Understanding the key elements of collaboration could be your missing link that completes the puzzle for your success. These components coupled with adopting the top collaboration tool will help you get a significant boost in your employees’ productivity, foster an unbeatable team dynamic, and develop a resilient work environment that can handle any disruption that come your way.
Employees represent the top asset that any organization could have. Making sure that they can work together efficiently and without any impediments should be the top priority of any high management.
At first you need to create the perfect plan that include common guidelines to overcome related collaboration challenges and make sure to follow the latest trends and developments in this field to future proof your organization’s business model.
Throughout my experience as a product manager, I have dealt with very efficient teams that understood exactly the importance of these components for a successful collaboration and how it has direct impact on the output of the team as a unit.
The five elements of collaboration are:
Element #1- Communication
If you are a true fan of any team sports such as basketball or football, you will understand that putting together a group of people doesn’t guarantee any success in the future no matter how skilled each individual may be. What makes a sport or a business team efficient is bringing together these key facets of teamwork.
Establishing open communication among team members and fostering a collaborative environment between team members and their respective managers are crucial factors for achieving success.
This dynamic interaction is a mutual process that requires attentive listening and active engagement from both parties, enabling them to synchronize their objectives and work cohesively towards a common goal.
Effective communication also enables the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and feedback that can maintain open lines of communication, resolved conflicts between team members, and make informed decisions collectively.
The recent COVID19 disruption has made all employees work remotely which at first created several problems because of the lack of face-to-face communication between team members however with new technologies being introduced we started to see teams performing better.
Element #2- Trust
The lack of trust between colleagues working on a shared business goal is a deal breaker for any team that want to excel. In a collaborative environment, team members depend on one another to complete their tasks. The basis for this reliance is the belief that the collaborators are capable and driven to contribute in expected ways.
Healthy collaboration requires trust that can go beyond belief in one another’s expertise and general accountability for one another’s workload. It stands for the basis of a warm and encouraging working environment that promotes knowledge sharing, honest conversation, and a free exchange of ideas, and where team members are not hesitant to ask for assistance.
Element #3- Shared Goals
Having a shared goal for each team is one of the most critical elements of effective collaboration. From experience, if you want your team to achieve the highest level of business goals aligned bind them to a shared goal.
In order to keep them motivated, make sure to periodically remind employees of the company’s goal. High motivation necessitates improved teamwork and communication in order to reach a goal.
When all team members are aligned towards a common objective, it creates a sense of belonging and being part of a high general cause. This helps promote ownership and accountability as they recognize that each individual contribution is essential to moving forward towards the end goal.
Element #4- Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is one of these elements that enables a successful collaboration as it forms the foundation for a healthy and productive business relationships within a team. Team members should respect each other to have an environment where trust and understanding is a valuable asset.
It is also a prerequisite for open communication as employees will feel that their ideas and opinions are heard and valued without the fear of judgment or retribution. Respect encourages individuals to value and appreciate each other’s unique perspectives, skills, and contributions.
Element #5- Accountability
In a previous professional career incident, I was hired by a local software development company to help them develop a digital software with an innovative vision. Even though all team members were extremely skilled with excellent technological capabilities, the team couldn’t deliver on time and on budget with every release.
The main problem was the lack of accountability. Even with a high professional team, you need to have a minimum level of ownership and accountability to succeed. When an employee feels that repetitive mistake such as wrong estimation, low quality code, or missing deadlines can be tolerated then you will most probably fail.
It is very important within a team to have team members accountable for their actions and understand that any miss judgement from their side can affect the whole team productivity and achievements.
