Select an existing team working on an important departmental initiative. Use the brief questions on page three of this article to assess team effectiveness. Reflect on your answers at the next team meeting to inspire the group to improve how it is working.
Encourage collaboration by recognizing effective teamwork when you observe it next. Encourage collaboration by recognizing effective teamwork when you observe it next. Take a few minutes to print and share a “GW Post Card” with team members to recognize their contributions in an unexpected way. This is easy to do, will mean a lot, and reinforces positive contributions.
Add the topic of “Collaboration” to an upcoming departmental meeting agenda. Bring the article What’s Driving Collaboration in Higher Ed? to the meeting or read it in advance to foster a productive discussion about what could improve and what is working for your group.
Learn from Others
Seek out another department chair whom you think effectively fosters collegiality and interdisciplinary collaboration among their faculty and staff. Discuss your challenges, ask for his/her advice, and identify one or two things you could implement in your department.
Read this Chronicle of Higher Ed article about collaboration. Discuss the key points with a trusted colleague for insights and develop a plan to apply something new.
Address incivility when you experience a pattern. Review these four practices with a trusted mentor to identify what you will try out to deal with incivility in your workplace.
