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Fair Leadership for High-Quality Science
What determines whether talented people in science will deliver top-notch performance, develop their potential, and remain in the academic environment over the long term? The answer, which emerged throughout the 9th National Conference “Fair Leadership for High-Quality Science,” was surprisingly clear—the way we lead people.
This year’s conference, organized by NKC – Gender and Science, focused on gender-sensitive and inclusive leadership as one of the prerequisites for high-quality, sustainable, and excellent science. According to the speakers, transparent communication, trust, psychological safety, and respect for employees’ individual needs are not merely pleasant perks, but rather prerequisites for building high-quality research teams and institutions that succeed over the long term.
Opening remarks by Lucie Núñez Tayupanta (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports), Soni Ehlerová (Czech Academy of Sciences), and Marcela Linková (NKC – Gender and Science) emphasized that real change can only occur if it is actively supported by institutional management. It is precisely here that the organizational culture is shaped, influencing collaboration, trust, and the day-to-day work experience of employees.
Leadership Is Not Intuition, but a Skill
One of the most powerful messages of the morning program came from Kateřina Zábrodská, who drew attention to the phenomenon of so-called “intuitive leadership.” Leaders often make decisions based on their own experiences, ingrained habits, or colleagues’ recommendations, rather than relying on transparent rules, data, and proven approaches. This style of leadership can lead to unclear expectations, unequal treatment, and the unintended reinforcement of stereotypes.
Jana Tikalová followed up on her keynote, reminding the audience that leadership is not an innate talent but a skill that can be purposefully developed. She emphasized the importance of personal integrity and the principle of “walk the talk”—that is, consistency between the values leaders profess and their day-to-day actions.
The common thread running through both presentations was the need to base leadership on transparency, open communication, and the ability to take into account the diverse life situations of team members.
A Safe Environment Supports Performance and Innovation
The first panel offered the perspective of the next generation of scientists. Klára Kosová, Michal Kraus, and Jan Váňa agreed that one of the most important prerequisites for high-quality scientific work is psychological safety—an environment in which people are not afraid to ask questions, share problems, or ask for help.
Comparing experiences from abroad was also very inspiring. While some foreign institutions focus primarily on what kind of support employees need during important life events, the Czech academic environment, according to the panelists, increasingly emphasizes immediate performance above all else.
However, it was also noted that building a safe environment is a two-way process. Managers should create space for open communication, while employees and early-career researchers, in turn, should have the courage to share their needs and difficulties in a timely manner.
What Young Talents Need
Discussions with the next generation revealed several clear expectations:
- an individualized approach
- recognition and ongoing feedback
- respect for work-life balance
- the opportunity to communicate openly.
Inclusive leadership is not a weakness, but a path to better results
The second panel featured perspectives from leaders in the academic community. Julie Vašků, Vladimíra Petráková, and Juraj Hvorecký agreed that a respectful and inclusive approach is not the opposite of high performance expectations. Quite the contrary.
As noted during the discussion, people perform best when they feel safe, know what is expected of them, and trust their leaders. A leader’s role, therefore, is not only to manage the team’s work but also to create conditions in which team members can grow and develop their potential over the long term.
Practical experience shows that an inclusive approach yields concrete benefits:
- A more satisfied team delivers better results
- Respect for individual needs increases motivation
- Open communication fosters collaboration
Real change begins with institutional leadership
The closing panel, which focused on gender equality plans (GEPs), the HR Award, and other tools for institutional change, demonstrated that strategies alone are not enough. For declared values to be translated into everyday practice, institutions need sufficient human and financial resources, systematic support from leadership, and cross-organizational collaboration.
Effective change requires:
- ensuring sufficient resources (people, time, funding)
- active and long-term support from leadership
- collaboration across institutions
Without the involvement of top leadership, changes remain merely on paper.
The panelists were unanimous: change cannot be implemented through documents alone. They only have a real impact when their principles are reflected in the day-to-day decision-making of managers at all levels of management.
Key takeaways from the conference
- Fair leadership is the foundation of high-quality science and a well-functioning organization
- A safe environment directly influences performance and innovation
- Leadership is a skill that needs to be developed
- Change must be systemic and supported from the top
Inspiration for Our Faculty as Well
The topic of leadership is also closely linked to the activities we have long been engaged in at the Faculty of Medicine—the development of leaders, support for doctoral students, the fulfillment of the Gender Equality Plan, and the implementation of the HR Award principles.
The conference reaffirmed that a high-quality work environment does not arise on its own. It requires open communication, trust, transparent rules, and a willingness to listen to people’s needs. It is precisely this kind of environment that enables both employees and students to fully develop their potential and contributes not only to their satisfaction but also to the quality of education, research, and the overall functioning of the institution.
Fair leadership is thus not merely a matter of human resources policy or promoting equality. It is one of the prerequisites for high-quality research and a modern university. Investing in leadership development is therefore also an investment in people, research, and the future of the entire institution.
Many of the topics discussed—ranging from the development of senior staff and support for doctoral students to the creation of a safe work environment—are also reflected in the activities we have been developing over the long term at the Faculty of Medicine as part of the HR Award, the Gender Equality Plan, and other HR initiatives.
