Barriers

Transcript

1. section6 5
2. All teams experience barriers to effective collaboration. Sometimes barriers may be obvious and easily identified. Sometimes team members’ verbal comments, body language, or facial expressions are clues that they are encountering barriers. Barriers arise from several common underlying sources – such as those in this rainbow chart. Let’s look at each source a little more closely… 6
3. Sometimes barriers arise because of inadequate communication opportunities. Incomplete messages may occur due to technology limitations, such as: You sent a critical text to me, but my phone was on silent when I was in a meeting…so I didn’t see the important text in time to act. Or the team member sent an e‐mail, but the attachment was over the bandwidth for transmission…so he thought we all had the information when we actually didn’t. Sometimes acronyms (such as “TLC”) are used but not all team members understand them…or different members interpret them in different ways (Tender Loving Care? Total Language Communication? Transition to Life in the Community?) Often, educators and community service providers use special terms that are defined within their own work community. They may be seemingly common terms, such as “compliance” or “behavior analysis” – but an educator, parent, or community service provider may each use them to indicate very different meanings. Often, informal language can be used in ways that leave much room for interpretation. When language is vague, people “fill in the blanks” with their own personal views. It is helpful to remember that when we are SURPRISED by what someone says or how they react to what we say, we should CHECK OUR ASSUMPTIONS! Many communications breakdowns begin with different underlying assumptions. 7
4. Frequently, we “miss” what another person is trying to share. We MISS the main point another person may be making because we MISS focus. • I may MISS a full understanding because I get stuck mentally on a particular detail and stop listening to the rest of the information being shared. • I may MISS a balanced interpretation because I only actually listen to information or opinions that reinforce my own views or expectations. • I may MISS‐inform someone by passing on inaccurate information I have received or misunderstood from another. • I may MISS‐hear a message because I have formed preconceived general views based on past experiences that block my open perception of new perspectives. • So my perceptions may be distorted…or MISS‐perceptions. 8
5. Another barrier that we may overlook is our individual differences in style, preferences, or personal approaches to responding to issues or developing solutions. One person may jump right into the middle of a complex problem, roll up her sleeves, sort out the details, and immediately set out a sequence of solutions steps. Another person may pause to contemplate what is behind an evident problem, ask lots of “How come?” and “What if?” questions, or even sit in silence to consider possibilities. One team member may prefer to research possible information and solutions on a laptop, while another team member wants to convene a team meeting to brainstorm possible strategies. There are many ways to create solutions, and there are strengths to any approach. But someone’s sense of urgency, or “Need to Lead” may unintentionally trigger discomfort…or someone’s need for more time to research the problem may be perceived by another as a barrier to quickly creating a solution. Some differences are felt rather than expressed. Differences in personal philosophies, beliefs, and cultural background may cause barriers to collaboration. A few examples: 9
6. I may believe children must be guided carefully and deliberately to avoid foundational errors, while my partner believes children learn the results of risky behavior by receiving “natural consequences.” We may find ourselves in direct conflict about how to respond when two‐ year‐old Max toddles toward his older brother, who is on a swing. Perhaps my childhood experiences taught me to wait patiently and respectfully with eyes downward in the presence of an authority. In contrast, another person’s childhood experiences taught him to boldly express his needs using direct eye contact. We may both experience discomfort and even a sense of conflict when this occurs. 9
7. Sometimes barriers emerge when members of a team work for different organizations. Each organization has its own set of rules which may seem to create barriers to creative solutions. Policies intended to protect the confidentiality of children may restrict access to certain information that could help all team members. Procedures meant to ensure technology is secure may also create unintended barriers to needed systems. Professional licensure requirements may restrict sharing technical information. Rules about the use of special funds may limit their use when new ideas emerge. Organizational expectations or procedures may restrict the use of facilities, or impose rigid schedules that impede collaboration efforts. 10
8. Limited resources can present barriers that only crop up occasionally…or may lead to pervasive, corrosive patterns of conflict that build up and persist over time. For example, when our team needs to schedule the conference room to make decisions that require quiet thought but other teams need the same space, we may repeatedly experience facility space issues. Or when I need to schedule special instructional time for an hour daily between 1 and 3 in the afternoon with a particular student to accomplish my prescribed duties, but you need to schedule a pullout session with the same student three times a week during the same time period, we find ourselves in a time resource conflict. Sometimes resource‐based barriers can be easily resolved once clearly recognized. But sometimes resolutions require authority for additional resources beyond our control. That is when we need to work together creatively and seek strategies that may not be simple or obvious. 11
9. Limited resources can present barriers that only crop up occasionally…or lead to pervasive, corrosive patterns of conflict that build up and persist over time. For example, when our team needs to schedule the conference room to make decisions that require quiet thought…but other teams need the same space…we may repeatedly experience facility space issues. Or when I need to schedule special instructional time an hour daily between 1‐3 in the afternoon with a particular student to accomplish my prescribed duties, but you need to schedule a pullout session with the same student three times a week during the same time period, we find ourselves in a time resource conflict. Sometimes resource‐based barriers can be easily resolved once clearly recognized. But sometimes resolutions require authority for additional resources beyond our control. That is when we need to work together creatively and seek strategies that may not be simple or obvious. 12
10. So, to quickly review: Barriers can arise from a variety of sources: • communications breakdowns, • misperceptions or preconceived notions, • different solution approaches, • policies and procedures, • confusion or lack of information about respective roles or duties, and • the pressure of encountering limited resources that are mutually needed. One way of becoming self‐aware of possible conflicts is to notice when we feel surprised and recognize that our own assumptions may need to be reviewed. And let’s remember…barriers and our conflicts certainly affect those around us and influence the child we care for. 13