RULES OF ENGAGEMENT It is critical that the Working Group begins by unani-
mously adopting the optimum process to utilize in order to move toward the final set of recommendations that they will eventually present to all stakeholders involved in the air med- ical transport industry. The structure of that process must be such that it fully taps into the potential for synergy that is latent in the combination of individuals who comprise the Working Group. Synergy has become such an overused buzz- word in some organizations that many readers may have expe- rienced an involuntary rolling of the eyes when you read it just now. But true synergy is still the most powerful means to real solutions, when the right processes are used to achieve it. In his most recent book, The 3rd Alternative, venerable
author Stephen R. Covey has zeroed in on what is perhaps the most important of the 7 strategies he presented in his land- mark book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, published in 1989. His 7 Habits book has sold more than 15,000,000 copies in 38 different languages. The 3rd Alternative was pub- lished in 2011. A discussion of the contents of that book is beyond the scope of this article. So, I will mention just two of the concepts that facilitate the creation of true synergy.
TALKING STICK PROTOCOL In a diverse group of individuals with distinctive perspec-
tives on any issue, it is often a challenge to get people to listen to whoever is speaking without conducting a simultaneous mental critique of what they are hearing and preparing a detailed rebuttal to be launched as soon as the speaker pauses for breath, if not sooner. This phenomenon typically accounts for a lot of noise and inflated emotions, with too little real communication actually occurring. Covey soundly endorses and teaches a Native American custom of passing the Talking Stick to each person who is to speak. The essence of this con- cept is that no one may interrupt the person holding the Talking Stick except to ask questions that may be needed to ensure complete understanding. While the speaker holds the stick, the responsibility of every other member of the group is to concentrate on understanding what the speaker is striving to communicate. There are some interesting Native American symbols attached to the design of the Talking Stick. It would be interesting to see what kind of design a group of air med- ical professionals would come up with for their version of the Talking Stick.
THE MAGIC THEATER Think of the Magic Theater as an environment for brain-
storming, on steroids. Like brainstorming, the Magic Theater entails a rigorous suspension of any form of filtering or evalu- ation while all members of the group offer up an unrestricted palate of ideas, suggestions, and opinions on a designated topic. There are no rules and there is complete respect between all members during this all-out free-for-all. As Covey
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