In your opinion, what steps should we take to implement eleVate?

Simplify the eleVate to a few easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement rules of thumbs

1) Practice the Credo; 2) Provide timely and effective communication to colleagues; and 3) learn the art of "rounding".

Not sure it's actually needed in Academia. It makes sense for hospitals, but our work is one degree of separation away.

Quint Studer promotes "rounding" as a good interaction tool between supervisor/employee. Tips will be available in the TWiki. It is important that all School of Medicine departments, divisions, centers and programs buy-in to this important initiative designed to distinguish Vanderbilt as a leader in quality and service.

I think we need to have more input from each individual as to their perspective and not make decisions based on those in supervisory positions only. Let each person know how vital they are to the department as well as their individual supervisor. Be thoughtful and show respect and interest for each others work and individual space. I think our department already does a pretty good job at this.

Thanks for the comments; each person's input is vitally important for the department's optimal performance; it is essential that everyone be treated equally and respectfully.

Provide timely feedback about the status of current requests.

Very important. Make sure it is a two-way street and both (all) parties feel responsible for effective communication and feedback.

This question is too general

Give credit where credit is due for a job well done not just to the person that did the job. We should stress better communication between everyone. Everyone that is, has, or will be working on the same project should be included in meetings so everyone will know what work is being done by each individual to eliminate repetitiveness

Very important.

Overall, I think the department is doing well. Some better communication would be helpful, though. A weekly emailed newsletter of department activities (plans, projects, accomplishments, awards, etc.) would be very welcome. We have grown so much that I don't know what everyone is doing.

We will use the TWiki as a communication tool.

First step is to explain supervisors that rules apply equally to everybody including themselves

Good point.

At our last dept-wide meeting, several excellent eleVate recommendations were made. If not already in place, I'd like to see a committee formed whose task is to implement those suggestions and to meet periodically, say quarterly, to review such implementation.

Good ideas; I am in the process of forming a committee and eleVate progress will be reviewed at quarterly staff/faculty meetings.

As I am fairly new to the department, this may have been done before I arrived, but I think a general overview of the program itself would be good. I know the aims of the program, but I'm not sure whether there's more to it than only those aims (e.g., recognition or feedback).

The eleVate web site accessible through the Medical Center homepage contains more information. A newsletter is circulated to those attending LDI series and the distribution can be broadened.

Show the data, whether it be clinic attendance numbers or emails of complaint or praise or whatever. Publish the data. All the responses to this survey would be a great place to start.

Thanks for the suggestion. Please see http://biostat.mc.vanderbilt.edu/twiki/bin/view/Main/SurveyResultsforEleVateandSkillsAssessment.

It seems there lacks communication between some employees. Everyone needs to be more open and willing to express their concerns; and that if they do, those concerns should be taken seriously. Thus we need to encourage each employee to speak up when he/she is discouraged.

Effective and timely communication is one of the greatest opportunities for any department.

I think we're doing a pretty good job. I guess we should just try and continue to get to know people in the department well. What if we were to get a directory, with a photo and name of all biostat employees? That would be nice for me to have.

Please see (http://biostat.mc.vanderbilt.edu/twiki/bin/view/Main/OurPeople).

Please suggest tool(s) that would help you perform your job more efficiently, e.g., a weekly department communication with updates or regular summary of work projects in order to ensure correct effort certification.

A electronic diary or logbook so that at the end of the day I can summarize and keep track what I've accomplished for that day.

dbconnect may solve this problem. We are working on issues now.

More monitors. Seriously! Statistics is about the interpretation of data, and more and more of it is conveyed visually. multiple monitors I would like another monitor so that I can see better what is going on inside my computer.

Under advisement.

We already have in place a weekly summary that we send to our supervisor and the team that works on the project meets throughout the week to discuss ways to achieve maximum work effort for each individual. I am not one that thinks you have to have a meeting about everything, just keep each person up to date about the workings of the project and if something does come up that needs more concentrated effort pull the team together and then map out a strategy of how to get this accomplished in a timely manner.

Good advice!

1.Weekly meeting with the supervisor. 2.Being able to get a credit for my work. A credit that can be documented in my CV (for example paper, poster, presentation, ...)

Absolutely!

See question 1. Also, it would be helpful if more of us used the twiki to spread information.

We should use the TWiki more!

We already have too many department meetings. We need better communication from supervisors to staff.

Suggestions?

Access to current grant support and percent effort so that we can make sure that we are maintaining our effort certification.

Up-to-date grant support and percent effort.

A custom report has been created in the department database and through data transfer each employees' record will be updated.

It would be great if we had some sort of job description for everyone on the web site, specifically for the administrative and IT staffs. For example, if I need to order supplies or schedule a meeting, who specifically do I talk to? If my email isn't working, who do I talk to? That way we would know exactly who to talk to, rather than taking up the time of someone whose responsibilities actually lie elsewhere.

A Job Task Matrix for the Admin Team has been completed; we will include short descriptions for both Admin and IT Teams.

I think that we have the tools, but not everyone has learned to use these tools effectively. The more effective these tools become (that is, the higher the number of employees that use these tools in our department), the more efficient everyone's job becomes as well.

Yes, for example, use of the department calendar.

More easy access to Microsoft products that our colleagues use.

What specific products are needed?

Please suggest skill(s) that you would like to develop to perform your job more efficiently, e.g. I would like to improve my communication, organizational, or other specified skill set.

I'd like a scientific writing workshop.

Anyone know of resources?

I'd like to improve my communication skill. For example, it would be great if the department would support tuition ($300) per semester (at least partial support) to take English class which is provided by Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

I would like for professional development funds to go toward a higher degree.

Vanderbilt is clear about the goals of the Tuition Reimbursement policy, the department will gladly review any requests for professional development.

I am learning more and more about how to manipulate databases, etc. I think this will help me as much as anything. We use the computer a lot for data entry and follow up that any thing I could learn about computer skills, understanding the computer lingo better, etc. would be a great benefit. I think that we should always strive to learn how to be a better communicator as well as listener. I am also up for better ways to get organized so that you don't waste time trying to find things, etc. There are resource books that I would like to purchase and study to help educate myself on the different types of this disease so that when talking with patients I would have a better understanding and knowledge of what they are dealing with.

Department leadership feels very strongly that professional development is essential for all employees. We are continuing to negotiate the financial support.

None

Management training. I'm kind of flying blind in that area.

Please see http://hr.vanderbilt.edu/training/classes2.htm.

English classes should be available for faculty and staff having difficulty with the English language.

I would like to improve my statistical computing and analysis skills.

I need two more hands and one more head.

I would like to improve my knowledge of statistics. I'd like to be able to write and program faster.

It's great to work with energetic and enthusiastic colleagues.

Is there any information that the Department of Biostatistics could provide you to help you with your job?

If our department has our own library, it would be very helpful. I would suggest that we could make fund collecting a certain percentage of each person's development fund.

A library has been a work-in-progress for a while. This is a great CQI or committee opportunity.

I think the department is doing a fine job in this regard.

I would like to have a better knowledge of where we stand on our budget expenses. I have no idea whether we have money available for resource books that I would like to order, etc. I used to be able to fill out 1180's for such expenses when they did not go over a certain amount.

More information on how VUMC works; eg, budgets, grants, etc.

We will hold a budget/grant section during the next staff meeting to be held later this month.

No

I have all the information I need

see question 1

Plan for advancement opportunities. Plan for faculty to take classes on how to communicate and treat staff better.

Under advisement.

See #2 above. Also, more information on the evaluation process.

Terri has created a great resource in the TWiki http://biostat.mc.vanderbilt.edu/twiki/bin/view/Main/StaffEvals.

Nothing immediately comes to mind.

Computing tricks are always helpful.

Linux workshops are terrific for professional development; the Computing TWiki page contains many helpful hints.
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