Introduction
Fostering collaboration in the workplace is something every leader should be doing. It can be more of an art than steps or a science to make it happen. However, there are tools that can help. We will take a look at some of those in detail. From a holistic perspective leaders create a safe space and help to create a culture by their words and actions that value collaboration. This must be honored and rewarded for it to prevail.
Understanding Collaboration in the Workplace
Definition of Collaboration
Let’s first define exactly what collaboration means, “the process of two or more individuals or organizations working together to achieve a shared goal, leveraging collective knowledge, skills, and resources to produce superior outcomes.
Importance of Collaboration
The importance of collaboration is vast as you can imagine. Some by-products of collaboration done well are enhanced collaboration, greater innovation, improved efficiency.
The foundation of collaboration is trust, open communication, and shared goals and outcomes.
Essential Tools for Effective Team Collaboration
- Communication Platforms
- Project Management Software
- Document Sharing Solutions
- Virtual Collaboration Tools
Essential tools for effective team collaboration starts with having a communication platform that works for you and your team. It should be something that everyone agrees to use and they also understand the importance of this central communication and collaboration tool. Many attempts at collaboration have failed when teams fail to have a platform that is user-friendly, or that participants haven’t been trained on.
Training on the technical aspects is vital, but it’s also important to have the training on why this is valued as part of the company culture as a whole. You cannot have rogue agents (team members) who just decide not to use these tools for whatever reason. You must have buy-in from the team and for them to grasp the importance of this communication platform. The same can be said with project management software, document sharing solutions, and virtual collaboration tools.
When possible it’s great to allow the team to see some of these platforms and integrations so they can make recommendations on what they prefer. The end result needs to be that everyone on the team buys in and is committed to use the team tools and collaboration methods or they will fail and processes and production suffer. This can be part of the non-negotiables.
If you are part of the team then these are the tools we use and embrace. Sometimes it takes patience on the leader to train people well or get people who can help implement the systems and help people who may be technologically adverse to things. One thing is for sure, everyone must participate in collaboration on things to be effective. That brings us to the next topic within collaboration and that is having the strategies to promote collaboration in the workplace. Before any of these platforms or technology can be implemented you must have the ground work laid.
Best Practices for Using Collaboration Tools
- Regular Training Sessions
- Encourage Feedback on Tools
- Adapt Tools to Team Needs
For the collaboration tools to work as we mentioned above you must have regular training sessions. There is nothing worse than a company rollout of a new platform that says, “Here is the new system, now figure it out.” A company should make sure any new rollout includes training available for at least the first 90-days and preferably that training is on-going. It should also include advanced training and learning for those who want to take the systems and run with it. Everyone should be expected to achieve the basic core components of the systems to be able to effectively collaborate to uphold the company culture.
It’s good to allow the team to give feedback on tools. This is collaboration at its best and it helps the company to improve. Team members should share what is going well and what they love with the collaboration tools as well as the issues that come up or suggestions for tweaks to make things better. When feedback is given the leadership should be responsive to make sure the tools can be adapted to what the team needs and is asking for as much as possible. This builds trust and encourages feedback and collaboration because the team sees their input matters and it drives change. This is the heart of collaboration.
Also, when possible bringing some different platforms for input and idea when considering a new platform or migration of key systems. Think of how someone might feel or the impact to the team if a leader comes and tells key personnel,”This is the system you will be using.” A top-down approach rarely works and there will be push back. Of course, the leaders can coerce people to use what they have chosen, but how much better would the process work if those who will be using the tools are asked to give feedback and for the leaders to share why they are considering certain tools or platforms. When an organization slows down, gathers feedback, and listens to its people and invites true collaboration it can save time, money and resources. There is nothing worse than a failed tool or platform that could have been avoided had the proper personnel been brought into collaborative conversations.
Measuring the Success of Collaboration Tools
Key Metrics to Track
Gathering Employee Feedback
If you are looking to see the success of collaboration tools the organization should come up with some key metrics that will be tracked and measured. This is of course best done with the team’s collaboration and insights. What makes the most sense to measure? What will help drive outcomes and impact and how will the organization know they are winning? Share this with everyone and gather continuous improvement data by getting regular employee feedback.
When organizations and leaders treat their team as part of the solution and as true collaborators in the many processes, adoptions of new tools, etc. great things happen. True collaboration cannot be forced or made to happen. It’s done by valuing your people, their feedback, and by creating a culture where this is encouraged and celebrated at every level, including with these types of decisions. It’s also important to note this isn’t necessarily a democratic process where just the team decides or the majority vote wins, but rather where everyone is heard. That means leadership may need to veer in a different direction because of pricing, circumstances, or terms, but they will share this with the team and let them know their ideas and thoughts are valued and they will champion what is most important to them in the best way they can.
An example might be where an organization wants to go with the best platform everyone loves, but it is cost prohibitive. It might require choosing the second or third pick on the list, but still letting the team know key things that matter to them will be worked into systems and processes where it can be. The most important thing is to keep clear and consistent messaging with the team and why things were chosen or why things had to be done or not done. Many times hurt feelings or offense can be negated by letting people know the “why,” behind decisions. This is at the heart of collaboration. It may not always be “kumbaya,” but people know they are valued for their contributions and input.
Strategies to Promote Collaboration in the Workplace
- Establish Clear Goals
- Foster a Collaborative Work Environment
- Encourage Open Communication
- Build Trust Among Team Members
The groundwork for promoting collaboration in the workplace starts with your culture and establishing clear goals for why collaboration is important and how the tools you choose to integrate with your people will help achieve that. Most people can buy in if they see how this helps them or the company to achieve significant goals.
Part of culture is where leadership fosters and celebrates a collaborative work environment. A lot of that can happen by encouraging team members to share ideas, and to openly communicate with team members and leadership. Having an environment where people learn from mistakes and are encouraged to take risks is a key part of this.
If people know the organization and their team supports them they are more likely to share ideas and thoughts. They can know if something is not effective it won’t cost them their reputation or their job, but rather it’s all part of the collaborative learning environment. These things help to build trust among team members.
When a team celebrates wins and each other’s contributions it builds collaboration because they don’t feel like they have to compete, but rather complete one another. The goal is for the team to win and for the organization to do well versus one person to have to compete to shine. While there can be individual recognition and celebration, people learn to also celebrate those who helped them and the team as a whole who helped bring big things and projects to completion.
This doesn’t just happen without intentional leaders who speak and model what is important. Truly it is built into the culture and that culture only works if the leaders do it, speak it, live it, and truly build on it each and every day. Consistency is key.
Conclusion
In conclusion, collaboration takes consistency and commitment in your culture if it is to be championed. Choosing the proper tools and platforms with your people is preferable versus making top-down decisions. At the end of the day you are creating culture with how you act, behave, and model what is important each and every day. Just as leadership doesn’t develop in a day, the same is true with collaboration. This takes time and it is built on trust and respect.