There was always a pecking order in my family – my oldest brother (always in charge), myself (always in the middle, and always compromising), and my younger sister (always taking orders). As adults, this dynamic dramatically changed.
Our Family’s New Approach To Collaboration:
As my siblings and I met over coffee this week, my younger sister, Maryellen, started the discussion about our daily approach to the daunting task of settling my mother into her new house. Then, she organized our schedule and delegated tasks, and we determined she would be the best fit to coach our mom each day on what items needed to be discarded and the proper place to store her belongings. I realized that we all worked hard to effectively collaborate because we wanted to keep my Mom calm and happy while helping her settle into her new house.
“Moving house”
What Does This Mean for Healthcare Project Collaboration?
We have to keep our ultimate goal of a health care project in mind, which is to make a better life for the staff who work and the patients who stay in the environments we build.
You can’t achieve this goal without first figuring out how everyone can collaborate. Sometimes it isn’t easy, especially when everyone on the team has different ideas and perspectives. It’s even harder when there’s a pecking order and not everyone on the team is equally encouraged to collaborate. I know it’s tough, so I’ve used my experience as a project management veteran to compile 3 simple tips to help your team foster collaboration:
Tip 1: Find A Collaboration-Friendly Location
Starting your collaboration in the right physical environment is a critical component to effective collaboration. Here are a few questions to consider when thinking about your location for meetings:
-
Do the furnishings, decor, and views make your team comfortable and inspired?
-
Does everybody always sit in the same place? If so, Can you alternate the seating arrangements?
-
Does the room have a place for food and/or beverage?
Tip 2: Determine Your Team’s Tools
To help keep your team focused and retain the information shared during your meeting, figure out the best way to display information, such as:
-
Making the information available on each team member’s smartphone or tablet
-
Projecting the information onto a monitor
-
Writing the information on a whiteboard
Tip 3: Identify Techniques That Work For Your Team
Techniques like brainstorming and mind mapping are effective in helping you and your team:
-
Determine the best methods for your unique team to effectively collaborate and communicate
-
Develop systems to facilitate team decision-making
-
Mediate challenges team members might have with collaboration
Using these tips and eliminating a pecking order paves the way to creating stronger team relationships, developing better ideas, increasing productivity. To most effectively help your team foster collaboration, click here to check out the interactive workshops that my company – Health Well Done – offers.
