Collaboration doesn’t mean
- we’re supposed to work on all projects together,
- that unsolicited advice will be appreciated,
- or that we’ll be best friends through the process.
Collaboration is the act of optimizing our collective talents to achieve an objective that wouldn’t otherwise be accomplished by a smaller group of people. When done well, there’s an understanding that boundaries are inherent in collaborative efforts.
When those borders are respected, people are free to bring their best selves. Conversely, if those boundaries are crossed, collaboration can collapse from a rejection of even well-intention intrusions.
Where’s the line between optimizing our collective talents – and becoming inefficient because we’re infringing on the roles of others? (Or, when does collaboration become “back off: you’re in my stuff”?)
Your team should know.
