If You Don’t Where You Are Going
Aug 29, 2010
any road will take you there. –Lewis Carroll
Does your lab of a mission statement? The statement doesn’t have to be boring or public like a big corporation. The reason to create one is for focus. If you know where you want to go then it makes it easy to eliminate distractions. Does this project support our mission statement; if not then pass on it.
Oooh, look something shiny.
Instrumentation along with collaboration is an especially tempting distraction. The benefits can certainly be worthwhile, how do you know? If it supports your mission.
Andrew Perry
September 15th, 2010 at 3:02 AM #
It’s a good idea. I’ve certainly seen some labs operate as if the mission statement was “Our mission is to periodically drop everything we are doing and pursue something new based on the latest shiny publication that came out this week”. It’s sensible to respond to changes in your field, but it’s probably also worth ignoring the “shinies” and finishing projects you have started if you haven’t just been scooped. /me ponders own mission statement ….