This is a useful framework for feedback, planning and team cohesion

Go ahead and ask yourself these questions…

1) Do people know what is expected of them? Or do the goal posts keep changing?

2) Do you take the time to provide context? Or do you give them a quick brief and expect them to read your mind?

3) Does your team member really understand what ‘done’ looks like? Or are they a bit confused?

A team that has clarity and alignment will be a game changer for the productivity and successful outcomes

 
Colour – start by painting a clear picture of what the work looks like, explain the outcome you are seeking and describe your expectation for what ‘done’ looks like.
 
Context – explain why we are doing this?  Which stakeholders are involved and what are their interests and expectations?  How does this fit into the bigger picture (i.e. the companies' strategy, vision or goals?) 
 
Connective-tissue – when is this work due and what other actions, deadlines and initiatives are reliant on this? 
 
Cost – what’s the cost involved in terms of money, time, effort, bandwidth, focus and priorities?
 
Consequences – what happens if this isn’t completed on time?  What’s at risk if we do nothing here?  What unintended consequences could there be?

Communication lies at the heart of collaboration. Collaborative leaders excel in articulating ideas clearly, actively listening to others, and fostering open team dialogue. They collaborate with other teams and leverage various communication channels, such as face-to-face interactions, virtual meetings, and written communication, to ensure that all team members convey messages accurately and understand them.

Conflict Resolution Skills

Conflicts are inevitable in any collaborative environment, but skilled leaders adeptly navigate these challenges to maintain harmony and productivity. They approach conflicts constructively, seeking to understand the underlying issues, mediating disputes impartially in small groups, and facilitating resolution through compromise and consensus-building among diverse groups.

Delegation and Empowerment

Collaborative leaders recognize the strengths and talents of their team members and delegate tasks accordingly. Empowering individuals to take ownership of their work and make decisions autonomously fosters a sense of ownership, accountability, and initiative within the team. Their approach is less directive, allowing more autonomy.

Building Trust

Trust forms the foundation of effective collaboration. Collaborative leaders cultivate trust by demonstrating integrity, reliability, and transparency in their actions and decisions. They create a psychologically safe environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas, taking risks, and admitting mistakes without fear of judgement or reprisal. This environment is crucial for new leadership to thrive.

Fostering Creativity And Innovation

Collaboration fuels creativity and innovation by leveraging team members’ collective intelligence and diverse perspectives. Collaborative leaders encourage experimentation, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and celebrate successes. They create space for brainstorming, ideation, and exploration, fostering a culture of curiosity, exploration, and new development.

Coaching And Mentoring Skills

Collaborative leaders act as mentors and coaches, providing guidance, support, and feedback to help team members develop their skills and reach their full potential. They invest time in building meaningful relationships, understanding individual strengths and development areas, and offering personalised development opportunities.

By incorporating these practical techniques, aspiring collaborative leaders can effectively implement the outlined steps and cultivate a collaborative culture within their teams.

Examples of appreciative inquiry questions 

• What's working well now?

• What do you value most about it ?

• What do you want more of?

• What worked well for you before?

• What do you think caused this to happen?

• What's your solution?

• What are you going to do about…?

• What do you want to do next?

• 
  

How to use appreciative inquiry questions

• Start with an affirmative topic, such as greater customer satisfaction or safer work environments 

• Reframe the problem as an affirmative question 

• Make sure the topic is interesting and compelling to the people involved 

• Consider the principle of simultaneity, which states that the questions asked first can plant the seeds of change 

Next steps workshops are designed to give teams the opportunity to fine tune their purpose, work through risk and make the most of what's already working well.

We are looking to leave each workshop with an understanding of operational purpose, priority actions and ideas for supporting the success of SRC.

Prior to coming to the session, talk to your teams & collaborators and ask:

1) What's working well that we want to amplify (and what has made it work?)

2) Examples of where we are already collaborating well within Scottish Refugee Council/ with each other

3) What do we need to differently (or ditch)?

4) Ideas and solutions to #3 above

Dates for diaries:

10th February - External Affairs

11th February - Operations

13th February - Client & Community Services

19th February - 1/2 day for regional client & community work

20th March - hearing from each other & next steps