Developing Collaboration: Some Ideas To Consider
Lately, at Syndicom HQ, we’ve been following an article about developing and enabling collaborative strategies at organizations. You might say that we read all that we can on collaboration; remembering always that it is a learned skill. The piece, by Dr. Carol Kinsey Goman, highlights the many strategies a company might deploy to gain and win from collaboration. What’s more, she writes from an A – Z perspective; meaning, she’s covering everything “A – Z”…
Some of her ideas, beginning with “A”:
A. Find ways to ACKNOWLEDGE collaborative contributors. Recognize and promote people who learn, teach and share. And penalize those who do not. In all best-practices companies, those hoarding knowledge and failing to build on ideas of others face visible and serious career consequences. In those top companies, employees who share knowledge, teach, mentor, and work across departmental boundaries are recognized and rewarded.
C. Focus on the CUSTOMER. Nothing is more important in an organization – whether it’s a for-profit company or a non-profit group – than staying close to the end user of the service or product you offer. When you build collaborative relationships with your customers, you give them power and co-ownership of your organization’s success.
E. ELIMINATE the barriers to a free flow of ideas. Everyone has knowledge that is important to someone else, and you never know whose input is going to become an essential part of the solution. When insights and opinions are ridiculed, criticized or ignored, people feel threatened and “punished” for contributing. They typically react by withdrawing from the conversation. Conversely, when people are free to ask “dumb” questions, challenge the status quo, and offer novel–even bizarre–suggestions, then sharing knowledge becomes a collaborative process of blending diverse opinion, expertise and perspectives.
Some interesting views and ideas on collaboration, and there’s more…
I. Focus on INNOVATION. Creativity is triggered by a cross-pollination of ideas. It is in the combination and collision of ideas that creative breakthroughs most often occur. When an organization focuses on innovation, it does so by bringing together people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise – breaking down barriers and silos in the process.
J. JOIN the social media revolution and utilize Web 2.0 technologies – tools and processes that allow people to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives in order to collaborate and to self organize.
I thought the last one had real relevance to an article I read in Time Magazine about the changing nature of WORK… In the article they talk about cloud computing, knowledge management, human resources, life experience and using technology to connect people: remote or “in office”…
How is collaboraiton changing the nature of your work experience?
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