Welcome to the Tero April eZine
"Unwitting Partners in Death—The Ethics of Teamwork in Disaster Management" , an AMA article describes how volunteers showing up in Haiti after the earthquake didn't always contribute what was really needed and could be said to have contributed to mortality rates without even realizing it. With a lack of organization the needs of the people and the motives, although well intended, of the volunteers didn't always align. Opportunities were missed to provide the kind of help and resources to address the issues the Haitians faced.
As quoted from the article, "Some teams came equipped with yoga instructors, naturopaths, and Reiki masters. Indeed, Haiti became a sort of Bedlam peep show for voyeuristic volunteers who, having little legitimate reason to be there, used, as their visa, gifts they wanted to give, not necessarily gifts that Haiti needed... It is not overstating the case to observe that, by their diversion of food, water, fuel, and other resources--including time--volunteers with nothing to contribute unwittingly increased morbidity and mortality among the earthquake's victims."
Collaboration and having the influence to come to win win solutions requires attending to the interests of all parties affected. Collaboration to achieve outcomes also requires stellar communication skills.
A lack of communication processes when trying to collaborate is an impediment to success. From the article, Failure To Communicate by the publication Training Journal, we learn about this failure to communicate from Nokia’s fall in popularity. It was quoted to have stemmed from, "habits of communication that favor unfocused discussions about strategy over clear plans to bring new phone models to market". The article sites Enron's collapse was attributed to "communication-based leader responsibilities" that senior managers failed to meet - responsibilities such as "communicating appropriate values" and "maintaining openness to signs of problems". The article goes on to say the BP oil disaster was blamed on "poor communications" and a failure "to share important information".
Why is this process of communication and collaboration so challenging?
The AMA article gives a clue when it stated why collaboration or good communication wasn't always evident in the case of the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.
"Health care teams are expected to work together, ignoring real or imagined differences and egos, for altruistic goals. However, years of academic training, social and cultural factors, and perceptions of statuses assigned to the health-care professions cannot be ignored... Most have been trained to work independently, not interdependently. They often become team members with no advance communication training or skills in group dynamics and find it difficult to cross traditional professional or gender hierarchies."
Situations dictate what is needed with regard to communication and the ability to collaborate. Unfortunately crisis is a spotlight on how well we have learned to communicate and collaborate, and our ineffectiveness to do both can have disastrous results. We cannot begin to use the skills we need in a crisis if we haven’t learned them, and used them prior.
This month's eZine focuses on both communication and collaboration in times of crisis, and how we can prepare in the every-day opportunities to be top notch in both.
Insight on Business Podcast - Wayne Bruns
Wayne Bruns, Tero Training Consultant, being interviewed on the importance of how you say things.
Ask Tero - Communication
We answer two questions on crisis communication and communicating through issues with co-workers.
Summer Internships at Tero
Tero is seeking interns with background/experience in the following areas: video production, film, gamification. Please click the picture above to apply.IowaBiz Leadership Blog - A Tragic and Inspirational Story: The Ripple Effect
by Ro Crosbie, President of Tero
2016 Women Mean Business Summit
Tero's President, Ro Crosbie will speak at NAWBO's Women Mean Business Summit on April 7th. The topic? Strategic Negotiations: Going Beyond Compromise.
Development Challenge - Negotiation Assessment
What negotiation behaviors do you most frequently rely on?
Public Championing Innovation and Leading Change
Come May 19th, you have an opportunity to understand the process of successfully leading through change.
Unwitting Partners in Death - The Ethics of Teamwork in Disaster Management
by Gregory Luke Larkin, MD, MSPH
Insight on Business Podcast - Rowena Crosbie
Why developing soft skills should be looked at like a doctor prescribing medicine.
SHRM 2016 Talent Management Conference & Exposition
Becky Rupiper-Greene will be representing Tero with a Communicating Persuasively session this month in Orlando.