Reinventing Storytelling as a Management Training Tool for Scientists

This point of departure essay brings into discussion the connection between storytelling, science and management. While the Biological Sciences field provides by default the technical training needed to acquire specific skills, the experts mastering these aptitudes are often faced in their career with challenges when transitioning to a managerial position. This is when scientists depart from the fascinating Biology realm to enter a world of soft skills needed to manage programs and lead teams. These management skills can be acquired by taking classes, learning from a mentor, or by other vetted academic means. There is however one seemingly long-lost resource that surpasses time, crosses continents, and overcomes language barriers as well as cultural differences. In this manuscript we reintroduce the art of storytelling as the most powerful tool of communication while we integrate examples used for management training of scientists. While the stories included are provided as examples in the context of learning management concepts in the work field, they can equally serve as effective teaching strategies in college classrooms. Storytelling fosters learning in a combined structured and improvisational setting that prepares students for real life situations encountered as they enter a continuously demanding work force.