Workshop: Leading from the Middle – The Postdoc Sandwich Position

Details

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

Description

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.

Trainer

Dr. Jan Schmidt holds a PhD in the Humanities and brings nearly 15 years of experience in research management, including more than 10 years as founding director and head of a Graduate Centre. During this time, he began facilitating workshops and discovered his passion for working with groups and facilitating workshops. This inspired him to leave academia and pursue a career as a freelance trainer and facilitator. His areas of expertise include communication, conflict resolution, and leadership. He designs tailored learning experiences that respond closely to clients’ needs while supporting participants in their personal and professional development. Combining academic depth, practical insight, and a highly engaging style, he creates workshops that are well researched, interactive, and dynamic. His mission is to provide practical and inspiring learning experiences with lasting impact. https://www.janschmidt-training.de/

* In order to provide you with a comfortable registration process, we use registration forms of our service partner eveeno®. Please note the information on the allocation of places on the program overview page.