Don’t Collaborate?
Most organizations bow down to the value of collaboration. Today, I’m shooting the sacred cow. Collaboration isn’t always useful or necessary. Furthermore, collaboration can be cumbersome and ineffective.
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Collaboration is useful when you are:
#1. Dealing with complex issues
#2. Leveraging diversity
#3. Inviting others to buy-in
#4. Dealing with strategic issues
#5. Solving long-term challenges or finding long-term solutions
Collaboration isn’t useful when you are:
#1. Under time constraints
#2. Dealing with issues irrelevant to others
#3. Working with those who don’t have good communication or collaboration skills
#4. Experiencing conflict rooted in divergent values
Collaboration and divergent values:
Conflict rooted in divergent values is a deadly roadblock to creating collaborative environments.
For example, when leadership says our organization values team-work while at the same time rewards and honor are focused on individuals, values are colliding. The mouth says one thing while the pocketbook says another. In this situation, some employees are paralyzed while others embrace the inconsistency and win.
If you’re facing conflict because of clashing value-systems the answer is at the top. Collaboration won’t help you, it only makes matters worse. The only thing that helps is the person/s at the top establishing, exemplifying, and expecting everyone to embrace, core organizational values.
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Take your pick – some questions:
What makes collaboration fail?
What makes collaboration succeed?
What are important collaboration skills?
Is collaboration over-valued in the business world?
Good morning Dan,
Collaboration, like any other people skill, has value. It loses its value when organizations or individuals think of it as a panacea or define it as all or nothing.
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Step 1: Listening/hearing others – The beginning of success and in some situations the step needed for non complex issues. Still it is a form of collaboration.
Step 2: Asking qualifying questions to work through differences
Step 3: More formal collaboration schemes depending on the complexity of the challenge
What kills the success? Confusion from leadership and rogue employees whom leadership allow to do the opposite of the stated values, mission, and goals. Also, a culture of blame! Who is going to speak up when leadership always looks for someone to “shoot” when things going wrong.
What enhances it? A vibrant org. culture of idea exchange, learning, and innovation.
Kate
Kate,
Thank you for sharing your insights.
I enjoy your whole comment. Your suggestions re: what kills collaboration stand out to me. You packed loads of value into a few sentences. Your ideas are easy to say and read but challenging to implement.
As always, you have my respect.
Dan
I’m thankful that Kate regularly stops into Leadership Freak to share her insights. She’s a generous and helpful friend. Her website: http://katenasser.com/
Collaboration works until you go beyond the bounds of human connection. Organizations can’t collaborate – People can.
I remember in many organizations creating personal connections with others who ‘get it’. I start by offering to help them and they often reciprocate.
As long as our values are to help each other succeed (or solve problems) then it doesn’t matter if the organization speaks from both sides of it’s mouth, we’ll still get stuff done that needs done.
It’s why I’ve decided to create Linchpin groups inside organizations. Based off of Seth Godin’s book “Linchpin” it’s a group of people organzied to get things done. Two simple rules for the group “1. No agenda and 2. no donuts” No agenda because we don’t need one and don’t meet long enough, No donuts because it attracts the wrong crowd.
Linchpins already collaborate – now we just need to get them collaborating together to solve organization-wide problems.
I can’t wait to see how the LF community collaborates to put together a set of answers to these questions. 🙂
What first comes to mind is that the collaboration has to be genuine collaboration. We have all been in situations where leadership knows that end result they want, and “collaboration” is encouraged even though some possible outcomes of the collaboration will never, ever be supported by leadership. Collaboration for the sake of saying people collaborated as opposed to collaboration as a route to an outcome that many parties feel invested in.
I think an easy trap to fall into when collaborating is similar to one faced when brainstorming – collaborators begin addressing solutions before fulling vetting out the scope of the issue/problem that is being collaborated about. Perhaps a good collaboration (for something big) has to be planned to that there are several sessions with processing time in between.
I don’t know that collaboration is over-valued. I think there are actually times when directive leadership is under-valued. Times when a group goes down the collaboration road when what is really needed it someone to take the reins, despite differing opinions and motives.
Paula,
I once had a person tell me that they never went into a meeting without knowing the outcome. Well, that person sure made me feel like a valued contributor. NOT!
Everyone knows when leadership has an agenda. In those cases, most simply say what is expected of them and then everyone goes back to work frustrated with another wasted meeting.
I can see where collaboration is hindered when solution finders jump in before problem definers are done. Great point.
I’m always glad to see you.
Dan
I’m thankful Paula regularly stops into Leadership Freak. I value her insights and perspective. Her website: http://www.waytenmom.blogspot.com/
Interesting discussion Dan. Should collaboration be an organizational core value? Personally, I do not see it that way.
Collaboration is simply the result you get when you collaborate – i.e. work together to get something done. Must organizations collaborate? Of course. That is the definition of an organization – people working together. How well they do so affects the outcome of what they are working towards.
As you, Kate and, Allan shared in your comments, the ability to collaborate can be affected by many different factors and many do tie back to our core values. Not all collaborations are good things. Since the beginning of time people have worked together to achieve great goals and in some cases horrific ones. Core Values are those that define an organization and its mission. They shape HOW we collaborate, communicate, innovate, etc. More importantly, they shape WHY we do.
Joan,
Great comment. You remind me of something Mark Friedman noted, behaviors/skills aren’t core values. That’s such an important because values are expressed in behaviors.
On the flip side, values can be discerned through behaviors as well.
I’m always glad to read your insights,
All the best,
Dan
Another time that collaboration is not useful, related to time constraints, would be any high risk event…can’t really see a surgeon on the battlefield say he would like a second opinion and collaborate on the seriously wounded before he begins.
What makes collaboration fail?
Overt or covert negative intent. Seeking to get 100% consensus when it is not needed. Meetings without outcomes. When there is no clear focus, little to no alignment with VMV. When there is great energy placed in planning/brainstorming and limited energy in what is often the more challenging follow-up of doing and action (checking is in there too). The resource allocation needs to be balanced. Its way more fun to brainstorm that actually do the work.
What makes collaboration succeed?
Positive intent, focus, directed outcomes and action aligned with VMV, champion cadres, sequenced experimental steps that provide lessons learned and ongoing mid-stream adjustments as an expectation. The full circle approach where all stakeholders have varying degrees of involvement and feedback on progress which maintains engagement. Is it that collaborations succeed when they are aligned with a greater good beyond the organization?
What are important collaboration skills?
Early…listen, listen, listen and ensure alignment. Later…the ability to translate ideas into action and have all parties involved/invested at varying levels. And again the action plan resonates something specific to each that is consistent and of value.
Is collaboration over-valued in the business world?
True collaboration, probably not. Illusion of collaboration (illusion of input) definitely so. A good example of the later might be employee surveys that are conducted every year without follow-up or connection to positive change.
Props to Kate’s ‘rogue employees’…can be either positively or negatively intentioned, both are drains on resources if not done in a planful manner.
Hi Dan, to me the key ingredient in collaboration is simply put the collaborators themselves. I know it sounds counterintuitive but my gosh how often do we waste valuable time and energy trying to cooperate to reach some form of consensus when we know that we are dealing with have been called the “cave dwellers.” (Continually against virtually everything) Every organization has their fair share of these folks; The trick is trying to identify them and their cousins the “Waymish” people. ( why are you making it so hard) These individuals can literally drain an organization and hamper collaboration. We are always trying to ID these non-engaged staff members so we can “show” them the door. Once we factor these folks out collaboration can commence and regardless of the outcome there is some form of success or for sure learning takes place which can be used door the next round of discussions. Question for the LF community: how often have you all come up against these obstacles? Thanks, Al
Dear Dan,
Your collaborative discussion reminds me the last French presidential elections case. I think this is answering more or less 2 of your questions:
– What makes collaboration fail?
– What makes collaboration succeed?
Madam Royal -you can’t invent such a name- wanted to become the next French president. Had she a real program, ideas? Well, she found that might be interesting to … basically ask people what they want and what they think that should be done, changed, how… She called this participative democracy. I like the words : “participative” and “democracy”. Sounds pretty much like : everybody can have an idea and express it. So through her website people could expressed themselves and her program could become the real vox populi (people’s voice). Nice idea.
Did she won the election? humm… well, if she … the French president would not be Sarkozy.
The real point of all this is : ” You position yourself as a leader. You want to become a country leader. Ok. So what do you propose? What did think about? Oh… You got no clues. You ask people around if they got ideas. But when are you going to start to think? ” Yes – and hopefully I want to say- she lost the election. From a leader or potential leader, people expect a clear vision of the future. How things should look like and being managed. The vox populi brainstorming was actually a good idea. But people felt that nothing came up from this. So, people think “is that the way she waste all the energy, the dash of people? So, for the future for any question she’ll ask everybody during 6 months or more?…” So people did not believe she can make a good leader, she can really bring something to the country.
Collaborations can bog down any project if you’re aren’t careful. Decisions by committee usually take more time and energy than the execute of any directive will likely take.
Integral to the process is the team of course. As you mentioned you’re only as strong as your weakest link. Also every collaboration needs leadership and direction otherwise it is rudderless. Collaboration for an objective that is defined and clear. Open up the possibilities of achieving them in new ways, but if efficiency is the name of the game.. Lead, let others follow.
Elliot,
Thanks for your great comment. You are on the money. Poorly executed collaborations bog down any project.
You’re making me think about a strategy I use in meetings. Don’t try to find perfect solutions and limit the time allotted for discussion.
I’m delighted you stopped in,
Dan
Dan!
Great insight!
I agree with you – there is a time and place for collaboration. Collaboration works when the leader can identify the participants unique strengths and each person can play to those strengths together as a unit. Usually the people collaborating spread the workload and people get stuck doing tasks they are not gifted in. That can diminish time, money and morale.
Thx for sharing Dan!
Ryan,
Love how you bring the human resource dimension to this discussion. Those committed to collaboration will do well to consider the strengths and weaknesses of all the participants.
Nicely said,
Dan
Dear Dan,
Collaboration failure is leadership failure. It is the leadership belief that makes complex issue easy and easy issue complex. Authentic leaders make everything possible and leaders with masks may succeed in short run but fail in longer run and also fail to create value on which organisation structure stands. Leadership value based on common good make collaboration to succeed and value based on self centered belief fail. The important collaboration skills are- Empathy, integrity and accountability. Any one can influence others, So all values together make multiplier positive impact on collaboration.
I do agree that most of the organisation over-value collaboration n the business world. They do it so protect their real identity and to look different to create positive image. But, they fail in long run. Recent failures are the example of putting mask over reality. So, leadership accountability, cultural trust and structural stability can create sustainable and long lasting vaule.
Dear Ajay,
I couldn’t agree more with the idea that successful or unsuccessful collaboration ultimately falls on leaders. Leaders may use collaboration as a cover for manipulation. On the other hand, as you suggest, they are honest and accountable. This helps build a collaborative environment.
Success to you and your students,
Dan
I’m thankful that Ajay regularly stops in to share his insights and perspective. His bio http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/ajay-gupt
Hi Dan,
Checking back in here during a short break …
As I read the other comments, something came to me. The purest value of collaboration is the perspectives gained from other people. It can prevent a disaster or breed great success. Yet as many point out, there are downsides to it.
What if organizations as a whole didn’t try to push full collaboration as a standard approach and INSTEAD simply tap for “ideas” at each point. Those assigned to the goal/task at hand could consider the ideas without having to be mired in “decision by committee”?
Kate
Kate,
I think one of the most effective and efficient decision making models is the one you suggest. The team doesn’t decide, a responsible individual does. The “team” offers suggestions, input, insights, alternatives, threats, consequences, etc., and then one person makes the decision.
Thanks for stopping in again. I think this topic is worthy of careful consideration.
Best to you,
Dan
Just to milk the sacred cow analogy a little more :), I want to comment on the idea (#3) that collaboration isn’t useful when people don’t have good communication and collaboration skills. It seems to me that endorsing these core competencies through teaching, training, coaching, engaging people to learn through modeling etc. works to enhance these skills and their importance.
I’m not saying collaboration is the only way here as I agree with many comments about when it may not work. At its best though, we know that collaboration serves to give staff a voice and autonomy and connectedness. So rather than concluding that collaboration isn’t workable when people don’t have these skills, I am inclined to suggest that the starting point is to enable staff to learn how to collaborate and when collaboration works and when it doesn’t.
Cinnie,
Love the humor! 🙂
Very encouraging and positive comment. I see why you are The Conflict Coach.
I agree with you, just because others are good at collaboration doesn’t mean we should throw the baby out with the bath water.
Best Regards,
Dan
Why do you think collaboration isnt usefull under time constraints ?
Kiran,
Thanks for reading this post and touching base with your question.
In my opinion, in short time constraints when decisions must be made, collaboration may take too long.
Thanks for asking,
Dan
All true, Dan. Picking up on a discussion from Kate Nasser’s blog and a recent post of mine, another case is where a team really isn’t (and shouldn’t be) a “team.” When an individual can complete a deliverable by themselves, as in the case of many salespeople, accountants, etc., forced collaboration can harm productivity and morale. If what the scientists call a “work group” of individual contributors is functioning well, by all means encourage the sharing of best practices, but that’s as far as collaboration needs to go.
Jim,
Thanks for your comment. Your suggestions regarding those who don’t need a team are well taken.
Thank you for sharing your insights.
Have a great weekend,
Dan