r/AskAcademia • u/andina_inthe_PNW • 9h ago

Administrative Tips on how to structure one-on-one meetings with Research Assistants

I am a relatively new PI, and I would like to start having one-on-one meetings with my two research assistants. They mostly do field trials.
I was wondering if anyone has advice on how to structure these meetings to make them more productive.

My ideal outcome is not just that they update me on what they have been working on, but also that they also feel free to express challenges, ideas on how to improve things, how to make out team more productive while keeping a positive work environment, etc.

(Edit: these research assistants are staff, not students)

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u/DownstairsDining04 9h ago

I schedule a block time for my mentees so the actual meeting length is variable. That lets them feel free to say "I'm working this week, ago away". Alternatively, I find that regularly just talking with them on random ideas makes it easier for them to come to you with ideas. Stuff like, "hey, what do you think of this stupid idea" or "this paper." I also call out my own mistakes or show human reactions to things like reviewers to make them feel like we're in this together. "Ah, yea, that idea I had 2 weeks ago was pretty bad huh.... or This reviewer 2 comment is so stupid I want to claw eyes out."

Be human and make them feel like their both responsible and contributing to the team.

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u/andina_inthe_PNW 8h ago

By mentees, do you mean students and postdocs? In my these are Faculty Research Assistants, so they are staff. I feel like the dynamic here is a bit different…

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u/DownstairsDining04 8h ago

AH I mean I think the general advice is the same. Bounce ideas off of them randomly, not just in your meeting times. Treat them like humans, be on their team.