Scientists often have exceptional technical skills but may have received little training in communication and management. To address this gap, a new training programme called LabAct was introduced last year by the Laboratory Management Institute (LMI) at the University of California, Davis. It uses professional actors to help young scientists rehearse behaviour that can be effective in dealing with difficult communication, management and ethical situations they may face in their laboratories. We believe that this training will enhance overall productivity, quality and job satisfaction.

The actors receive specialized training in techniques for drawing out and engaging participants and helping them gain confidence. They use their expertise to help participants identify real workplace issues and practise new behaviours to resolve them.

Last year, 22 scientists, mainly postdocs, attended a two-day LMI training session where speakers gave talks on topics such as leadership, ethics and project management. LabAct was one part of the workshop. Participants anonymously submitted issues they wanted to see enacted, such as conflicts over authorship, access to shared research equipment, and work habits. The actors improvised scenes that illustrated the issues, often in an egregious or humorous manner. After a group discussion, the actors re-enacted the scene incorporating participant-recommended behaviour. This allowed the participants to experiment with different behaviours, through the actors, until they found those that resonated best with them. As participants felt more comfortable, some joined the actors to participate in the scene, gaining practice in effective and authentic communication.

What distinguishes LabAct training from online instruction or discussion of case studies is that LabAct gives participants hands-on practice in developing new communication and problem-solving skills in a safe environment before implementing them in the workplace.

Originally conceived for postdoctoral scholars and new investigators, LabAct training can be used for many topics and audiences. We are now developing LabAct training to attract young students and members of under-represented groups to careers in science, and have also been approached by industry and government to provide this training.