Teamwork in the Healthcare Setting

Thoughts on Team Work:

1. Teams should be officially sponsored by leadership to demonstrate commitment toward the work of the team.
2. Specifically charter the team by defining specific outcomes and allocate time and resources.
3. Encourage teams to dialogue and create the Team’s values; to determine collectively shared values of the team for which team members will hold each other accountable over the course of the team work engagement.
4. Set goals that are SMART, in other words, Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bounded
5. Commitment to the team in preference to individual goals and objectives.
6. Respect the goals, outcomes, expectations and time schedules that the team has committed to.
7. Develop an understanding of each team member’s strengths and weaknesses. Play to individual strengths and mentor team-members weak points (cross-accountability).
8. Communicate to team members regularly about information relevant to completion of team work.
9. Agree to early identification of team conflict(s) and establish a process for objective and rapid resolution of conflict – to assure focus on time-bounded goal achievement.
10. Value contributions of each team member and recognizes that all team members are individually talented and skilled and have a unique value to add toward the team effort.
11. Explicitly reward team behaviors to effectively build a culture that values teams and team work.