Cooperation vs Collaboration

I had the pleasure last week to speak on Zoe Routh’s Leadership Podcast.

Whilst we were discussing what it takes for leadership teams to transition to become high performing teams, Zoe asked me how I distinguish between cooperation and collaboration.

Having to think on my feet, my first response was that cooperation is about mobilising action – it’s about moving others towards accomplishing something worthwhile. 

Collaboration is about mobilising alignment – it’s about creating the space for differing perspectives to be shared and discussed so to align others to a shared understanding. 

More important, cooperation and collaboration are mutually inclusive – to secure other’s cooperation, it’s critical to first collaborate on a shared understanding of what is to be accomplished.

High performing teams achieve what no individual nor group can because they collaborate to identify the collective goals and then secure each other’s cooperation and commitment to meet the goals.

I’d be interested to know how you would have answered Zoe’s question on the distinctions between cooperation and collaboration.