Unlocking Global Collaboration in Science and Society

Guest Author: Julie Guegan

Empowerment and shared leadership are the choices we need to make to become more responsible scientists in turbulent times. And on my path, I developed an expertise in global collaboration, which is the means to thrive and leave great gifts behind. I am an author, facilitator, and expert passionate about intercultural and intergenerational collaboration. And in my career, mainly at the service of the European project, I researched the conditions to make it more powerful for the benefit of all.

In this article, I will give you a brief overview of some catalysts to work together on cross-topics. With them, I am convinced that you will be able to address our most complex issues. Faced with more proof of a mostly dysfunctional system, there is no better alternative than to come together to adopt a more holistic approach, stimulate serendipity and close the gaps.

No global collaboration among scientists can happen without:

• Common(s): The practice of collaboration will bring everyone together because, to my knowledge, it can bridge the divergent interests of our Western and Eastern civilizations. Individualists and collectivists will find common ground in a collaboration that places human needs at the system's center. There is no collective without happy individuals. But also a common focus for the changes we want to see, for example, on mobility, economics, climate change, healthcare, etc.
• Contract: Collaboration, unlike cooperation or coordination, has a double "l," which emphasizes the notion of links. Relationships are built around a contract, which people must adhere to bring their vision to success. In the case of global collaboration, this contract must be around the freedom to love. It's a pre-requisite to make sure we have the right mindsets on board. We can have everybody that wants it. It's not what they think but how they think that counts. And the role of the facilitator of global collaboration is to make sure people adhere to the main principles.
• Letting Go: We see it; the more collaboration you need, the more difficult it becomes. The issue is that the need to control the results becomes even more critical in times of crisis. Most humans have difficulty letting go, but this is the key to a fruitful collaboration. And above all, institutions must learn to let go and put in place the conditions for this empowerment by providing people with what they need to act (knowledge, skills, minimum security, etc.).
• Taste for uncertainty: In times of planetary emergency, we will have to get more comfortable with uncertainty. In particular, in the face of increasingly complex problems, the only way to improve our situation will be through collaboration because it is the only practice that can give unpredictable results. Collaboration always starts with a fuzzy goal, which is a great way to motivate co-creation and the best way to increase the chances of multiplying endless possibilities. I often talk about reaching heaven on earth with global collaboration because that is one of the possibilities if we all start to put the conditions for nature and species (including humans) to flourish in place.
• Self-knowledge: It is necessary to understand the needs of people before setting up any collaboration. And so it starts with an awareness of the group and self-awareness of the individuals who can clearly articulate their needs. Be clear, for example, on their limits and weaknesses so that they understand that they cannot be strong alone, that they are unfinished and that they need others, including nature, to compensate for what they miss.
• Manage expectations: Preparation time is probably the most challenging chapter. But once we start, the best tactic will be to increase the need for co-creation by collecting success stories one by one and exposing them to those who have yet to be convinced. It will be essential to move step by step, little by little, and a strong core community will represent its best foundation.
• Value: When collaboration is not working, it often means you didn't need it in the first place, and collaborators don't feel they have anything to bring. Collaboration requires a trigger, but it can only last for a while. In fact, it's only good when it creates value. The collaboration facilitator has a role in creating and extracting value, such as being more innovative together, serendipity, cross-fertilization, and creating meaning. When this value disappears, it's time to embrace other working methods that will be more effective.
• Diversity: In my experience, we will not accomplish our transformations in echo chambers but by bringing together periphery and center, thinkers and doers, and what I call caregivers and caretakers (who, I suppose, could leave an even better trace of their existence to humanity and the planet, in a time of great need like the one we are going to live in). Only through diversity can we think outside the box, challenge the status quo and find the right ideas for the necessary metamorphosis. But we have to take into account some barriers to this diversity. For example, the question of languages will be a key issue.
• Particular skills: In our infobesity world, no one can hold the knowledge required in all circumstances. In order to let everyone contribute whenever needed, we have to strengthen our ability to not be in control, not offer up our own views or judge others and be negative. We have to let go of more of our power and knowledge to distribute it to others generously and encourage good behaviors toward more transparency and openness. This is how we will be able to benefit from more collective intelligence.

For scientists confronted with complex problems, this involves, in particular, saying things like "we don't know" and opening the door to contributions or even taking risks. Within ourselves, first and foremost, we must reinforce the sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves with humility and conscientiousness. And this implies assuming a form of leadership in our relationships, learning to formulate powerful questions and listen carefully, facilitating constructive arguments, mastering healthy conflicts, or giving actionable feedback. Finally, integrity and benevolence are two shared values that affect collaboration (yes, we care about you and what you know or say).

The future needs to be global collaboration. We must promote it as a new paradigm for more and more people. Equipped with the related conditions, skills, and mindsets, this is how we will collectively be able to move forward and increase our ambition to achieve a much-needed metamorphosis. It's time to be less protective and to shift our perspectives to embrace sharing knowledge and instilling conversations and collaborations everywhere as the default practices of an exceptional civilization.

I am sharing my ideas regularly on my blog (julieguegan.com), and I am keen to invite people from everywhere to continue reflecting with me. I hope you will be part of what I consider one of the most exciting adventures of a long time. The goal: to redefine everything altogether from wherever we sit…