Assemble and Nurture the Right Team
In addition to technical skills for quality science and good project management, the following skills are desirable in research projects:
Collaborative leadership
The first skill is collaborative leadership to bring and keep together the partners and stakeholders in research projects. This is the ability to:
- create win–win situations (brokering solutions to align needs)
- develop, maintain and use effective networks to support involvement of stakeholders in implementing solutions.
Taking a wide view of the system
Another skill needed in research projects are researchers and/or stakeholders that can take a wider view of the system (farm system and beyond) in which a problem is situated.
These people help to draw science and system together and ensure potential external influences on successful solutions are not missed.
Translator
Researchers and/or stakeholders that can work comfortably in both the research and stakeholder worlds act as a translator and bridge between the research and next and end-users.
Group Activity: Do a quick skills analysis
Tools: Impact Planning Tool
Support: Innovation Brokering