!Building and Supporting
a Collaborative Workplace!
Robin Schooling, SPHR, SHRM-SCP!
NetConnect 2015!
–Hutch Carpenter
“Building toward a defined outcome
through the interactions and input of multiple people”
let’s talk about…
• the why, what and when of collaboration
• why culture matters
• barriers to collaboration
• working smarter, not harder
why should we care?
• cost savings through the transfer of best practices
• better decision making as a result of advice obtained from others
• increased revenue through the sharing of expertise
• innovation through the combination and cross-pollination of ideas
• enhanced capacity for collective action that involves dispersed units/functions
Morten T. Hansen
new partners
• forming of teams may be “on-the-fly”
• teams formed to solve problems or “tackle ideas”
• intrinsic motivation
• contribution by ALL
• less chance of redundancy
–Hutch Carpenter
“Building toward a defined outcome
through the interactions and input of multiple people”
collaboration by disagreement!
disagreement is good…
• simplify
• focus on where idea is “wrong”
• understand risks
• bring problems to the surface
• rivalry —-> best ideas
our environment is designed for competition and independence
we launch ambitious projects in an unreceptive environment
we underestimate the costs
we misdiagnose the problem...
...and implement the wrong solutions
disciplined collaboration!
“the leadership practice of properly assessing when to collaborate (and when not to) and instilling in
people both the willingness and the ability
to collaborate when required”
!
!
Morten T. Hansen!
never lose sight of the goal!
• select when collaboration is appropriate
• understand the barriers that currently prevent employees from collaborating
• design management solutions to tear down those barriers
barriers to collaboration!motivational barriers
ability barriers
search transfer
“not invented here” hoarding
the ‘not-invented-here’ barrier
• unwilling to reach out to others
• communication stays within group
• protection of self-interests
• status gaps and pride
• self-reliance
the ‘not-invented-here’ barrier
recruit and hire people with inclination/
confidence to ask for help
!
the hoarding barrier
• competitive relationships
• fear of losing power
• “it takes too much time”
• rewarding people only for their work…and not for helping others
the hoarding barrier!
consider a 360-degree review process that
captures demonstration of individual
performance and contributions to others/
willingness to help
the search barrier
• people cannot find information…or resources/people…that can help them
• too much information
• insufficient networks
• limited ‘personal’ connecting
the transfer barrier
• cannot pass on tacit knowledge
• lack of trust
• lack of respect
• lack of … friendship
the transfer barrier
!
eliminate the ‘stranger’ problem; provide job
rotation and temporary assignments
barriers to collaboration!motivational barriers
ability barriers
search transfer
“not invented here” hoarding
don’t start at wrong end…
“the leadership practice of properly assessing when to collaborate (and when not to) and instilling in people
both the willingness and the ability to collaborate when required”
remember...!
motivational barrier
ability barrier
make people WILLING to collaborate!
enable motivated people to collaborate!throughout the organization!
does value exceed cost?!
• opportunity costs
• foregoing other projects
• collaboration costs
• delays, budget overruns, lost sales or poor quality
• better innovation
• new business development or cross unit product development
• better sales
• cross selling or enhanced customer service w/ results
• better operations
• transfer of best practices or making better decisions
value cost
we now know...
• the why, what and when of collaboration
• why culture matters
• barriers to collaboration
• working smarter, not harder
photo credit: Getty Images George Marks!Roger L. Martin!
“Building toward a defined
outcome through the interactions and input of
multiple people”
no more
choiceless doers!
resources!Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Build Common Ground, and Reap Big Results, Morten Hansen!
The Culture of Collaboration, Evan Rosen !
The Execution Trap, Roger L. Martin (Harvard Business Review)!
Eight Ways to Build Collaborative Teams, Lynda Gratton and Tamara J. Erickson (Harvard Business Review)!
Leadership Conversations: Challenging High-Potential Managers to Become Great Leaders, Alan S. Berson/Richard G. Stieglitz !
3 Cs of Innovation 2.0 - Crowdsourcing, Competition, Collaboration, Hutch Carpenter!