Improving Secretariat team work and delivery

On the initiative of Mr Jingyuan Xia, Secretary to IPPC, the IPPC Secretariat held a small workshop on 15 June 2016 with the objective of introducing and discussing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to strengthen cooperation in the Secretariat. The workshop was facilitated by Mr Darren Brown and was attended by 19 Secretariat staff of all grades and responsibilities. While the workshop only lasted 2 hours, the outcome was positive. Indeed, the participants noted and appreciated the commitment, the engagement and the enthusiasm exhibited by the staff. The facilitator observed that the staff s potential and will to work together already exists in the Secretariat and suggested continuing cultivating these values.

While, the exercises focused on communication, listening and diversity in a multicultural environment, staff were able to understand the components on which to improve their skills, particularly the need for greater formal and informal interactions between teams in the Secretariat. From the workshop and a questionnaire that was distributed upon completion of the workshop, it came out that there are grounds to gradually start building one IPPC. The Staff welcomed the idea of addressing the topics covered at the workshop in depth in an additional retreat. The management and Mr Brown will discuss soonest the objectives of the next retreat which is intended to take place within the next year.