How to Be a Happy Academic

Alex Clark, PhD, is Associate Vice President (Research) at the University of Alberta, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. He fulfils leadership roles with a number of national research funding bodies across Canada. He regularly writes on academic career development, growth, and leadership, and has led workshops all over the world for a decade for researchers from all career stages on academic effectiveness, writing, and research skills. He speaks nationally and internationally to young scientists from across disciplines on academic career issues, including skills, teamwork, and mentorship. Alex’s research has been published in some of the world’s most influential journals, including: The Lancet, British Medical Journal, Journal of American College of Cardiology, and Social Science & Medicine. Bailey Sousa, PMP, is the Director of the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (IIQM) based at the University of Alberta, an entrepreneur, and workplace effectiveness advocate. Bailey has worked as a team leader managing complex projects for over a decade in a variety of entrepreneurial ventures and roles in corporate, social enterprise, and academic settings. Her current role enables her to connect and connect with academics internationally, giving her a global perspective on effectiveness and the challenges faced universally. Bailey’s interests and contributions relate to workplace and academic effectiveness, leadership, and teamwork in complex settings; she facilitates workshops all over the word in this area. In 2015, she was also recognized as one of Edmonton’s Avenue Magazine’s ‘Top 40 Under 40’ for her contributions in her work and to her city.

The authors not only illuminate the realities of academic work, but also provide brilliant wisdom for keeping one’s pilot light of passion constantly ignited, despite the challenges. This book is an excellent resource for doctoral students; it provides an inspirational process for success!

• IntroductionWhy is this Book NeededGet the Most from this BookDoing the Right Things Right: The Success Pyramid and The CoreLanguage and Terminology IssuesTheoretical Basis and FeaturesChapter 1: Academic Knowledge Work as Extreme Knowledge WorkWhat is Academic Knowledge Work?The Nature of Academic Knowledge WorkThe Challenge of ′Extreme Knowledge Work′ for Academic WorkersSection One: Choosing the Right Academic Work: The Success PyramidChapter 2: Values in Academic WorkValues and Identity in Academic Work and WorkersExploring Your ValuesValues and IntegrityReactions to Value Conflicts in Academic WorkplacesFirst Steps to Workable Strain: Increase Your Values LiteracyChapter 3: Success and Its IndicatorsWhat Success Looks Like in Academic WorkSuccess Is Not Equal (Especially Around Gender)Success Is About Work and LifeSuccess and Quality Are DifferentIs Success Subjective or Objective?Approaching Success in Academic Knowledge Work: Occluded Games and GenresSuccess Indicators and The Success PyramidSuccess Indicators over Academic CareersChallenges in Selecting Success IndicatorsChapter 4: Doing the Right Things I: Effectiveness, Priorities, and StrategyPriorities: The Key to EffectivenessWhat Is Strategy?Common Challenges with Good StrategyChapter 5: Doing the Right Things II: Goals, Tasks and TimeTime in Academic WorkGoals in Academic WorkCommon Challenges when Goal SettingTasks in Academic WorkHandling TasksCommon Challenges with TasksSection Two: Developing The CoreChapter 6: Creativity: Adding the Vital SparkBeing and Staying Creative or ‘The Battle for Creativity’Threats to CreativityChapter 7: Human Work and Self-WorkThe Scope and Nature of Human WorkWhat Affects Human Work?Human Work Done Well: First StepsRelationships in Academic WorkBuilding Relational NetworksFeedbackTeams and Working GroupsConflictHuman Work, Self-Work: A Journey Without EndChapter 8: Learning: Success, Failure and the Growth MindsetMindsets in Academic WorkLearning for Growing: What and WhyFailure: Necessary and UsefulSuccessful Failure: A Six-Step ApproachChapter 9: Influence: Persuasion and ConnectionRhetoric: The Basis for Better InfluenceInvention: Arguments, audience, and successArrangement, style, and delivery: Connection and identificationMemory: Practised, effortless spontaneityAbove all: Be self-aware, but be yourselfChapter 10: Write Anything BetterThe Vulnerability of Writing in Academic WorkDifferent Types of Writing in Academic WorkThe Quality-Prevalence Paradox of Academic WritingThe Limitations of Trick, Tips and Social MediaGenre: A Different Approach to Academic WritingChapter 11: Developing Better Habits and SystemsEveryday Tasks: Marginal and Fundamental GainsTaming Everyday TasksOther Systems, Routines, and HabitsSection Three: Bringing It All TogetherChapter 12: Projections, Introspections, and Reflections on Academic WorkThinking Forward: The Future of Academic WorkThinking Inwardly: Reading Your Own ReactionsThinking On: What We Learned Writing this Book