Our Lab Culture

Shared standards and everyday practices, developed together at our lab meeting on lab culture 

This document brings together the work of both breakout groups. The first section states the commitments we hold ourselves to as a lab; the sections that follow describe what those commitments look like in daily practice. It is meant to be a living document that we revisit, and a resource for new lab members joining us. 

Our Shared Commitments 

These are the standards we expect of ourselves and of one another: 

  • Everyone’s role is important, so everyone should be treated with equal respect. 
  • Diversity in our team is positive and should be embraced. Performance is better with diverse teams. 
  • We all have a responsibility to make the lab a better place for others. 
  • Research in our lab is a non-zero-sum game, so we can all win.  
  • We strive to work collaboratively and for each other’s benefit, leveraging our individual strengths. 
  • We strive to keep an open mind about others, knowing that our impressions of them will change as we come to know them better, and that others can change and improve. 
  • We strive to manage transitions well, knowing that frustration and conflict can arise when teams and projects change.  
  • We give one another the benefit of the doubt and avoid making comparisons between people. 
  • It is often more difficult to be respectful of others in a digital environment. We respect others on Slack and other digital platforms. We always consider: would we be comfortable with this information becoming public? 
  • We know it’s natural that one’s level of friendship with different lab members will vary; regardless of those differences, we strive for an attitude of kindness, warmth, and mutual respect.  
  • Everyone should feel comfortable and included in joining any conversation or gathering within the lab. 

Communication 

  • We approach conversations with an active listening mindset. 
  • We greet people. Small gestures communicate that you are approachable. 
  • We are mindful that people have different communication and learning styles. 
  • We are transparent about our preferences — for example, “I learn best if we did X.” 
  • We offer criticism constructively and pair it with a proposed solution. 
  • We try not to take criticism personally and assume it is offered in good faith. 
  • We close emails and conversations by making it clear that questions are welcome. 

Research Collaboration 

  • We establish clear to-dos and expectations at the beginning of a project and divide tasks explicitly. 
  • We build in flexibility, understanding that unanticipated things will come up. 
  • We hold regular check-ins so that troubleshooting happens together rather than alone. 
  • We shift roles as needed, keeping the workload balanced and avoiding overloading any one person. 

When Mistakes Happen 

  • We normalize mistakes. 
  • We know that no one knows everything, especially when they are just starting out. 
  • We treat mistakes as learning opportunities. 
  • We use thoughtful language when offering a correction. 
  • We are accountable and own up to our own mistakes. 
  • For recurring mistakes, we arrange additional training and escalate to a supervisor as necessary. 
  • We give kudos to someone who has corrected a prior mistake. 

Conflict and Frustration 

We understand that frustration and disagreement are a normal part of working closely together. We know that how we respond to them is what matters. 

  • We take a beat before responding. 
  • We put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. 
  • We focus on actionable solutions and work to tackle the underlying problem. 
  • We speak up if we are experiencing issues. Raising something early is easier than raising it late. 

When we are in conflict, we follow the following, we follow this protocol:  

  • Go directly to the person you have a conflict with whenever that is possible. 
  • If that isn’t possible, the senior postdoc is the point person (including via the anonymous feedback form). 
  • If the conflict involves the senior postdoc, or you are not comfortable going to the senior postdoc, go to your respective PI; if that isn’t possible, go to another PI in the lab. 
  • If you observe a conflict between two other lab members, encourage one of them to speak with the other directly. If that isn’t possible, direct them to the senior postdoc, a PI, or another appropriate person. 
  • A mediator can be brought in at any point if it would help. 

Appreciation and Support 

  • We make it known when we are thankful or appreciative of someone’s work. 
  • We celebrate other people’s successes; doing so keeps the lab collaborative rather than competitive. 
  • Use the #general channel to recognize people publicly.