Last week I wrote about listening in the research funding process. This week, we’ll look at how listening plays out in conversations with funders. Specifically, we will consider personal interactions you may have on a phone call, video call, or in-person interactions at conferences or site visits.

The audio or video call

You can expect to have 30-60 minutes for this type of call. Basically, you want to shift from a strategy of presenting to one of asking questions. If you do just this, you will be well ahead of most PIs. That said, if, prior to the call, you have been asked to present something, then you should do that. Here, I’m referring to open-ended calls about a funding opportunity.

The number one mistake PIs make is sharing their screen and showing slides. This is not a good idea because it takes too much time, you literally make yourself small by squeezing your image into the top right corner of the screen, and you are likely showing work that you’ve already done. Further, unfortunately, it’s possible that the other person is not paying attention or zoning in and out while you talk.

If you follow my advice and don’t prepare slides, and then you are asked on a call if you have slides, don’t panic! This happens rarely but it does happen. Just say you don’t and move on in the conversation. You can always follow up by email with a whitepaper and/or figures.

Instead, talk about your idea, but give only a brief overview at first. If you are questioned about it, expand on it, guided by the demonstrated interest of your conversation partner. Remember that you don’t need to explain everything about your research at once.

What you want to do is ask questions and then listen. To get you started, beyond the obvious ones like whether the topic is a fit for the program and timelines, here are some:

• What aspect of what I’m proposing is of most interest to you/the program?

• Can you think of any other programs the topic may be relevant to?

• Do you know anyone at <affiliated government lab> doing related work that I could reach out to for potential coordination or collaboration?

• Do you see investment in this topic area going up or down over the next few years?

• Are there new areas your program is going to be getting into or getting out of in the years ahead?

• Would you or any of your colleagues be interested in my giving a seminar on my recent work on X?

These questions get conversations going and give you strategic insight into why (or why not) your proposed research may be a fit. Listening well to the responses and asking follow-on questions will get you to the deeper whys and help you build a relationship.

The in-person conversation

Generally, these meetings occur at a busy event and will therefore be shorter. The aim of these meetings is to get a longer meeting. This is a very important point worth repeating: The aim of the brief meeting is to get a longer meeting.

After a brief introduction in which you state a sentence or two about your research, ask if you can follow up with the program officer by email. Then send an email to do that. When you get something scheduled, use the strategy above for audio or video calls.

Do not try to sell the program officer on your idea during the brief meeting. Depending on the event, they are meeting at least dozens if not hundreds of new people, many of whom are pitching ideas. They just won’t retain what you tell them. Don’t feel that you are ‘missing your chance’ if you don’t give them your pitch.

Next week, I’ll dive into how you can listen to read-between-the-lines in funding opportunity announcements, websites and other written materials.

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For the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI) PI Intensive for New Faculty and Researchers: Building the Tools for Your Career in Research

This day-and-a-half workshop will take place in Chicago on October 24-25th .

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It would be wonderful to meet some newsletter subscribers in person in Chicago. Please send me an email (julia@wiseinvestigator.com) if you have any questions. 👋 

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