Become a Better Collaborator
It’s quite common for talented leaders to find collaboration uncomfortable. Perhaps you feel afraid of being overshadowed by a peer, you’re overly self-reliant, or you just find it difficult to trust people. Whatever the reason for your discomfort, here’s how you can push yourself to develop into a more effective and willing teammate.
Start by challenging yourself to become more open to new ideas. Respecting others’ perspectives is a prerequisite for empathy and compassion, which are prerequisites for collaboration. Whenever you’re working closely with someone, ask questions to challenge your point of view and clarify theirs. You’ll send a strong signal that you care about their perspective, not just your own.
Next, proactively identify which colleagues you rely on — and those who rely on you — and spend some informal time with them. Invest in those relationships. Collaboration is all about building and sustaining trust.
Finally, look for opportunities to be generous, elevating others when you get nothing in return. Maybe you offer a favor, support someone’s strategic agenda, or share the spotlight when it’s shining on you. These gestures will not only build goodwill with your team, they’ll also build your confidence as a team player.
Read the full article: "When Leaders Struggle with Collaboration."
Join HBR this March for a one-day virtual conference exploring the best ideas in management and what’s next for business. Hear from TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, Former IBM Chairman and CEO Ginni Rometty, Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán, and attend mini masterclasses with bestselling authors and thought leaders. We hope to see you on Monday, March 6. Register here.
Learn more:
Filmmaker Ken Burns on Lessons in Innovation and Collaboration (audio)
Where We Go Wrong with Collaboration
Enjoying these management tips? Unlock unlimited access to HBR’s content with a subscription. And for a daily version of this newsletter, sign up here.
Commercial & Contracts Manager ▬ Operation Leader ▬ Construction Scaffolding Services
2wSome leaders are so insecure that they fear their peers will steal their thunder. The roots of their insecurities often trace back to past experiences. Moreover, trust issues exacerbate the situation. I had a manager who insisted on doing photocopying himself because he didn't trust anyone else to do it. When we compare costs, this approach is not beneficial for an organization. Leaders are highly paid, so they should focus on strategic initiatives rather than getting bogged down in petty tasks. The inclusion of technology has made business more complex, and without collaboration, achieving the organization's objectives becomes a herculean task.
CImCanada
9moJOB OFFER CANADA 🇨🇦 🚨 🚨 🚨 URGENT The Canadian Government is launching a call for tenders to all citizens whether American, African, European, Asian for its new recruitment program. In this regard, we invite you to participate in this CIMC program if you are interested, whether you are a student or not, you are welcome. We offer enough fields for you to enroll in to quickly earn this CIMC program. This program takes care of everything, regarding Residence Card, VISA and many more other papers. Please contact us if you are interested. Contact : gouv.canada.re@gmail.com
Miembro del Comité de Expertos de Apertia Consulting en Apertia Consulting
1yI think I remember reading some budhist tradition, saying something like "Intelligence and knowledge without compassion is like one bird wiht only one wing..."
Finance (BBA) and Communications and New Media at National University of Singapore
1yGreat insights!
insurance employee
1yNo fake trust falls right?