If you happen to enjoy reality TV competitions – which I do – the most exciting episodes usually involve the so-called “team challenge.” Contestants must put aside their aspiration of winning the ultimate prize and work with their competitors to achieve the best outcome, such as the perfect fashion collection (Project Runway), special effects makeup (Face Off) or food dish (Masterchef).
The captivating nature of these episodes relies on the way individuals act in a team. The diverse nature of background, expertise, and values requires harmonization both prior to the onset of the work, as well as throughout the experience. Yet, most of the time, this doesn’t happen, and the effort ends up being mired by clashes, contempt, and chaos. Ultimately, the team presents a poor product, they lose the challenge, and more than likely one of the members faces elimination.
If you watch enough team challenges, one common element becomes clear. Teams that fail do not have the capacity to engage as a unified group. Instead, individual beliefs, ideologies or lack of experience take over each person’s actions. For viewers, this is all great television but for those who are actually competing, it is an exercise in frustration.
Of course one doesn’t need reality TV to know teamwork is no easy task. Success arises through continued collaboration and the adherence to a common goal. However, this drive quickly can be derailed as both the project itself and the team members are dynamic. Changes occur regularly; what once may have been the standard may no longer apply.
There is, however, a way to maintain balance. It consists of three fundamental tasks in teamwork. Ask, listen and talk. For any project, the incorporation of these three elements is critical to ensuring the goal is reached effectively with a winning outcome. Without using them, however, the likelihood of failure rises.
In the reality television world, the epitome of communication through teamwork is the television show, Hell’s Kitchen. In this case, teams need to work together to ensure dishes are made correctly but more importantly, are finished at the same time. This demands a combination of the three elements. There’s asking, such as “How long on the fish?” One must listen to the response, “Two minutes.” Then the reply, “I need three more minutes for the lamb.” If the team is effective, the dishes will arrive at the same time – in five minutes – and the dinner will be served.
However, if these three elements are not met, dishes may not arrive simultaneously or worse, come together with one or more not performed to perfection. Inevitably, this is caught by Gordon Ramsay and refused. The team is forced to listen to the chef’s famous profane rants and then figure out how to remediate the situation or risk being kicked out of the kitchen.
The series obviously is an exuberant and at times overzealous display of the need for teamwork. Yet the reason it works is because of that necessity for ask, listen, and talk. People need to find ways to work together, both in front of the lights and cameras and more importantly, in one’s place of work. All of us need to use them to be effective in the office, in the classroom, and indeed, in a healthcare facility. Without success in using these three elements, troubles most definitely will occur.
In healthcare, teamwork is paramount in ensuring quality of care and patient safety. However, the dynamic nature of staff – usually called the human factor – is a major concern. For this reason, the use of ask, listen, and talk is necessary to mediate – and mitigate – the challenges associated with the diverse nature of the staff.
There are several ways to prompt team members to ask, listen and talk. One of the most successful is the checklist, which is incorporated in many institutions. Another is the team huddle, which allows members to effectively communicate their experiences to others. Then there are the walkrounds, which allow individuals to engage in these three elements on a regular basis. Whatever the method, the key to success is ensuring every member is given the opportunity to share views without concern for discrimination or condemnation.
Because of the importance of ask, listen and talk in patient safety, they are gaining priority in many areas of the world. In fact, they will be the primary focus of Canadian Patient Safety Week, happening from October 24th to 28th. All individuals, not just healthcare staff, are encouraged to get involved in activities and more importantly, the conversation about how to make care safer.
For anyone who has been touched by healthcare – and we all have – this is an excellent opportunity to share your voice. Just head over to the Canadian Patient Safety Week website and you can learn how to participate in activities and offer your own perspective. We all have something to share and together, we can make a difference.
If you wish to get involved in real time, there will be an #AskListenTalk Twitter Chat on Friday, October 28th at 12:00 p.m. ET. I’ll be there and will be asking, listening and, well, not talking, but typing. It would be great to meet up with you virtually and to discuss how we can all work as a team to keep patients safe.