Who Should Be At The Table?

If you were having a dinner party and could invite anyone, real or fictional, who would you want to join you at the table?

This question is a common conversation starter and makes you think about people you admire, and the rich conversations that might flow over clinking glasses and delicious courses.

Now, think about a project you’re working on at work. If you could invite anyone to the table to help with that project and collaborate with you, who would it be? Did the image of enjoyable, intellectually stimulating conversation turn into something else? Conflict? Competition? More work for everyone?

It shouldn’t be that way. And it doesn’t have to.

At its core, collaboration is meant to create better outcomes through shared knowledge, resources, and effort. Sounds great, right? Then why does it seem so rarely achieved effectively in the workforce?

In my professional career, I’ve experienced countless occasions when I felt I should have been “invited to the table” yet was somehow overlooked. I’m sure it’s happened to you as well. On the other hand, I’m sure that I’ve left people out of meetings or projects who likely would have been a great addition. For whatever reason, it happens. And like with most solutions, the first step is acknowledging that there’s a problem.

So what IS the problem? We all have room to grow when it comes to collaborating, and the data shows that collaboration at work can have a profound impact.

• According to Salesforce, 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration for workplace failures.
• McKinsey cites that 97% of employees and executives believe lack of alignment within a team impacts the outcome of a project.
• According to a global survey on workplace collaboration, 39% of surveyed employees feel that their peers don’t collaborate enough.
• Individuals who work in collaborative settings at work are more than 50% more effective at completing tasks than those who work independently.
• A Deloitte study found that collaborating on tasks and sharing ideas is valued at $1,660 per employee per year, and quality improvements resulting from workplace collaboration are valued at $2,517 per employee per year.
• According to Frost & Sullivan, collaboration increases sales by 27% and improves customer satisfaction ratings by 41%.?
• That same study also shows that companies that collaborate are 30% more innovative and at least 36% more productive than those that don’t.
• Companies that promote collaboration at work have five times better performance rates than those that do not.

If that’s not enough, I’m going to add one more point that to me, is the most important of all:

• Inviting people to the table is one of the easiest and best ways you can empower someone to step into their potential and feel valued in the workplace.

But this article isn’t about WHY collaboration is important, it’s about addressing the issue so we can become better collaborators. Certainly not every component of your role requires multi-departmental committees, weekly check-ins, and shared calendars. But great opportunists (and effective professionals) can easily identify when the whole is better than the sum of its parts. In other words, it’s important to recognize when two (or more) heads are better than one.

Start by asking yourself where you may have opportunities for collaboration:

• What am I currently working on that might require the input of others?
• ?What projects might benefit from another perspective??
• Is there someone who could offer additional information that I don’t currently have, or bring different resources forward?
• Will I be able to get this done better/faster/cheaper if I bring in someone to help?
• Can someone else benefit from what I’m doing?

Then, ask yourself who should be at the table:

• Who might have an objective, goal, or mission that aligns with this project?
• Who has an expertise or a perspective that will be helpful here?
• Who can be a trusted “devil’s advocate” to ensure we don’t fall victim to groupthink?
• Is there someone with networks, resources, reach, or additional value that could benefit this project?
• Who would benefit from a seat at this table?
• Who can I empower with this opportunity?

Finally, you may have the best group sitting at the table, but unless you are able to facilitate collaboration, you may be wasting everyone’s time. Here are some things to consider:

• Have a plan. You don’t need to have everything worked out, but you do need to have a plan. What are your goals? What do you want this group to accomplish? Make it clear what you want each person to bring to the table. Set deadlines, have mechanisms in place to track progress, and practice accountability.
• Let go of the need to have 100% control over the project. What’s the point in developing a collaboration team if you refuse to allow their participation? You have to go into a collaboration with humility, knowing that you may not have the best ideas (and guess what- that’s okay!) The purpose of having other people at the table is to share ideas, share the work, and share the successes.
• Don’t be judgmental. Invite people to share their ideas in a non-judgmental environment. Sometimes the most brilliant ideas come from divergent, brainstorming processes that may seem a bit silly or out-there at first. People need to feel like their “big ideas” are accepted and welcomed, even if they aren’t adopted.
• Respect different perspectives and understand the value that diversity brings to a working group. If everyone feels respected, they will feel safe to contribute. Trust is essential for cohesive, effective collaboration.
• Invite and encourage everyone to contribute. You may notice some people are much more comfortable chiming in than others. Invite those who have been a little more reserved to contribute their thoughts for a balanced and representative discussion.
• Enable communication. Using collaboration technology and tools for communication can help teams stay in lock-step to support one another, avoid redundancies, share ideas and resources, and celebrate successes.
• Celebrate those successes- even the little ones. Highlighting accomplishments of any size provides recognition for each member of the group who played a role in achieving the milestone and keeps the group motivated and focused on their goal.

What projects have you successfully collaborated on recently and what have you learned in the process? Share your wisdom in the comments and let’s keep the discussion going!