Nearly every project in today’s workforce requires an element of collaboration. Yet, it seems it is often very hard to collaborate. I frequently hear complaints such as:
- There are too many big egos competing for dominance
- Not everyone is working equal amounts of time or levels of effort
- Meetings are long, dull, and unproductive
- One or more persons dominate the team
- Project goals are unclear or ever-changing
How can you strengthen your organization’s ability to perform complex collaborative tasks? How can you maximize the effectiveness of your teams?
Here are seven proven ideas to make collaboration work:
1. Model collaborative behavior
This includes accepting that while your ideas might be good, someone else's ideas might be good too, and sometimes even better. Therefore, encouraging participation and listening to the opinions and suggestions of others. Prove that you are trustworthy. Respect others. Be consistent in your behavior and the way you respond to others. Support employees by mentoring and coaching them daily.
2. Create a collaborative culture
Provide training in relationship skills, such as communication and conflict resolution since collaboration requires a foundation of effective communication. Foster a sense of community by sponsoring group activities. When people feel a sense of community, they are more comfortable reaching out to others and more likely to share knowledge.
3. Establish a clear and effective communication system
Make sure it allows collaborators to discuss team issues in a relaxed and effective environment. Create ways of documenting issues raised and decisions made. Using electronic tools that encourage and facilitate sharing can help with keeping everyone in the loop.
4. Clarify goals and metrics
Make sure everyone involved understands what the goals are and believes they are worthwhile. People who are collaborating should have some kind of shared vision. Metrics that matter also needs to be established by which you can monitor your progress. Try to identify any bottlenecks--that is, areas where something isn't getting done, and that's slowing down the rest of the progress. Then find ways to facilitate the flow.
5. Define structure, parameters, and roles
Remember that the overarching goal of collaboration is to achieve something together that you would not be able to achieve alone. Make sure there is a clear way for making decision. Help the team develop, choose, and monitor roles and parameters of performance. These will help productivity and timely completion of projects.
6. Manage meetings effectively
Poor meeting management is a constant source of irritation to collaborative efforts. It has little to do with a lack of skills and a lot to do with egos and the need to have power. Often, the person who is chronically late or who disrupts the meeting is seeking to control the team. It needs to be curbed early in the team’s development.
Having an organized agenda that goes out to all before the meeting, having and respecting beginning and ending times, and naming someone as facilitator for each meeting that will keep discussions on track help, will help to make meetings focused and productive.
7. Balance task-orientation and relationship-orientation
Remember that both are key to successfully leading a team. Typically what works best is more task orientation at the outset of a project and a shift toward relationships orientation once the work is in full swing. Building strong relationships will encourage trust. Trust is needed when disagreements arise. Conflict can be energizing and bring creativity if there is trust. Then its easier to seek consensus and find resolution.
Remember. . .
Successful collaboration is not easy. Both leaders and team members need to check their ego at the door and focus on the goals of the project. Good leadership that models collaboration can reduce sources of tension. You can make collaboration work!
I can help you plan and achieve the growth your deserve. Working with me you will find your best path for fostering collaboration, personal development, and change. To find out more, simply click here.
Photo by: Alaskan Dude