| dc.description.abstract | SchoolCo (a pseudonym) is a United States-based education consulting firm dedicated to providing technical assistance to states, districts, and schools across more than 25 states with the goal of increasing equitable support and outcomes for students. The firm entered a period of significant internal and external change that catalyzed a desire to reflect on how they cohered and conveyed the purpose and service model execution for their largest division. This project asked how aligned members of this division were in their understanding of their identity and how they coordinated their work, as well as how aligned other teams were in their understanding of this team's identity and coordination of work for purposes of calibration and comparison. This mixed methods case study used both statistical analysis and inductive qualitative coding on employee survey responses and focus group commentary to explore shared purpose and identity across employees, the frequency of collaboration routines, the quality of collaboration routines and behaviors, and systems for sharing and storing knowledge across team members. We found a high degree of alignment in the team’s interpersonal trust and equity-driven purpose, but also misalignment in perceptions of service marketing, tension between customization vs. standardization of processes, and lack of coordinating systems to support collaboration. Drawing on findings and literature, we recommend the firm simplify its service delivery materials into more accessible language, layer in job-embedded supports for additional coaching and mentorship, and create effective linking mechanisms to improve the coordination of work, such as cross-functional team structures. | |
