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Collaboration

What do we mean by collaboration?– Shared or common goals?

What is the difference? By shared generally it is meant that everyone shares in

the same success or failure. Everyone in a race has a common goal, but there are

winners and losers.

– Collaboration makes effective use of time, talent and tools.

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Ownership

Collaboration means a level of joint ownership for success or failure.

This is true when developing code, collaborating on a presentation or providing feedback.

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The Objective of Collaboration

Provide multiple inputs to the final product. Benefit from multiple viewpoints. Provide support for weak points

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The Myth of the Cowboy

I can do it myself. I can do it better Great products have been done by

individuals.

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The Myth of the Cowboy

Most products are to complex to be done alone.

Even the best writers have independent editors.

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Elements of Collaboration

Trust Fear or distrust among collaborators leads to

withholding information. Distrust leads to the fear that some else will

take credit.

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Elements of Collaboration

Sharing– Ideas need to flow between individuals.– By sharing collective creation is improved.

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Elements of Collaboration

Goals– There are different levels of goals

Corporate Project Personal

– Shared goals aligns everyone in the same direction.

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Elements of Collaboration

Innovation– Why collaborate if you are only maintaining the

status quo?– Collaboration stimulates new ideas.– Collaboration encourages diverse ideas.

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Elements of Collaboration

Environment– A free flowing environment allows the free flow of

ideas.– The environment needs to allow the informal

exchange of ideas.– The challenge is to create this environment for

virtual teams.

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Elements of Collaboration

Collaborative chaos– Collaborative chaos is the unstructured exchange

of ideas.– Order creates predictable results.– Many of the greatest ideas are accidents.

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Elements of Collaboration

Constructive confrontation– There will be strong opinions.– There is a need to avoid group think.

Confrontation must neither be emotional or personal– Keep conflicts objective and focused on the task

at hand.

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Elements of Collaboration

Communication– Open communication is the key to collaboration.– Can there be collaboration without

communication.– Team members should feel comfortable engaging

one another.

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Elements of Collaboration

Community– The fundamental question is, are there shared

interests and goals?– If there is no community then how can there be

collaboration.

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Elements of Collaboration

Value– The overriding objective is to create value through

collaboration.

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Attributes of Collaboration

Frequent interaction– For collaboration to be effective interaction must

happen when needed.– Delay lets hot ideas cool down.

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Attributes of Collaboration

Power spread among the team– True collaboration does not happen if there is a

single decision maker.– Everyone on the team must feel as if they have a

voice in the decision process.

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Attributes of Collaboration

People are accessible– Limiting the channels of communication limits the

flow of ideas.– This limits the opportunities for collaboration.

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Attributes of Collaboration

Reduce the fear of failure– Fear of failure makes people defensive.– Fear of failure makes people hold on to positions.– Fear of failure makes people protective of the

their ideas.

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Attributes of Collaboration

Broad input into decisions– When people believe their opinion counts they are

more open to offering their opinion.

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Attributes of Collaboration

Unscheduled and less structured interactions– Scheduled interactions tend to limit creativity.– Collaboration needs to be spontaneous.

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Collaboration in Writing

Listen effectively Communicate Diplomatically Everyone pulls their own weight

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Listen Effectively

Pay attention to the speaker. Listen for the main ideas. Don’t get emotionally involved with the

speaker’s ideas. Ask questions to clarify what the speaker

said. Provide appropriate feedback.

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Communication Diplomatically

Listen without interrupting. Give everyone a chance to speak. Avoid personal remarks. Don’t overstate your position.

– If you overstate your position it makes it harder to change your position.

Don’t get attached to your own ideas.

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Communication Diplomatically

Ask pertinent questions. Pay attention to nonverbal communications.