How we can achieve more together by collaborating across departments and functions
Seeing you all at our session at the Guildhall, present and participating, made me very proud. I hope that, like me, you also found it very inspiring. While it is fresh in our minds I wanted to take this opportunity to expand on some of the insights and learnings from the event.
As you know, much of the presentation was focused on the benefits of team collaboration and how it can enhance innovation, productivity, guest satisfaction and, in turn, our commercial results and performance. Putting it simply, if we do better, the company does better and we all, in turn, benefit from this success.
Lisa Fallon’s “one per cent” case study on how teams can work more effectively and efficiently by leveraging their diverse skills, perspectives, and experiences was fascinating. She also highlighted some of the common challenges and pitfalls that teams face, such as communication breakdowns, conflicts and silos.
One of the key takeaways from her presentation was that team collaboration is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have for any organisation that wants to thrive in the competitive and dynamic market. Team collaboration is not only beneficial for the organisation, but also for the individual employees, as it can boost motivation, engagement and – vitally – well-being, all of which are key priorities for us at Carnival UK.
I really was very impressed by her presentation and could relate to many of the points that were made. I have always believed that teamwork is one of our core values and strengths at Carnival UK. We have a culture of collaboration and mutual support that enables us to deliver exceptional service and experiences to our guests. We have also demonstrated our resilience and adaptability as a team during the challenging times of the pandemic so we should carry this forward to the good times.
However, there is always room for improvement and that we can do more to foster and enhance our team collaboration across departments and functions. I think we can learn from some of the best practices and tips that were shared, such as:
• Setting clear and shared goals and expectations for the team
• Establishing regular and open communication channels and feedback loops
• Encouraging diversity of thought and opinions
• Building trust and respect among team members, at all levels
• Recognising and celebrating team achievements and successes – do your own PR!
Please do reflect on how you can apply some of these practices and tips to your own teams and projects. I am always happy to hear from you directly about your own experiences and suggestions on how we can improve our team collaboration. Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with me or your line managers.
I would also recommend (and I apologise if this is not your team!) you watch ‘All or Nothing Arsenal’ on Amazon Prime TV which very visibly demonstrates the power of teamwork and pulling together with one aim and ambition.
2024 has all the makings of being a highly successful year and I, along with all our senior leaders, look forward to seeing our goals and visions materialise into a virtual cabinet of silverware!
I want to finish with a preview of an illustration created at the Guildhall event which captures the essence and key takeaways from the day – you’ll see this in a much bigger format soon in Carnival House…
Take care
Paul Ludlow
2 Comments
Having joined Carnival UK just 2 weeks ago I am very impressed by the knowledge in the People Team, their willingness to talk about their areas of responsibility and the comprehensive induction that I had from everyone, and this includes Paul.
Thank you all, I know this company is going to be as good as I expected it to be.
There are many excellent best practices or tips, and I agree with each one of them fully. We are living in a world where targets are everything, and this can’t be achieved without the support of a great team. By developing each individual, we can create a high-performing team.