Collaboration is an essential aspect of modern workplaces. Whether you are a freelancer, a team member working on a project for a client, or simply completing a report, you need to work with others to accomplish tasks. Collaboration enables people to achieve more than they would when working alone. It has far-reaching benefits, such as increased engagement, happier employees, and more innovative ideas for businesses.
When working with others, projecting your authenticity, being fair in giving and receiving help, promoting the interests of your collaborators, sharing power or authority,** expressing enthusiasm*, and **sharing constructive feedback* are all crucial aspects of effective collaboration.
Collaboration is critical in today's work environment because it brings people from different parts of the world with diverse knowledge, skill levels, and perspectives together to find the best solutions. Complex solutions require a broad group of people with deep knowledge, resources, and strategies from across companies and different geographies. Collaboration between individuals in different job roles is necessary to achieve company strategies.
Moreover, social businesses require collaboration because they are created to address and solve social problems such as poverty or healthcare. These businesses bring seemingly unrelated facts or ideas together in innovative ways, which require collaboration. Cross-disciplinary knowledge, research, and insights are brought together through collaboration, making it possible to develop solutions.
Employers emphasize collaboration as a skill because in today's workforce, it's likely that you will:
**Work for a globally connected company with a diverse workforce
Help customers address complex problems
Use aspects of social business for success**
Behaviors that improve collaboration
The most effective way to promote collaboration is through your own behaviour. But which behaviors are most likely to help and which actions might hinder collaboration? Is simply focusing on your tasks and doing your best work enough? Is resolving your own problems the most important contribution you can make to your colleagues and your company?
Consider the following quote:
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*"He who wishes to secure the good of others has already gone a long way toward securing his own."
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– Confucius, Chinese philosopher, teacher, and politician
Here are six behaviors that will help you enhance your collaboration skills.
- Be Authentic: This means that you must be yourself and must be genuine.
-** Think Mutually**: Thinking mutually applies to any group of two or more people who are working together. To think mutually, you should:
Share a common purpose and beliefs.
Promote mutual interests and outcomes rather than personal gain.
- Give and take fairly: To enact this behaviour, you should:
Help others.
Ask for help when you need it.
Take help when it is offered.
Share credit fairly when the work is done.
- Earn trust: To earn trust, you should:
Keep your promises.
Behave reasonably.
Respect others.
Be sincere and truthful.
Perform at your best.
Share power and not take advantage of it.
Comply with established practices and procedures.
- Be passionate:
To be passionate, you should:
Commit yourself fully to the group effort.
Feel and express honest enthusiasm.
Do a little extra.
- Communicate effectively: To communicate collaboratively, you should:
Share good ideas.
Share problems with the intention of working toward solutions.
Share appreciation when it's deserved.
Share constructive criticism.
Give constructive feedback.
Listen effectively.
In conclusion:
We discuss about Collaboration and the six behaviours that may earn project the best rank it deserves.
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