By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

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Communication, collaboration and effective teamwork are essential ingredients for highly effective workplaces and insightful leaders must find creative ways to connect with the people on their teams.   Use of social media has been woven into an essential piece of the fabric that shapes our lives.  Rather than putting a ban on the use of electronic devices in the workplace, fire up your team by uniting them through social media.   Login and get stoked!

 

Event scheduling   Neither word of mouth nor notices posted on bulletins boards are reliable sources for disseminating information.  Online calendar apps, however, are abundant and many are free.    Instead of sending email schedules that require downloading, use an app and create a calendar that can be shared with your team.  Your community calendar will always be available for reference and posting a calendar removes the I-didn’t-know excuse.

• Teamup is one of several apps that offer a platform to create a shared calendar. It offers sub-calendars, it’s simple to use and it’s free. https://www.teamup.com/apps/

 

Employee recognition   Employee contributions often exceed expectations and team members deserve recognition for their achievements.  In an ideal workplace the employee feels valued, appreciated and has a sense that he/she has contributed to the overall success of the team.  Follow up the hallway thank you with a brief post on social media to recognize each individual and each achievement.   Several social media platforms encourage the reader to forward the message to others in their network thus expanding the number of people who are notified of the success.

• Open a twitter account and have your team members follow you. Tweet each achievement and encourage re-tweeting.   https://twitter.com/

 

Support   Teamwork is enhanced when people feel that they are part of a larger community and that they have the support of their peers.   Professional communities exist online that encourage individuals to connect with others who have the same credentials.  Members of a virtual community can pose questions, share experiences and learn from the collective wisdom of others in the same profession.

• AANA connect is a private virtual community for nurse anesthetists and has sub-communities with different focuses. https://connect.aana.com/home
• Facebook is the go-to platform for connecting friends and interfacing spontaneously. Within the Facebook platform, user groups have emerged to unite people with special interests. In the nurse anesthesia Facebook community, dozens of sub-groups exist for everything from CRNA moms to CRNA brewers.  https://www.facebook.com/

 

Team communication   Keeping up with your profession is helpful.  Communicating with your team is essential.  App based programs are readily available that allow your group to connect through text messages, providing instant communication for time sensitive issues.  This option requires each team member to download the app and join your user group, making the effort to connect worthwhile.  .

• Groupme is a text-based app that provides all member instant alerts by “ping.” It’s free and easily downloaded.   https://groupme.com/en-US/apps

 

Video chat    When the crisis of the day arises and instant communication is imperative, live video chat is a great option.  Similar to SKYPE, LVC connects key members simultaneously for brainstorming and quick resolution.

• Group video chat by Camfrog is an app that allows groups of people to connect via cell phone with live video and audio. https://www.camfrog.com/en/

 

Leadership requires powerful communication that effectively unites the team, and the most innovative leaders find creative ways to utilize social media in the process.   Younger members of your team who were raised with technology will feel right at home with social media while the senior members of the team will experience personal growth as they master the technology.  Everyone will be connected. Everyone will feel connected. Take an important step toward creating a workplace of choice by developing a sense of connectedness through the use of social media.

Thomas Davis is a noted speaker, author and team building coach.

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