This incredibly interesting and controversial question gives birth to numerous discussions in the field of leadership, but here I’ll try to concentrate on the main issues of being a leader of a team of experienced scientists experiencing a lack of knowledge in this precise field.
Leader is not necessarily a person who is the most competent in certain field, although if he/she is, it’s even better.
Leader is the one who leads, encourages, motivates, and inspires the whole team, and nobody but he can fulfil abovementioned functions. Someone might say that motivation and inspiration can come only from extremely competent person, who knows the occupation better than the others. From my point of view, if a leader possesses all skills that make the leader in any field, he can lead a team of experienced scientists regardless his/her professional experience in certain branch of science. The questions that a leader usually faces mostly concern non-professional issues that can be solved only under condition of proper leading and managing, which in majority of cases do not depend on scientific competence of leader.
Naturally, a real leader will try to get to know as much as possible about the basic principles of science he deals with, i.e.: general information, main branches, the most important developments, current situation etc. This is what differs a leader from others – inquisitiveness of his mind and constant desire for something new. He might never become a professional in a certain scientific field, but he will definitely be competent enough to be able to solve emergencies and find solutions for problems.
Sure, team’s support is very important too. Being the specialists in their field, they can give valuable advices, consult on different questions, provide with necessary information, but the decision-making responsibility is something that they are not able to cope with. This is when the role of leader is the most evident. Leading, inspiring, not oppressing, discussing new perspectives – and this list of main leader’s activities is not even full.
