Revolutionize Your Success: How Collaboration Can Take You to the Top

Acqueon was established in 2019 and has continued to thrive as a vibrant start-up with a lean organizational structure. But what does this mean for its diverse team or day-to-day work and interactions?

The executive team at Acqueon was determined to get to the root of this, so we set out to define the core values and culture that make our organization unique.?

After countless hours of research, deliberation, and conversation, three Culture Pillars emerged — the first being Collaboration and Respect.

At Acqueon, we are committed to creating a culture of Collaboration and Respect.         

This is more than just working collaboratively during a single meeting or project—it's about establishing norms that allow us to cultivate and grow this culture.?

A New Approach to Leading and Governing Ourselves

You may think, “Collaboration is just about working together on a task to achieve a shared goal,” but it goes much deeper than that.?

When we collaborate, we engage in meaningful relationships with each other. We form connections with people we wouldn't have met otherwise and learn from their perspectives, which can lead us to breakthroughs that would not have been possible if one person were working alone.?

Our relationships influence the quality of information and choices we make, while those same choices directly impact our relationships. This interdependence creates the potential for greater shared understanding, meaning and mutual benefit when we work together.

Let's break it down to what exactly collaboration and respect should entail for each of us:

We respect one another as we work towards our goals

As Warren Buffett once famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” Respect is another integral part of maintaining a good reputation in any environment—especially the business world.?

Showing respect toward others fosters collaboration and trust, which encourages creativity and innovation. Caring for others helps create strong working relationships between employees, increasing productivity, job satisfaction, teamwork, and loyalty.

Respect also plays a key role in cultivating an environment that values diversity. When everyone feels respected, we are more likely to express ourselves freely, without fear of judgment or discrimination. This creates a vibrant work culture where different ideas and perspectives are welcomed—leading to better decision-making and problem-solving.

• Show respect to your colleagues regardless of their backgrounds, titles, or any other factor.
• Make sure to create an environment of open communication where everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas.
• Take the time to learn more about different cultures, communication styles and each individual's strengths and abilities to foster a culture of inclusion and respect.

We listen to each other’s ideas and opinions

“What's been keeping you busy lately? Out of all your projects, which one requires the most attention?”

“You’re right—our solutions page could use some updating. What changes would you want?"

“When I first got started with this program, it took me some time to understand. Yet, once I dove into the material, it quickly became much simpler. You can too.”

Active listening is key to having successful conversations and collaborations. By using certain phrases, such as “I understand," "Yes, that makes sense," and "I agree," we show our understanding of the speaker's intended message. We can further demonstrate active listening through nonverbal cues like keeping our eyes on the speaker, offering nods or smiles, and sharing similar experiences.

When we engage in active listening, we create a space for exchanging ideas and perspectives which can lead to more creative problem-solving and efficient work outcomes. By truly listening to others' opinions and considering all options before making decisions, we can come to a shared understanding quickly without leaving anyone feeling unheard or disrespected.

We work through our disagreements respectfully?

When disagreements arise in the workplace, it is essential to recognize that these can be a normal and healthy part of relating to other people and can actually bring about positive change.?

Pushing one another to consider alternate approaches can generate new ideas and innovative solutions. This creative friction enables teams to come up with better solutions by addressing difficult issues, synthesizing different opinions, and carefully evaluating all options.

With respectful dialogue and active listening, conflicting opinions can be viewed as opportunities instead of obstacles. Everyone’s ideas are heard, respected, and taken into account while ultimately coming to a shared understanding or resolution.?

• Seek first to understand before being understood.
• Aim for mutual understanding.
• Take a step back if emotions start running high and remember that, at heart, we all just want to be heard and understood.
• Reach for an amicable resolution.

We share information openly?

“Recognizing the power of openly sharing what I know, rather than using information as a way to gain influence, creates trust within my team and leads to success for all involved.”

Sharing information can be beneficial to both an individual and a company as it helps foster collaboration, respect, and efficiency. By freely sharing knowledge with colleagues, progress toward goals can be accelerated due to the availability of resources such as datasets, software tools, and knowledge bases.

In addition, we all are able to benefit from each other's expertise in order to understand customer insights or come up with new strategies more quickly. As such, it is vital for employees to recognize the value of openly sharing information instead of hoarding it as bargaining chips or sources of influence.

By actively engaging in the collaborative process involved with sharing information openly, employees can gain greater insight into their work environment while advancing their own skillset. By understanding that power lies in freely sharing what one knows instead of using information as a way to gain influence promotes trust within a team. It ultimately leads to greater success for everyone involved.

• Consult each other for advice, help out on projects and actively contribute to conversations.
• Support new ideas and give feedback - Provide constructive criticism to help others learn from their experiences.
• Take advantage of your chances to learn from your team’s diverse perspectives and experiences.

As a Human Resources executive, I strive to lead by example and to foster an environment at Acqueon where everyone feels supported, valued and empowered.

Together, our collective efforts create an unstoppable team that can achieve remarkable feats. That is why a strong culture of inclusivity, collaboration and respect will be the driving force behind our success, now and in the future.