Collaboration on Campus: How to S uccessfully Engage with I nternal and E xternal Customers

1. Collaboration on Campus: How to Successfully Engage with Internal and External Customers Stefan Brooks – Research Administrator, Pre-Award Services Ashley Carbino – Research Administrator, Pre-Award Services Jerry Gauriloff – Director, Post-Award Services Sharon Ray, CRA – Assistant Director, Pre-Award Services Doris Romand – Research Facilitator, School of Public Health Ben Shaw, Ph.D. – Associate Dean for Research, School of Public Health University at Albany

2. Challenge Statement: • We work in an ever changing, fast paced research environment: with many customers and partners needing to understand the complexities, guidelines, regulations and processes of our work. Effective communication and collaboration is key!

3. Objectives • Components of Successful Communications & Collaborations • Communicating in a Strategic Manner • Creating Effective Collaborations • Example of University at Albany Approach • Case Studies

4. https://youtu.be/YQ3qgIMURgI

5. “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” -George Bernard Shaw

6. Communication • Sender: The individual conveying the message • Responsible for providing clear information • Recipient: The person for whom the message is intended • Responsible for interpreting the message

7. Components of Communication The context for and content of the message Context – Surroundings or situation Content – The information, or specifics

8. Communication Methods • Verbal (either by phone or in person) • Written (emails, texts, social media) • Medium should be carefully selected – technology has made this more complex

9. Listening Exercise • Select a partner next to you. You will each be given 90 seconds to share a story with your partner about a problem or difficult situation that you experienced whether it was in your personal or professional life. Those who are listening should not give any responses.

10. Strategic Communication • Move from a reactive to a proactive approach • Build relationships and trust while educating or receiving input • Consider and engage all stakeholders/customers • Adapt to the complexity of each problem

11. Creating Effective Collaboration • Changing behavior-resetting norms • Leveraging technology and physical space • Rewarding Effective Collaboration

12. Town Halls SPA Day Outreach Team Approach SPA Move

13. Case Studies

14. A purchasing agent becomes aware that a PI is not receiving a data feed from 10 satellites launched with $10M in Federal funding for his study on corn agriculture productivity.The launch was successful and the vendor was a great partner but has not been as involved with this stage of the research. There is no funding available to rehire the vendor to address these issues. Case Study #1: Vendor Collaboration

15. Case Study #2: Sponsor Collaboration The sponsored programs office becomes aware of a PI that is not providing sufficient reporting to a sponsor. Upon further investigation, the office determines that the sponsor is very unhappy with the work, and that the research team is not on schedule to complete the work. Since quality technical reports have not been submitted, the sponsor is not paying invoices, and is threatening to pull all funding to the organization.

16. Case Study #3: Interdepartmental Collaboration Department A and Department B had separate, defined budgets. Due to a salary change, Department A wanted to re-budget Department B’s funds despite having separate budgets. Department B questioned the expenses of Department A. Department A wanted to be in control of both budgets since they employed the lead PI. The communication between Departments A and B was ineffective and they asked for our Sponsored Programs Office to resolve the issue.

17. In Summary • Communicate thoughtfully – and strategically • Listen Actively • Consider both context and content – engage your emotional intelligence • Be strategic and agile in your communications

18. Questions?