Intercultural communication teamwork and leadership/Groups, teams and leadership/Video signpost: Fernandez-Orviz
View video – Angela Fernandez-Orviz' Effective Teamwork & Collaboration [9.43 min.] Fernandez-Orviz states that, while interdisciplinary thinking is useful in any project or field to invite diverse ideas, it is crucial to developing innovative solutions to complex global issues, such as new technologies and energy sustainability. She identifies four aspects of the solution creation process: research, concept, evaluation and implementation, and observes that diverse ideas are especially important in team research and concept activities. In contrast, evaluation depends on convergent thinking to support the implementation action phase. Naturally, perspective differences, particularly across strong disciplinary beliefs, can result in conflict, so it can be difficult for teams to develop consensus. In her research, Fernandez-Orviz found that good communication, open-mindedness, and respect for different approaches are vital for interdisciplinary team success. She also found that good communication depends on good facilitation, which involves coordination of participant roles, contributions and feedback, especially in the initial research and concept stages.
