By Meg Grimes/Special to Healthcare Facilities Today

With all the discussion in the design and construction sector about the collaborative project delivery approach for healthcare facilities, is this leading where we are going, or is it “for the birds?”  In his blog on the Dallas/Fort Worth Healthcare Daily website, Steve Whitcraft says both.

The main premise of the collaborative/IPD concept depends on having the right team, with the right areas of expertise, in an environment of trust, with appropriate motivation and focus among the team members to be successful, said Whitcraft, CHC, CPC edac, director of healthcare for Turner Construction Company. 

Birds came to mind after he heard an acclaimed bird-trainer tell stories, and talk about his experience working with  birds. 

Whitcraft offers five bird-related associations to collaborative team concepts, gleaned from working with IPD teams, which may be applicable to project delivery success going forward:

1. Feed: It may be counter-intuitive to feed a bird after he fails to follow the command strictly as desired, but punishment would result in losing the bird to the wild. 

2. Flock: “Birds of a feather flock together” yet birds in flight (or on a wire) know exactly how far from the next bird they need to be. 

3. Follow: Eagles may not flock, but teams need leaders who can work as an accountable part of the team, not just delegate from a treetop. 

4. Foster: Birds will be very protective of their babies in the nest, but when it is time to go, they push them out. 

5. Fun: If you didn’t have to work, what would you be doing? Is “what you would be doing if you didn’t have to work” one definition of “fun”? 

Read the blog.