Undercommitting doesn’t mean being rude - it’s mastering the diplomatic “no.” Instead of agreeing to every request, consider, “Does this align with my priorities?” If not, decline with grace.
A research scientist constantly accepting every collaboration out of fear of missing opportunities may burn out and produce mediocre results. Saying “no” to low-impact projects that don't align with their core research goals will help them focus on groundbreaking studies that advance their field and attract meaningful partnerships. Under Committing isn’t about shutting doors but rather opening the right ones.