"Leadership for Scientists and Engineers" Book

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There are few leadership books tailored specifically to the needs of technical minded people who like hard evidence, plain language, and industry-specific guidance.

Gwen Acton, PhD, has helped thousands of scientists and engineers to become better leaders, and she can help you too. Leadership for Scientists and Engineers offers a clear, pull-no-punches walk through all the skills you’ll need to manage a team and advance in your role, including:

• Delegating. Delegating way more than you think you should. Delegating like your life depends on it.
• Conducting one-on-ones that put you and your reports at ease and ensure no surprises when it comes time for the annual review.
• Navigating the hiring and onboarding process no matter what size organization you’re working with.
• Figuring out what to do when someone starts crying in your office. Science and engineering take a lot of technical know-how, but leadership takes a lot of soft skills—communication, networking, setting and adjusting goals.

You want to be good at this stuff. You don’t want to hate it. Leadership for Scientists and Engineers is here to help.

Pick up a copy today and get to work!

• Scientists and engineers who were recently promoted to a leadership position (whether you wanted it or not) and are wondering what in the world to do next.
• Technical experts who hate their leadership position and want to hate it less (because liking being a leader seems like too big a leap).
• Senior executives who want to coach their technical staff to be good leaders and managers.
• Technical experts who are skeptical that it’s possible for introverted techie nerds like yourselves to ever be good managers, but you figure you might as well skim through this book since it is written for you.
• Managers who like being managers and try to read everything they can to get even better at it (kudos!).
• Anyone who has been told (in an annoyingly insistent way!) that you should read this book.

Gwen Acton, PhD is an expert on improving strategic leadership skills at the intersection of science, technology, and business. She is the CEO of Vivo Group, a firm that partners with innovative organizations to transform their brilliant technical experts into inspiring people managers. She has helped more than five thousand scientists and engineers improve their leadership skills in organizations ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small start-ups, research organizations, and top-tier universities.

Dr. Acton received a doctorate in biology from MIT, where she worked in a Nobel Prize-winning laboratory and served as a faculty member at Harvard University in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Dr. Acton was then Director of Scientific Development at the Whitehead Institute, where she established institute strategy for building long-term relationships with industry and oversaw the operations for the Functional Genomics Program.

Dr. Acton is the author of the book The Bluffer’s Guide to Genetics and served as a board member for the Forsyth Institute and The Bioscience Network. Dr. Acton is a popular speaker and earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speaker’s Association.

Introduction

PART I: Fundamentals of Leadership 

  Chapter 1: Understand the Leadership Role 

  Chapter 2: Be an Effective Leader 

  Chapter 3: Transition from “Bud to Boss” 

  Chapter 4: Delegate Effectively 

PART II: Leadership Essentials 

  Chapter 5: Provide Performance Feedback 

  Chapter 6: Conduct Excellent One-on-Ones 

  Chapter 7: Be SMART About Goals 

  Chapter 8: Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities 

PART III: Leadership Communication Skills

  Chapter 9: Communicate Like a Leader

  Chapter 10: Prepare for Tough Conversations 

  Chapter 11: Optimize Communication Formats 

  Chapter 12: Adapt to Different Personalities 

PART IV: Organizational Savvy 

  Chapter 13: Manage Up 

  Chapter 14: Navigate Your Organization 

  Chapter 15: Build Trust 

  Chapter 16: Lead with Style 

PART V: Career Advancement 

Chapter 17: Actively Seek Feedback 

Chapter 18: Hire the Right People 

Chapter 19: Support Your Employees’ Careers 

Chapter 20: Continue to Grow as a Leader