Collaborative Culture

At yesterday's staff meeting we discussed the importance of developing a collaborative culture as a means of strengthening relationships and increasing opportunities for excellence. Here is a quick summary of what we talked about:

Collaborative Culture - A Vision for RMS

Staff meeting conversation 051514

We are one team and we succeed when we do things together. We are at risk when we do things in isolation or in competition with one another.

We need to strengthen who we are as individuals by strengthening who we are as a team.

With this in mind, all efforts and initiatives are subject to the question:

-How are you leveraging the talents, experience, and expertise of your colleagues, students, and the community to level up this opportunity?

Given this simple vision of a collaborative workplace … what is the foundational work we need to undertake?

-Put an emphasis on knowing and caring for each other. Positive working relationships don’t happen solely by proximity. They require effort and on-going care and attention.

-Focus on those efforts, initiatives, and ideas that maximize collaborative outcomes.

-Celebrate and appreciate the ideas and contributions of all members of our RMS community.

What is your vision of what this would look like? What work needs to be done to make this a reality? How do we make RMS truly an exceptional place to work and learn?

The staff generated ideas in small groups and then we took some time for individuals to share something they had heard or reactions to ideas that were put forward.  The conversation continues on a shared GoogleDoc and will be a recurring theme as we transition into the new year.

I believe that if we can commit to working together in a positive way we ensure we succeed with our goals and we create an even better educational experience for our students. Ultimately, we all want RMS to be the best possible place to learn and to work. I think we have the talent, resources, and collective excitement about learning to do great things.