By Karen Daly
Overview
Government teams are often challenged by a lack of resources and focus. The Incident Command System (ICS) used in disaster response frameworks can help teams working on everyday services and projects be more effective. In disaster management, these tools empower teams and keep them aligned to the mission.
Problem
Teams are often not prepared to do the work they have been assigned. If they don’t have direction and adequate resources, they have the difficult task of trying to work effectively together to achieve their goal. There is power in teamwork, but it is often left unrealized when teams lack the tools and focus they need to conquer their assignment.
Solution
Incorporate ICS techniques to build strong and effective teams. These tools ensure everyone uses the same game plan and works towards a common goal. While designed for disasters, ICS techniques, at their core, are frameworks that help teams organize, respond quickly, and communicate. They’re applicable for any government project.
Context
The tools developed to respond to disasters help disparate groups to work together and quickly align around a common goal. In disaster response, everyone is trained and follows ICS, which has been adopted as a national framework by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The principles of ICS are wonderful tools to use to support team success.
Here are some examples of how to incorporate these principles to create and achieve better teams.
Incident Action Plan
The Incident Action Plan (IAP) is the roadmap that disaster response teams use to establish goals, document tasks, and communicate with each other. The IAP identifies tactics (how a task will be approached) that will be used to complete assignments that advance overarching goals (how the mission will be resolved).
This keeps the project moving along and ensures teams are accountable and timely. Deciding the frequency of IAP updates at the onset is paramount. It will depend on how often the team is scheduled to meet and the timeframe that is allocated to the team.
Consistent communication
Regular communication within teams and to stakeholders increases accountability and ensures that the team is staying on track. Assigning a team member to be in charge of reporting progress, tasks, and other notable information keeps everyone on the same page. It also ensures that the team is reporting their progress to stakeholders.
Training and preparedness
Creating a team to tackle a project should be purposeful. Teams often need to be trained or oriented so they can function as a unit. Ensuring that each team member understands the mission and why they were selected helps the team embrace their role.
When teams have shared understanding of the talents, traits, and role of each member, their effectiveness increases. This can include personality trait assessment or other types of team talent analysis.
Operations
During a disaster, tools, equipment, and safety are paramount in the daily updates to the IAP. Giving teams the time and resources they need to complete their objectives is critical to success. Ensuring that individuals feel safe to make recommendations or explore innovation allows the team to be as creative as possible. Encouraging (or requiring) teams to provide frequent updates will ensure the team stays on track.
Disruption
In disaster response, teams must do work that is not within their normal scope nor in their job description. Because disasters always cause disruption, the team has to adapt and innovate.
Applying this approach to other tasks allows the team to creatively identify solutions outside the norm. They may find outside-the-box solutions that would not be unearthed in typical day-to-day operations.
Debrief and celebrate
One of the most useful tools in ICS is the debrief or “hot wash.” This gives everyone a chance to look together at what worked, what didn’t, and lessons learned. It also gives all of those involved a chance to come together one more time to reflect and celebrate a job well done.
Too often, we finish a project and don’t even look up before moving on to the next task. Taking time to celebrate and acknowledge the team’s accomplishments is important to employees. This debrief also allows teams to learn from their experience and identify ways to improve in the future.
Mantras
- Build responsive teams
Checklist
- Ensure your team has a charter that covers purpose and expectations.
- Require consistent communication on the team’s progress.
- Make a roadmap like an “Incident Action Plan.”
- Communicate regularly.
- Give the team the tools and support they need.
- Take time to debrief when the project is done.
Questions to ask
- Does the team understand their task and expected outcomes?
- Who needs to be informed of the team’s progress and direction?
- Who does the team ask for more resources or information?
- Does the team have what they need to be successful?
- How do we give teams permission and safety to be “disruptive” and creative?
