5 Steps For Collaborating Successfully

Welcome to Mind Tools' video learning series.

Collaboration is essential for career and organizational success. But what exactly do we mean when we talk about collaboration?

We mean working with other people from other teams or departments, or even from other organizations, to accomplish a shared goal.

Collaboration isn't always easy. But when you do it successfully, it can have a huge payoff for both you and your organization.

For employees, collaboration can expose them to new skills, provide valuable networking opportunities, and boost their satisfaction and motivation.

While for organizations, collaboration is a great way to share knowledge and resources between teams. It can also help to generate innovative ideas and reduce staff turnover.

It can even benefit their bottom line – in fact, organizations that collaborate successfully have been shown to be more cost-effective and competitive.

Let's explore five steps for successful collaboration:

First, you need to define your purpose. Start your collaboration by identifying exactly what you want to achieve. This should give everyone involved a clear direction.

Next, decide what type of collaboration will be most suitable for you.

If it's a general problem you need to solve – for example, if you want to source ideas for a new product – then Open Collaboration will be the best fit. This involves inviting people from a wide range of backgrounds and job functions to contribute ideas and suggestions.

However, if you have a more specific objective, Closed Collaboration is more suitable. Here, the collaboration involves a limited number of people who can offer specialized knowledge.

Once you've set your goals, think about who is best placed to achieve them. Who has the right expertise and skills? What people will challenge assumptions? Who could contribute a different perspective?

Once you've chosen your collaborators, assign roles and responsibilities to each person, to keep everyone on track.

Not everyone will jump at the chance to collaborate. They may worry about the time and effort that it will eat up. So be sure to highlight its benefits to the people you approach.

Explain how it could benefit their career and the wider organization. For example, could it provide an opportunity to learn a new skill?

Finally, make sure your people have everything they need to collaborate successfully. Think about the practical things they'll need, such as spaces or areas that invite creativity and collaboration.

Encourage collaborative behavior by setting an example. Listen to others' ideas as well as offering up your own, and encourage people to give open, honest and constructive feedback.

Give everyone an equal chance to get involved. But, remember to stay focused on your end goals!

To learn more about collaboration, see the article that accompanies this video.