by Gary A Smith, CPIM-F, CSCP-F, CLTD-F
“Come together, right now over me’” — Lennon / McCartney
Unless you understand the skills needed to make the team successful there is little chance for collaboration. These skills unleash the potential of the team and help it to reach such outcomes as:
Improved employee engagement which leads to better reduced turnover and improved attendance
A proactive problem-solving mindset
A workforce that feels it is a valuable asset to the organization
A breakdown of silos as people from different parts of the organization work together and learn to trust one another
Long term profitability as the organization puts people first
These skills include:
Open Mindedness – the ability and willingness to consider different ideas and opinions. Not everyone will agree with you or with one another. It is important that everyone on the team feels comfortable in sharing their ideas and opinions. This requires a culture that values open discussion.
Effective Communication – Collaboration thrives in an environment where people are free to share ideas and these ideas are understood by all. Sometimes this starts with something as simple as agreeing on common terms and phrases. This is why the APICS Dictionary is so important to supply chain professionals. It provides everyone with common definitions so that complex ideas are understood by all. In addition, effective communication is especially important when dealing with a remote workforce. I have always said, “don’t email when you can call someone, and don’t call when you can meet face to face.” This is why software such as TEAMS and ZOOM are so invaluable in the post-pandemic world of the remote workforce.
Active Listening – when someone asks a question or expresses an opinion, how often does your mind race to find a solution or make a comment or even a joke? You then jump in with your solution. While you may think that this means you are actively listening to what is being said, let me assure you, IT IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF ACTIVE LISTENING! What you are doing is providing a solution with zero understanding and even if you totally understand the problem, you are providing a solution without giving the problem some time to germinate and stew. It’s like food, sometimes flavors should marinate to make themselves appreciated. That is why lasagna tastes so much better the next day. Active listening requires respect for the problem and respect for the person. To rush to a solution, even the right solution, is an insult to both the problem and the person.
Organization – one of the best managers and leaders I worked with early in my career believed that you should “plan your work, then work your plan.” I have always found this to be sound advice. Developing a plan and schedule with times, dates, and assignments provides your team with a game plan to follow. If the schedule is delayed for some reason, or some unanticipated event occurs, the plans can be modified, and contingencies developed. As Dwight Eisenhower said, “Plans are useless, but planning is essential.”
Adaptability – however organizational ability alone is not enough. As Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” If plans go awry, and they usually do, the ability to adapt and to regroup and revise your plans is indispensable. The companies that have adapted are the ones that have survived in the post-pandemic world, and many have indeed thrived. The ability to stay calm in a crisis and adapt is a key to being a collaborative leader.
Conflict Resolution – the ability to listen to all sides of an argument or when team members clash due to personality issues or disagreements over limited resources is important in resolving conflicts. Key to this is to avoid assigning blame, especially to a team member.
Emotional Intelligence – is the ability to defuse conflict by using your own emotions in a positive way to relieve stress, empathize, communicate with others, and overcome and defuse conflict. It involves controlling your own emotions while understanding the emotions of others. Emotions are subjectively strong feelings that elicit strong reactions such as fear, anger, or love within a human being. While there is no consensus on a definition, emotions can elicit strong physiological or behavioral changes within the human body. Emotional intelligence can be a valuable skill to have when dealing with remote workers, especially when face-to-face meetings are not possible.
Time Management – is the ability to effectively use time effectively. This means not only your time but the time of team members as well. Ensuring that team members aren’t overworked or underworked is crucial to time management and being realistic about the use of your time and the time of others is crucial.
The ability to collaborate with others makes the organization stronger, but it involves far more than just standing around the watercooler and shooting the breeze. Understanding the dynamics of a team and the roles of leadership within the group as well as the skills needed to make collaborative efforts work, all combine to form the essentials of successful teams that make the organization stronger and more effective.