If you want to create a culture brimming with innovative and unique ideas, then collaboration is your key to success. When small groups work toward solving a problem or reaching a particular goal, the results tend to be better than if only one or two people were taking on the task.
But, the ability to collaborate doesn’t come naturally to every team, so you need to foster an environment that promotes communication and idea-sharing if you want to create the right culture. If you’re ready to collaborate like an NCAA champion, here are some tips to get you started.
Nurture the Right Skills
While some people are naturally strong communicators, others aren’t as innately comfortable speaking in front of large groups. Plus, tasks like gathering input, providing feedback, and navigating conflicts can be challenging for managers, particularly if they don’t have a lot of prior experience in those areas.
If you want to collaborate as a core element of your business, you need to nurture the skills that help make it possible and provide the necessary tools for success. Select software that makes communicating easier, and create opportunities to share and discuss ideas regularly to increase everyone’s comfort levels.
Create Standard Processes
On the surface, the ability to collaborate appears to be highly fluid and unstructured. But, when you want it to be effective, putting processes in place can actually lead to better results.
For example, having a standard meeting approach that allows time for feedback as things are wrapping up can be beneficial, or creating a mechanism to ensure all participants have an opportunity to be heard when an issue is discussed can ensure everyone has a chance to get involved.
Provide Access to Training
Since collaboration is usually a top-down endeavor, making sure that managers have access to suitable training can make it easier for everyone to get involved. The training doesn’t have to be formal to be effective.
For example, ensuring that upper management buys off on the objectives and then sharing the associated goals and priorities with other leaders can help get the ball rolling. Similarly, encouraging collaboration at high-level meetings can get managers used to the paradigm.
Add Collaboration to Common Gatherings
Everything from your onboarding process to company events can likely benefit from some time spent collaborating, so make sure to provide the necessary time to give everyone a chance to share ideas along the way. This helps establish collaboration as part of your overall company culture, making it an ingrained part of everyone’s day-to-day.
Over time, your staff and leaders will see the process as second nature, allowing it to be used in new and exciting ways. Plus, you may gain access to interesting innovations and ideas in areas where you least expect them, giving you a chance to improve your processes and build strong teams every step of the way.
If you are interested in learning more about how to make collaboration a priority in your business, the professionals at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our skilled staff members today and see how our expertise can benefit you.
