Encouraging Student Collaboration

Too often, I’ve been in a meeting where everyone agreed collaboration was essential—yet when it came to execution, things stalled. Silos persisted, friction rose, and progress felt painfully slow. A recent Harvard Business Review article highlights a frustrating truth: even the best-intentioned leaders struggle to work across functions. Why? Because traditional leadership development focuses on vertical leadership (managing teams) rather than lateral leadership (influencing peers across the business). The best cross-functional leaders operate differently. They don’t just lead their teams—they master LATERAL AGILITY: the ability to move side to side, collaborate effectively, and drive results without authority. The article suggests three strategies on how to do this: (1) Think Enterprise-First. Instead of fighting for their department, top leaders prioritize company-wide success. They ask: “What does the business need from our collaboration?” rather than “How does this benefit my team?” (2) Use "Paradoxical Questions" to Avoid Stalemates. Instead of arguing over priorities, they find a way to win together by asking: “How can we achieve my objective AND help you meet yours?” This shifts the conversation from turf battles to solutions. (3) “Make Purple” Instead of Pushing a Plan. One leader in the article put it best: “I bring red, you bring blue, and together we create purple.” The best collaborators don’t show up with a fully baked plan—they co-create with others to build trust and alignment. In my research, I’ve found that curiosity is so helpful in breaking down silos. Leaders who ask more questions—genuinely, not just performatively—build deeper trust, uncover hidden constraints, and unlock creative solutions. - Instead of assuming resistance, ask: “What constraints are you facing?” - Instead of pushing a plan, ask: “How might we build this together?” - Instead of guarding your function’s priorities, ask: “What’s the bigger picture we’re missing?” Great collaboration isn’t about power—it’s about perspective. And the leaders who master it create workplaces where innovation thrives. Which of these strategies resonates with you most? #collaboration #leadership #learning #skills https://lnkd.in/esC4cfjS

One of the biggest challenges in customer experience (CX) initiatives isn't just getting buy-in—it's making sure communication flows seamlessly across different teams to drive meaningful progress. It's not enough to have passionate people involved; it's about aligning everyone around a shared purpose and ensuring that action follows. I see it all the time—CX councils or teams that meet to discuss customer feedback, but the conversation doesn't always translate into real change. It's critical to go beyond just reviewing the numbers. We need to collaborate, co-create, and drive real impact for our customers. So how do we ensure communication within cross-functional teams leads to action? ▶️Structure your meetings to drive progress. If you have cross-functional buy-in, it's essential to manage those meetings effectively. Make sure that everyone understands their role, the goals, and what success looks like. It's not enough to simply review metrics—what are the actions you'll take based on those insights? ▶️Unify efforts across the organization. In many organizations, different teams—like those working on journey mapping and those focused on customer insights—work in silos. We need to bring those efforts together around your customer experience mission, ensuring that all teams are aligned with a shared definition of success. ▶️Be proactive and resourceful. Don't wait for things to fall through the cracks. Be a resource to your team members, follow up, and offer support where needed. This could mean helping a colleague facilitate a journey mapping session or providing customer feedback to help illustrate a challenge. Communication is key, but proactive support is what drives progress forward. When working cross-functionally, the responsibility doesn't end with the meeting. We need to be deliberate about setting expectations, following up on actions, and ensuring everyone understands how their efforts contribute to the larger customer experience mission. Great communication can turn fragmented efforts into unified progress. Let's make sure we're not just talking about customer experience, but working together to make it happen. How do you ensure effective communication across teams in your organization? Drop your process below! #CustomerExperience #CX #CrossFunctionalTeams #Collaboration #Leadership #Communication #CXStrategy #CustomerJourney

Too often, payroll, HR and finance operate in silos. That’s a missed opportunity. Payroll might be seen as a back-office function, but its impact stretches far beyond. It ties directly to financial compliance, happy employees, workforce strategy, and enterprise risk. So what does effective collaboration between payroll, HR and finance look like? ✅ Cross-functional visibility: Payroll teams should share real-time data with HR and finance to track costs, entitlements, and liabilities. ✅ Integrated compliance reviews: Joint audits across functions help ensure that employee classifications, awards, and payments are legally sound and financially reconciled. ✅ Forward-looking planning: CFOs can support HR and payroll in budgeting for wage movements, LSL, superannuation, and compliance investments. 🔍 What we’re seeing across organisations: In some cases, payroll reports to HR. In others, it reports to finance. What matters most is shared accountability. When these functions operate in isolation, compliance risks multiply. The key takeaway? Payroll doesn’t belong to any one department, but it must be a shared priority between HR and finance to safeguard employees and the organisation. How are your HR, payroll, and finance teams working together?

There is absolutely no point in gathering feedback from employees without creating feedback loops and USING feedback to inform improvement. WHAT IS AN EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK LOOP❓ An employee #feedbackloop is just one of many feedback loops in organizations. It is a structured process where people provide input or comments about their work experiences, job satisfaction, or performance, and this #feedback is used by the organization to make improvements, enhance employee engagement, and create a better working environment. That last part is where many organizations fall down... they don't USE feedback to inform improvements. This is a huge missed opportunity!! Employee feedback is a powerful way for organizations to identify improvement areas. Also, when people see that they are taken seriously, they feel heard and valued, and this feeling can significantly enhance engagement and job satisfaction. There is a real danger in asking for people's feedback and then ignoring it...or failing to acknowledge it. People lose engagement and trust... slowly they stop giving feedback.... and the organization struggles to improve. 💥 CREATING FEEDBACK LOOPS 💥 If you are thinking of creating/improving your employee feedback loops, here are some high-level steps to guide you: 1️⃣ Identify the type of feedback required 2️⃣ Select Feedback Methods 3️⃣ Regularly Collect the Feedback 4️⃣ Analyze and Share Results 5️⃣ Take Action 6️⃣ Follow Up 7️⃣ Track Progress: 8️⃣ Celebrate Successes 9️⃣ Iterate and Improve: Every single one of these 9 steps are important. And not very difficult. All it takes is good leadership and organization. Remember that feedback should not be a once-off effort. It is important to aim towards creating a feedback culture, where regularly giving and receiving feedback is encouraged and valued. Consistency is key! _______________________________________ I'm Catherine McDonald- Lean Business and Leadership Coach. Follow me for insights on Lean, Leadership, Coaching, Strategy and Organizational Behaviour

How do you integrate a system to connect nearly 2,000 business units to offer a standardized business solution? To cope with VINCI Energies increasing data volumes and facilitate the implementation of new data flows, we have collaborated with MuleSoft to implement an API-based platform, within a short timeframe and without disrupting the business. The solution is achieving three main goals: ➡️ Improve development times, implementation of new flows, interfaces and APIs ➡️ Integrate a platform to implement the tools at a local level throughout the world from Australasia to North America ➡️ Simplified maintenance and versatility of the single platform set up to reuse interfaces by standardizing and adapting them to suit specific or specialized needs Watch the video to see how this collaborative partnership enabled greater cohesion and flexibility for the organization, and delivered tangible business impact. https://lnkd.in/dK3zjJmn #GetTheFutureYouWant 

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: (𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀) Ever notice how Quality, R&D, Regulatory and Marketing teams seem to speak completely different languages? This disconnect isn't just frustrating, it's costing your medical device company time, money, and potentially regulatory approval In my personal experience, I've seen how departmental friction can derail even the most promising innovations 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀 👉 Delayed submissions and market entry 👉 Regulatory surprises late in development 👉 Documentation rework and compliance gaps 👉 Increased development costs 👉 Team frustration and burnout Here's how to create seamless collaboration across your MedTech organization: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Create a development council with representatives from Quality, Regulatory, R&D, Manufacturing, Marketing and Clinical. Meet bi-weekly with a structured agenda (top tip keep the minutes to use towards management reviews). 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: A Class II device manufacturer implemented this model and reduced their development timeline by 30%, if not more, by identifying regulatory concerns during concept phase rather than pre-submission. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲-𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 Don't move to the next development phase without formal sign-off from every department. This prevents costly backtracking 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: During a stage-gate review (Design Review), a clinical specialist identified that the intended claims presented by the regulatory team would require further clinical data. By catching this early, the company adjusted their development plan rather than facing a surprise 6-month+ delay come submission time 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 Develop a glossary of terms that bridges departmental jargon. This prevents miscommunication that leads to rework. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: One client I worked with created a “MedTech Translation Guide” with input from each department. Not only did it reduce confusion, but it also built mutual respect engineers finally understood what the regulatory team meant by “intended use” and marketers stopped using terms that could trigger a knock on the door by Competent Authorities 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲? When this is done right, it accelerates development, strengthens compliance, and builds a more engaged team ✅ Faster to market ✅ Fewer compliance surprises ✅ Less internal friction If you're building your next-gen device and struggling with internal disconnects, it’s time to rethink how your teams work 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 💬 I'd love to hear: How does your team keep cross-functional collaboration on track? #MedTech  #MedicalDevice #ProductDevelopment

Stanford University's genies STORM & CO-STORM are revolutionizing interdisciplinary teamwork by facilitating the creation of Wikipedia-style articles and Roundtable Discussion conversions. 📚 In a world where experts seamlessly unite across disciplines, Stanford's STORM and CO-STORM employ Autonomous AI agents to delve into a myriad of online documents and research papers, fostering real-time collaboration for transformative breakthroughs. 🔆 STORM, or Synthesis of Topic Outlines through Retrieval and Multi-perspective Question Asking, pioneers an innovative framework enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration. By amalgamating diverse viewpoints and utilizing advanced retrieval techniques, STORM amplifies research exploration's clarity and depth. 💫 Building upon this foundation, CO-STORM introduces Collaborative STORMing sessions, fostering structured environments for brainstorming, solution refinement, and implementation to tackle contemporary challenges effectively into a conversational format of discussions amongst various experts. ✨ Insights gleaned from these genies highlight the enrichment of research depth and solution diversity through multi-perspective question asking, the productivity boost from enhanced retrieval systems, and the accelerated innovation driven by structured topic synthesis. 🌟 From revolutionizing healthcare to addressing global sustainability challenges, STORM and CO-STORM empower teams to unleash the collective information retrieval potential of the AI agents in research and development, shaping a brighter future. 💫 My experiments with these tools:- 🔆 I sought an article on one of my research topics "Collaboration amongst human experts, LLMs, and AI agents towards evaluations of AI systems" via STORM which appeared to be a good first draft. STORM used four different agents - A basic Fact Writer, a Software Engineer, a Data Ethicist, an AI Research Scientist to create an engaging and well-cited article. Check it out here - https://lnkd.in/d8_yi_rG 🔆 I also tried a conversation-style roundtable discussion on another topic of interest "Responsible Governance Framework for Generative AI Adoption for Small and Medium Businesses". Check it out here - https://lnkd.in/du8ap4dm ✨ Explore the research and platform:- 📜 Paper - https://lnkd.in/dDBWvqte 👩💻 Code - https://lnkd.in/dfq8HTxE 🌐 STORM/ CO-STORM - https://lnkd.in/dK7gj6SC 💫 How could these approaches redefine your field of interest? Please share your thoughts! #StanfordSTORM #CO-STORM #Collaboration #AIInnovation #AgenticAI #ResearchLeadership #InterdisciplinarySolutions #Innovation #Stanford

"This isn't just about hitting numbers, it's about creating shared understanding, fostering collaboration across teams, and helping people see how their work connects to the bigger picture." Molly Sands, PhD and I geeked out about culture, processes and systems for company goals. Goal setting and management might seem like a mundane topic, but I think it's the biggest driver of organizational alignment. Three key traits from Atlassian's approach: 1️⃣ Focus: Three to five measurable goals per team, per quarter. Review progress monthly throughout the organization, adjust quarterly. 2️⃣ Simplicity: Tweet-sized updates that reflect not only status but also what you're doing next, and where you need support. 3️⃣ Transparency: Everyone in the organization can see all the organization's goals, and can subscribe to updates from any team. "When people subscribe to goals from other teams and reach out to offer help, that's when you know the system is working. We're seeing cross-functional collaboration that never would have happened otherwise." 👉 Read on: https://lnkd.in/d5xHEGtP #Collaboration #Culture #Goals

Do you know what the silent killer of patient care is? It’s Politics.    Every hospital executive has seen it.    - A lab results delayed.  - A STAT order missed.  - A radiology scan not prioritized.    These aren’t just “operational hiccups.”  They’re symptoms of a much deeper problem—  Inter-departmental politics.    And the cost?  Patients pay with their safety.    Research tells the story:  30% increase in medical errors comes from communication breakdowns.    65% of sentinel events are tied to ineffective hand-offs.   This isn’t about a few “difficult” people.  It’s a system failure.    Why Does Politics Grow in Hospitals?    1. The Silo Effect    Each department protects its turf—lab, pharmacy, radiology—focusing on its own KPIs instead of the patient’s journey.    2. Communication Gaps    Verbal requests, unclear processes, and missing frameworks like SBAR leave critical information to chance.    3. Misaligned Incentives    Departments chase speed, volume, or cost metrics—while the patient outcome gets lost in the shuffle.    Result?  Delays. Friction. Avoidable harm.    How Do We Fix It?  The solution isn’t to eliminate politics—    It’s to make collaboration the easy choice.    1. Build a Just Culture Focus on system fixes, not blame. 2. Standardize Hand-offs Use tools like SBAR. 3. Cross-Functional Teams Create ED–Lab–Pharmacy–Radiology committees focused on flow. 4. Align Incentives with Outcomes Reward patient-centred results, not silo-based metrics.    At the end of the day—  Politics thrives when purpose is forgotten.    Bring everyone back to the mission:  Delivering safe, seamless, world-class care.  Because when departments fight, patients lose.    When departments unite, patients live. 

#ThrivingToGetWorkDone Post 6 of 9: Fostering Collaboration and Teamwork: Breaking Down Silos Fostering collaboration and teamwork is essential in a complex environment like a hospital, where departments must work together seamlessly to provide the best patient care. Here are two short use cases on how to activate this skill in routine work within the hospital industry: Use Case 1: Collaborating Across Departments for a Multidisciplinary Care Plan You’re involved in creating a multidisciplinary care plan for patients with chronic illnesses. This requires input from various departments, including Cardiology, Nutrition, and Physical Therapy. To foster collaboration, you suggest, “Let’s schedule regular multidisciplinary team meetings where each department can share their insights and updates on patient progress. We’ll use these sessions to ensure that our care plans are fully integrated and that we’re all working towards the same patient outcomes.” By bringing everyone together, you break down silos and ensure that each department’s expertise is utilized, leading to better patient care. Use Case 2: Enhancing Collaboration in a Quality Improvement Project In another scenario, you’re working on a quality improvement project aimed at reducing hospital readmission rates. You notice that different departments, such as Discharge Planning, Pharmacy, and Home Health, are working in isolation. You propose a more collaborative approach: “Let’s form a cross-departmental task force to tackle this issue. We’ll meet bi-weekly to share data, discuss challenges, and develop integrated strategies to reduce readmissions. By working together, we can identify gaps in our processes and ensure a smoother transition for patients after discharge.” This approach not only fosters teamwork but also leads to more comprehensive solutions. #My2Cents: Collaboration is the cornerstone of success in any complex organization. By fostering teamwork and breaking down silos, we can leverage the full spectrum of our collective expertise, leading to better outcomes for our patients and our hospital. These posts aim to invoke a better overall environment by sharing practical ways to enhance workplace collaboration and productivity. What strategies have you used to foster collaboration in your workplace? Share your experiences in the comments! #Leadership #Teamwork #WorkplaceCulture #Collaboration #HealthcareLeadership #ThrivingAtWork #HospitalAdministration #PatientCare