ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES

“Everything Gets Done through People”: Creating Effective Collaborations and

Teams 11/9/09

Janet BickelCareer and Leadership Development Coach

In Small Group: Take turns describing a time in which you experienced a collaboration or group work that resulted in a good product and a learning opportunity for most involved. what did you do or bring to this

opportunity? what did others do that made a

difference? what lessons do you take from

this experience?

The Science of Team Science*grows from need to enhance large-scale collaborative research and to transcend disciplinary boundaries

*dimensions of “collaboration readiness”-researchers’ orientation -team members’ earlier experiences working

together -leadership skills of directors/champions, eg

*ameliorate power/status differences *identify assumptions underlying their views*promote divergent thinking*foster development of common language

*BUT many “embedded structures” interfere with “collaboration readiness” [See: Am J Prev Med, August 2008, Supplement]

Diagnosing Team Effectiveness *What are our strengths?

*Are our goals clear?

*Do we have the right composition?

*Do we have the information we need?

*Do we hold ourselves accountable?

*How do we manage conflict?

*How can we have more effective meetings?

Self-Evaluation Self-Evaluation [and skills to seek feedback on][and skills to seek feedback on]•How do I deal with challenges to my ideas?

•Am I increasing my capacities for facing and handling conflict?

•Do I effectively foster dialogue?

•Do I successfully motivate people to work together?

•How good am I at discussing difficult subjects without causing defensiveness?

Communication begins with Listening

– What tends to prevent you from being fully present?

– Ask open-ended questions that invite the other to go deeper, eg “how,” “what,” “please give an example”

– Accurately attuning to others saves time

ONE MOUTH

TWO EARS

Automatic Listening

•Right/Wrong

•Win/Lose

•Agree/Disagree

•Good/Bad

•Either/Or

Generative Listening

•What could make that possible?

•What could that allow us to do?

•What goals could that idea advance?

•What do you see that I don’t?

•Say more

Automatic Listening

•Right/Wrong

•Win/Lose

•Agree/Disagree

•Good/Bad

•Either/Or

Generative Listening

•What could make that possible?

•What could that allow us to do?

•What goals could that idea advance?

•What do you see that I don’t?

•Say more

Combine Advocacy with Inquiry• Identify your assumptions and goals, and ask

others to do so.

• Agree on what important words mean.

• Explain your reasoning and intent [“This is why I’m raising this and how I arrived at this conclusion…How about you?”]

• Ask for help in understanding your own thinking [“I appreciate that I may be missing something here…. How do you see it?”]

• Use and ask for specific examples

IMPROVING MEETINGS• Structure a menu of choices for providing

people opportunities to take responsibility

• Begin regular meetings with a “check-In” [eg “what’s on your mind coming into our work together?”]

• End meetings with a “check-out” [eg, “what is your biggest question or concern?”]

• Periodically assess practices• Call attention to the group’s resourcefulness.

IMPROVING MEETINGS

Useful phrases• What goal would this help us meet?• Let’s pause and see where we are. I’m losing the

thread….• I know there’s a connection between what you're

saying and our topic. How does it connect for you?• We hear 2 pts of view, A and B. what would you like to

do with these?• There are many opinions on this, do we have them all?• Does anyone have a suggestion for what the group

might best do next?• What is the courageous conversation we are NOT

having?

Questions for Reflection and Buzz Groups

1) What can you do to foster group learning and to turn differences into strengths within your groups?

2) What meeting practices can you help to improve?

• “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”

—William James

• “Once individuals link together they become something different. . .Only when we join with others do our gifts become visible, even to ourselves.”

–Margaret Wheatley

Suggested Readings• Ancona D, Bresman H. X-teams: How to Build

Teams That Lead, Innovate and Succeed. Harv.Bus. School Press, 2007.

• Goulston M. Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone, 2009.

• Isaacs, William: Dialogue and the art of thinking together, Random house, 1999.

• Senge P, et al., The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies & Tools for Building a Learning Organization, NY: Doubleday, 1994.

• Schwarz, Roger, et al: The skilled facilitator’s fieldbook: tips, tools and tested methods for consultants, facilitators, managers, trainers and coaches. Jossey-bass, 2005.

• Weisbord M, Janoff S. Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter, BK Pub, 2007