A laboratory management primer

A laboratory manager is a uniquely skilled employee with a very high level of daily responsibility that spans all areas of the organization. The technical aspects of running a laboratory are codified and tightly regulated. When technical problems arise, there is very often a manual to help guide the solution. When it comes to managing the human side of the laboratory, there are daily challenges for which there are no obvious solutions. There does exist, however, a set of time-tested management tools for use by laboratory managers in addressing these daily challenges. A laboratory manager must become familiar with these tools and use them on a daily basis to gain confidence and experience in managing the human side of the laboratory. Some consequences of neglecting basic management functions are listed here in Appendix C. A program of regular, committed strategic planning helps an organization to predict and avoid problems while maximizing opportunities.