energizers are higher performers than others. They are rated as better leaders by colleagues, their own performance exceeds that of others, and the unit they manage out-performs the norm. • Positive energizers affect the performance of others with whom they interact. Other people perform better when they can associate with positive energizers. • The highest performing organizations have at least three times more positive energizers than other organizations. In other words, organizations should not only seek to identify and hire positive energizers, but they can and should develop them. Positively energizing leadership is a set of behaviors that is developed over time. It is not inherent such as charisma, attractiveness, or extroversion. People in low-level positions as well as people at the top of an organization can be positive energizers. Title and energy are not the same, nor are personality attributes. Anyone can learn how to become a positive energizer because positive energy is behavioral. In trying times—including the recent spate of earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, cyberattacks, ethical lapses, injustices, and the worldwide pandemic—the tendency of most people is to focus on the uncertainty, the misfortunes, the problematic, the negative, and what is wrong in our world. That’s understandable, but positively energizing leaders don’t dwell on misfortune, nor do they merely prescribe simple cheerfulness, positive thinking, or unbridled optimism in these conditions. Rather, they demonstrate virtuous behaviors—including gratitude, humility, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, compassion, and integrity. Multiple studies show that experiencing and observing virtuousness in individuals is heliotropic and leads to positive energy and thriving, especially in difficult times. Leaders are often assumed to be the most influential, most informed, most extroverted, or the most charismatic individuals. But research shows that positive energy is significantly more important in predicting performance than influence, information, title, or seniority. Positively energizing leaders not only demonstrate life-giving energy themselves, but they identify and capitalize on the positive energizers in their organizations. They mobilize energizers to help create positive change. How to become a positively energizing leader In studies of hundreds of positively energizing leaders and those that significantly exceed average levels of performance, a variety of attributes have been identified. Among the most important are: 1. Addressing abundance gaps, or the gaps between acceptable performance and spectacular performance, rather than being consumed by deficit gaps. Positive leaders spend time pursuing the achievement of their highest aspirations and becoming extraordinary rather than just getting rid of problems and fixing mistakes. 2. Helping other people flourish without expecting a payback, rather than ensuring that they get the credit or diminish others’ contributions. Their contributions to others take priority over their personal achievements. 3. Expressing gratitude and humility, rather than behaving selfishly and resisting constructive feedback. Positive leaders recognize and acknowledge others to prevent them from being ignored or taken for granted. 4. Instilling confidence and self-efficacy in others, rather than not creating opportunities for others to grow and be recognized. Other people feel more competent and capable rather than fearful of making mistakes. 5. Listening actively and empathetically, rather than dominating the conversation and asserting their own ideas. Inquiring and learning replaces a tendency toward advocacy and expertise. 6. Being trusting and trustworthy, rather than being skeptical, hypocritical, and lacking integrity. Dependability and truthfulness take priority over getting one’s way or being right. 7. Motivating others to exceed performance standards, rather than being satisfied with mediocrity or good-enough. Helping others exceed their own expectations replaces satisfactory performance. Positively energizing leadership has been shown to promote exceptionally successful performance in organizations and their employees. It capitalizes on the natural attraction that all human beings have to positive, life-giving energy. An adaptation of a statement attributed to John Quincy Adams captures their key attribute: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a positively energizing leader.” Kim Cameron will expand on the topic of positive leadership and provide additional practical advice on how to be a positively energizing leader in your lab during his keynote presentation at the 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit in Pittsburgh, PA. 7 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership WHY ATTEND THE LAB MANAGER LEADERSHIP SUMMIT? Elevate your leadership and management skills Return to the lab with heightened confidence, strategies, and an action plan to reach higher levels of productivity Hands-on workshops and roundtables Small group activities and discussions enable attendees to learn from each other Expert speaker lineup A variety of leading lab experts will share their experience, knowledge, and lessons-learned through interactive presentations Meet one-on-one with product and service experts Find partners who can provide solutions for your lab’s asset management Targeted Expertise: Safety, Clinical, and Advanced Leadership Tracks Gain actionable insights to elevate your skills and support your lab’s success Expand your network Build long-lasting relationships with current and aspiring lab managers facing the same challenges as you APRIL 7-9, 2025 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA SUMMIT.LABMANAGER.COM/LEADERSHIP SCAN THE QR CODE TO SECURE YOUR SPOT EARLY BIRD PRICING: SAVE $200* ON YOUR TICKET! Scan the QR code to secure your spot or visit SUMMIT.LABMANAGER.COM/LEADERSHIP *valid until January 31, 2025 @11:59 PM ET WHO ATTENDS THE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT? / Lab managers / Lab professionals / QA/QC managers / Safety specialists / Research scientists / Key decision‑makers / Facility managers / Lab supervisors / Academic professors / Cinical lab professionals / C‑suite executives ... and more! 8 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! APR 7-9 2025 Transform Nonconforming Work into Laboratory Success How does your lab view nonconforming work? The attitudes toward nonconforming work can vary depending on the lab’s environment, regulatory standards, and culture. Nonconforming work can be a driving force for progress and lead to exciting developments in your laboratory. No lab framework is perfect and having a robust system to address nonconforming work can drive your lab to excellence with continuous improvement. Providing a safe environment for identifying non conforming work, implementing an easy-to-use system for logging nonconformities, and having a well-defined CAPA process can significantly enhance your laboratory’s quality system and drive its success. Recently, I’ve implemented a practice where I ask my team to log any deviations from expectations in our nonconformance log whenever they occur. This is a log with a running tally of what nonconforming work has occurred. It tracks the date, who identified it, what this issue was, the immediate fix, and a quick risk assessment identifier. This process has become a norm in our lab culture and has increased our capability to trend issues, be proactive, and improve our systems. Nonconforming work is going to occur in labs. Maintaining a calm and composed attitude will help you as a leader to proactively address issues and focus on driving continuous improvement throughout the process. Before we dive into the implementation details, let’s clarify some key terminology: Nonconforming (NC) work: This refers to any work that does not meet the standards of the lab’s quality system. Corrective action (CA): This is a response to address and rectify NC work. Preventive action (PA): This is a proactive measure taken to prevent NC work from occurring in the future. To effectively implement this process into your operation, you should focus on four key areas: user-friendly tools, clearly defined risk assessments, collaborative root cause analysis, and ongoing monitoring and reevaluation. User-friendly tools Develop a user-friendly log to capture NC work in real time. The simpler it is to use, the more likely your team will consistently use it. While there are specialized programs for managing NC work and corrective actions, our lab uses an Excel log. If you have shared file storage like SharePoint, provide a link on the main page. The easier it is to access, the more likely your team will keep it updated. Along with a real-time log, using a well-defined CAPA response template helps the team address and resolve issues more efficiently. I designed a user-friendly template using fillable forms and SharePoint to streamline and monitor the progress of CAPA. This fillable form contains areas that document: immediate fix, root causes analysis, MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM TO SEEK OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR LAB WITH GUIDANCE FROM A 2025 LEADERSHIP SUMMIT PRESENTER By Kiley Mulholland 9 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA APR 7-9 2025 REGISTER NOW! potential corrective actions, implemented corrective actions, monitoring, and follow-up review. With SharePoint, you can receive automatic notifications for new entries and easily track progress. Clearly defined risk assessments Each operation is unique, so it’s important to establish clear guidelines for when a formally documented corrective action request (CAR) is needed. For example, assess the risk associated with NC work by evaluating its frequency and impact: High Impact/High Frequency: Considered high risk. High Impact/Low Frequency or Low Impact/High Frequency: Considered medium risk. Low Impact/Low Frequency: Considered low risk. This approach helps determine the appropriate level of response required. For high-risk NC issues, a CAR should always be initiated and completed. For medium-risk NC issues, discuss the situation with the team to assess its impact. The team should then collaborate on completing the CAR. Visual aids can assist the team in adhering to established standards. For instance, the graph 1 supports independent risk assessment. If team members have any uncertainties, make yourself available to guide them through the assessment process. Collaborative root cause analysis Root cause analysis is a crucial process for uncovering the underlying causes of NC work. While corrective actions are important, without investigating the root cause, the issue is likely to recur. Root cause analysis can be challenging, but working collaboratively as a team can enhance its effectiveness. There are several methods for performing root cause analysis, such as the “5 Whys” and the Fishbone Diagram, among others. Be prepared for the possibility that multiple potential root causes may be identified. The 5 Whys technique involves repeatedly asking “why” until the fundamental cause is identified. This process may require anywhere from two to 10 iterations. Start with the initial problem and continue asking “why” to delve deeper. Once the potential root cause is identified, brainstorm corrective actions with your team to address the issue. The more involved your team is in developing the solution, the more likely they will support and implement the corrective action effectively. Educate your team on the CAPA process; although it can seem complex, a well-informed team is more likely to contribute positively and assist in its execution. Ongoing monitoring and reevaluation The CAR is complete, the corrective action has been implemented, and it’s time to return to normal lab operations, right? Not quite. Monitoring the effectiveness of the corrective action is just as crucial as identifying the root cause and implementing the solution. If the corrective action does not resolve the issue, the team needs to reassess and apply a different corrective measure. To ensure you don’t overlook this step, set calendar reminders for three and six months to review the situation. Ask key questions: Did the corrective action resolve the problem? Has the issue recurred? Do we need to reconsider our solution? Don’t let CAPA efforts end with the closeout. Tracking and analyzing trends in NC work is vital. An issue initially categorized as low risk can quickly escalate to medium or high risk if it persists. This also presents an excellent opportunity to implement preventive actions if trends reveal potential issues. CAPA is essential for the success of laboratory operations. NC work will inevitably occur, and how the lab responds can significantly impact its long-term success. As a leader, emphasizing the importance of CAPA sets a strong foundation for your team. Implementing user-friendly tools, clear risk assessments, collaborative root cause analysis, and continuous monitoring and reevaluation fosters a highly effective laboratory system. This approach not only ensures high-quality results but also promotes a team-oriented environment that maintains and improves the system in place. 10 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! APR 7-9 2025 Hands-On Learning for Lab Leaders Workshops are an attendee favorite at the Lab Manager Leadership Summit, offering participants hands-on opportunities to sharpen their skills and engage with expert instructors. This year, we’re excited to expand our offerings to feature three workshop topics, providing even more chances for lab leaders to grow and learn. Two of these workshops, hosted by Lab Manager Academy, are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs), making them an invaluable resource for professional development. 1. Conflict Management and Resolution Led by Scott Hanton, PhD, editorial director at Lab Manager and lead instructor of Lab Manager Academy, this morning workshop delves into the dynamics of workplace conflict. Participants will explore the positive aspects of healthy conflict in fostering collaboration and innovation. The session aims to equip lab managers and team leaders with strategies to identify and de-escalate unhealthy conflicts, emphasizing fact-based problem solving over emotional responses. Attendees will receive a certificate of completion and information on further eLearning opportunities. 2. Lab Crisis Preparation Tracy Durnan, research operations manager at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, leads this Lab Manager Academy workshop. It addresses the spectrum of emergencies that can disrupt laboratory operations. Participants will develop comprehensive crisis preparation plans, focusing on maintaining up-to-date contact lists, safeguarding critical samples, and ensuring knowledge retention for swift recovery post-crisis. 3. Field-Tested Strategies to Ensure Patient Safety and Operational Efficiency The third workshop is presented by Today’s Clinical Lab. It focuses on the critical role of diagnostic results in patient treatment and the potential risks arising from errors. The session engages clinical lab leaders in identifying patient safety concerns and aligning them with operational tactics to mitigate issues. Through breakout sessions, participants will learn to conduct risk assessments, categorize adverse events, and uncover root causes, all aimed at enhancing patient safety and workflow efficiency. DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS THROUGH CEU-ELIGIBLE WORKSHOPS Limited spots are available for each of these workshops. Don’t wait, register today! 11 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! APR 7-9 2025 Renowned Leaders, Advanced Insights MEET THE FEATURED SPEAKERS WHO WILL PRESENT ON A RANGE OF TOPICS, FROM STREAMLINING LAB OPS TO BUILDING A CULTURE OF QUALITY TO ELEVATING YOUR LAB’S SUSTAINABILITY. Kelly Sullivan Director of Lab Operations, US CIC Julia Means Lead General and Occupational Safety Specialist UC Davis Larry Sullivan Laboratory Manager, Division of Forensic Sciences Georgia Bureau of Investigation Kerrie Lashley Gross Laboratory Manager George Washington University School of Medicine Todd McEvoy Senior Director of Laboratory Services Azzur Labs Christopher Jock Prinicpal Laboratory Advisory Services +MORE! Visit summit.labmanager.com/leadership to see the full speaker lineuup 12 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! Exhibition Times* MANAGER MINUTE Three Keys to Motivating Lab Staff by Scott D. Hanton, PhD Motivating people is hard work. People are motivated by many different things. It takes real effort to understand and deliver what will effectively motivate the wide diversity of people working in labs. However, lab management is much easier with a motivated and engaged lab staff. Motivated individuals are much more likely to deliver on the lab’s purpose and mission and deliver for the key stakeholders. Here are a few tips to help you more effectively deliver consistent praise and recognition: #1 – Stop demotivating people All the hard work invested in motivating staff can be undone in an instant with the wrong statement, response, or action. Be mindful of your words, gestures, and behaviors. Strive to avoid dishonesty, lack of delivery, indecision, absence of listening, disrespect, and micromanagement. Poor behavior will erode the trust and respect built with staff. In many ways the best action towards motivating staff is to stop demotivating them. #2 – Recruit and hire intrinsically motivated people Seek intrinsically motivated people to join the lab. These are people who have an internal drive for self-satisfaction that enables them to learn, execute, and conquer the challenges of the work. To recruit more intrinsically motivated people, include more interview questions that probe how candidates feel about their work, accomplishments, and their contributions to previous organizations. Hiring people with an emotional connection to the purpose and mission of the lab will help increase motivation. #3 – Feeding intrinsic motivation In the book Drive by Daniel Pink, he describes the three key aspects enabling intrinsic motivation, autonomy, mastery, and purpose: • Autonomy: Staff can be more motivated when they have greater control over their work. Help staff have ownership over some lab activity. This will help them exert greater responsibility and accountability, develop deeper skills, and deliver pride of ownership. • Mastery: Provide opportunities for staff to grow and develop their strengths. Develop a culture of learning that rewards skill development, experimentation, and growth. Enable staff to practice new skills without fear of criticism. • Purpose: Clearly connect staff to the purpose and mission of the lab. Help them understand the importance of the work, who benefits, and the ways the work helps the larger community. Everything around the lab will operate better with motivated staff. Take advantage of the opportunity to add intrinsically motivated people to the team and then help them increase their motivation through specific actions and programs. Be conscious of any behaviors or habits that can erode motivation. Make the effort to eliminate them from the ways you manage the lab. Scott Hanton will expand on the topic of motivating staff at the 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit, April 7-9 in Pittsburgh, PA. Learn more and register: summit.labmanager.com/leadership 13 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership REGISTER NOW! APR 7-9 2025 Navigating Lab Management: A Journey of Inspiration and Growth Early in Dwayne Henry’s scientific career, he admits that he wasn’t aware that “lab manager” was an official job title within the laboratory environment. At that point, he had seen individuals get promoted into various lab leadership positions based solely on seniority. He saw the issues that resulted because these leaders lacked strong leadership and management skills. Witnessing this, Dwayne was inspired to learn the skill sets of people management, budgeting, communication, etc. Seizing a spontaneous opportunity Before he got the chance to dive into this learning journey, the lab in which he worked was shut down and Dwayne was on the job hunt. He decided to visit Montgomery College to inquire about classes he could attend to build on his technical knowledge as he searched for a new job. While speaking with an administrator, he mentioned that he used to work in a lab. The administrator replied that they had an open lab coordinator position and brought him to do an impromptu interview with the department chair. Dwayne now laughs that he was a bit surprised in that moment, recalling how he was not dressed for an interview, with his shorts and sneakers. Luckily, he just happened to have a copy of his resume in his backpack. Dwayne spoke with the department head, then immediately interviewed with the dean of the department. The dean thanked Dwayne for coming in and said, “we’ll get back to you.” Not expecting much, Dwayne returned home to a message on his voicemail. The dean offered him a temporary position to fill in for another staff member’s temporary leave. Ultimately, the staff member didn’t return from leave, and Dwayne was hired full time. Discovering a “mentor” in Lab Manager While working in the lab at Montgomery College, Dwayne stumbled upon Lab Manager Magazine. He flipped through the pages and had an epiphany. “There’s actually a lab managementspecific position,” he recalls. “That became my only reference and resource [for lab management.] I followed along the path of everything that Lab Manager was saying.” Dwayne then attended one of Lab Manager’s first in-person conferences, which was the spark of motivation he needed to complete certifications in management supervision, DEI, project management, and other key areas to strengthen his skills while also keeping up with the science related to his work in the lab. The executives in his department started noticing the things he was implementing—he helped develop and modernize the biology lab’s academic setups as well as its structures and equipment, and upgraded the biology lab safety procedures. He wasn’t yet an official lab manager, but he was exceeding the expectations of his administrators. ONE LAB MANAGER SHARES THE STORY OF HIS CAREER, THE SKILLS HE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY, AND HOW LAB MANAGER AND THE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS SUCCESS By Lauren Everett 14 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA APR 7-9 2025 REGISTER NOW! Dwayne credits Lab Manager for providing him with the ideas and strategies that he implemented in his workplace. “Lab Manager is deeply integrated into our lab’s processes and our setups.” He says Lab Manager’s print issues (published 10 times per year), webinars, and online content is essentially like taking monthly courses on the various skills needed to excel in lab management. “Management is multi-faceted. Most people think ‘management’ means sitting at your desk, delegating others to ‘do this, do that’, and manage from a distance. But Lab Manager has shown me that that’s not the case,” explains Dwayne. Dwayne’s administrators continued to see positive results from the actions he was implementing, and he was officially offered a lab manager title. “Lab Manager became my mentor because I didn’t have anyone else to consult with to find out how I am supposed to do this role,” Dwayne recalls. A fruitful career and new opportunities Dwayne is now the instructional lab manager of chemical and biological sciences at Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring, MD campus. He has been with Montgomery College for 27+ years and has an extensive list of initiatives, accolades, and programs he has helped launch and/or improve. He developed the campus’ first laboratory safety committee and partners with various organizations to provide basic laboratory skills and job training for individuals with disabilities. Dwayne is currently a member of the planning and development of biology and chemistry labs committee for Montgomery College’s new Catherine and Isiah Leggett Math and Science Building, completed in 2024. During the fall of 2021, Dwayne was named co-chair of the Montgomery College-wide Biosafety and Infectious Materials committee and is now the co-chair of the college-wide Chemical, Physical, and Biological Hazards subcommittee. During this time, he also accepted an invitation to become a member of the Laboratory Safety Team mentorship committee in the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Health and Safety, and is now also a member of their National Committee for Chemical Safety. Most recently, Dwayne has joined Lab Manager’s editorial advisory board, marking a full circle moment in his career. “Lab Manager was there from the beginning and continues to be there in my role as a lab manager, and now as I am expanding into other responsibilities.” Dwayne Henry will be moderating a roundtable discussion at the 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit, taking place in Pittsburgh, PA, April 7-9. To learn more about this event, visit summit.labmanager.com/leadership Empower Your Entire Team at the 2025 Leadership Summit Take your lab leadership to the next level with Corporate Solutions for the 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit. Bring three or more team members and unlock exclusive discounts designed to maximize your group’s experience. Email Kat Dobosh, delegate sales manager: kdobosh@labmanager.com 15 Lab Manager Leadership Summit summit.labmanager.com/leadership APRIL 7–9, 2025 | PITTSBURGH, PA “THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST TRADESHOWS I’VE EVER BEEN TO!” Put your brand in the spotlight at the 2025 Leadership Summit! Connect with key decision-makers, showcase your innovations, and drive real results. Be where laboratory leaders go to discover what’s next. SECURE YOUR EXHIBIT SPACE TODAY! summit.labmanager.com/leadership Maximize ROI through strategic connections Reach a diverse network of lab professionals and expand your market Unlock networking opportunities that lead to partnerships Boost brand visibility among engaged, targeted audiences Generate highquality leads for real business impact
