Collaboration = I, C, or I
High performing teams and effective leaders share at least one thing in common – their ability to collaborate.
Whilst we accept this to be true, we are less aligned on what this means.
The word collaboration derives from the Latin verb, ‘collaborare’ which means to ’work together’.
To work together and access others’ collective capacity and capabilities, we collaborate in 3 ways:
To Inform – collaboration starts with creating a shared understanding of the different views, perspectives, and information to move others to work together.
To Consult – effective teams and leaders value diversity of thinking and doing – collaboration dances with difference, cohesion dances with similarity. Teams and leaders consult intending to deepen their insights and understanding necessary to make more informed decisions and achieve more impactful results.
To Involve – to involve others is the highest order of collaboration. By involving others to work interdependently, teams and leaders can coordinate action to achieve what is most important. It’s through involvement that teams and leaders secure others’ cooperation and commitment to action.
I invite when you next commit to collaborate, be mindful and deliberate about your intent – do you intend to inform, consult, or involve? Each is a form of collaboration, with different outcomes.