Collaboration – the missing ingredient to maximising potential!
Have you ever experienced a team that needs 5000 volts before they can be innovative? Or perhaps the enthusiasm isn’t exactly palpable when you suggest getting sales AND marketing teams to go and talk to each other. It would appear the joy of collaboration has yet to be experienced.
I’m a bit like a reformed smoker, once you have been part of a successful collaboration AND you know why it worked so well you cannot wait to tell everyone else about it and to repeat the success.
You have a bandwagon, and you want everyone to jump on!
That’s me! I’m annoying to the uninitiated, but once I have converted you there is no going back! I would go so far as to say it is a Damascus experience…. Ok maybe that is too far, but you get that I am passionate about it. ;-p
I’ve tried it, analysed it, experimented with it and unpacked what makes it work and not work and I’m a convert. I’ve thrown away the matches (still on the non-smoker analogy) and got my soapbox ready for anyone that will listen. Collaboration for me is now a whole new way to live, seriously, I cannot imagine going back to running my business solo. It’s too difficult! Obviously, we are dealing with human beings here, so there are no guarantees, but once people see the potential of a project well done, by a united and inspired team, you will be amazed at the quick turnaround in opinions.
Let me share a whistle-stop tour of setting up a collaborative team. Please understand that there is a whole book covering this, (Together we can Do Something Wonderful – published August 2021) and it is and always will be a work in progress – because of those pesky humans, but it’s a great starting place.
Things to consider:
- Time scale of project
- Required outcome
- Desired outcome
- Budget + contingency
- Team + outliers
- Any unusual considerations – eg Covid
If you are able to be flexible in all or any of the above you are setting your team up to create something that exceeds all expectations. What we need to establish is the level of personal development the team has experienced. If there are some in the team who have no concept of, for example, limiting beliefs, personal triggers, their giant ego or mysogynistic or racist attitudes then you have to start at the very beginning. Which is all good, any support in this area will only benefit the company.
Once this has been established, each has a set of tools to support them if, and more often, when potential disagreements occur and these will be kept to a minimum because of their new enlightened insights.
Set up the rules of the game
Having an attitude of gamification, even if it cannot always be carried out, is a useful side hustle for team dynamics. So having Rules of the Game sets a tone of fun and builds higher energy. In reality, you are simply laying your cards on the table as to how you want everyone to behave. Each member of the team can identify their stress points and personal triggers to the others and this level of honesty early on helps to develop trust that will be required throughout.
Collaborative profiles
Then helping the team to be responsible for one or more of the Collaborative Profiles. This is NOT a personality profile or communication profile, merely an acknowledgement of responsibilities that will occur during the collaboration and each person will be required to take on one or more of them – depending on the size of the team. Some people will be naturally disposed to one or more profiles, but that doesn’t mean they have to take those. They may wish to stretch themselves by taking on another role. Occasionally someone will be appointed a role, but this should be done as a last resort, much better to choose one than being given one.
The profiles are a visionary, catalyst, driver, financer, monitor, nurturer, sales, technician, strategist, technician, tweaker, finisher, and multiplier.
This is not an exhaustive list, but over the years these are the ones we have seen make a huge difference if someone takes on the responsibility for them.
Full explanations for each profile can be found in the book, but you can get the idea from their titles.
Behaviours required
Then an explanation of the behaviours required as set by the culture of the organisation, such as; integrity, respect, compassion. It is important to allow the team to add additional behaviours that they find important too such as listening – listen first and with attention and not the intent to reply or acknowledging others – for their contribution. As well as including behaviours around caring and kindness too.
Then the mindset of collaboration needs to be explored. What does it mean to be on this team? Do they want a spirit of adventure – let’s see where this avenue might take us? Or perhaps vulnerability? I would advocate for this mindset from a positive perspective, if people feel able to be vulnerable then honesty and trust become embedded. Also feeling vulnerable and knowing it is ok to speak out will create a culture within the team of trying out things because there will be no ridicule. Imagine offering a suggestion that is dismissed as ridiculous, tough to speak up next time. How difficult is it to be the new guy and not feel able to suggest something that might be amazing? We have to allow ourselves to be vulnerable but know that we will be heard. Plus, we all have bad days and we need to be able to acknowledge when we mess up – that takes courage, another great mindset to have.
So, a very brief walk through the world of collaboration.
Whether you are collaborating to get a Christmas dinner on the table or being part of a dynamic team collaborating with another organisation, both would do well to follow these simple setups. The more you do the faster they get. Even if only two of you know the purpose behind the questions it is still worth walking through the exercise between you.
Collaboration goes deep
The theory and philosophy of collaboration go deep. It can support you in a project of 3 people, it can transform relationships in a family and can be scaled up for corporate transformation. It creates all of the fundamental needs of a growing organisation and develops individuals to succeed at any level. From the personal, through to business organisations and ultimately how we see our personal world can all be transformed with true human, heart-led collaboration.
It is what we were made for.
It is how we make our world a better place.
It is what can make your world a brighter space.
Maybe it is time to jump in and see where it might take you?
And I am always happy to help you get started.
Gill Tiney is the Founder of Collaboration Global and is known for creating networks and communities using her unique style of coaching and communication skills to help people come together to achieve outstanding results.
Having been in business for over 30 years she has experienced both bust and boom and knows from personal experience that we create our future. Part of her success stems from creating the right team around her, ensuring that anything is possible.
As an author and speaker, she has travelled the world sharing her philosophies and is passionate about making sure we give our next generation every opportunity to excel and be prepared for the changing world before them. Her mission is to teach the world to collaborate! Check out her podcasts, Being Human Hidden Depths and her latest Collaboration Global Quest publications.
