Constructive Collaboration

Collaboration is amazing — unless it isn’t. 

Unless it's not really a give and take and build, but a hash and rehash without clarity on who contributed what and no guidance for when the process ends. 

We’ve all created something wonderful and then been given guidance that made it that much better. Or worked on a team, each providing a unique contribution to

make something great.

And we’ve all made collaboration muck -- been given an assignment only to see the product completely reworked and no better for the effort. Or seen an idea compromised to meet every whim until it’s the lowest common denominator of acceptable, with everyone’s touch of color turning the product into a muddy brown.

What distinguishes collaboration that creates greatness from collaboration that makes a mess? Good process.

Here are some things that can help:

🔹 Ensure that those invited into the collaboration are those who are best suited to be because they have the expertise/insights related to the project or because they will be most impacted by its use/implementation

🔹 Agree upfront about what type of contribution is needed from each participant in the process

🔹 Identify the lead time needed for each contribution, and adjust overall deadlines when there is a delay along the way (so one contributor’s delay does not become another contributor’s inherited crisis)

🔹 Be explicit about who will make the final call on the whole and/or component parts, and align that with who is best positioned to make those calls

Because while collaboration can sound like an inherent good, if it doesn't include a process that makes the team feel heard and lead to a better product, what is the win?