STEMskiller: Skill Set Map for Mentors of Early Career Researchers

CAREER MANAGEMENT: Leadership and teamwork

Decision making: crucial factors, processes and approaches

Definition:

Decision making involves making choices—either at the individual or group level—from possible alternative options.^[1] Various theories exist about how decision making can be improved; mentors and mentees can test these theories in real-life to see if any of them improve approaches to career pathways, choices in the lab or in conducting other research, and other choice-making scenarios.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision-making

Useful Decision making resources:

Frick, W. (2018). 3 ways to improve your decision making. https://hbr.org/2018/01/3-ways-to-improve-your-decision-making

Three overarching “rules” for making better decisions, with links to additional reading and resources.

Tindale, R., & Winget, J. (2019). Group Decision-Making. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://oxfordre.com/psychology/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.001.0001/acrefore-9780190236557-e-262

An overview of the literature on group decision making (which the authors contend is often included in individual decision making via advice and suggestions from others), concluding that “…if training and design procedures can increase diversity of perspectives, help identify expertise, allow for open and thorough exchanges of information and ideas, identify or reduce shared biases, and increase motivation for accuracy, then they will help groups to take full advantage of their wisdom.” 

Tags: IPS PS; Comp TS; CompGS 

Peer Review: None

Table of contents:

3.2. Leadership and teamwork

3.2.1. Managing for researchers
3.2.2. Project management

3.2.4. Conflict management
3.2.5. Self-efficiency ("independence") and academic perseverance
3.2.6. Social responsibility/taking on responsibility
3.2.7. Sustainable mobility strategies based on international cooperation
3.2.8. Intercultural collaboration skills: acting successfully in an international academic environment (includes international awareness, international communication)

 

Author: Stephanie Krueger

Peer Reviewer(s): None

Last Updated: October 28, 2021