Collaboration 101

Steve Jobs once said, "Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people.”

While Steve Jobs emphasised the significance of a team in achieving great things, it prompts us to ponder whether he was referring to teamwork or collaboration. Teamwork, often seen as a collective effort toward a common goal, implies a hierarchical structure where roles may be defined. On the other hand, collaboration extends beyond these boundaries, embracing a more egalitarian approach where every participant holds equal status. The misconception lies in assuming that these concepts are synonymous when, in fact, collaboration introduces a fluidity that transcends traditional team structures. Recognizing this distinction becomes crucial for fostering effective working relationships within diverse business landscapes.

Collaboration means working together with people from across the business to achieve a shared goal. While it is similar to teamwork, collaboration doesn't need to be hierarchical – everyone has equal status in the project.

The sought-after nature of collaboration in businesses is deeply rooted in its transformative impact on organisational dynamics and outcomes. Collaboration, unlike mere teamwork, fosters an environment where diverse perspectives converge to create innovative solutions. The amalgamation of varied skills, experiences, and insights enhances problem-solving capabilities. This approach encourages open dialogue, enabling seamless knowledge sharing and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Moreover, collaborative efforts empower individuals at all levels to contribute meaningfully, instilling a sense of ownership and collective responsibility. The positive ripple effect of successful collaboration resonates not only in improved productivity but also in heightened employee satisfaction, ultimately contributing to sustained organisational growth and success.

Primarily, collaboration is of two types, depending on the results one wants to achieve.

Open collaboration is when one invites people from inside or outside the business to generate ideas or to solve a problem. These are well suited to diverse challenges as they allow a broader group to ideate on problems and generate a variety of solutions.

Closed collaboration is when one works with a small, defined group. This is excellent for zooming into specific problems where a tight collaborative group can get really focused and get to the solution much faster than a larger, more unwieldy group.

Other forms of collaboration include cross-functional collaboration between teams in an organisation, cross-cultural collaboration that involves people from other countries or social groups, and of course, virtual collaboration which we all became familiar with during the Covid related lockdowns.

Collaboration and teamwork are the bulwark of any company's success. Google, known for its innovation, has a policy called "20 percent time" where teams can use 20% of their work hours on projects they think will benefit the company overall. As you can imagine, this offers a productive and positive outlet for employees to work on projects they are more passionate about. For Google, this policy has paid off by being instrumental in the development of some of its most popular and successful projects — Gmail, Google Maps, Google Ads and Google News.

Fortunately, collaboration is an area of study that attracts a lot of attention, given its importance in the modern workplace. While there are several collaboration models making the rounds, a few stand out. Each of these models has a very specific use case, and successful managers will find the right mix of these strategies to suit their particular needs.

1. The forming-storming-norming-performing-adjourning (FSNPA) model (Dr. Bruce Tuckman, 1965) is a strong lever to bring together a brand-new team, especially one where people don't know each other. The model lays out a strong map for guiding new teams through the phases of effective collaboration, empowering leaders to create strong, well-oiled teams from the get-go.
2. The Lencioni model(Patrick Lencioni, 2002), on the other hand, helps managers identify and sidestep pitfalls before they happen. It identifies the five dysfunctions that plague teams, which gives managers a strong lens from which to view their everyday interactions. It also helps teams themselves identify when they are on a path of dysfunction, and course correct.
3. The Goals, Roles, Processes and Interpersonal Relationships (GRPI) Model(Richard Beckhard, 1972) helps teams that are struggling to understand the reasons behind their underwhelming performance. By allowing teams to think through each of these areas, the model allows them to pinpoint the specifics (rather than rely on assumptions) of what's going wrong and take effective remedial action.
4. The Katzenbach and Smith Model(Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith, 1993) is a helpful resource when you have a team full of strong, individual players who aren't finding their rhythm to work together. The model relies heavily on three behaviours: accountability, commitment and skills to create greater alignment, and helps teams focus on outputs and what's needed to achieve them.
5. The T7 Model (Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger, 1995) is great for teams that sit in large organisations, and are seeking to carve out their own niche, while contributing to the whole. Team effectiveness isn't limited to the team itself, but also the larger purpose of the organisation and how the team fits into that larger vision. The model identifies 7 factors for team effectiveness: 5 that are internal to the team, and 2 that are external, and helps ground them into the larger organisational vision.
6. The Google Model is a practical framework for managers who want to drive team performance up a notch. The central tenet here is that a team’s effectiveness is less about who is on the team and more about how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions. The five key dynamics for a successful team are defined as psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, meaning of work and impact of work.

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Team dynamics change, even if the team composition remains the same. Often, a team has a new goal, or the organisation's focus shifts to a new direction, or the ways they measure success changes. For teams that are new, these changes take on more nuances, as do teams that have a sudden influx of new blood. Managers will find that they don't need to reinvent the wheel when this happens - several models exist to address their specific needs. For managers who want to step up their game, these models are just the starting point.