Medicine Forward Team of Teams (TOT) Guidelines

Version 2.0

Medicine Forward’s Team of Teams (TOT) is a novel hybrid organizational structure that is highly collaborative and striving for increased decentralization. Thus emphasizing adaptability, shared goals, and cross-functional alignment. As Medicine Forward operates in a dynamic and complex environment: rapid decision-making and innovation are essential. When forming a TOT and subsequent decisions, always consider:

1. Is it good enough for now, safe enough to try?
   1. I.e. Will a decision cause irreparable damage to Medicine Forward?
   2. Ask Medicine Forward leadership with any questions.
2. Are you building relationships/bridges?
3. This is a living breathing concept, an agile way of decision making/functioning.

• Mission: Catalyzing Positive Change so patient-physician relationships can flourish.
• Vision: 10 million people activated to help patients + physicians flourish in their relationships with each other by 2035
• Principles:
  • We put the sacred patient-physician relationship first.
  • We build on a foundation of wellbeing and trust.
  • We bring physicians, patients, and collaborators together.
  • We claim our power as change agents to accelerate transformation.
• Team activities are fundamental to Medicine Forward’s mission and vision.

• Small Teams: Form teams with diverse skills and clear areas of responsibility. Ideally people join teams doing work they are passionate about. Any Medicine Forward member can create a team. Let’s get creative with activity, action, etc. Think 3-5 members (max 7) in a team with Medicine Forward as the brand.
• Decision-Making: Teams to make decisions within their domains.
  • Formal guidelines are in development. (link to follow when finalized)
• Each team needs a Lead Catalyst: Identify someone (can rotate) who takes ownership of the team's success as well as great communication with other teams. This is fluid.
• Teams are purpose driven & passion energized: There are a lot of good ideas. These project teams form around projects that are self-reinforcing with their momentum. I.e., pour kerosine on existing fires to accelerate.
• Team definition: A team needs a “purpose”, which is a capacity, potential, or goal the team will pursue or express.

• Liaison Roles: Appoint team members to act as connectors with other teams, keeping the Medicine Forward Executive Team informed of activities, progress, purpose, team members, etc.
• Open Communication Channels: Use shared platforms (e.g., Mighty Networks, Teams) for transparency, and the Substack newsletter for sharing opportunities and progress.

• Regular Updates: Hold frequent briefings to share progress within/across teams.
• Shared Resources: Develop a centralized repository for tools, templates, and documentation.
  • This will be an iterative process.
  • Google docs, might networks
  • Exploring: Docu-wiki and Glassfrog
• Lessons Learned: Promote post-project reviews to share insights and improve processes.

• Transparency: Encourage openness about challenges and successes.
• Shared Metrics: Use performance metrics that emphasize team and organizational outcomes. (as needed/ appropriate)
• Mutual Support: Instill a mindset where teams assist one another in achieving shared goals.

• Feedback Loops: Regularly collect input from team members and adjust the structure as needed.
• Experimentation: Test new workflows or team configurations and scale what works.
  • Intentional rhythm, reflection, and duration of teams is important.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Track the effectiveness of the structure and evolve with organizational needs.

Accepted by Exec Team 2/3/25 version 2.0