MCHnow: Advancing MCH Leadership Skills

MCH Leadership Competency 10: INTERDISCIPLINARY/INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM BUILDING

Introduction

Building Bridges Across Disciplines for Stronger MCH Outcomes...

Imagine you're facing a complex challenge: reducing infant mortality in your region requires addressing medical care, social services, housing, nutrition, mental health, and community support systems. No single profession has all the answers. How do you bring together pediatricians, social workers, community health workers, housing specialists, and families themselves to create a cohesive plan? How do you ensure each voice is heard while maintaining focus on shared goals?

Think of interdisciplinary team building like conducting a symphony orchestra where each section plays a different instrument but must create beautiful music together. The strings bring melody, the brass adds power, the percussion provides rhythm, and the woodwinds offer texture. Each section has unique training, techniques, and viewpoints, but the magic happens when they combine their expertise under skilled direction to create something none could achieve alone.

Through MCHnow's Ready-Set-Go approach, you'll develop the skills to conduct these complex professional partnerships with confidence. Our resources will help you understand different disciplinary viewpoints and create environments where various expertise flourishes. Whether you're leading clinical teams or community coalitions, you'll gain tools to transform individual strengths into collective impact for MCH populations.

READY: Understanding Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional Team Building in MCH

Watch this short video to gain an introduction to the competency.

Read more. The Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Team Building competency helps MCH leaders create and manage teams that bring together various expertise to solve complex problems. This essential skill enables leaders to harness the unique strengths of team members with different experiences and disciplines.

For MCH leaders, team-building skills are crucial for:

• Accurately describing the roles and responsibilities of all team members
• Actively seeking various perspectives in decision-making
• Identifying and assembling appropriate team members for specific tasks
• Facilitating shared group processes and vision development
• Managing team dynamics and redirecting negative influences
• Sharing leadership based on team member strengths

As MCH leaders, developing these skills allows us to:

• Create synergistic teams that produce better results than individual efforts
• Build trust and respect among team members with different experiences
• Foster teamwork and cooperation across disciplines
• Use various knowledge bases to address complex barriers
• Promote shared accountability for results

Core knowledge areas include:

• Understanding the role of interdisciplinary/interprofessional teams in achieving stronger outcomes
• Learning team building concepts, including stages of team development
• Recognizing practices that enhance teamwork and team dynamics management
• Understanding how to leverage different disciplinary knowledge and practice bases

SET: Expand your Knowledge with Trainings and Resources

Deepen your understanding of Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Team Building with these trainings and resources:

• Integration and Coordination in a Changing Public Health World [61 minutes]: Discover how Washington State successfully merged its MCH and Chronic Disease programs. This session provides a practical roadmap for streamlining organizational structures and fostering collaboration across different public health domains.
• IPEC Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Version 3 [Framework]: Explore a foundational framework that outlines the essential skills needed for effective team collaboration. Use this guide to help professionals across the MCH field work together to improve outcomes for MCH populations.
• Collaboration & Team Science: A Field Guide [Guide]: Learn about a research-based approach to building and leading successful teams. This field guide offers practical tools and real-world examples for fostering trust, managing conflict, and ensuring every team member is appreciated.
• NIAID Build Your Team Guide [Guide]: Consult this comprehensive guide for step-by-step advice on building a new team or improving an existing one. It provides clear guidance on defining roles, managing team dynamics, and resolving conflict to keep your partnerships productive.

GO: Apply Your Knowledge with Practical Tools

Use these tools to enhance your Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Team Building skills:

• What is a RACI Chart? How-to Guide, Template, & Examples: Use a RACI chart to clearly define who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for every task. This simple tool eliminates confusion and ensures everyone on your MCH team understands their specific role.
• Team Building Toolkit: Find low-cost, practical exercises to boost morale and improve team cohesion. This toolkit from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) offers everything from simple coffee chats to group volunteer activities designed specifically for public health teams.
• National Center Assessment Collection: Access a collection of validated tools to measure your team’s performance and effectiveness. Use these assessments to identify strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement in interprofessional teamwork.
• Resources for Collaboration & Team Science: Explore a variety of resources designed to help multidisciplinary teams solve complex challenges. This webpage provides guides, checklists, and tools to leverage different expertise and enhance your team's shared efforts.