Collaboration is rightly described as a key factor to foster innovation and improve productivity within companies upto 20–30%. As a result of this, companies are increasingly investing in improving workspaces and adopting digital tools as few among the many ways to improve collaboration. Although the value of collaboration has always been acknowledged, there are more efforts being taken today by companies to intentionally and consciously ‘practice’ collaboration beyond preaching it as a theory.
However, according to Nielsen’s 2014 Consumer Packaged Goods Innovation report, 74% of professionals did not believe that their company is effectively collaborating. This is definitely relevant to all industries beyond CPG.
Collaboration cannot be just a part of a company’s manifesto and values but needs to be practised by ALL employees of the company. We have been part of customer experience projects for leading global companies which require organisational transformation or strategy implementation & scaling. We realised during this process that real change can only be implemented by multi-functional, diverse teams and people coming together and running together to achieve a common goal. It is also important to seek constructive conflicts that come with diversity of opinion that lead to hard questions and finding answers to them sooner rather than later. For facilitating such conversations for our clients, we have identified practical tools and methods that can help teams navigate conflict and cultivate a mindset that builds a creative harmony. This is something that we have done for ourselves while building Xeno.
Xeno is intentionally built as a collaborative model of working with experts from various functions, fields and geographies who share the same values and comfort with collaborating. We believe in the value of collective intelligence and that it will help us stay relevant across industries and grow our learnings and expertise. For teammates to become ‘champions’ they need to feel included and valued. This can have a significant impact on their motivation and effectiveness to achieve goals and solve challenges.
We view our clients as part of our team and are not afraid of failing or iterating with them during the process / We view our clients as part of our team and encourage this team to welcome setbacks early on in the process. Multiple iterations are considered as stepping stones towards the best solution. This has helped us build trust and create alignment on a process that may seem ambiguous. Overall our approach towards collaboration is reflected on our social media channels, website, and our interaction with consultancies, collaborators and clients. This way we practice it everyday as a part of our business strategy and company culture.
Finding ways to collaborate effectively is not just the HR department’s responsibility in the company, or of the C-level leaders. Creating a collaborative work space is a good first step but how does a company ensure that is aligned with the employees’ belief and behaviour around collaborating? / but how does the company ensure that this space inspires a collaborative behaviour in its employees We have identified certain principles that can be applied to all the aspects of a company’s strategy and operations to achieve a truly collaborative environment that thrives on collective intelligence.
Transparency to break silos
Now is the time for companies and leaders to re-evaluate their approach towards creating transparency by sharing processes in a way that helps break silos and build a culture of ‘building on’ ideas rather than competing. 60% of work is duplicated because people are just not aware. Sharing information, having open conversations and creating platforms for transparency and collaboration can break silos and solve inefficiencies in the workflow.
Clarity in roles and goals
One of the major reasons for conflict is the lack of clarity on roles or goals. It is essential to acknowledge the expertise within the team to define clear roles, or to not hesitate in seeking the expertise that is required. It is also important to set a common goal with an understanding of everyone’s unique challenges and agendas. We usually facilitate workshops for teams to come together to do this early on in the project and at key milestones along with team building activities.
Effective communication/Empathetic communication
To build a truly flat organisation, it is important to practise empathy and active listening to understand the unique constraints and capabilities of people and teams. 51% of decisions in companies are wrong because the employee’s expertise wasn’t tapped into. Choose communication tools and techniques intentionally, in a way that support your teams in achieving personal and professional goals.
Do you want to share feedback or ideas on effective collaboration? Reach out, and we would love to listen and bounce ideas with you
