The Most Misunderstood (and Difficult) Skill in L&D: Collaboration

If we want to be effective L&D professionals, we must collaborate across the organization. It is critical to the work we do with any and all stakeholders - business unit leaders, IT, HR, etc. We can't improve business performance without it.

The problem? I've seen way too many teams who miss the boat when it comes to actually collaborating. Most don't understand what true collaboration is and even fewer understand how to accomplish it.

Personally, I believe collaboration is one of the most misunderstood and misused concepts in leadership, partnership, and teamwork.

Why?

Most of us go into meetings or projects stating that we want to work together, but, if we are honest with ourselves, that’s simply not true.?What we?really?want is for others to agree with?our?ideas of how the work should be done.?If that happens, we call it a good collaboration. If it doesn’t, we call the others involved “difficult to work with.”

True collaboration has nothing to do with simply?agreeing?to one side or the other.?It has nothing to do with accepting or selling the ideas of only one person or group. True collaboration is entirely neutral.

It?starts with an open and unbiased mind, taking into account?all?of the diverse perspectives and expertise in the room. The goal is to find the best solution possible. True collaboration assumes this best solution cannot be created by any one person alone, in either thought or action.

When collaboration succeeds, it has capitalized on the strengths, expertise, and perspectives of every person involved. The result is nothing short of magical as it is a solution that could only have been designed collectively by the diversity within this group. In most cases, this is more powerful and impactful than any individual idea.

When we fail to truly collaborate, we miss out on powerful solutions to complex problems and a strong competitive advantage.

So, how to truly collaborate? Here are a few of my favorite strategies:

1. Start with a fuzzy vision: Clarify the goal, initiative, or challenge driving the group to work together, but don't define all the steps to get there. In the beginning, keep your vision fuzzy, allowing the space for others to contribute. Expect them to bring their thoughts, ideas, and unique perspectives and ask questions that help them to get there.

2. Trust the expertise in the room:?Instead of looking for a stamp of approval, use and trust the expertise that others offer. Let the experts be the experts and then listen for the nuggets. Listen to learn and to understand. Facilitate conversations that summarize and connect the points others are making, keeping the goal top of mind.

3. Welcome differences in perspective:?Instead of shutting down or disregarding a different perspective, recognize that this is exactly the kind of thinking that leads to a more creative solution. Thank others for bringing differences forward. Ask questions that allow you to understand the reason behind the thoughts or ideas to illuminate and clarify how it might be helpful.

4. Assume positive intent:?Most people don’t go into a meeting wanting to sabotage the conversation. They want the best just as you do. Don’t waste time and emotional energy adding drama to the situation. Instead, assume that others want the best outcome possible and focus on the solution instead of the intent.

5. Put egos aside:?Ego has no place in the collaborative room. This may indeed be why many collaborative efforts fail. Ego makes a conversation personal. It instigates hurt feelings and engages the competitive spirit. When your ego is sitting at the table, you shut out creativity and alternative views. The ego wants to win, to feel important, and to be the smartest person in the room. To be truly collaborative, you can come with ideas, but you must also be prepared to build on those ideas or give them up altogether. Remember, collaboration isn’t about you. It’s about what is best for the team or company overall.

6. Aim for a new solution that hasn’t been thought of beforehand:?True collaboration uses the brainpower, perspectives, and expertise in the room to come up with a solution that hasn’t been thought of before. What’s more, this solution?wouldn’t?be thought of without everyone working together. In true collaboration, each person brings something unshaped to the table. Collectively, the group shapes and molds ideas, information, and expertise into a stellar solution throughout the conversation.?Collaboration is an opportunity to create something new.

True collaboration isn't easy and it's not for the faint of heart. Humans are complicated and therefore, facilitating a collaborative project can get tricky. Lean on your skills to facilitate dialogue, recognize the strengths in others, and engage multiple viewpoints. It can be done and when it is, the result is nothing short of brilliant! What will you do to encourage true collaboration in your next project?