Being instructed as a lawyer, case manager or a rehabilitation provider to deliver support for a client following complex trauma is a huge responsibility. Often the needs of an individual following such an injury are extensive and even knowing where to start can be a challenge.
In the personal injury world, getting someone back on their feet following an accident or injury needn’t be done in silos as individuals, but rather tackled together as a cohesive extended team.
Yes, yes…. We’ve all heard of multi-disciplinary teams (MDT’s) and that MDT working is best practice, but what does it actually mean to work well as a team and how on earth can we create an effective team environment when bringing different disciplines, personalities, and providers together ? Let’s start by looking at a couple of highly effective teams.
As a patriotic Australian, it pains me to say this, but the All Black’s rugby team are one of the greatest teams in the world. What makes them so great is their forensic obsession to detail and looking at all aspects of how they train, eat, sleep and play. The team all adhere to 15 All Black Principles and some of these are very applicable in the personal injury world and can be applied when creating a team to support a client. Here are a few of these below:
Play with purpose – ask why and create a collective purpose
Communicate effectively within the team to set out a roadmap for the rehabilitation, case management and litigation journey. They are all intrinsically linked and are not separate journeys for the client.
Create a learning environment – leaders are teachers; Help others improve
Everyday is a school day and each new client or case will bring up their own challenges. Encourage open discussions and judgement-free learning opportunities. This will lead to wider growth and development to help even more people.
Embrace Expectations – aim for the highest cloud and set challenging goals
Don’t be limited by your own experiences – learn from others and explore challenging goals as a collective.
In the book Legacy by James Kerr, he discovered that very little of the All Blacks success came down to systems, process or structures. He found it was centred around people and the right culture. Creating the right culture for learning, or in our case, supporting a client’s recovery pathway, is integral to success and optimal outcomes.
The Avengers can also teach us lessons on teamwork. Although they live in the depths of the Marvel world, their cartoon antics can teach us a lot for use in the real world. Their mantra is ONE is better than one, meaning that one team is better than one person. Yes of course Captain America and Iron Man have different views, but despite this they respect and value the other's contribution. They both understand that being a part of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Here are 3 Things that we can take from The Avengers about teamwork:
Know your role – being good at something is not enough. Knowing when, where and how your skills can benefit your team is the key.
Play to each other’s strengths – Each individual will have his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Teams work at their best when each other's skills sets are understood and when abilities are put to good use.
Solve problems constructively – as a team of highly diligent people, there are bound to be differences. It is important to work through these respectfully and constructively.
So in short, the road to recovery for our clients is a long and often complicated one. As providers of legal, case management and rehabilitation services, let's collaborate and work together effectively to get the best outcomes for our clients. We may not have the brute strength of the All Blacks or the super powers of The Avengers, but the collective skills that we possess as a group can go a very long way to changing peoples lives for the better and that is a very powerful asset indeed.
I hope you've found this to be helpful and if you have any questions regarding the Remedy Healthcare team or anything written above, please get in touch :)
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