It’s Dangerous to Go Alone: The 4 Types of People You Need as A Research Leader
I promised to write about actively building a peer and support network as a UX research leader, so this is that piece. I said previously that I underestimated the isolation factor in management; this might be because there’s a lot of messaging that says leaders should just learn to deal with it because it’s our job. Managers are taught that part of the gig is shouldering more of the burden with less support. While that is often true, we’re all still human under our titles, and humans need support and connection. Here are four types of people who have been helpful to me in my research management career so far:
1. A Research Leader Mentor: this could be someone you’ve worked under previously or a leader who’s working in the same industry you are. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of great managers and leaders; much like we are all the sum of the experiences we have, my management style is the sum of the good examples I’ve observed. I’ve found it valuable to discuss advocacy for research in organizations and ways to drive change at the leadership level with my mentors.
2. A Research Leader Peer: a research leader at your level; this person may work in your organization or outside of it, but they can serve as a great sounding board for the tactical parts of research leadership like career ladders, quality standards, research operations, etc. Research leader peers can help you refine your thinking by providing a feedback loop on what’s currently working / not working. These folks are also really valuable because they’re in the trenches with you and you can bounce ideas off of each other.
3. A Career Coach: career coaches are great for getting an outside perspective on a problem. They’re not mired in any organizational or field-related context, and can give you independent advice on managing relationships above, lateral to, and below you. My career coach was invaluable to me in going really deep on developing my management style with ICs, and understanding what was normal management stuff vs. what needed extra work.
4. A “Closed Door” Person: this is another person that doesn’t need to be a research leader, but it does need to be someone you work with. Your “closed door” person is someone you trust, that can vent to about work situations below and above you (that isn’t your partner or therapist). They understand the organizational challenges and can provide a listening ear — I’m personally a big fan of using the “do you need to be helped, heard, or hugged?” framework. Everyone needs someone like this because let’s face it — work can be stressful.
You may not have all of these people in your circle at the same time — if you do, lucky you! If some of these people overlap for you, consider yourself even luckier. I would encourage people new to UXR management (or thinking about it) to start building these relationships ahead of time so you can call in support when you need it. It’s as simple as reaching out to peers, previous research leaders, or friends and asking if they have bandwidth. It’s dangerous to go alone! Take these people with you.
