19 Lessons Learned 153
People with a more chaotic approach to projects (perceivers in
MBTI terminology), often find that things do eventually work out the
way they want in the end – despite their lack of good planning. This
may work only if your actions, and yours alone, are required to obtain
theresultyouwant.ButdoingaPhDalwaysrequires,toagreateror
lesser extent, the help of others. So teamwork is essential and getting
the people around you to work in harmony takes time and effort. Very
fewpeoplewillstartmarchingtothetuneofyourdrum,evenifyou
think that’s the best way to proceed. You have limited power to change
the behaviour of others, so in order to ensure that they deliver on
their promises, you will have to plan carefully and be realistic about
lead times for all the things (and the list is long) that a re not under
your control. Of course, for a plan to be successful, you will need to
communicate the planning to others. This brings us to the second
valuable skill that we hope you have picked up and refined along the
way.
C o mmunication creates harmony
Even if it’s only your name that appears on the spine of your printed
and bound thesis, remember: you are part of a team. You might not
find that your team mates are active or visible at all times, but they are
there. From librarians to roommates, from undergraduate students,
to your supervising professor, they all contribute to your research in
one way or another. Share your good news with others (celebrate your
success), and ask for help and advice if you are making less progress
than you expected. Be able to admit it if you don’t know the answer to
something. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. If you have an open
attitude and make clear what you expect from others and what they
can expect from you, your years as a graduate student will be more
pr oductive, not to mention a great deal more pleasant.
Misunderstandings that arise from a lack of communication are
the source of many conflicts and much unhappiness. Solv ing conflicts
is essential to moving forward with your team. The first step in solv-
ing interpersonal problems is comm unication. A key aspect of good
communication is active listening, a skill that is also of great value
during job interviews and meetings. As you make steady progress