Team collaboration continues to be an important topic for me in my coaching practice. In the course of my research, I recently read a study conducted jointly by the Concours Institute and the Cooperative Research Project of London Business School. They sent surveys to team members and leads, executives, and human resources leaders at a variety of companies in different industries. The results surprised me in some cases and in others confirmed many of my observations about effective team collaboration.
Many companies rely on large, diverse teams of highly educated specialists to complete major projects. These teams consist of people from diverse backgrounds, often from many different locations, who are brought together to meet an urgent need. They work together virtually, collaborating online and often over long distances.
However, in the above-mentioned study an interesting paradox became clear. Although teams that are large, virtual, diverse and composed of highly specialized professionals seem essential to major projects, these are exactly the factors that make it extremely hard to get anything done.
The study showed that once the team increases beyond 20 team members, the level of cooperation decreases substantially. Members are much less likely to share knowledge freely, to learn from one another, to shift workloads flexibly and to identify bottlenecks and help each other move through them. And, in my experience, sub-teams that are asked to work on a portion of a major initiative get folded into a much larger corporate team and often get lost in the shuffle.
The study further discussed how the strengths of a team can become its weaknesses. Diverse knowledge and views can spark new insights and innovation. However, the less people were familiar with others on the team (their background, history with the organization, views and behaviors), the less likely they were to share knowledge.
Virtual participation is a way of life in all companies these days. In the study, 40 percent of all the teams researched had members all in one place; the other 60 percent did not. The research shows that as a team becomes more virtual, collaboration declines. Unfortunately, the old saying "out of sight, out of mind" applies.
Highly educated people with a specific area of expertise do bring a lot to the table in terms of knowledge and experience. However, the greater the proportion of highly specialized people on the team, the more likely the team members were to argue from their sole viewpoint. In other words, if team members think they know it all, they’re often unwilling to learn from others or experiment with new ideas.
The study offered eight recommendations for better team collaboration:
- Invest in environments that encourage strong relationships. This can include open floor plans that foster communication, increased travel budgets so people can meet face-to-face, and meeting spaces designed for more than sitting around a table—allowing team members to interact on multiple levels. Anything that demonstrates a commitment to collaboration sends the right message.
- Model collaborative behavior. Teams mirror their leaders; when senior executives consistently demonstrate collaborative practices, the rest of the organization follows.
- Create a “gift culture” rather than a “tit-for-tat culture.” Foster an environment grounded in coaching and mentoring. This approach helps people build networks across the organization, increases cooperation, boosts empowerment, and reduces blame. Team members become more willing to support one another when challenges arise.
- Teach relationship skills. Offer development in areas such as showing appreciation, engaging in purposeful conversations, resolving conflict creatively, and managing programs effectively.
- Support a strong sense of community. When people feel emotionally safe and part of a larger whole, they are far more willing to reach out, collaborate, and contribute.
- Assign team leaders who balance task completion with relationship building. Research shows that beginning with a clear task orientation and shifting toward relationship focus later is most effective. Regardless of seniority, team members who fail to take on tasks and deliver results are perceived as untrustworthy.
- Build on existing relationships. Include a few people on each team who already know one another to model healthy collaboration and set the tone for new members.
- Clarify roles, responsibilities, and tasks. Cooperation increases significantly when expectations are clearly defined and understood by all team members.
It’s worthwhile to consider the size and effectiveness of your teams. Are you investing in their ability to relate and collaborate? How well are your team members exchanging ideas and being open to each other? Is everyone on the team aware of roles, responsibilities and ownership tasks? Do they feel safe working together?
Don’t assume that just because a bunch of people are assigned to work on a project that collaboration will occur automatically. Try using some of the above suggestions to help your team work more successfully together.
Kathleen