Breaking Down Silos: Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration

In today’s corporate landscape, companies recognize collaboration as the cornerstone of effective teamwork and productivity. Modern technology has ushered in a wealth of communication tools, making it easier than ever for teams to stay connected even in the increasingly remote or hybrid workplace. Despite the available tools and resources, many companies still grapple with the challenge of maintaining truly effective collaboration. This raises the question: Why does this issue persist, and how can we address it?

To answer this question, we turn to the insights of Dr. Francesca Gino, who is a leading scholar in the field of behavioral science and professor of business administration at Harvard Business School where she teaches PhD courses in decision-making and other behavioral approaches. In a 2019 study, she observed that leaders think about collaboration from a narrow lens, perceiving it as a value rather than a teachable skill. However, Gino has identified successful psychological approaches to help cultivate the desired attitudes necessary for fostering and sustaining effective collaboration.

Strategies to Foster Effective Collaboration

1. Listening to understand rather than listening to respond.

Gino’s research suggests that when people are engaged in conversation, they are often already formulating their response while the other person is still speaking. Rather than listening to understand, the human tendency is to listen to respond. We can all benefit from applying these techniques to become better active listeners:

• Ask open-ended questions that are intended to solicit additional details and perspective.
• The focus should be on the speaker and not on yourself.
• Reflect on your ability to listen and identify how to make improvements.
• Be attentive and respectful while listening.
• Paraphrase what you hear to confirm your understanding.

2. Teach individuals to develop empathy in their interactions with others.

Practicing compassion will always lead to more satisfying discussions. When you express interest in what someone has to say, they tend to reciprocate that interest. Ultimately, this fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, which is key to unifying a team.

3. Create a more receptive environment for feedback.

Giving and receiving feedback is essential for effective collaboration. Unfortunately, a well-intended critique or suggestion can trigger an atmosphere of defensiveness or passive-aggressive behavior, ruining an otherwise productive environment. Feedback should be specific and appropriate. Consider what you will say and practice the delivery of your communication. Engaging in regular feedback exercises will enhance the clarity of your communications. Embrace feedback as a valuable gift that contributes to personal growth and progress.

4. Learn how to flex between leading and following.

Flexing requires a shift in control to another person, which can be challenging to do. However, developing others through delegating tasks can be done to match the abilities and ambition of the person taking on the job.

5. Consider the message and speak with clarity to the audience.

Often, the simplest way to communicate something is the best. It may take practice to be concise in communication, but keep in mind that transparency is vital to alleviating confusion and shaping the path forward.

6. Teach individuals how to engage in mutually beneficial interactions.

Instead of approaching discussions with a competitive mindset, the parties involved can work together to find compromises and solutions that meet everyone’s core interests. Practicing a win-win approach uncovers opportunities in our differences.

Learning and regularly using all six techniques is ideal because they are mutually supportive and interdependent. For example, if you only talk and don’t listen with empathy, or if you only listen without offering your views, productive conversations won’t happen. The techniques also create a positive dynamic of respect, which fuels enthusiasm, openness, and motivation for working together.

However, leaders must set this dynamic in motion by consistently treating others with respect and earning it from them. If leaders are frustrated by a lack of collaboration, they should ask themselves what, if anything, they have done to encourage it. Training people to use the six techniques can make creative, productive teamwork a way of life.

Collaboration in Action: Victoria Fide’s Commitment

At Victoria Fide Consulting, Respect and Client Success are two of our core values. As mentioned above, respect is needed in order to collaborate effectively, and collaboration is a key component to a successful digital transformation. Our team models both these values on every project. In addition, our process for transformational change includes activities which require true collaboration. When you partner with us, our team provides the necessary guidance and training to make those activities – and your entire initiative – a success.

Is your project stalled or at risk due to ineffective team collaboration? Are you finding it difficult to align your team on key decisions? Our process and project team mentoring may be the catalyst you need to begin moving forward in the right direction. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see if Victoria Fide is the right fit for your digital transformation needs.