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Jen Heemstra on Accidental Leadership (CAL 138, S8E3)
Prof. Jen Heemstra from Washington University in St. Louis in the US shares her journey from a research-focused bimolecular engineer to accidental leader and now author of the insightful book 'Lab Work to Leadership.' Jen speaks about the challenges faced by academics moving into leadership, recognisning that we are often untrained and unprepared for these roles. She shares insights from her book focusing on self-leadership, leading others, and coaching future leaders. Jen talks about the importance of building trust, creating a positive lab culture, giving and seeking feedback, and the significance of modeling behavior for emerging leaders. Jen also reflects on her personal experiences, including her struggles to get tenure and maintaining a work-life balance.
00:29 Introduction and Welcome
03:09 The Birth of 'Lab Work to Leadership'
05:43 Navigating Academic Challenges
08:29 The Worst Day: Tenure Rejection
12:14 People Showing Up and Getting Tenure
15:49 Embracing Leadership in Academia That We Are Not Trained For
21:26 Building a Collaborative Lab Culture
30:35 The Importance of Self-Leadership and Self-Awareness
33:27 The Role of Coaches and Mentors
35:02 The Importance of Feedback
37:01 Challenges in Giving and Receiving Feedback
38:46 Understanding Individual Needs in a Lab Environment
43:59 Building Trust and Psychological Safety
49:37 Coaching Future Leaders
56:50 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
58:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
58:56 Outro
Related Links:
About Jen:
Heemstra Lab at Washington Univ in St. Louis
Jen’s webpage and LinkedIn Profile
Book:
Jen Heemstra, Labwork to leadership: a concise guide to thriving in the science job you weren’t trained for, 2025, Harvard University Press
People:
Troy Champ
Resources:
Edwin Catmull and Amy Wallace, Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, 2014, Penguin.
Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, 2010, Harper Collins.
Birkman Personality Inventory
View all episodes
By Geraldine Fitzpatrick
4
77 ratings
Prof. Jen Heemstra from Washington University in St. Louis in the US shares her journey from a research-focused bimolecular engineer to accidental leader and now author of the insightful book 'Lab Work to Leadership.' Jen speaks about the challenges faced by academics moving into leadership, recognisning that we are often untrained and unprepared for these roles. She shares insights from her book focusing on self-leadership, leading others, and coaching future leaders. Jen talks about the importance of building trust, creating a positive lab culture, giving and seeking feedback, and the significance of modeling behavior for emerging leaders. Jen also reflects on her personal experiences, including her struggles to get tenure and maintaining a work-life balance.
00:29 Introduction and Welcome
03:09 The Birth of 'Lab Work to Leadership'
05:43 Navigating Academic Challenges
08:29 The Worst Day: Tenure Rejection
12:14 People Showing Up and Getting Tenure
15:49 Embracing Leadership in Academia That We Are Not Trained For
21:26 Building a Collaborative Lab Culture
30:35 The Importance of Self-Leadership and Self-Awareness
33:27 The Role of Coaches and Mentors
35:02 The Importance of Feedback
37:01 Challenges in Giving and Receiving Feedback
38:46 Understanding Individual Needs in a Lab Environment
43:59 Building Trust and Psychological Safety
49:37 Coaching Future Leaders
56:50 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
58:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
58:56 Outro
Related Links:
About Jen:
Heemstra Lab at Washington Univ in St. Louis
Jen’s webpage and LinkedIn Profile
Book:
Jen Heemstra, Labwork to leadership: a concise guide to thriving in the science job you weren’t trained for, 2025, Harvard University Press
People:
Troy Champ
Resources:
Edwin Catmull and Amy Wallace, Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, 2014, Penguin.
Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, 2010, Harper Collins.
Birkman Personality Inventory
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