I took some advice this morning and …
didn’t do an experiment.
I decided my very young apprentices should take up the slack, and I’ve given them instructions. This is hard for me — I feel guilty because I’m getting someone else to do my work and having to trust people to get things right. That’s not a comment on the abilities of the people involved, it merely reflects my innate control freakishness.
I’ve given one student some agar plates so that he can prepare DNA stocks of four constructs I made (and sequence them), and tomorrow I’m going to give him some HEKs to cross-link. My other slave student is harvesting the knockdown I set up on Tuesday and will do the RT-PCR and Western blots. I did, however, agree to repeat a transfection experiment for one of the other post-docs next week. Maybe that tells you something about the sort of experiments I like.
So there’s a little bit of an ethical thing there: should I be letting/telling other folk to do these rather than do them myself, and spend my time making sure the projects can be picked up, or should I actually be doing them myself?
Another question suddenly presented itself just now. I paid for some software and installed it on this (lab-owned) iMac (iWork and Snapz Pro off the top of my head: there might be more). Should I go through and find out what is registered to me and de-register it; just uninstall it (_and_ delete the registration details); or just forget about it all?
And if I go for option one, where is the license information actually stored?
Richard – it’s the old story about giving someone a fish versus teaching them to fish. I do recognise the feelings you describe – guess I too have control freak tendencies. I hate myself for being suspicious that colleagues I ask to do things will get it wrong. But when it all goes right, and you have someone you can really trust to get it right then that is a wonderful feeling.
Worth considering the possibility that your students may get a kick out of knowing that you trust them with something important.
It’s a little like teaching children to walk (is Paula reading? I do hope not…) You’re thrilled as anything when they take their first steps, but before you know it you’re waving them off to High School and you’re thinking What have I done?
Good point Stephen. They seemed pleased as punch when I suggested (_cough_) they did these experiments.
On one of the few occasions that my company trusted me enough to send me on a management course, the lesson I learned that has stayed with me is delegate. It reduces your own workload, and inspires confidence in the
slaveslower orders. Keep asking yourself, do you really want to be a Jewish Mother?Q: What’s the difference between a Jewish Mother and a rottweiler?
A: The rottweiler will let go of you eventually.
No! They’re my cells! Mine do you hear?
Now, eat! Eat!
what stuck with me : I feel guilty because I’m getting someone else to do my work and having to trust people to get things right. That’s not a comment on the abilities of the people involved, it merely reflects my innate control freakishness. The latter part of this may be a big part inside of you… to the outside observer (or slave) this may or may not be a thing they think about.
I think you are doing good in letting them do things and you supervise – and maybe still make that transformation for the post doc (we always like the help if we have asked for it…. if the transformation is acting up, someone else might do the trick).
In general, the “delegate” thing is a tricky one, especially combined with the “inner control freak”. Somehow I wonder if that is why lots of scientists stay at the bench since they “want to do it themselves” and “want to make sure it is done their way”??
Good luck 😉 and in regards to the computer programs, as far as I remember with licenses; it is mainly to do with one person using it on one computer. So if you are planning on taking the program with you adn use it – there might be a problem. Other than that, I do not think there is a problem leaving it on the computer since you bought it, installed it and it is on the lab(your old) computer. Of course, I am just a mere microbiologist and not coperate law student.
do you really want to be a Jewish Mother
I thought that discussion was on Jenny’s thread?
bq. lots of scientists stay at the bench since they “want to do it themselves” and “want to make sure it is done their way”??
There may be a lot of that in how I’m feeling, but I feel I had a bit of an epiphany today, and can move on.
@Frank—I think Jenny needs to learn to share the comment love.
An Indian colleague of mine says that Indian mothers are as
badnurturing as Jewish mothers.Richard – Good luck with your epiphany. I have only ever hired two people in my long career. They were the best I could get, and I soon learned that the bst thing to do was give them a job and let them run with it. The danger is that they’ll soon outclass you and want to do your job as well, which happened with one of my charges – but as you’re leaving anyway, what’s not to like?
You look thin, by the way. That Kate is clearly not looking after you. Have some more chicken soup.
Thank you. I think she’s hoping I snuff it so she can claim on the insurance.
Do you want stuffing?
Don’t be so bloody personal. But since you ask, no. Gee Minima has just come home from a friend having baked a tray of cookies.
And… she brought the cookies with her?
Have you taught that she shouldn’t accept food from anyone except her parents, and that you need to confiscate the cookies for testing?
Henry, you are looking a little peaky too. Come round as I have made enough for everyone…
Does this mean you’ve made the leap to Principle Investigator?
That’s going to screw up the post-doc support group…
heck no. When I say ‘my’ students, I mean the
poor sapsbrave souls who are going to continue my project when I leave.(I see a pattern forming. When I left the company in Cambridge they had to hire two people to
fix my messreplace me.)The thing is, I’m making some summaries for my successors. I want to make them in Keynote, but it’s my copy of iWork, so I’m forced to use Powerpoint. Mumble groan complain bitch whine.