Leading from the Middle – The Postdoc Sandwich Position

Postdocs find themselves in a unique leadership situation: they are responsible for doctoral students and projects, but rarely have formal authority. At the same time, they want to meet the expectations of their principal investigator. This ‘sandwich position’ requires leadership skills that are rarely taught in traditional academic socialisation.

The workshop teaches the basics of how to become effective in this position in three consecutive online modules. In the first module, participants develop a practical understanding of leadership beyond formal hierarchy and reflect on their own role change with the help of sociological role theory. The second module is dedicated to the specific sandwich situation: participants map the expectations placed on them and develop strategies for leadership in three directions – towards doctoral students, colleagues and superiors. A special focus is placed on ‘upward leadership,’ i.e., the ability to exert influence upwards without formal power. The third module focuses on communication tools and conflict dynamics: active listening, constructive feedback, dealing with status games, and the basics of conflict management. The workshop concludes with an individual outlook with ideas for implementation.

Methodologically, the workshop focuses on short inputs, structured self-reflection, case work based on participants' own situations, and collegial exchange in small groups. The online format, consisting of three half-days, allows participants to test their initial insights in their everyday work between modules.

Date: Mon, 13. & Wed, 15. & Fri, 17.07.2026, 09.00–12.30h
Location: online via Zoom
Target group: Postdocs of all research fields of the UA Ruhr universities (max. 12 participants)
Trainer: Dr. Jan Schmidt 
Registration deadline: 29 June 2026
Contact for organizational Questions: gcplus@uni-due.de

Further information and registration