RC Survey Online Authorization Assessment Questions for Modules 1-5

1. RC Survey Online Authorization Assessment Questions for Modules 1-5

2. Module 1: What is relational coordination and how does it affect performance? Questions to assess your understanding

3. What is relational coordination? • Communicating and relating for the purpose of task integration • A process that is useful for improving quality, efficiency and job satisfaction, especially under conditions of task interdependence, uncertainty and time constraints • Both of the above • None of the above

4. Which of the following are dimensions of relational coordination? (check all that apply) • Mutual respect • Shared knowledge • Functional goals • Mutual liking • Timely communication • Accurate communication • Problem solving communication

5. Why is relational coordination especially helpful under conditions of task interdependence, uncertainty and time constraints? • These conditions increase the need for information processing capacity, which relational coordination provides • These conditions increase stress for workers, and relational coordination helps to reduce that stress • Both of the above • None of the above

6. How does relational coordination fit with approaches like TQM, lean, process redesign? • Relational coordination is an alternative, more relational approach for improving performance • TQM, lean and process redesign approaches offer a set of tools that work well on their own • Relational coordination provides a cultural context for using TQM, lean and process redesign more effectively • All of the above • None of the above

7. Which of these worker outcomes have been associated with relational coordination? (check all that apply) • Reduced burnout • Reduced emotional exhaustion • Increased commitment • Increased job satisfaction • Increased career satisfaction • Increased professional efficacy

8. Module 2: How do organizations support relational coordination? Questions to assess your understanding

9. Which of these organizational structures support relational coordination? • Selection for teamwork • Cross-functional performance measurement • Cross-functional rewards • Cross-functional protocols • Cross-functional conflict resolution • Cross-functional information systems • Cross-functional boundary spanners • All of the above

10. How do these structures work? • They create cohesion by reducing specialization • They create cohesion by connecting frontline workers across their areas of specialization • Both of the above • None of the above

11. How do these structures influence performance outcomes? • They increase relational coordination, and as a result, they increase quality, efficiency and worker outcomes • They increase relational coordination • They increase quality, efficiency and worker outcomes • All of the above • None of the above

12. To support relational coordination, performance measures must… • Hold everyone accountable for their own performance • Hold everyone accountable for overall performance outcomes • Encourage problem solving, not finger pointing • All of the above • None of the above

13. To support relational coordination, conflict resolution must… • Prevent conflict in the workplace • Discover who started the conflict • Avoid conflicts at all costs • Find ways to surface, discuss and learn from conflicts, especially across functional groups where power differentials exist • All of the above

14. Module 3: Getting from here to there Questions to assess your understanding

15. Why is it challenging to improve relational coordination? • People don’t like to change, no matter what • It is human nature to prefer hierarchy over reciprocal relationships • Current relational patterns are deeply embedded in our cultures and professional identities • All of the above • None of the above

16. Why is it not sufficient to change organizational structures? • Structures are artificial and they don’t make a difference to how we behave • People will reject new structures that don’t fit their current beliefs and relational patterns • Organizational structures cannot be changed • All of the above • None of the above

17. Why is it not sufficient to change relationships? • Relationship patterns can’t be changed – they are too embedded in our culture and professional identities • Relationships don’t really make a difference • If we change relationships but leave the old structures in place, before long we will revert to our old relationship patterns • All of the above • None of the above

18. Relational space allows participants to safely… (check all that apply) • Identify and question assumptions • Speak up and be heard • Determine who is at fault • Admit one does not know everything • Diminish the impact of power differentials • Understand each others’ perspective • Identify and commit to shared goals with each other

19. Module 4: Relational coproduction and relational leadership Questions to assess your understanding

20. Relational coproduction is… (check all that apply) • An innovative approach to professionalism • A customer/worker relationship that is primarily arms length • A reciprocal, relatively egalitarian relationship between customers and workers • Relying on customers to bring their knowledge to the table to help produce the desired outcomes • Reassuring customers that they can sit back and play a primarily passive role

21. Relational leadership is… (check all that apply) • A take charge approach to leadership • A way for leaders to be heroic in the eyes of their followers • A reciprocal, relatively egalitarian relationship between managers and workers • Relying on workers to bring their knowledge to the table to help produce the desired outcomes • Reassuring workers that they can sit back and play a primarily passive role

22. How do relational leaders influence relational coordination? • When leaders act in relational ways, relational coordination between workers is less important for achieving desired outcomes • By role-modeling deference to expertise and humble inquiry, relational leaders help to foster relational coordination between workers • Both of the above • None of the above

23. How does relational coordination influence relational coproduction? • When workers know how to relationally coordinate with each other, it is easier for them to build shared goals, shared knowledge and mutual respect with the customer • When relational coordination is really strong, customers do not need to engage in relational coproduction • Both of the above • None of the above

24. How does relational coproduction influence relational coordination? • When workers have a common goal of partnering with the customer, that provides a good starting point for building relational coordination among themselves • When all workers have individual relationships with the customer, there is little need for relational coordination between those workers • Both of the above • None of the above

25. Module 5: Measuring and mapping relational coordination Questions to assess your understanding

26. Which decisions must be made when setting up a relational coordination survey? • Identify the work process in need of coordination (could be very focused or very broad) • Identify the functional groups and/or individuals that are critical for coordinating that work process • Of those functional groups and/or individuals, identify who will be surveyed • All of the above • None of the above

27. Which survey format walks you through the set up process and produces an automatic report of your results? (check all that apply) • Online survey platform • Paper survey • Your own survey platform

28. Which survey format provides a spreadsheet of your data enabling you to analyze your own results? (check all that apply) • Online survey platform • Paper survey • Your own survey platform

29. Which survey format produces results that can be analyzed to produce RC network maps and matrices? (check all that apply) • Online survey platform • Paper survey • Your own survey platform

30. What are the 7 dimensions measured by the relational coordination survey? • Mutual respect, Frequent communication, Type of communication, Accurate communication, Problem solving communication, Shared knowledge, Shared Goals • Mutual respect, Shared values, Shared knowledge, Shared goals, Accurate communication, Timely communication, problem solving communication • Mutual respect, Shared goals, Accurate communication, Frequent communication, Timely communication, Problem solving communication, Shared knowledge • None of the above

31. RC network maps are useful because they… (check all that apply) • Show the strength of the relational coordination ties between each functional group in the work process • Show the strength of the relational coordination ties within each functional group in the work process • Show the difference in how two different functions view the relational coordination tie between them • Show the strength of relational coordination ties for the overall work process • Show the strength of each dimension of relational coordination • All of the above

32. RC matrices are useful because they… (check all that apply) • Show the strength of the relational coordination ties between each functional group in the work process • Show the strength of the relational coordination ties within each functional group in the work process • Show the difference in how two different functions view the relational coordination tie between them • Show the strength of relational coordination ties for the overall work process • Show the strength of each dimension of relational coordination • All of the above

33. Your RC study design may incorporate… • Multiple sites • Pre/post intervention • Multiple sites pre/post intervention • Any of the above • None of the above

34. When measuring multiple sites pre/post intervention you should… • Administer the same RC survey in all sites, and compare RC scores • Administer the same RC survey before and after the intervention, and compare RC scores • Both of the above • None of the above

35. Introducing the Relational Coordination Research Collaborative

37. RCRC Vision Making relational coordination the norm for how human beings work together RCRC Mission Building the knowledge, evidence and tools to enable the transformation of relationships for high performance

38. Building a global learning community for practitioners and researchers • U.S. (East Coast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, West Coast) • Canada • Denmark, Norway, Sweden • Netherlands, Belgium • Spain, Italy • Ireland, Scotland, England • Australia • Japan

39. Resources for RCRC Partners • Online RC survey, reports and benchmarking • Intervention data base • Monthly webinars • Annual roundtable, other gatherings • Partner webpages to share efforts, visions • Referrals to RC consultants • Training and certification to become RC consultant

40. Resources for relational coordination and organizational change Visit relationalcoordination.org for many more