Collaboration

Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives

Collaboration is the art of bringing people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Collaborating creates synergy, resulting in a combined effort with greater results than those achieved by individuals. Collaboration leads to the more efficient use of time and resources and the easy exchange of ideas and talent. People are more likely to be committed due to their involvement.

You show this competency when you:

  • Work collaboratively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives
  • Represent your own interests while being fair to others and their areas
  • Partner with others to get work done
  • Credit others for their contribution and accomplishments
  • Gain trust and support of others

How to develop this competency:

Work to make connections

Collaboration is not just about creating dialogue, it is about making connections with others. The best collaborators help build bridges throughout the organization by linking people, ideas, and resources that would not normally connect with one another. Think of the perspectives of others, and bring similarities to the forefront. Get to know others; chances are the more you listen and become aware, the more likely you are to find ways to connect.

Listen to others

It’s easy to assume that you understand someone’s position. The only way to truly understand what’s important to them is to ask questions and listen. Ask open ended questions that allow them to provide their thoughts and opinions, and be mindful of your body language. Demonstrate that you care and want to understand, as this builds bridges with others.

Pass along the praise

When others have helped you achieve a goal, share the credit both privately and publicly. When collaboration works, celebrate it and show appreciation for the work of others. The more you talk about collaboration, the more people see its benefits, which helps generate more teamwork and collaboration in the future. When people feel recognized and feel that their contributions were noted, they are much more likely to want to work with you again in the future.

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Five Core Competencies