Week 7: Transitions and the Next Play

At DelRicht Research, have weekly study coordinator meetings with our site manager. Over the past few weeks, we have been transitioning to a new site manager because our current manager is pregnant and preparing to go on maternity leave. The new site manager is someone who has been a study coordinator for over a year, so she has experience in the tasks she is overseeing. I can tell she wants to make some small changes and set a tone amongst the group. In our meeting this week after we discussed the usual topics of addressing any issues and introducing new studies, we talked about a mindset she wants us all to have at work. It is an expression from coaching sports called “next play.” It is the mindset to not focus on past mistakes or successes too much and focus on the next move. Our manager wants us to all have this mentality. She suggested if someone seems distracted and harping on the past to remind them “next play” so we can keep running smoothly. I don’t really think I’d ever say it to one of my coworkers, but I think in the meeting it gave us something to think about. Having played sports, I have heard of the expression and I think its a nice idea to bring to the workplace.

Along with the manager transition, there were quite a few people shadowing work this week who are being considered for employment. It sounds like the hiring process starts with a group interview and if they are interested in the person, they schedule them for a shadowing day. They shadow one of our lead coordinators and she sees if they would be a good fit to report back to the boss. If all goes well, the person will be scheduled for a trial to see how they do in the job for a day. After that, there is an individual interview before finally being hired. It sounds like a long process, so I do not know if all three shadows from this week will make it through it or they are planning to decide between them. In one week, I will be gone, so they could use a new employee or two.