Essentials of Collaboration

In many cases when people work together they are not actually collaborating. Even though a project may be defined as a joint project, or more so a common project, people often work separately and return to the group sharing their individually determined results. This is an event based understanding in the sense that when each individual or team reports it is an event, a static moment showing results. But the core of real collaboration is in the process when people work together all along developing ideas, testing them, refining them, contributing co-operatively in support of a common goal. So to that end here is a list of the essentials of collaboration, practices that not only help people understand collaboration as a mutual process but also set a foundation for accepting the co-created outcomes for better or worse.:

Collaboration is:

Voluntary – participants join the effort because of their attraction to the problem needing to be solved, the technology to be used to solve it, and the goal that has been established as the anticipated success. There is an alignment of values and it is this alignment that establishes mutuality.

Mutual Goals --- participants share in their understanding of the goals of a project and the general approach to the solutions. The power of a compelling goal is that it inspires the attention and intentions of the participants and acts as a focal point for creative contributions.

Responsibility --- participants promise to perform their tasks on behalf of themselves as well as the group. Their committed responsibility creates the cohesion that holds the group together and their promise frames the actions and results the group can expect of them.

Accountability --- participants report back or make an account of their efforts and results as a way of supporting not only the projects but the other participants as well. Responsibility is a promise to do something and accountability is a report on what has been done.

Decision-Making --- participants must feel that they contribute to the decisions made. This does not imply consensus, although consensus can be used as a strategy, but each individual must feel that their efforts have been acknowledged and are embedded in the decisions and outcomes. Otherwise what’s the point of being involved?

Hierarchical --- participants understand and accept that the project has an initiation point consisting of from one to several members but not everyone who ultimately becomes involved. So tasks will be assigned and talents applied relative to the needs of the process. In this sense collaboration implies focus on the goal. Individual satisfaction will be experienced through the success of the outcome.

Shared Resources --- participants freely share their expertise, time, care, commitment, and materials to the project. Collaboration is not about competition but a melding of different skills and talents in support of the goal. That is WHY participants have joined. HOW the process moves along is open for discussion and change in so far that the discussion is not ego-centered and disruptive of the unity if the effort.

Tasks of Effective Collaboration

(This List Is Representative and Not exhaustive)

Executes actions and reports on results

Is ready to assist others when needed

Participates generously (intellectually/emotionally) in team/projects meetings

Abides by deadlines and overall timelines

Offers new ideas

Is n the lookout for new relevant information

Strives to deeply connects to others’ work

Thinks strategically to make connections between tactics and strategy

Acknowledges all viewpoints

Acknowledges and acclaims the good work of others

Unafraid to provide constructive criticism

Is diligent regarding ongoing collaboration

Facilitates decision making process

Collaboration is a practice. Practicing collaboration brings on many beneficial changes.

(Photo Credit: Vanessa Blemis/Flicker.com)

Jim Sniechowski, PhD and his wife Judith Sherven, PhD https://JudithandJim.com have developed a penetrating perspective on people’s resistance to success, which they call The Fear of Being Fabulous. Recognizing the power of unconscious programming to always outweigh conscious desires, they assert that no one is ever failing. They are always succeeding. The question is, at what?

Currently working as consultants on retainer to LinkedIn providing executive coaching, leadership training and consulting as well as working with private clients around the world, they continually prove that when unconscious beliefs are brought to the surface, the barriers to growth are eliminated.