After 23 years in the Navy, I've learned that some lessons are timeless. One of the best takeaways from my time in the Navy is the importance of establishing a forceful backup mindset, also known as a collaborative backup mindset. It’s an approach where team members consistently share knowledge and support each other, ensuring that everyone is equipped to handle tasks and responsibilities under any circumstance.
In the military, personnel are recruited and stationed where needed. They start by learning the basics, such as rank and rate, and then adapt to their specific roles, understanding the importance of knowledge sharing since transfers can happen at any time. This mindset ensures smooth operations, especially during deployments. When a ship deploys, the ability to sleep depends on a proper turnover of events and knowledge for the next sailor. The collaborative backup mindset is well understood and effectively executed. Overall, it's about creating a team culture where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute to the team's success.
Benefits of Embracing a Forceful (Collaborative) Backup Mindset
A forceful backup and knowledge sharing mindset allows for:
- Knowledge Sharing: Regularly sharing information and insights so that no single person holds all the critical knowledge. Discuss challenges, share knowledge, and listen to experienced recommendations and lessons learned.
- Flexibility: Teams can adjust their schedules, work from home, or manage personal appointments without disrupting workflow. This promotes retention since employees feel supported and valued as individuals.
- Supportive Environment: Encouraging a culture where team members support and help each other without fear of competition.
- Enhanced Problem-Solving: Sharing insights from meetings and discussions encourages innovative solutions from diverse perspectives.
Real-World Examples
As a contractor with a team of 13, we face the challenge of staying aligned on contract tasks. A third of our team works from home all week while the rest of the team works in the office four or five days a week. Our team includes various expertise levels, from curriculum development to system administration and cyber security for a weapon system suite comprised of three major sections.
All our team run courses throughout the year. We operate in a matrixed organization, supporting each other, and other teams on our contract, as needed. In this, communication and knowledge sharing are critical to our success.
Our team truly values collaboration. It is vital, especially when team members travel or are out for personal reasons. Despite several members being away recently, we continued to operate efficiently, managing tasks from the office, lab, and home. Below are some examples:
- We offer a comprehensive curriculum that spans multiple courses for various experience levels. This week, one instructor was notified of a travel requirement later this year to the West Coast for one course, making him unavailable for another course on the East Coast at the same time. Thankfully, another instructor, who has been cross-training and has previously delivered the material, was able to step in. This ensures that both customer courses are supported, which was previously a challenge but has now become essential for serving multiple clients effectively.
- Currently, two instructors offer four courses in a portion of our suite, compared to only two courses each previously. After hiring a new instructor to replace a departing one, the experienced instructor provided training to the new hire. Both instructors are now certified in specialized courses, enabling them to certify students. This proactive approach ensures that our customers are not dependent on a single instructor for their certification and training needs.
- During team meetings, each member shares updates on their projects, discusses any issues they are facing, presents solutions they have developed, requests assistance if needed, and informs the team about any upcoming absences where coverage might be required. These meetings promote collaboration and problem-solving among team members, fostering a supportive environment that extends beyond formal meetings and encourages ongoing assistance for one another.
In Conclusion
As a standard practice, we openly discuss challenges, share knowledge, and support one another to fulfill our responsibilities. A collaborative approach helps eliminate concerns about competition among colleagues and fosters a culture of communication and knowledge sharing. These behaviors are introduced to new employees when they join the team, creating an expectation that everyone will participate. This practice continues to benefit both employees and the organization as a whole.