A practical tool for hybrid teams
Do you find these days that it’s hard to get work done because you are in too many meetings and have too many interruptions?
One of my clients told me that this is her biggest issue since moving to a hybrid model. She manages 15 people and is really struggling to maintain any kind of balance. She is also finding it hard to spend quality, one-on-one time with her people.
To help decrease her overwhelm, I suggested she implement the SBAR tool with her team. It’s a great way to minimize your interruptions and encourage your team to problem-solve independently.
SBAR stands for SITUATION, BACKGROUND, ASSESSMENT, RECOMMENDATION.
When someone on your team has a problem, ask them to come prepared to your meeting by completing the SBAR tool in advance.
Situation: Clearly and briefly define the situation. For example, “People complain too much in my staff meetings and I am struggling to keep these meetings positive and productive.”
Background: Provide clear, relevant background information that relates to the situation. Using the example above, “We have instituted many new changes and there is a lot of resistance. People feel like they were not consulted before the changes were implemented.”
Assessment: A statement of your professional conclusion. For example, “I feel like I need to take control back in order to make my meetings more productive.”
Recommendation: What can you do to solve this situation? For example, “I have decided to use an agenda for my meetings. I will include time to discuss issues and ensure that I build in time to brainstorm solutions to those issues.”
My client shared with me that she noticed two positive outcomes as a result of using SBAR. Firstly, the number of interruptions she gets has decreased. Instead, her team is using SBAR to solve their own problems without needing her input.
Secondly, she has noticed that her team feels more confident in making their own decisions now.
That’s what I call a win-win!
How can you use SBAR with your team?
Are you allowing your team to interrupt you unnecessarily?
Could your team use a dose of independent thinking?
Try the SBAR tool. It works like a charm!
