Workshop: Teamwork & Leadership In- & Outside Academia

14/16 July 2025, On-Site @ KIT

Careers both in and outside the higher education sector involve leadership roles – e.g. classical leadership, the ‘lateral guidance’ of colleagues or the supervision of students and PhD candidates. A better understanding of leadership mechanisms is also useful in situations where one is being led. ‘Bottom up’ leadership techniques can contribute to the success of cooperation in this context.

With sound knowledge of leadership, team dynamics can be optimized and situations of conflict better managed. You can therefore grow with your leadership role and constructively work with your colleagues.

The workshop is customized for (post-)doctoral researchers and focuses – among other topics – on equal opportunities. The participants will be introduced to the most important leadership styles and techniques and will acquire knowledge of the methodical approach to leadership tasks. Through exercises, the participants familiarize themselves with established leadership techniques and train their competencies. The following topics will be covered:

  • Basics of teamwork & leadership: An overview of leadership tasks and styles [traditional – part-time and shared – agile]
  • My leadership profile: Stocktaking of my key skills
  • Ambiguous hierarchies: What does leadership mean in academia?
  • Manager-employee discussions as a leadership tool: Setting common objectives
  • Role change: Staff member – colleague – boss
  • The gender perspective: My challenges & options for action
  • Family and career management for female bosses: How to safeguard your work-life balance [on the last day]
  • Self-doubts and the impostor syndrome: Some tips to self-efficacy [on the last day]
  • Teamwork & leadership: My next steps

Additional Info: The 2-day workshop is organized in cooperation with our sister CRC Hyperion. The first day (14 July for Convide, 15 July for Hyperion) is targeted at all our (post-)doctoral researchers. If you are interested in participating but are busy on 14 July, joining on 15 July is possible  (please notify Eliza or me). The second day (16 July for both CRCs) will exclusively be offered for our female researchers.

Location: The workshop will take place on-site at KIT (room TBA). Travel costs for non-KIT researchers will be fully reimbursed.

Registration: Please use the course calendar of our PhD Portal to register for the workshop.