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Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research. Alice M. Sapienza. New York: Wiley-Liss, 2004, 260 pp., $39.95, softcover. ISBN 0-471-22614-9.

Science and Technology Base Programs, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

Nearly everyone has experienced the penalty of skilled incompetence when a gifted scientist is thrust into a leadership position primarily because of his or her technical know-how, but without consideration of that person’s ability to manage the human side of research and development. Without the requisite "soft skills", even the most brilliant, well-intentioned leader will adversely affect group morale and productivity, including those of the leader. Analogous to the technical credentials demanded by our profession, leadership should be treated as a discipline that calls for training, mentoring, and experience.

This book is a revision of a first edition published 9 years ago. It benefits from the author’s reflection and recent professional experiences as well as from new practical advice solicited from expert panels of scientists. Those familiar with the first edition will find a new chapter on special considerations relevant to leading scientific organizations. Persuasive arguments are presented on how an internationally diverse workforce enhances scientific creativity. Many of the remaining nine chapters have been expanded or reordered.

The ability to swiftly and effectively resolve conflict is a critical skill for a leader. The consequences of conflict avoidance can be devastating to an organization. The reader will find sensible advice on confronting conflict before it gets out of control, as well as guidance on the art of active listening and the importance of supporting heterodoxy to enhance productivity. I particularly appreciated the discussion on reverse mentoring, in which an expertise base can be developed by tapping the tacit knowledge of new recruits.

The author presents new case studies and expanded assessment tools to determine the motivational and leadership styles of one’s self and others. The chapter on project management is at best a cursory introduction articulating the need for effective matrix management. There is beneficial reference to NASA criteria on when to implement project management rigor, e.g., for development, construction, and implementation work, rather than for exploration and discovery. Readers could have benefited more if there were project management case studies illustrating desirable behavior between peer leaders within the matrix.

Managing Scientists is a useful lesson for new leaders with limited training or experience. The author states, "there is no book focused specifically on helping those scientists who find themselves leading other scientists and technical personnel." On the contrary, there are several more-comprehensive alternatives available, which are widely used in leadership development curricula by technical organizations; two that come to mind are Managing Professionals in Research and Development written by D.B. Miller (Jossey-Bass, 1986) and The Human Side of Managing Technological Innovation, edited by R. Katz (Oxford, 1997). Leadership is a career path and should be treated as one. Scientists understand the rigor, discipline, and standards necessary to conduct their technical work; they should therefore demand no less for the requisite leadership and management acumen of their leaders.

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This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rej, D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Rej, D.