Why we need to understand and articulate the benefits of our skills in multi­disciplinary collabo­ra­tions, and how a skilled com­municator can be a secret ingre­dient to successful team dynamics.

“Hello, I am a communicator.”

The meaning of this sentence as an introduction will have different levels of significance, depending on how familiar you are with the intricacies of com­munication as a practice. When collaborating in multidisciplinary teams, naturally we are working with people from different disciplines to our own. So I might assume it’s not very meaningful beyond some obvious assumptions. Possibly meaningless!

A mutual depth of understanding is a key element that could bring that spark of genius the virtues of ‘multi­disciplinary’ promises but might not always deliver. This problem lies partly in the difficulties in explain­ing our skills to others outside our domain of expertise – it can be surprisingly hard to explain what we know so well! In this context, giving a short-hand answer normally sufficient as a get-out at a dinner party isn’t enough. We need to truly think about what benefits our own skills can bring to others and to the project outcome beyond common assumptions, framed in a way that is meaningful to them. And often, it’s the intangible skills that make all the difference. Only by making this effort can we begin to understand others’ values, as well as help others to appreciate our own.

A skilled com­municator can be an incredible asset in a multi­disciplinary team, especially when diverse people from funda­men­tally different back­grounds are involved. Here are five reasons why…

1. Pick up on jargon

   Every discipline has its own specialised words and phrases. We usually take our own for granted because we have become so used to using them. When we hear them from others, they may be easy enough to ignore – perhaps we don’t want to come across as ignorant, or we simply can’t be bothered to ask. A com­municator picks up on jargon and gets it explained in plain language. This helps everyone to progress in the project on the same level of understanding.

2. Help to draw out information

   Com­municators experienced in interview­ing people are skilled in asking open yet probing questions. In a multi­disciplinary team, they can help to bring tacit know­ledge to light and share this amongst the team. It is also a great asset for exploring clients’ and other stake­holders’ under­lying needs. When interview­ing highly qualified specialists, they should have the ability to ask questions without feeling intimidated by expertise.

3. Listen for meanings

   Listening is a core skill in effective com­munication. Skilled com­municators listen for the underlying meaning or motivation of how and what is said. They will look out for different uses of words, ways of phrasing and their meanings, asking for clarifications when necessary to prevent miscom­munication. They can also help to summarise long winding trains of thought, articulate ideas in a concise way.

4. Bridge gaps in viewpoints

   In a mixed group of practitioners shaped by diverse experiences, backgrounds and vested interests, viewpoints can differ widely. The ability to put oneself ‘in someone else’s shoes’ (understand things from another’s point of view) is a key skill of a good com­municator. They can help to clarify points of views where necessary, or mediate between different opinions to help bridge gaps of understanding.

5. Show off team achievements

   Team members from different disciplines will naturally have different biases. These may be biases towards a discipline, a technology, a method, a medium, etc. Good com­municators are biased towards the audience – the receivers of whatever message is to be conveyed. When it comes to showing the results achieved by the whole team, they can craft the message according to who the audience is and why they should care. Tease out the core meanings, then adjust the content delivery, framed in a compelling and inclusive way that will resonate with a new group of people.

“Hello, I can help people from different disciplines to work better together and then show off our achieve­ments in the most engag­ing and meaning­ful way.”

How about you? I would love to know!