1. Chapter 17 L. Michelle Bennett PhD Howard Gadlin PhD
Supporting Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The Role of the Institution
Chapter 17
L. Michelle Bennett PhD
Howard Gadlin PhD
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

2. Consider this….
The recent growth of interest in interdisciplinary research programs has not been matched by a parallel development of institutional mechanisms for preparing and supporting researchers
Researchers can find themselves in a “double bind” between opposing messages conveyed by leadership
This presentation analyzes five areas in which current institutional practices can undermine interdisciplinary research teams and collaborations
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

3. Outline Introduction Communication Trust at the Institutional Level
Organizational Vision
Setting Expectations
Difference
Power
Organizational Leadership
Self Awareness for the Organization
Take Away Message
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

4. Introduction
Leading change to create a culture that supports interdisciplinary research:
Implementation of new interdisciplinary programs is exciting and can lead to more than iterative advances in knowledge
It can take time for institutional policies and procedures to catch up with and become compatible with new initiatives
Even when new policies are put in place their implementation can be slow and met by resistance based
“This is the way we have always done it”
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

5. “Problems in Communication”
Communication across institutions is interdisciplinary, by default
Communication reaches beyond what is spoken or written from one person to another
Organizational norms, cultures, and policies send strong messages about what is acceptable or not
People’s perceptions of their organizations reflect the messages they have received
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

6. Importance of Communication
Successful interdisciplinary collaboration is not possible without effective interdisciplinary communication. Effective interdisciplinary communication is inextricably linked to establishing institutional trust.
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

7. Organizational Trust Provides a platform for open communication
Enables a Vision to be shared and embraced
Sets the stage for organizational change
Is the foundation for effective conflict management
It is tied to policies and procedures – and how those are implemented
Can be lacking even when employees trust individual leaders
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

8. Organizational Trust: Three Elements
Identity-based trust
Shared institutional identity
Role-based trust
Focused on the roles people play in the organization
trust of the role as opposed to the individual
Rule-based trust
Codifies norms of conduct
Sets expectations for behavior based on shared understanding
Kramer and Lewicki, 2006
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

9. Examples of low trust between a team and the organization
Tenure criteria and implementation
Inability to recognize the accomplishments of an individual in the context of a collaboration
Failure to recognize and reward team efforts
Lack of career progression/tracks for those dedicated to team science
Negative consequences to senior investigators for ceding first/last authorship positions to more junior team members
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

10. Build and Maintain Trust
Develop scaffolds for establishing trust
Written agreements serve as scaffolds
Prenuptial agreements
TT offer letters or pre-tenure agreements
Team review agreements
Develop policies that support collaboration
Provide support
Training and education about the policies
How they will be implemented
Information dissemination about criteria about
What to do if there is disagreement (ADR)
Institutional self-awareness
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

11. Procedural Justice: One Pillar of Trust
Perception that procedures by which decisions are made are fair
Four dimensions
Formal decision making rules
Quality of treatment people receive under those rules
Fairness of decision-making by one’s supervisor
Quality of treatment by the supervisor
Tyler
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

12. Judging Fairness Four criteria are used:
Consistency: like cases treated alike
Unbiased: those implementing procedures should be impartial and objective
Participation: those impacted by a decision should have a voice in the process
Transparency: open procedures, no secrecy or deception, clear unbiased criteria
Tyler
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

13. Organizational Vision
Leaders establish the vision which drives the direction of the organization
Articulation of the vision is critical when:
There is a new leader
Priorities or direction is changing
Unexpected opportunity arises
Can be created top-down or bottom-up
The bottom-up approach permits greater opportunities for shared ownership and commitment
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

14. Setting Expectations
The organization can play a critical role in helping set expectations through providing tools that document roles and responsibilities
These approaches help demonstrate the commitment of the institution
Tools include:
Collaborative agreements
Team charters
Agreements documented in offer letters
Pre-tenure agreements
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

15. Prenuptials for Scientists: Collaborative Research Agreements
Categories to cover
Goals and Vision of the Collaboration
Including…when is the project/collaboration “over”?
Who Will Do What?
Expectations, responsibility and accountability
Authorship, Credit
Criteria, attribution, public comment, media, IP
Contingencies and Communicating
What if …? and Rules of engagement
Conflict of Interest
How will you ID conflicts? And resolve them?
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

16. Pre-Tenure Agreement Roles, Responsibilities, Expectations
What will be expected of the early career scientist?
How will success be defined for those participating in interdisciplinary research? Leading an interdisciplinary team?
What will be the role of the department? Chair?
Review and Reward
Success: What criteria will be used to assess the progress and success of the scientist for interdisciplinary work?
Sharing Credit and Data:
Mentoring
How will the early career scientist be mentored in interdisciplinary research? (Individual mentor, mentoring committee, etc.)
What will be expected of the scientist in mentoring his or her own lab/team members?
Joint Appointments
For researchers appointed in more than one department the agreement will clearly articulate what support exists, from whom it originates, where the administrative home is, who participates in annual review, et….
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

17. Difference
Recognizing and managing differences is even more important in structuring interactions between people in administrative roles and people in research positions than it is than managing differences within a team
disciplines, vocabularies, techniques and methodologies as well as varied ways of thinking about science, conducting research, and sharing credit
As well as nationalities, languages, and races
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

18. Difference In the research setting differences include:
disciplines, vocabularies, techniques and methodologies as well as varied ways of thinking about science, conducting research, and sharing credit
nationalities, languages, and races
“There is no reason to assume that dialogue across differences involves either eliminating those differences or imposing one group’s views on others; dialogue that leads to understanding, cooperation and accommodation can sustain differences within a broader compact of toleration and respect.”
Burbules and Rice, 1991
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

19. Basic Elements of Power
Personal Characteristics
skills, charisma, work ethic, values,
Performance
product, results, accomplishments
Reputation
view/perception from the outside
Allies/Networks
Relationships
Position
title, role, responsibilities, authority, resources, ability to reward/punish
Information
knowledge
Individual – team - organization
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

20. Basic Elements of Power
Infrastructural power
plays a significant role in determining the degree of institutional trust between scientific research groups and the institutions within which they function
allows for trust building and is explored more in the second case study
Power and trust can amplify or substitute for one another
strong leaders in positions of power can serve as honest brokers between wary participants and can bridge that distrust
Individual – team - organization
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

21. Organizational Leadership
Sharing power increases a manager’s influence, and stability across organizations can be enhanced with multiple leaders
“… I developed team skills because I started to engage in deliberate deflection of credit in an environment where it was all about credits. What I started realizing was that people appreciated you when you played for the result, and not for your role on the team. So I learned that giving credit away, deflecting credit, was an effective thing to do.”
– John Donovan, CTO AT&T
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

22. Organizational Leadership
Self-awareness is even important among institutional executive leadership
Executives must choose to become aware of the impact the organization’s policies, procedures, culture, and norms have on those functioning within the organization
Organizational self-awareness is a lubricant that facilitates the interactions on which everything else depends:
communication, trust, power, conflict management, reconciliation of differences, and collaboration
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc

23. Take Home Message Institutional Trust is Critical for….
Establishing an institutional vision
Creating an environment where difference is an integrated element of the organizational culture
Attending to how power is used within an organization and recognizing its ties to trust
Leaders to take responsibility for providing the organization with the information and tools it needs to achieve the organizational vision and goals
O'Rourke, Enhancing Communication & Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Research © 2014 SAGE Publications Inc