Sometimes it is appropriate to be consultative = I will ask you but I’ll decide
But often it pays to be collegial= Let’s decide together
Latest research from CIPD suggests that a resistance to change and a lack of social media savvy amongst senior leaders is holding organisations back from rebuilding trust and fostering cultures of openness, collaboration and innovation in their organisations. This can impact badly on the people they employ(staff),the people they serve (customers) and stakeholders.
What sort of WIN WINS has your organisation secured through a collegial or collaborative approach? Here’s a few from my own radar of influence:-
1. A Housing Association using "shower cap" like covers for boots of builders to respect religious/cultural protocols around shoes in the house without colliding with Personal Protective Equipment. An idea by the way which has an immediate improvement not just for obvious members of the community but every householder who won’t now have mud treaded into their carpets!
2. A Mosque in Old Trafford where there is now a Dog Kennel in order that the Assistance/Guide Dog of a blind worshipper can be left in the outer precincts of the building with the shoe racks so that the saliva of the animal does not go near hallowed ground
3. A realisation that in terms of a collegial approach, you will learn different forms of communication in the world’s (and UK’s) growing and very diverse cultural demographic mix. For example, thumbs up in Manchester means OK, in parts of Brazil it is a rude gesture. A smile in Vietnam, a nod of the head in Bulgaria, use of Business cards in Japan, eye contact in China will all be very different.
4. A factory in the West Midlands where the hard hat has been modified to incorporate the Sikh turban as a result of a collegial approach.And just look at how Buckingham Place have copied the idea- incorporing the turban now in the Bearskins of the grenadiers on patrol outside-not to mention a similar new police helmet at Scotland Yard
5. A Fire Brigade who came to realise that in situations of conflict with visiting Roma community it is the women who are the mediators in this culture
6. Police Forces where little bootees have been made for police dogs. Roma people never take their working dogs in their home but if homes have to be searched, the bootees go on. It’s called Molika.
7. An examination body which modified its requirements for dyslexic candidates. Multiple choice questions on white paper were put on appropriate coloured paper AND an outside reader employed. But in order not to water down the qualification standard, the reader came from outside the discipline being examined so there could be no inference/inflection in the voice about the answers to select.
All through consulting and involving people – talking to each other!!
