The collaboration trap Why we assume teams like working together

The collaboration trap Why we assume teams like working togetherThe collaboration trap Why we assume teams like working togetherIt takes both sides to build a bridge.? FredrikNaelCollaboration is critical to thriving in an ever-changing environment it helps organizations solve complex problems in less time by bringing together various experts, accelerating go-to-market time, and responding mora rapidly to fast-changing environments.Failing to practice collaboration can put yur organization behind your competition in a fast-paced 21st century.Researchshows that 81 % of people believe that collaboration is critical and 71% think their managers are making it a priority.So, why do so many companies still fail to collaborate?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraSenior executives have an unrealistic vision of collaboration. They assume their direct reports are aligned with the strategic vi sion. Or have an idealized conflict-free image of what a highly collaborative team should look like. Pushing people to work together doesnt work.True collaboration canbedrngnis be imposed it happens from within.Thats the first thing I tell my clients. CEOs are frustrated with how their teams collaborate, but their approach is bedrngnis helping it actually backfires. They assume collaboration is a given. fruchtwein executives believe thatbuilding a high-performing teamrequires picking all-star people and let them figure things out.Research by Heidi Gardner, author ofSmart Collaboration,demonstrated that merely putting a team of experts or specialists on the same project is elend enough leaders must create the right conditions.A survey by Harvard Business Review cites no surprise that organizational silos are the key obstacle for lack of collaboration. However, those silos are not physical barriers but driven by peoples mindset and behavior. The culture, leadership, fear of control, a nd lack of time inhibit successful collaboration.Collaboration is a byproduct of culture it requires the right conditions, mindset, and tools.Heres how to avoid falling into the ten most frequent collaboration traps.1. Avoid the Collaboration BurnoutAlways-on cultures, demanding bosses, collaborating with a decentralized workforce spread across different time zones, and inefficient use of technology are draining people.Tech tools like collaborationplatforms have increased team communication and productivity. But overuse and inefficient practices create a collaboration overload.Also, newresearchhas uncovered another reason much collaborative overload is driven by peoples desire to maintain a reputation as helpful by trying to over-collaborate, they find themselves at a breaking point.When clients hire me to help their teams adopt new behaviors, the first I tell them is, What are you going to get rid of? New practices should replace old ones, not add more burden to your team.Thecollab oration abgeschlagenheitdrains teams. People are busy jumping from one thing to another at the expense of having less time for deep work, effective decision making, and to build strong relationships with other team members.Your team doesnt have an infinite capacity collaboration is time and energy consuming. If you ask people to engage in a new collaborative project, give them space toget rid of other tasks.2. Stop Idealizing CollaborationMany people naively see collaboration as a friendly approach style in which relationships matter more than the task at hand. Cooperation is not about consensus or getting along with others though those are nice-to-have.Effective collaboration should focus on the outcome, not on making friends. Tensions keep your team at theirtop of the game. Constructive conflict-management requires integrating opposing ideas and personalities, not to neutralize differences.Collaboration is a means to an end what the team delivers matters more than how they work. S ome groups are very friendly but are not effective.Also, avoid portraying collaboration as a magical solution for all organizational problems. The more manager focus on selling the upside, people focus on what they might lose people see things from their own reality, not yours.Collaboration is uncomfortable, more times than not. People must get used to working with people outside their team, to interact with folks they might not like or that work in other locations with the addition of time zones, technology, and language barriers.Portray collaboration in a more realistic, human way idealizing it will only backfire.3. Collaboration Is a Byproduct ofCultureKicking off a new team requires to build trust and understanding. People will resist, conflicts will arise theemotional culturealways gets in the way. It cannot be suppressed.Leaders must work to build a culture for collaboration they must provide a safe space.As Jacob Morgan, head ofThe Future Organization,said, Collaboration can only exist in an environment where people feel safe. If you dont have an organization where people feel the ability to be vulnerable, to be empathetic, to be themselves, then you are not going to have collaboration.Power is also a cultural thing that needs tobe addressed openly. When leaders dont want to give up their power, you cant expect the regular folks to give up theirs. People need to be clear about the rules of engagement and how the team will make decisions.Wise leaders are generous they enable people to do great things, rather than provide the solution themselves great CEOs act like a coach more than a general.To develop a collaborative mindset requires training people to open up about their fears, resistance, and objections. That requires ongoing conversations, not just a one-off meeting.4. Dont Take Alignment forGrantedVisionary leadership can blind executive they are so excited about their vision and assume everyone is on board.As thisHBR pieceexplains, the emphasis on visionary leadership relies on the assumption that managers outside the C-suite arealwaysaligned with corporate strategy. But, what if they arenot?Middle managers play a key role in change initiatives they are tasked to align their teams around a new strategy. CEOs take for granted that, because of their positions, middle managers are convinced about the new direction by default.Driving alignment is not about persuasion but an act of co-creation. Rather than selling your perfect vision, involve your middle managers at an early stage. Allow them, not only to provide feedback but also to share ideas and shape your vision.The meeting where the C-suite reveals their visionary approach and the rest have to buy into it are gone if that approach ever worked. Collaboration cannot be imposed it happens from within its a personal choice.Your team must be involved in not only driving but also designing change. Collaboration is not about selling something thats already been baked but inviting t hem to cook it as well.5. Groups Dont Want to Sacrifice theirIdentityIn mandating and driving collaboration initiatives, leaders tend to focus on outcomes, processes, and logistic. However, they forget to consider how the groups interpret that request Lisa Kwan calls this thecollaboration blind spot.Each team has a culture of its own. When managers ask them to break down barriers, share information or resources, people feel threatened they worry about how this might affect their identity.As the executive coach explains, groups define and develop their sense of security along three main dimensions identity, legitimacy, and control.Group identityis what a group understands itself to be its purpose.Group legitimacymeans that a team is perceived as valuable outsiders value its contribution.Controlimplies that the group determines how it operates and implements change.Respect each groups identity. Not doing so can make people retreat into themselves and assume a defensive posture they wi ll become siloed instead of collaborative.To engage in effective cross-group collaboration, teams might feel safe and protected. Its better to start small than to expect groups to share all their secrets and resources instantly.6. Collaboration Must Be Purpose-DrivenOne of the reasons cross-team collaboration fail is that its not perceived as meaningful. Most leaders focus on the goals and why an initiative makes sense from an organizational and business standpoint but fail to connect it with something deeper.A team purpose is always more meaningful and relevant than a corporate one. When launching a new initiative, leaders must address the Whats in it for me?A collaboration purpose answers the Why are we supposed to work together? question. Not just what the team must achieve by working together the deliverables but the impact their work will create both on them and the organization.Our values and beliefs are supposed to bring us together, yet tear us apart, asI wrote here. Leaders must create a common ground. Focusing on a shared purpose will drive the team toward what everyone is trying to achieve collectively.Involve the different groups and let them craft the collaboration purpose. Also, they should define expectations, rules of engagement, and how each side will contribute.Team rituals are an effective wayto design and sto off a cross-functional team.Collaboration doesnt mean erasing sides but integrating them.7. Reward the Team, Not IndividualsConflicting rules send conflicting messages.Though most organizations encourage collaboration a collective practice their reward system is based on individual or specific performance. How can you expect the different areas to work together when sales, marketing, and customer service are measured by conflicting metrics?The same happens with performance reviews, bonuses, and promotions they encourage people to focus on whats best for each person not for the overall team.Also, always-changing or contradictory priorit ies confuse teams. Most people complain their priorities are moving targets they dont know where to focus their time and energy. Clarity and consistency are key to push a team in one direction.If you reward individual behaviors, dont expect people to pursue goals collectively.8. Technology Doesnt Solve PeopleProblemsMost managers now spend 85% or more of their work time collaborating via e-mail, meetings, group messaging platforms or on the phone that has increased by 50% over the past decade.The digital revolution has accelerated the ability to engage with other people. However, theres a difference between interacting with other people and effective collaboration its the outcome, not the time spent, what matters.Technology facilitates collaboration but doesnt encourage it. Having the right tools is essential to accelerate cooperation, but if organizations dont fix the people problems discussed above, technology wont be useful enough.Lastly, organizations must train their employees on how to use technology more mindfully. Today, many people are suffering from burnout they need a digital detox, not more tech.9. Collaboration is Not justH2HCollaboration is intrinsically a human function, but not limited to people.Technology will continue to play a bigger role in the future of collaboration. The rapid growth of AI will change not only what people do but also shape our way of working.Organizations must prepare their teams not just to become better at cooperating with other people, but also to collaborate with technology.As David Coleman, author of 42 Rules for Successful Collaboration said, Were moving into an era where collaboration is not just human-to-human but human-to-machine collaboration and machine-to-machine collaboration.Collaboration is a way of working it attracts and brings together people outside the regular structure, practices, and expertise to accomplish a complex shared goal. But its far from being smooth or conflict-free.A human-centered approac h can help avoid the collaboration trap. It requires understanding the challenges through peoples eyes. To develop a culture that is safe for teams to let go of being defensive and work together in achieving something more meaningful.Human beings are collaborative by nature but dont collaborate by default its up to you to create the right conditions for successful cooperation.This article originally appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people