You're struggling to create a culture of collaboration in creative strategy. What's the first step?

To foster a collaborative culture in creative strategy, the first step is to carefully assess your current situation. Identify specific barriers to collaboration – is it lack of trust, siloed teams, or unclear project goals? Gather candid feedback from your team through surveys to understand their perspectives on the challenges. Additionally, observe how your project processes currently work. Look for bottlenecks, miscommunication, or lack of ownership. Understanding the root causes of these collaborative hurdles is essential for developing targeted solutions to boost teamwork and create a truly collaborative environment.

First you need to spend time with yourself to determine your create your creative style and how you do what it is that you do. Next, those that are part of your culture you have to spend time allowing them to express how they see things and their creative style. I feel like you should give every person the same project or idea and ask them to show you how they would express it with the way that they see the world. Then I would invite them to express it on like a zoom call with a team and so everybody can see how everybody thinks and strategizes and what creativity looks like for them.

Have established processes for brainstorming, feedback, and decision-making that encourage collaboration. Goals clearly defined and do they encourage collaboration? Are there incentives for individual achievement or team success?

conducting anonymous surveys or facilitating open discussions can unearth candid insights about existing barriers to collaboration. It might reveal if the issue lies in communication silos, lack of trust, or perhaps, the absence of a shared purpose.

The first step is to break the ice, shattering the dusty professional expectations that can often keep us holding back our creative ideas due to fear of violating the boundary that professional environments often have - whether spoken or unspoken - against vulnerability and freedom of expression. For CREATIVE collaboration to truly exist, everyone must be willing and able to accept many BAD ideas being put on the table and later dismissed with no judgment against those who initially expressed them. A written agreement amongst the group to create camaraderie and a demonstration of this daring free-flowing & nonjudgmental expression of ideas by leadership allows fully creative collaboration by all.

In my experience, creating a collaborative culture starts with establishing clear, shared goals that resonate with every team member. From my perspective, involving everyone in the goal-setting process not only ensures alignment but also fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility towards collective objectives.

Now, imagine gathering your team under a big, welcoming tree to talk about your collective dreams. What do you all wish to achieve together? Setting clear, shared goals is like planting seeds for the future. Make sure these seeds carry the essence of everyone’s aspirations, so each person can see a bit of themselves in the garden you’re about to grow.

Set clear and shared goals One of the key elements of effective collaboration in creative strategy is having clear and shared goals that align with your vision and mission. Without a common purpose and direction, your team may lose focus, motivation, and cohesion. To set clear and shared goals, you need to involve your team in the goal-setting process, and make sure that everyone understands and agrees on the objectives, expectations, and deliverables. You also need to communicate your goals regularly, track your progress, and celebrate your achievements. By setting clear and shared goals, you can create a sense of ownership, accountability, and commitment among your team members.

The best collaboration is in person. Get in a room with other people. Print the brief/deck/work out and stick it on the wall. Shut your laptops. Have a conversation. Spitball. Keep it free and open. (If you need a reminder of why this is important, watch the episodes of SNL that were made on Zoom)

We all remember Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Never shortcut the Forming stage. We are all so task oriented and want to get down to business. Be efficient and quick...profit and progress is the goal. So often, this comes at the expense of really listening to one another and learning to value the skills and capacities of each team member. Building strong relationships will be a great return on investment when future challenges loom over the horizon.

Think of collaborative tools and platforms as the watering cans and gardening tools that will help your seeds sprout and grow. Choose tools that feel like an extension of your hands—easy to use, fitting perfectly into your team’s daily routine. Introduce them with care, ensuring everyone knows how to wield these tools to nurture their ideas and watch them flourish.

Successful collaboration in creative strategy often relies on the effective use of tools and platforms that facilitate communication, coordination, and creativity. Choose from a range of online and offline options to suit your needs: Brainstorming and Ideation Tools: Examples: Miro, Stormboard, or traditional whiteboards Facilitate virtual or in-person brainstorming sessions to generate creative ideas. Project Management and Workflow Tools: Examples: Trello, Asana, or Jira Organize tasks, assign responsibilities, and track project progress to ensure a smooth workflow. Feedback and Review Tools: Examples: Wipster, Frame.io, or Google Workspace Streamline the feedback process, allowing team members to provide comments and revisions easily

To kickstart a culture of collaboration in creative strategy, it's all about building trust and open communication within the team. Encouraging everyone to speak up, share their thoughts, and give feedback without worrying about being judged creates a safe space where ideas can flourish. Making sure everyone feels valued and respected lays down the groundwork for teamwork to thrive. Organizing team-building activities and initiatives that bring people together helps foster stronger bonds and understanding among team members. When communication and trust are at the forefront, it sets the stage for a culture that celebrates collaboration and sparks creativity in our strategic pursuits.

Fomentar la diversidad y la inclusión es esencial para promover la innovación y la creatividad en cualquier equipo. Más allá de la demografía o las cuotas, se trata de crear una cultura donde todos se sientan valorados, respetados y capaces de contribuir con sus talentos e ideas únicas. Para promover la diversidad y la inclusión en un equipo de estrategia creativa, es importante reclutar y retener talento diverso, proporcionar igualdad de oportunidades y apoyo, fomentar una cultura de aprendizaje y curiosidad, adoptar diferentes estilos y enfoques, y celebrar la diversidad y la inclusión como una fuente de fortaleza e innovación.

I've found that creating a safe space for constructive feedback is especially powerful in encouraging learning and growth. Regularly scheduled review sessions where team members can share their insights and suggestions can significantly contribute to a culture of open communication and mutual respect.

For a good collaborative culture, it's also helpful to get to know each other personally and develop understanding. It's beneficial to occasionally dine together or engage in team activities, such as going hiking or visiting an exhibition for inspiration. Spending a weekend in another city together can also build a strong rapport. This fosters trust, a sense of being valued, and enhances teamwork, making collaboration even more effective.

A culture of collaboration in creative strategy is essential. Establish clear and open communication among team members. This will involve creating a safe inclusive environment where everyone is comfortable sharing their personal ideas, perspectives, and feedback. Emphasizing the importance of teamwork and valuing diverse viewpoints allows individuals to actively participate and contribute to the creative process. Setting common goals and objectives allows the team to align towards a shared vision, creating a sense of unity and cohesion within the organization. Overall, prioritizing communication and inclusivity lays the foundation for building a collaborative culture. I believe this is best as it fuels creativity and innovation.

First of all, recognition is important A group is like a ship that has a captain but a crew of sailors and technicians that keep the ship running. So be the captain in your group, let everyone do their own work, but under your shadow and the goals of the work, and you measure the quality of the work.