Counseling Skill Guides: Building Communication, Collaboration, & Coordination
Use this guide to remember and apply best practices when working with interagency teams for client success. The following tips and tricks will help your team be effective and make the best use of your time and resources.
Communication
Communicate clearly and effectively.
- This means to avoid jargon, be clear about expectations and needs, and be open to ideas.
Great communication starts with great planning.
- Plan future meetings in advance and set an agenda for what needs to be accomplished. Be clear about when and how you will communicate. Some folks are great with email, others prefer a phone call or face-to-face meeting. Make sure your approach works for your whole team.
Just Ask
- Providing comprehensive services is a BIG job, and we all need to lean on each other. If you need support, aren’t sure, or feel stuck, talk it out! This is also a great opportunity to check-in with your team to see if they need any help or clarification.
Collaboration
Share resources, information, and sticking points.
- Working together means supporting each other. Your team can’t help or support you if they don’t know the areas in which you need it. You also can’t leverage opportunities without sharing resources with each other.
Listen out for your partner’s strengths and needs.
- Look for opportunities to support your team members, leverage their strengths, and identify where there are gaps. This helps your partnership be responsive to new opportunities and resilient.
Coordination
Make and share a list of responsibilities and action items.
- Having something to refer back to is helpful for everyone. It is also a great way to track the steps toward your goal without duplicating effort.
Check-in about goals and progress.
- By regularly checking in about your progress and refocusing on your mission, your team can stay energized and effective! Taking some time to look back and reflect can help you move forward more intentionally and with better results!
Communication, Collaboration, and Coordination Checklist
| Tracking | Item | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Clear and Effective Communication | ||
| Plan to Communicate | ||
| Ask and check-in regarding the work load | ||
| Share resources, information, and sticking points | ||
| Share strengths & needs | ||
| List out action steps for all | ||
| Check on progress and refocus |