Enablers

Actions that can support effective communication in your collaboration at the interpersonal level:

• Facilitate dialogue that promotes buy-in for collaboration
• Share information using strategies that meet individual team member’s needs
• Formal (share continuing education)

One enabler to enhance effective communication is to facilitate dialogue that can promote buy-in for the collaboration. In other words, we need to plan for and promote opportunities to have conversations about the collaboration.

Pharmacist: “You know, facilitating conversations around how we’re going to work together rather than work on our own can really help.”

Another way to support effective communication is to share information in ways that meet each team member’s needs. For example, bring formal educational activities to team meetings.

Community Health Centre staff: “When the public health nurse makes these short formal presentations, I learn so much – it never fails – it is time well spent. I know our whole team agrees.“

Also, you can use more informal routes such as calling your public health contacts to share information.

A dietitian: “There are some clients with whom I really communicate best when I pick up the phone and just call them. I can’t tell you how rich this approach is and how it helps our collaboration. Even if I leave a message, I know she will call back as soon as she can.“

Different strategies work for different partners, therefore using multiple strategies are more likely to be successful than a single communication strategy.

Public Health Nurse: “I use many communication strategies, such as phone, email, face-to-face, and regular contact. I use the most effective communication strategy for each particular situation.”