Changing Academic Life

Bethany Wilinski is an associate professor of teacher education at Michigan State University and a sabbatical coach. In Part 1 of our conversation, she describes her own sabbatical experience. She talks about how earning tenure in 2022 after the pandemic, young children, and family losses left her burned out and questioning her work’s impact. Initially she planned an “expected” research sabbatical in Tanzania and applied for a competitive yearlong Fulbright, but soon felt unease about starting a major new project and disrupting family life. After seeing a colleague’s Florence sabbatical report, she reframed sabbatical as restoration and family reconnection, chose Bordeaux France for one semester, and returned reenergized and eager to reengage without resuming frenetic pace. She discusses shifting identity beyond career, setting boundaries, pausing before saying yes, focusing on finishing work, and unlearning academia’s hidden curriculum of constant striving.00:29 Introduction04:09 Burnout After Tenure and Initial Sabbatical Plans09:14 Navigating Doubts After Submitting and Expectations14:03 Post Tenure Pressure18:18 Slowing Down For Family24:19 A Different Sabbatical Vision30:14 Restoration Mindset Shift and Choosing Bordeaux France33:16 Returning Reenergized35:59 Identity Beyond Academia37:52 Boundaries and Saying No41:26 Essentialism and Finishing43:19 Hidden Curriculum Unlearning48:37 Support Systems and Guardrails52:09 Designing Your Sabbatical52:33 OutroRelated Links:Bethany’s Michigan State Uni webpageBethany Wilinski Sabbatical CoachingBethany on LinkedIn[Book] Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Crown Currency 2014.

What if a corporatisation approach could actually make academic life better? Looking across the episodes so far this year I see three themes: shifting from “I” to “we” by treating research as a team sport; developing a new kind of leadership focused on enabling others through self-awareness, humility, authenticity, kindness, and clear roles; and adopting new ways of working that reduce bureaucratic hierarchies. These point to new ways of working. Drawing on Masud Husain’s 2025 editorial on corporatization and “bullshit jobs”, and Jayne Price’s discussion of holacracy and Corporate Rebels, I remind us, as if we need reminding, of how our current arbitrary and onerous bureaucratic processes take us away from our core work. I then explore what we could learn from holocratic approaches that move from bureaucracy and control to trust and self organised teams, as captured in Corporate Rebels’ eight trends (purpose over metrics, networks of teams, supportive leadership, adaptation, freedom with accountable trust, distributed decisions, transparency, and talents/mastery). I invite us to experiment with being academic rebels exploring new ways of working with new forms of leadership. There might actually be forms of corporatisation that could be useful for our sector.00:29 Reflecting on Conversations so Far in 202602:08 Theme 1: Mindset shift from I to We02:55 Theme 2: Critical Role of Leadership05:09 Theme 3: Needing New Ways of Working07:19 The Rise of Corporatisation and 'Bullshit Jobs' in the Academic Sector10:17 Learning from New Approaches in the Corporate Sector?13:31 Exploring the Arbitrariness and Impact of Bureaucracy and Heirarchies14:13 Example: Different Approaches to Bureaucracy around Teaching16:39 Example: Different Approaches to Booking Holidays17:48 Example: Booking Work Related Travel20:05 Example: Bureaucracy and Control of Funding Bodies22:39 Example: Bureaucracy, Micromanagement in Professional Organizations25:15 Better Ways from Holocracy and Coporate Rebels?29:33 Requires New Forms of Leadership34:09 Eight Trends in This New Coporate Way39:16 What Can You Imagine for Your Situation?Related Links:Sarah McLusky on diverse careers, purposeful events and effective communication (CAL135, S8E1)Jayne Price on making work work better (CAL137, S8E2)Jen Heemstra on Accidental Leadership (CAL 138, S8E3)Strengths as Superpowers - Replay (CAL123, S6 E17) Masud Husain, On the responsibilities of intellectuals and the rise of bullshit jobs in universities, Brain, Volume 148, Issue 3, March 2025, Pages 687–688.Brian Robertson, HolocracyCorporate RebelsDiederick Janse & Marco Bogers, Getting Started With Holacracy: Upgrading Your Team's Productivity, 2020, AbeBooks

Jen Heemstra, biomolecular engineer and chair of chemistry at Washington University, and author of Lab Work to Leadership. She talks about moving unexpectedly into leadership, building trust and psychological safety in labs, creating team-driven lab culture, giving and receiving feedback, and coaching future leaders through practical rituals and self-leadership.

Jayne Price is all about making work work better. She is the Transformation Director and Head of Continuous Improvement at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Jayne discusses her journey to her current role in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the strategies she employs to foster human-centered, purpose-led change in the organization. She emphasizes the importance of leadership that is grounded in trust, accountability, and psychological safety, and the role of experimental and agile approaches in driving systemic transformation. Jayne also shares practical examples, including the implementation of Holacracy and continuous improvement initiatives. The conversation highlights the challenges and successes in transforming our traditionally bureaucratic research culture into a more effective and innovative environment. Jayne offers valuable insights for leaders at all levels and showcases the value of empowering teams to do their best work.00:29 Introduction to the Episode03:41 Introducing Jayne and her Career Journey06:52 Understanding Project versus Program Management07:59 From Change to Transformation12:14 Implementing Experiments and Measuring Change14:10 Challenges in the Academic and Research Sector19:54 Innovative Approaches to Leadership and Management27:21 Designing Alternative Promotion Routes29:21 Challenges to Identity and Developing Leaders35:50 Moving from 'I' to 'We' as a Leader37:53 The Mindset to Move to 'We'40:13 Humility, Vulnerability and Authenticity in Leadership43:26 Shadow Sides, Blind Spots and Experimenting with Different Approaches47:31 Starting to See the Benefits50:53 Creating Workplaces For People to Flourish53:04 The Holacracy Experiment - Creating Clarity55:42 Doing Meetings Differently59:22 Empowerment and Autonomy with Accountability01:01:47 Corporate Rebels and Other Inspirational Resources01:06:31 The Critical Importance of Leadership Buy-In01:08:01 Everyone Can Choose Leadership Behaviours at Any Level01:09:51 Encouragement for Change Agents01:11:39 OutroAbout Jayne:Jayne Price https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-price71/UKRI https://www.ukri.orgSTFC https://www.ukri.org/councils/stfc/Related links:Cynefin framework for making sense of complexityCorporate RebelsDiederick Janse and Marc-Peter Pijper from Corporate Rebels supported the Holocracy TrialsGlassFrog: “the cutting-edge self-management platform that empowers teams with clarity and autonomy”Tuff Leadership TrainingBooks:Aaron Dignan, Brave New Work, Portfolio, 2019Daniel Pink, Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us, Riverhead Books, 2011Joost Minnaar and Pim de Morree, Corporate Rebels: Make Work More Fun, 2020Jon Alexander, Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us, Simon and Schuster, 2023Diederick Janse & Marco Bogers, Getting Started With Holacracy: Upgrading Your Team's Productivity, 2020, AbeBooksRobin Sharma, The Leader Who Had No Title, Free Press, 2010.Harvard Business ReviewRelated CAL Podcasts:Fostering psychological safety in research environments 30 Oct 24Elizabeth Churchill on creating culture, leading teams, loving challenges - she talks about Cynefin Framework ~6:30 mins

Dr. Sarah McLusky, is an advocate and role model for research-adjacent careers. As an advocate Sarah hosts the 'Research Adjacent' podcast, which showcases career opportunities beyond traditional academic and industry roles. She talks about why started the podcast and also talks about her four main categories of research adjacent roles, emphasising the importance of recognising the many contributors to successful research. As a role model, Sarah shares her own experiences moving into a research adjacent role post-PhD, now working as a freelancer who supports research organisations through events and communications. Some of her key insights are around how to prepare participants for meaningful engagement at events and the value of effective research communication. She encourages us to rethink career possibilities and the significance of culture in research environments.00:29 Intro to the Episode02:49 Introducing Sarah McLusky04:33 The Concept of Research Adjacent08:00 Research As a Team Sport12:02 Career Paths Beyond Academia20:10 Four Main Categories of Research Adjacent Roles24:22 Sarah McLusky's Journey to a Research Adjacent Role29:36 Balancing Passion and Pragmatism33:17 Navigating Freelance Work34:51 The Importance of Gathering with Purpose45:54 Supporting the Communication of Great Research48:49 Final Thoughts and Resources51:25 OutroRelated Links:About Sarah and her workWebsite https://sarahmclusky.com/Newsletter https://sarahmclusky.com/gathering-with-purposeLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmclusky/Research Adjacent Podcasthttps://researchadjacent.com/podcast/https://pod.link/1663857550

For this last episode of the year I revisit the Long Play (LP) template, inspired by vinyl records, as a way to intentionally reflect on and celebrate this past year and to be more intentional about how we move into our new year. The Ps of the template are personal, people, play, and projects and we use the Ls to reflect across there:  what did you land, love, labor on, and learn this past year review, and what do you want to look forward to, let go, let grow, and let be for the next year. You can download a template to create your own personalised reflections and plans, individually or within groups, to help you shape your good academic life.Overview:00:29 Setting up the LP03:34 LP Replay05:05 Introducing the LP Table Template08:59 Taking Time to Savour and Celebrate12:06 Looking forward to the 2026 LP16:12 Wrapping Up and Summary19:09 Final Pointers19:49 OutroYou can download your LP template here. Feel free to tailor it to what works best for you! And I'd love to hear back how you used it and evolved it.

In this very personal solo episode, I share my journey through infertility and the impact it had on my academic and personal life. Inspired by Susan Dray's story, I decided to share our challenges of trying to start a family while managing a career in academia. I discusses the physical and emotional toll of infertility treatments, the loneliness of not sharing my struggles with colleagues, and the moral dilemmas we faced. Mine is just one story, and we can be sure that many of the people we work with are dealing with their own challenges or carrying their own sadnesses so this is a call for more empathy, kindness, and support in academic environments, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the human side of our lives. I conclude with a message of support for those facing similar challenges and a reflection on how my career path, though unintended, brought its own form of fulfillment.00:29 Introduction: A Personal Journey01:05 The Inspiration Behind This Episode03:58 Opening Up About Women's Health Issues07:23 The Struggles of Infertility12:15 Navigating the Moral Dilemmas14:51 Navigating Our Journey17:43 Navigating Career and Personal Life22:44 Moving On and Finding New Paths26:48 Things Coming Together in the Move to London30:13 Reflecting on an Academic Career Without Children33:53 Final ReflectionsRelated LinkCHI Stories @CHI2017: Midwifery, Babies, HCI: “Doktormutter”hood and Sustainable Academic Life

In Part 2 of our conversation, Susan Dray continues to share deep insights about the importance of self-awareness and authenticity, empathy and listening with heart, and dealing with professional discomfort and personal adversity. She discusses her mentoring style, centred around being empathetic and supportive. And she talks about the importance of service and community, as well as the current challenges faced by early career researchers. Susan also shares deeply personal challenges and losses, and the accompanying emotional journey of accepting and learning from setbacks, the value of honouring people's experiences, and the importance of collaborative support. She reminds us, paraphrased here, that few people understand how special they are, and that what really matters is who you are. Because this is going to mean that what you do is important and makes a difference. Susan has certainly made a difference. Overview:00:29 Introduction to Part Two with Susan Dray02:18 Navigating Discomfort and Deep Learning05:47 Mentoring and Community Support08:51 HCI in Africa and Global Recognition13:28 Supporting Early Career Researchers19:12 Mentoring and the Joy of Service22:11 Reflections on Mentoring and Authenticity26:08 Evolving Roles, Willingness to be a Beginner29:40 Postscript - Personal Reflections and Adversities30:55 Lessons from Sailing32:21 Coping with Loss and Finding Positivity35:08 Final Reflections on Life and Legacy36:50 Wrap up38:27 EndRelated Links:Susan Dray's webpage and LinkedIn profile  

The wonderful Dr Susan Dray shares her journey from obtaining a PhD in experimental and physiological psychology at UCLA to becoming a pivotal figure in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Susan recounts her transition from academia to industry, including roles at Honeywell and American Express, and her eventual shift to independent consulting. She discusses the evolution of HCI and human factors, the significance of ethnographic studies, and the importance of listening with one's heart in diverse cultural contexts. Susan also reflects on the birth of SIGCHI, organizational challenges, and her expansive international work. Her insights provide a rich, historical perspective on the ongoing interplay between technology, human behavior, and organizational dynamics, and on the contextual and cultural nuances in technology adoption. She also demonstrates the power of curiosity, self reflection and a service mindset. Overview00:29 Episode Introduction02:49 Susan's Background03:52 Transition from Academia to Industry05:37 Early Challenges at Honeywell06:56 Gaithersburg Conference and SIGCHI Formation10:15 Human Factors and Computing Systems13:34 Human Technology Impacts at Honeywell16:40 The Mindset of a Scientist22:59 Mentorship and Career Advice26:30 Career Transitions and Reflections28:06 Early Challenges in Consulting30:12 Setting Up a Consulting Business31:59 International Projects and Usability Studies38:22 Navigating Cultural Differences and Lessons in Challenges45:24 Innovative Research in Korea and South Africa49:26 Embracing Discomfort Curiousity and Self Reflection52:17 Wrap upRelated LinksSusan Dray webpage  and LinkedInACM SIGCHI Special Interest Group On Computer-Human Interaction

Building on the last episode’s topic of meetings, the focus here is on our one-on-one meetings. In his book, 'Glad We Met: The Art and Science of One-to-One Meetings,' Steven Rogelberg discusses how these meetings can be practical, personal, and developmental. We can also think of these as the four Ps of care—process, progress, product, and person. Drawing on insights from Rogelberg’s book, along with some timely recent posts, I draw attention to the role of empathy, authentic communication, and regular, intentional meetings in supporting PhD students, postdocs, and research assistants. Practical tips include setting regular meeting cadences, being attentive and present, and ensuring a respectful and effective meeting environment. These are all skills we can work on to better support the practical, personal and developmental in our 1-1 meetings.Overview:00:29 Introduction to Effective Meetings01:55 The Importance of One-on-One Meetings03:25 The Four Ps of Care in Meetings04:14 Practical Aspects of Supervisory Meetings05:06 Caring for the Person in Meetings05:35 Skills for Effective Meetings09:12 Student Contributions to Meetings11:01 Preparation and Presence in Meetings12:18 Time Management and Respect in Meetings13:23 Listening and Asking Good Questions14:25 The Cadence of Meetings17:55 Practical Suggestions for Meeting Environments19:14 Career Conversations and Resources20:20 Conclusion: The Art, Heart, and Science of Meetings24:02 EndRelated links:Steven Rogelberg's webpage, LinkedIn profile, and Meeting resources and previous CAL episode on Transforming Academic MeetingsBook: Rogelberg, S. G. (2024). Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1: 1 Meetings. Oxford University Press.Recent posts mentioned:#116 - 6 Communication Strategies to Get What You Need From Your PhD Advisor (Without Being Annoying), Emmanuel Tsekleves , PhDtoProf Newsletter 1 Oct 2025A toolkit to foster great career conversations, Rachel Chin and Rachel Herries, Auditorium Blog, 7 Oct 2025Related Changing Academic Life episodes:Oscar Trimboli (Part 1) on being better listeners Oscar Trimboli (Part 2) on how to listen deeply Michael Bungay Stanier on the power of curiosity and taming the advice monster RW (solo) Asking good questions, empowering good people