The value of EMBO... part one!

Cenk Aksu

I went in expecting something along the lines of ‘How to be the Leader 101’. What I got instead was immersive, interactive, and refreshingly personal eye-opening experience.

I want to start with a confession: I didn’t sign up for the EMBO Lab Leadership Course for Postdocs because I thought I was a natural-born leader. Quite the opposite, I signed up because I once tried to ‘delegate a task and ended up doing it myself out of guilt, confusion, and fear of confrontation. As someone transitioning from a primarily research-focused role into mentoring, I did not have the tools to lead effectively. Sounds familiar?

The course ran over three days, and I went in expecting something along the lines of ‘How to be the Leader 101’. What I got instead was immersive, interactive, and refreshingly personal eye-opening experience. The trainers, Céline and Elan, created a space where we could reflect honestly on our experiences and experiment with ideas in real-time. 

Day one kicked off with the big questions: What kind of leader are you? This wasn’t just about titles, roles or responsibility; it was about understanding our own values and how they shape the way we lead. As we dug deeper into leadership styles, values, and the many hats we wear in a lab (mentor, mediator, sometimes even dishwasher) with active learning and group exercises, I started to realise that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about being able to listen, adapt, and occasionally resist the urge to fix everything yourself.

The second day was all about communication and emotions, or, as I now like to call it: ‘How to Say Things Without Accidentally Starting a Fire.”. We explored personality types, motivation, feedback and how our emotions affect the way we lead (spoiler alert: a lot!). One standout moment for me was realising how my own communication style could either empower or unintentionally my ‘constructive criticism’ sometimes lands more like ‘passive-aggressive sandwich’, and that clarity + definition + mutual respect really is a winning combo.

Last day, we were deep into the murky waters of conflict, coaching, and problem avoidance. We learned about a deceptively simple yet powerful method for guiding team members through problem-solving. Rather than jumping in with solutions, I’ve started using questions to help others arrive at their own. It’s a subtle shift, but one that’s already made my interactions feel more collaborative and less top-down. We also tackled the science of motivation, which was particularly useful because, let’s be honest, every day I do not wake up excited about single-cell or other experiments. Understanding what drives me, and different people has already made a difference in how I interact with colleagues and students.

The best part of the course, though, wasn’t just the content, it was colleagues. Being in a room with them, all facing different challenges of research leadership, made me feel like part of a team. We laughed a lot, learned from each other, and maybe bonded for a collaborative future.

A heartfelt thank you to Botnar, NDORMS and everyone involved, supported in organising this course. It was a truly transformative experience. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn, reflect, and grow alongside such inspiring peers. I feel now that I am equipped with tools I’ll carry far beyond the lab.

Gianluca Fabiano

We often associate leadership with high-profile figures, thinkers, (occasionally) politicians, or athletes, and I never quite saw myself fitting that mould. This course offered a completely different perspective.

Attending the EMBO Leadership Course was a truly valuable learning experience, and I’m very grateful to the department for giving me the opportunity to take part.

We often associate leadership with high-profile figures, thinkers, (occasionally) politicians, or athletes, and I never quite saw myself fitting that mould. This course offered a completely different perspective: leadership isn’t about titles or status, but about how we listen, support, and influence others toward a shared goal. It’s about values in action, not static traits, but ways of being *to listen, to be humble, to be motivating*.

One of the most meaningful aspects of the course was the group itself. Although we came from diverse disciplines, we quickly discovered we were at similar career stages and facing many of the same challenges. Céline and Elan from EMBO created a genuinely engaging and supportive environment. Their teaching approach fostered honest dialogue, emotional connection, and deep reflection. 

Because the course was tailored specifically for academics, it also prompted me to reflect on the privileges we often take for granted, such as being heard by an audience, influencing decisions, and how leadership can (and should) emerge not only from grants or titles, but from our everyday interactions with students, patients, colleagues, and peers. 

I left the course with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity. I discovered new tools, re-examined old habits, and identified key areas where I want to grow. It was one of the most thoughtfully designed and impactful trainings I’ve ever attended.

I sincerely hope to have more opportunities like this in the future. It reminded me that research isn’t only about papers and data, it’s about people, purpose, and how we grow together.

Awaneesh Upadhyay

For me, it was an introspection sort of thing, which leads me think and work on myself and people surrounding me. Not only managing them but also understanding why they might be acting in certain way. It helps in not reaching to judgment immediately and when do, with better understanding. How to tackle certain situation and people in more systematic way etc.

Cenk, Gianluca and Awaneesh at the EMBO course