Cohesion (McKenna and Pugno, 2006, p. 290)
Disagree without being disagreeable, by expressing contrary views without criticizing other individuals.
Share resources and help others succeed
Thank others and acknowledge their contributions
Align tasks in accordance with individuals’ unique interests and diverse abilities
Identify common ground and shared values among individuals
Arbitrate disputes and resolve issues by facilitating agreements that benefit all involved
Discourage non-cooperation and unhealthy competition by confronting it directly when it occurs
Request advice, suggestions, and help
Put others at ease by offering reassurance, guidance, and appreciation for their involvement.
As in the case of Best Practice One, important elements added by McKenna and Pugno to Sandstrom’s Best Practice Two, when combining the insights offered by Jeannine Sandstrom (LL) with those of McKenna and Pugno. Their list regarding commitment includes an element of divergence (inviting people to join in the creative process: e.g., welcoming newcomers, sharing decision-making authority).
One of McKenna and Pugno’s (2006, p. 11) often-cited physician leaders offers insights regarding the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon. Peter Geerlofs, MD (Chief Medical Office, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc.) offers a summary description of this phenomenon, relates it to the value of divergent thinking and provides an optimistic, forward-leaning vision of the near future:
“The story [Hundredth Monkey] describes several monkeys on a remote Japanese island who learn to wash the gritty dirt off sweet potatoes. Slow, other monkeys adopt the behavior. After about 100 monkeys have learned it, the behavior spreads like wild fire among the remaining monkeys on the island. Remarkably, at roughly the same time, monkeys on distant islands with no possible communication began showing the same behavior. I believe the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon will soon happened in healthcare delivery. The notion of a new kind of ‘physician leader’ transforming the way care is delivered is an idea whose time has come.”
McKenna and Pugno’s list also contains an element of convergence (persevering in working toward a specific goal: e.g., explicitly describing how to attain goal, persevering in commitment). Studies of creativity (e.g. Cortes, 2019) often include both elements: we must think outside the box—but keep the box in mind when doing this thinking. The commitment list provided by McKenna and Pugno suggests that when we add collaboration to innovation then we produce commitment.
