Taking care of others also includes taking care of oneself. Be aware of your limitations, and do not overexert yourself or judge yourself too harshly. Mistakes happen, they are the first step towards improvement, the important part is to honestly acknowledge and learn from them.
Be really careful to avoid micro-aggressions. This takes work and conscious effort. If you discover you have hurt someone, reflect on your behaviour and offer a genuine apology.
More generally, avoid assuming things about your colleagues, but assume good intentions.
Contribute to creating an environment where everybody feels comfortable sharing their knowledge and opinions. Recognize the value of the diversity of thought and experiences to enrich the group mindset.
Try to use inclusive, non-discriminatory language (see BC’s guidelines 1,2). Acknowledge that traditions and social conventions are different in every region and language. Help newcomers adjust to Canadian language norms, while celebrating the perspectives they bring.
Accommodate different abilities and constraints. Where possible be flexible.
Everyone has a responsibility to give others space to contribute.
Recognize that some personal comments may be unwelcome and exclude others. Practice warm and friendly interactions with lab members. Harassment, including sexual harassment, is never okay and is not tolerated either in this lab or by the university.
As a member of the Srivastava Lab, we recognize that we have responsibilities for the functioning of the research group as a whole, such as helping with the logistics of research, ensuring the safety of the entire team, mentoring junior and new members, and generally having each others’ back.
Recognize that as scientists, we have an ethical obligation to the broader society in which we are situated, which includes making data and analyses public and contributing data-based and reasoned scientific opinions. We also have an ethical obligation to acknowledge, respect and include the people on whose land we do research, especially Indigenous peoples and people of the Global South.
Practice gratitude.