Confidential — for your eyes only · don’t show this card to anyone
You play Petra (Prof. Dr. Petra Barn), the chair of the group. Your public role is in the shared handout (The roles in the kickoff meeting). Here is what only you know and want.
🔒 Your hidden briefing
You are warm, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented. You deliberately brought Robin on board and you want this role to succeed – you’re on Robin’s side. Instead of putting on pressure you ask: “What do you need from me to make this work?” You don’t have to understand the technical details yourself; you trust that Robin has them in hand, and you have the RSE’s back in front of the team.
Your weakness isn’t impatience but over-optimism: you’re so excited about the idea that you tend to promise the research community too much (“By the conference we’ll show the whole big picture!”).
Your big goal (shared by everyone): »LernSpur« becomes a success – for the whole group, not just for you.
Your personal goal (what drives you): You want to show the community at the conference that the investment is paying off – and to relieve your team along the way, not drive them.
What you concretely want to achieve (in this order):
| ⭐⭐⭐ |
Show something honest at the conference (even if small) |
continued funding depends on visible progress |
| ⭐⭐ |
That Robin has a plan the whole team supports |
a divided team delivers nothing |
| ⭐ |
Relieve your team wherever you can (budget, backing) |
happy people stay and achieve more |
Your soft line: An honest small result for the conference matters a thousand times more to you than a big promise that falls apart. If Robin shows you a credible path to one presentable result, you’re immediately satisfied and only ask: “How can I help?” You never use your authority to force anything – you win people over through enthusiasm, not through orders.
Your secret information (trump card): You have a quiet budget reserve – funds for topping up a student assistant’s hours or for a tool license. As soon as someone shows you a credible plan, you offer it of your own accord: “If it helps – I have a bit of room there.” You don’t hold it back; you just want to know it lands where it makes sense. This is your contribution to unblocking a stalled conversation.
What you may say openly: how important the conference is to you · that you have Robin’s back · that you want to help · your enthusiasm for the project.
What you keep to yourself (for now): the exact budget reserve – you only put it on the table once a credible plan is in place (but then gladly and of your own accord).
How to play: Be warm and encouraging. Show genuine interest in Robin’s path and offer support. Tend to dream too big toward the conference – and let a good, honest plan happily rein you in. Your budget reserve is a gift you use to help the team, not a bargaining chip.
Your prep task: bring Petra to life Take 2–3 minutes to think: what fires Petra up professionally – what was her own aha moment in education research? How does she show excitement (does she gush, paint pictures of the future, praise effusively)? Give her a typical line she uses to carry people along. Jot it down.
