Leadership and Balance in Research

Leadership and balance are challenges relevant for scientific work as well as in business, politics and also in daily activities of individuals. Here we share our reflections based on the experience of building and leading a research group of over 40 people at a national research institute. Our first observation is that leadership of a research group towards success requires clear philosophical alignment, fundamentals shared between all the members. This includes maintaining a common vision and high enthusiasm towards achieving results (no nonsense rule). In order be sustainable on the longer run, we have to maintain the flow of:(a) knowledge/experience,(b) social network of partners, and (c) constant funding. Organization of the team should be preferably flat (but not too flat) with welldefined roles, but also as fluid as possible (no rigidness rule) facilitating personal and group progress. One of the fundamentals is to develop trust between people and maintain good human relationships within the team (no fighting rule).