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Working Collaboratively
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In the past, organizations were typically structured around independent functions that were coordinated from the top; a need for cooperative working relationships across units and divisions was rarely acknowledged. In today's environment, we recognize the considerable advantages to be gained by working collaboratively across boundaries throughout the organization and even with external "partners". These advantages include:  The ability to respond rapidly to the need for change The ability to meet customers' expectations for fast, reliable and convenient service Efficient use of everyone's resources, i.e., no one has to reinvent the wheel More creative solutions to problems Shared and easily available information Support for implementation of new initiatives Shared responsibility for success and failure A Common dedication to the success of the whole enterpriseDespite the recognition of these advantages and the existence of new information tools to assist in coordination across boundaries, true collaboration is difficult to achieve. Simply bringing people together who have historically worked independently or even at cross-purposes and telling them they must now "collaborate" is likely to be a frustrating experience for everyone. What Does It Mean To Collaborate? Collaboration does not imply that individual perspectives are somehow folded into a blend of ideas, never to be recognized or acknowledged. Both the challenge and the benefit of collaboration is the process by which individual ideas are preserved, combined and expanded to result in the most effective actions and decisions. This process requires considerable skill. Bringing together people with different points of view and different interests does not automatically ensure that constructive dialogue will take place. Advocacy of individual agendas, lack of a sense of ownership for the outcomes, skepticism, and narrow or fragmented thinking are some of the factors that can interfere with productive outcomes. Many human psychological, social, interpersonal, and political dynamics can get in the way of the authentic kind of dialogue that is needed to build collaborative working relationships. Structured and facilitated processes can provide the environment and help people develop the skills needed to bridge differences and create strong supportive working relationships. By being very clear about the interests behind the positions, i.e., the specific goals, concerns about outcomes, responsibility, credit, recognition, rewards, etc., groups and individuals can successfully address and overcome the obstacles to effective collaboration. Effective communication skills for resolving differences, i.e., listening without judgment, and expressing ideas clearly, can be modeled and learned in the process so that they can be used in the future. An Example of A Process For Building Collaborative Relationships The Production Department and Marketing/Customer Service Department of a photo film processing company continually blamed one another for failure to meet customer expectations. Technicians in Production were certain that customers had been promised impossible things and Customer Service Reps often felt they had to make excuses for Production's mistakes or delays. In a series of facilitated meetings, employees and managers of both departments met to address their concerns. After developing and sharing perceptions about one another, clarifying their own interests and concerns, and expressing their own needs and wants, they were able to identify specific issues, practices and processes that could be amended to improve customer service. More importantly, they came away with clearer understanding and appreciation for each other's perspectives. This was the beginning of the two department's recognition that they needed to work cooperatively in order to achieve their own goals and the company's business objectives. |
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