Finding means to encourage greatness: Words to promote group cohesion

Scientific research is typically focused on experimentation, production of data, and manuscript preparation in a field with immense pressure to succeed. In the face of such pressures, there are many benefits to paying attention to the people behind the research. Here, Professor Ye Zhou describes his efforts for group cohesion and the power of a lab slogan. Scientific research is typically focused on experimentation, production of data, and manuscript preparation in a field with immense pressure to succeed. In the face of such pressures, there are many benefits to paying attention to the people behind the research. Here, Professor Ye Zhou describes his efforts for group cohesion and the power of a lab slogan. Eight years after finishing my PhD in physics and materials science, and six years into running my own research group at Shenzhen University, I would still consider myself as a middle- to early-career scientist. There are still many years ahead. I remember the first time when I came into faculty life as a rookie PI. In 2015, I started my own research group. After settling down at a new university, I was excited when I received the keys to my own lab. When I opened the door and looked at the empty room, the first thought that appeared in my brain was to devise an appropriate name for my group and research lab, which should be short and easy to remember. Chinese people value names very much, and a lab’s name often implies some kind of ardent expectation and wish. One wants to state it with pride. I considered my research direction carefully and finally settled on the name “Functional Materials and Electronics Group,” or FMEG. I also created a logo, printed it out, and pasted it in the door of my lab, symbolically indicating the start of my independent research career. As time started to fly by, I installed my own instruments and employed students and postdocs, increasing the size of my research group. Looking in from afar, FMEG seemed growing and relatively productive. However, like those before me, problems started to come in this rookie group. Many starting members don’t have clear goals in mind, just topics they are interested in. For students, it is a difficult time to adapt from the undergraduate learning state (where tasks are prescribed) to the scientific research state (which is more open ended). They are entering this new field and have no confidence in their own scientific research skills. Even established postdocs may have no clear plan for their future careers. Some members don’t have a clear sense of responsibility. For example, even if I appoint one person to be in charge of an instrument, they seldom check its working condition. Though the students are keen and able to learn, there was a lack of teamwork in my lab. For the whole lab, the enthusiasm was not high, and our members only wanted to complete the work at hand, halting at the steps necessary to make a creative break-through themselves. The team was focused on “science” and “research”—i.e., experimentation and production of data—but lacked the spirit of active learning. There was no synergy or cooperative efforts (i.e., no cohesion). I had some problems myself as I am busy teaching and writing grant proposals. Lack of communication between me and my lab members made it difficult for them to understand my ideas, and I was not clear about their confusion, which greatly affects the progress of our research. Discussions with my peers revealed that such things are common problems across many labs. I began to think, how can I enhance the group’s cohesion? How can we become a big family with the common dream of scientific research? I considered how to gather everyone’s strengths and how I could help everyone within the lab maintain a positive attitude—making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Creating a good learning and scientific research atmosphere is more effective than strict management in the laboratory. That mindset is a motivating factor for me to drive change. We need to recognize a common goal, which must be clear, challenging, and inspiring and can be achieved through both hard work and cooperation. The group’s success must be parallel with the individuals. I looked around my lab to find something that can bring us this positive attitude. I saw precision instruments, testing machines, computers, white coats, and serious faces, but at last, my eyes focused on one magazine page with some slogans. Suddenly, I had an inspiration: we can set a slogan for our lab. Slogans are key element for business, for example, Apple’s “Think Different” or SmartSignal’s “Predict the unpredictable.” A small group of words that are combined in a special way can influence a lot—a short mission or vision statement. Running a research group is sometimes like running a business; why not try it? Therefore, I spent one night and created our lab’s slogan—fundamental, meaningful, efficient, great, which also (not by surprise) results in an abbreviation of FMEG, just like our lab’s name (Figure 1). These four words mean that fundamental research needs meaningful and efficient contributions, which can lead to great work, serving as both inspiration and aspiration. I hoped this slogan could have strong influence, appeal, and guidance as well as resonate with the members psychologically and behaviorally. I pasted these four words on the wall of our lab, reminding our students and postdocs as to why our group is special and why we need to work hard. However, slogans are not enough by themselves. One has to commit to the ideas and commit to the group. We now have organized informal academic discussions and tea parties, so that everyone can brainstorm and exchange ideas. In addition to the busy work in the lab, we often organize entertainment in our spare time. While relaxing, we increase the cohesion of the laboratory through group activities. I shared with my group members that if you want to succeed in scientific research, you must have a firm belief in your goals, your abilities, and your group. With strong belief, you can persevere and work with high enthusiasm and passion, without being intimidated by difficulties, otherwise your work may be abandoned halfway and in vain. If everyone could think more about the overall goal of the team and the individual demands of the members, working also to understand and trust each other more, everyone benefits. Many hands make light work. The stresses and pressures of academia can be lessened when they are distributed. With this common goal, the members of FMEG started to work in a meaningful and efficient manner on their research projects. Everyone sees and shares mutual success. Everyone learns and overcomes mutual failures. We have built a productive and supportive research environment in our lab, which can be partially attributed to our slogan—manifesting as our lab’s identity. It is touching that most members can remember the FMEG slogan. One wants to state it with pride. During the past six years, I have realized that the lab must become a real collaboration, combining individual efforts into joint ones. Our laboratory culture can continuously strengthen communication, cooperation, trust, and unity among members. At the same time, the conflicts and friction between members can also be resolved and diluted in this positive atmosphere. Laboratory culture is like adhesive, which can connect us closely and help us accomplish our research goals. Attaining excellent laboratory culture contributes great spiritual wealth to any research group (and the lab head) and an important driving force for sustainable development. This culture can greatly improve the members’ sense of identity, belonging, and loyalty to the laboratory. Our slogan can build the internal spirit of the research group. It shows our scientific attitude and values, enhances the understanding and cognition of our work by our international counterparts, and increases the work enthusiasm and cohesion of group members (Figure 2). We have many graduates who have gone to other places, including Facebook, Tencent, and ByteDance. They have their own company’s slogan now, but I believe they can still remember their time in our lab and the slogan of the FMEG family. I am still exploring the magic of a slogan of a lab, and I believe this slogan will accompany me throughout my entire research career.