Working as One
Fundamental Conversations That Build Cooperation & Get Results

Christine C. Williams, PhD

This is a straightforward little book that packs a powerful message: Good things can happen when people work together.

If you want to get things done, you have to talk and reach agreements with others. Talking isn't always convenient or easy, but it is an essential tool for building cooperation and getting results.

As a facilitator of workplace conversations for many years, I've witnessed frustration, anger, confusion, and divisiveness among some co-workers. I've also seen enthusiasm, pride, and cohesiveness among others. As a result, I am continually driven to ask the questions, "What's the difference? Despite the physical environment, amount of work, or personalities, why do some people work well together while others are continually at odds with one another?” One of the major differences is that people who work well together talk regularly with one another about matters of mutual importance.

Working as One answers:

• Why you need to talk with one another . . . how moving from a “me” to “we” mind-set is important will make a difference in your ability to get things done.

• What you need to talk about . . . seven fundamental conversations that help co-workers stay focused, positive, and productive.
  

• How to go about having these conversations . . . specific guidelines, tools, and techniques to help enhance communication during your day-to-day work.

Using the Working as One framework, you'll find yourself more able to talk about the right things in the right way, with a lot more skill and confidence. You'll also find that you and your co-workers are more focused on what's really important and in sync with how and when the work gets done. With over sixty real-life examples from a variety of traditional and volunteer work settings, Working as One offers hope that what you say and do can make a difference.

Who Should Read This Book?

Working as One is intended for anyone who has to work with others in order to get things accomplished. In the context of this book, workplace is defined as any place where people come together for some intended purpose or effort, either on a paid or volunteer basis. Co-workers are defined as anyone who works with others to provide a product, service, or outcome, either on a paid or volunteer basis.
The type or configuration of the workplace and co-workers may vary and it doesn't matter whether there are two or two hundred people involved in the conversation. Examples include workgroups in hospitals, schools, businesses or government; boards of directors or committees for non-profit organizations; community athletic programs, and so forth. The common denominator is that the people are connected in some way to provide a product, service, or outcome, and that in order to properly conduct their work they have to talk and reach agreements with one another about fundamental issues.

As you will discover, there's nothing fancy about fundamental conversations. All you need is a fair amount of common sense and a great deal of commitment and persistence. It doesn't require external sources (such as organizational development gurus, consultants, or facilitators, etc.) to provide answers, although these sources can be helpful in providing expertise, guidance and direction. Mostly, the conversations call for you and your co-workers to think for yourselves (perhaps very differently than before) and accept responsibility for who you are, what you're about, and how you choose to do business with each other and your customers.