“Mutual accountability: the holy grail of teams. Where I feel that I can succeed, among people I know, trust and care for, why would I let them down?”
But what does this look like in practice? How can I have it in my workplace. What can I do?
If you’re the RMO, build trust and strong relationships by looking after your colleagues; ask what you can do to make their day easier if you’re having a quiet one. Get to know others on a personal level and ask them about the important things in their life. Relationships are about the small stuff. Take your medical students under your wing, acknowledge the stress of short attachments, constant change & disorientation (you know about that too). Enthuse them with your excitement for being a doctor - you’re their inspiration. Let them do things, give them responsibility, and show you trust them to complete it. Touch base with everyone, often.
If you’re the registrar, remember what it was like being an RMO, they will appreciate your empathy. Relationships and communications are key to happy teams, and your role as a middle grade doctor is central. You carry much more power in team dynamics than you realise - especially in wider MDT relationships. Keep your ears to the ground for the general mood of your team - if there are frictions, consider why and what you can do to help solve them. Ask for help if you’re not sure. Team trust is built through reciprocity - share knowledge, ideas and concerns, contribute to each others problems, acknowledge and talk about your shared goals of excellent patient care. Teach your RMOs and medical students about the importance of efforts devoted to creating a strong workplace culture. When your RMOs or registrar colleagues are busy, offer a hand to help. They will never forget the feeling of being well supported and will return the favour. Ironically, when we help others, we have more to gain, because it makes us feel great too.
Consultants understand that the key to a strong, happy team is a combination of trust, social connectedness and empathy. They support members who are in difficulty, but most importantly, are constantly looking for opportunities to reward positive behaviours in others. Make it a rule to acknowledge at least one person in your team for something good they did, every single day. Heartfelt, specific and in public if appropriate. The more senior you are, the more important it is to listen properly. People look to you for sage advice, but you will never learn anything new unless you are listening. Demonstrate humility, acknowledge your own imperfections, model the behaviours you want to see in others and you will lift your team higher than you could imagine. And earn the respect of those around you.