Complex problems often demand collaborative problem-solving, but leading a team through a truly collaborative process can be daunting. From the inherent difficulty of complex challenges to the ambiguity of collaborative process development, it can be hard to know where to begin.
I recently had the opportunity to manage a task force that was asked to identify challenges and develop recommendations for improving organizational communication. Over the course of four months, our team of nine worked together to create a highly participatory process for gathering feedback and generating ideas that engaged over 60% of our employees through open sessions and surveys. Our process culminated in a report that outlined the existing challenges and introduced a set of recommendations that reflected the needs and desires of the community. Over the last six months, implementation has begun on several of the recommendations, and our hope is that when we conduct our one-year-out survey, we will see that positive progress has been made.
Managing this project was a unique learning experience, and I was fortunate to be able to work with an incredibly creative and dedicated team. At the conclusion of the project, I took some time to reflect on the practices that played an important role in supporting a team-led process. Many of these I learned along the way, thanks to helpful feedback (and patience) from my team, and I plan to always review this list before diving in to the next collaborative project.
10 Tips for a Team-led Process to Solve a Problem
- Identify a project manager who has the capacity to manage the logistics and ensure the project stays on track. Allow space for ambiguity as the process develops, but map out a rough timeline of key phases and deadlines.
- Ensure there is a foundational understanding of the goal or deliverable from the beginning, and establish more clarity as the project progresses. Make sure the group knows why they are meeting, and what each member is expected to contribute. You never want team members leaving a meeting wondering why they are on this project.
- Establish a central, organized, and easily accessible storage place for all project-related information. Whether this is a simple shared drive or specific project management platform, make sure group members understand how to create, save, and access project information.
- Take time for the group to fully understand the project and explore the broader issue, establish key definitions, plan how to involve stakeholders in the solution, create opportunities for feedback, and remain transparent about the process.
- Schedule a regular meeting time, and plan and announce a rough agenda before each meeting. Wherever possible, take advantage of opportunities for the group to review materials or prepare ahead of time in order to maximize meeting productivity.
- Have a clear purpose for each meeting, and ensure the group knows what needs to be accomplished at each gathering. Save time-consuming detailed work for individual or small group work. Prioritize work that allows group members to contribute and benefit from real-time engagement and discussion.
- Plan ahead for how complex tasks might be divided and delegated, and have a plan for follow-up after the meeting. Make sure notes are taken and shared (when needed) and action items are clearly established and delegated both in the meeting and in a follow-up message.
- Additional optional meetings can be a helpful way to move forward collaboratively on smaller pieces of the project. This approach allows group members to manage their involvement with the project and contribute where they are interested and able. Since they are often smaller, these meetings can be approached as working meetings, but shouldn’t involve critical decisions around the project.
- If projects need to move forward quickly in a larger meeting, dividing into smaller groups to work on different elements of the project and coming back together to discuss and provide feedback can be a helpful way to maximize time.
- Take time to think about the big picture and follow-up from the project. This involves following up with your team, on the project, and with the broader community. It also helps to take some time to reflect on the process and think about where you could improve in future projects!
