Chapter 4 Building a collaborative culture
Building A Collaborative Culture
It is no doubt we all have worked in a job where the main focus was working as a team to execute a job needed efficiently. In some instances this approach was one where everyone would run around and getting the things done, but when was the last time your time sat down and discussed the most efficient way of performance? From my experience I can say rarely, but as you continue that model you notice team members getting tired or perform less effectively. When we know what we currently do is not enough, when do we make the shift for open collaboration? how do we start?
Chapter 4 of the Connected Educator, lists building relationships and establishing trust as the first examples of building a collaborative culture. It is important for us to understand that while promoting an open environment for flows of ideas can lead to some involvement, when there is relationships and trust everyone can part-take in sharing freely. With relationships and trust established the team will feel comfortable with sharing what is currently working and what they need to work on without the fear of facing repercussions. In a team where rapport has been built and trust in the individual skills of the team are strong, teams can benefit from the most efficient communication exchange. This will leave little to no room for misinterpretation or misjudgement from another team member or team leader.
Actions and Transparency Matter
Actions combined with transparency will make a collaborative culture easier to implement. Understanding this key information is as simple as, the more you show up in your spaces consistently and how you do it with a transparent goal or intention will always matter. Working in collaboration will require participants and leaders to be open about their strengths, weaknesses and preferences. Additionally, it requires you to be authentically yourself to promote a sense of honesty and the ability to be trusted. I am not saying over-share or cross professional boundaries, but in ways that benefit the team share and open up with them. It is important to feel supported, seen, but most importantly as if you can connect with someone in a personable matter. Remember these are key to establishing a genuine collaborative team.
Fostering Collegiality, Creating a shared vision and Leadership Role
Fostering collegial relationships require a space where participants are constantly having conversations based on problem, solutions, and the fostering of expression of shared ideas to challenge each other's thinking. When a team is able to do so and establish a shared vision for the future a team is able to grow as individuals and as a a group to achieve the common vision. In a space where the team is positively challenged to step outside the box promotes growth that will be beneficial for the individual and a team long-term, it creates room for learning and educating where others feel inspired to do so as well.
In hand with leadership a team may become unstoppable, a leader who is able to lead their team in a way that utilizes their knowledge on the individual members to support, reinforce and usher their growth is the true differentiator. While leadership can have many meanings, I personally believe that a true leader is always with their team ensuring growth, efficient and support. It does not mean the leader does not need this, but a leader will be able to keep the vision of the team as a north where if there is ever a time when needed, the leader will re-align the team with their goal.
Personal Take:
While reading chapter 4 I identified myself while in the process of growth as a leader and as a team member. As I continued to pursue my education and needed to form teams for projects, it was always important that I had rapport with the other students. The layout the chapter provides has been one I have been following ever since growing as a student leader who is pursuing Brand management; which requires working with a team. Understanding the importance of building connections and a collaborative culture within a team it is important for me as an individual that I understand this and develop my personal characteristics to be the best leader and team player I can be. For those of you who are not seeking to have leadership positions this can also be beneficial to understand as you can offer suggestions based on your analysis.
For my leaders: How do you plan on utilizing this information moving forward? And how can you work with your team to ensure you receive feedback on how to become better collaborators?
Collaborators: How can you ensure your team's collaboration and efficiency remains efficient and can obtain growth? Are you planning on having an active role or more of a suggestion oriented approach with leaders?
Let me know!
Happy Collaborating
Genesis Ramos Piris
The Genny Diary | College Student Edition
Citations: Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2011). The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age. Solution Tree.
Comments
Post a Comment