Unlock Collaboration With 3 Subtle Shifts
Last week, I ran a private workshop with a leadership team that wanted to increase collaboration on their team.
The team worked well together, but like so many others with busy schedules, they found themselves juggling competing priorities, working in silos, struggling to make decisions, and accidentally excluding key stakeholders.
Sound familiar?
I see this all the time when working with leadership teams.
The modern workplace is a breeding ground for what Dan Sullivan calls rugged individualists. Despite the call for collaboration at almost every organization known to man, people struggle to follow through and work collaboratively.
It turns out that pursuing collaboration can feel like building a fire in the rain. Everyone wants a fire’s warmth and light, but few realize that creating and sustaining a fire requires the right conditions, careful attention, and continuous effort.
A Case for Collaboration
I don’t think I need to make a compelling case for collaboration, but if you’ve been living in a cave for the last 25 years, here are a few reasons you might want to change your tune.
Small problems can have significant consequences, and we need to connect with the collective intelligence of our teams to solve complex problems.
As expectations rise and workloads increase, leaders need team members to take ownership and hold themselves accountable to high work and performance standards.
Trust and teamwork are essential in the modern workplace, and success often relies on a group of people working collaboratively toward a common goal.
Organizations must innovate and leaders must create an environment where the best ideas rise to the surface efficiently. If they don’t, they will succumb to their blind spots and risk missing critical opportunities for growth and improvement.
Decisions can make or break a business. Collaboration helps leaders make better and more timely decisions considering different perspectives and biases.
How to Increase Collaboration
Increasing collaboration begins with you. If you want to build a more collaborative work environment, look at how you show up and make sure you model collaborative behavior.
Here are three subtle shifts a leader can make to foster collaboration:
Shift from Speaking First to Listening First - I find that many leaders believe that leadership is all about taking the lead and that speaking first is an act of leadership. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of immediately offering your thoughts or solutions in a meeting, take a step back and listen to others first. When you listen first you model collaborative behavior and show that you are open to different views and perspectives. You also create a more inclusive environment where people feel heard and are more likely to contribute.
Shift from Giving Answers to Asking Questions - This goes hand in hand with the last suggestion. We need to exercise restraint when problems or questions arise. The leader doesn’t have to be the only one giving answers and solving problems. Leaders should build a team of experts who can solve problems collaboratively. Next time you find yourself in a situation where you want to solve a problem for the team, ask open-ended questions like, “How do you think we should approach this?” or “What alternatives haven’t we explored yet?” This subtle shift encourages team members to think critically and take ownership. It also fosters collaboration by drawing out diverse perspectives and creative ideas.
Shift from Email to Face-to-Face (or Video) Conversations - Email is great for coordination and documentation but stifles collaboration. When we over-rely on email, we reduce the contextual element and turn the dial down on nuance. We also create a sense of false precision where the words we write are assumed to convey what we mean perfectly. However, when we say something in an email and assume that everyone gets what we intended and do so with a tone or expectation that the gospel has been written, we risk shutting down collaboration. Instead, we must stop hiding behind our screens and get face-to-face with the people we work with.
Conclusion
If you want to enhance collaboration in your organization, start small.
Pick one subtle shift to implement and practice it for a couple of weeks before moving on to the next.
And remember that you are constantly setting the tone for collaboration.
If you fail to model the way, others will revert to working in silos, and you’ll struggle to reach your goals.
That’s all for this week.
Now, it’s time to identify the best subtle shift for you.
P.S. When you’re ready to dive deeper into strategies to build a collaborative team, book a private workshop. I offer half-day, full-day, or multi-day programs to help you unlock the full potential of your leadership team, break down silos, and foster a culture of trust and innovation. Together, we’ll dive into practical techniques tailored to your organization’s unique challenges so your team can collaborate more effectively, make better decisions, and drive lasting results. Let’s create a roadmap for stronger teamwork and sustained success—schedule your workshop today!
