Team Collaboration at Work
Collaborating with Workmates Is an Effective Route to Team Building
Apr 23, 2009
Solving a problem with a team is different from solving a problem as an individual. Someone once said, “None of us is as smart as all of us.’
With a limited view of the problem, an individual might struggle with a problem alone and has limited solutions. As in a team at work, when a manager calls together his team, he will have a different view of the problem at hand. Why? Someone in the team might have found an answer right away, perhaps, something obscure to the manager.
Collaboration Brings Better Team Solutions
One of the significant advantages of a team is the power of collaboration. When people work together on problems, the different views and interpretations of the problem, plus the different facts and knowledge people in the team bring with them, create better solutions. It’s simple as that.
Ways a team leader or project manager can do to build a collaborative team:
Create Value for Collaboration on the Team
The key to collaboration is to open the door to ideas from each team member. The team has a responsibility to create an environment where ideas are encouraged from and by everyone, without threat of embarrassment or disapproval. These ideas can be knowledge, interpretations and any insights that may come about.
When collaboration is working really well, team members listen closely to each other, build on each other’s ideas, amend them, drop them, pick them up again, and come up with new ones. In a way, team collaboration is like a volleyball game of thoughts and ideas.
Point Out Team Member Differences
If everyone on a team were cut from the same cloth, it would be a boring team indeed. Some team members are highly skilled in design, another might be good at programming and analysis. Perhaps another team member is excellent with administrative tasks. With differences in background, interests, skills and expertise pulled together, the team will be allowed to call on those with specific skills or knowledge strengths when these are needed.
Practice Collaboration Skills
Team building events, training or exercises should be practiced. A simple exercise, for example, is for a manager to ask the team to name as many uses for a paperclip as it can in two minutes. Perhaps someone in the group might know of other team exercises. Ask around for suggestions.
Relax and Have fun
Collaboration, when done well, isn’t a competitive exercise. With encouragement from the leader or manager, team members will feel comfortable offering ideas that might sound like useless but might ignite a brainstorm.
Collaboration at work develops rapport with team members, builds an effective team which is mutually beneficial for the employer and staff, and good for business.
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