Creating Collaborative Culture
Part II of Elin’s Collaboration Culture Techniques
Here’s Part II, check out Part I on Elin’s Medium blog page!
INVEST IN COLLABORATION TOOLS
Collaboration Platforms
Fully embracing internal collaboration tools could raise productivity by 25%. Make sure that your company has the right collaboration platform for employees to effectively collaborate online. It should not only be a messaging platform but should also be a way to share documents, find the right people based on expertise, create new groups and conversations, etc… Think of a virtual office where people who don’t meet each other physically can connect and work together.
Connecting with Video
Connecting a face to a name always helps to communicate on a higher level. In many organizations (especially large ones), employees fall into a habit of conference calls more than face-to-face video calls. Seeing each others’ faces and expressions is a channel that can potentially make a breakthrough in collaboration. It makes communication more personal, increases trust and accountability levels. It also helps people be more engaged and present during the calls, leading to meaningful discussion and higher productivity.
Simplify File Sharing
Instead of sending files back and forth (remember File_v22_Final_final.doc?), invest in cloud file storage where employees can share files, collaborate in one file at the same time or easily access the file they need. The amount of time it’ll save everyone! Think about it.
MAINTAINING THE CULTURE
Focus on Psychological Safety
It is proven that teams are more productive when everyone feels comfortable voicing out their opinions, asking for help and being part of a conversation. No one should be afraid of contributing their thoughts and ideas. How do we achieve this?
- There is no wrong answer. Ok, sometimes there is. But people should feel like it’s ok to sometimes get it wrong. As a leader, don’t shame or ignore people who say something you think is not value-adding.
- Genuinely thank people for being part of the conversation. Acknowledge their effort publicly.
- Build upon what others say. Be clear it’s all part of the greater conversation and their voices matter.
Lead By Example
If you want others to collaborate, be the one leading the way. Create conversations and initiatives, and involve people from other departments. When you seek expert opinion, ask managers to recommend someone you might not be aware of. Create open conversations where everyone can contribute.
Share & Share More
Encourage others to share their challenges, questions, and requests on the online platform or during company meetings (if your company is small enough). Make sure people feel it’s okay to ask others for help, even if they don’t know people directly.
Build Trust
Supporting each other is crucial for the company long-term. Every team should know how they are contributing to the overall company goal and how they are helping each other. This helps them respond to requests on time, support each other and be flexible to the changes that are inevitable within any company.
Clear interdependencies are important, so emphasize them during the strategic meetings or company calls. If the development team doesn’t deliver projects on time, the sales team won’t be able to convince customers to buy the product or customers won’t be satisfied. Only a well-oiled machine achieves success!
BUILD EMPATHY
Encourage Rotations
Make job rotation a part of onboarding or employee career development. Are there are parts of the business that are crucial for employees or leaders to understand? Create a rotational program where everyone needs to work in that department for 1–2 months. If that seems challenging, they can be involved in a part-time project in parallel with their regular job. Understanding how others work will not only build empathy but also paints a clear picture of how departments can collaborate together.
ALIGN PROCESSES
Aligning Work Process
Make sure all teams are following the same project planning processes, working with the same platforms and using the same language when they describe how they work. Imagine if one department is using terms and systems that another team is unfamiliar with. It’ll make it harder to understand where they are in their process, what format they need information in, what sort of support is needed. The more similar the ways everyone works, the better people understand each other and can collaborate more efficiently.
Aligning Platforms
Is everyone in the organization communicating using the same tools and platform? Do some teams communicate more on Slack, while others use Facebook messenger? There’s a high chance they won’t see each others’ requests for support if they hang out in different places. Make sure the rules are the same and there is one preferred platform where people do their best to communicate more. If you notice one team diverging, have an open conversation of why they prefer a different platform and how it affects the company in general.
Aligning the Language
If your company is in the tech industry, you’re probably using a lot of tech language internally. Not everyone can catch up quickly, so consider offering a quick course on technology for employees working in other functions and fields. Pay attention to the language teams use to communicate with each other. The same term can mean different things in a different context, and sometimes this needs alignment, so different departments can collaborate effectively!
