Newsmail #82, 2024-02-09

Dear all,

For me, it’s been a slow week, way too few meetings. One highlight was a kick-off activity for the new school faculty council (skolans fakultetsnämnd) yesterday. At this kick-off, the heads of department were invited, and it was nice to meet the new council, get to know the members, and to discuss common challenges and opportunities. I really like the idea of a kind of balance between the line organization, people with given formal authority meeting councils with elected officials, people who are elected to lead. Elected officials are usually elected because we trust them to know and do the right things.

On Wednesday we kicked-off the renewed JML-team at MMK, four members, eager to make a change in our mindsets, behaviour, and beliefs. We plan for an activity on March 5, for the senior staff, so I will report back after that.

Now in February, we hold individual meetings (previously called development dialogues). Every member, PhD students, professors, study directors are expected to have individual meetings with the closest manager, to setup development goals for the upcoming year. I encourage you all to take this opportunity to consider your own development; try something new, perhaps take a JML-related course? These meetings are separate from your supervisor meetings, if you are PhD student, an important opportunity to focus on your more long-term career path. Please read the online guidelines before your meeting and be prepared.

With that said, I now want to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Tomorrow it’s a new year, the year of the Dragon. If you follow the Chinese calendar, that is.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Martin