This article will examine the various examples of collaboration. We will also be looking at the different advantages of collaboration in the workplace and how they work in making the organization a successful one. Lastly, we shall also be explaining the various ways through which you can develop your collaboration skills.

What are examples of collaboration?

The various examples of collaboration are:

Working together for a project
Using online collaboration tools
Interacting through video conferences
Brainstorming to come up with solutions
Working together on shared documents
Adapting to change together

Collaboration itself is the process through which several employees or team members work closely together for the achievement of a goal. The goal or purpose is a shared one for which all the team members show equal responsibility and ownership. Collaboration is similar to teamwork and cooperation but requires closer interactions and more engagement.

Collaboration can be an element in a business organization or a non-profit organization and is also used in educational institutes. It can be applied in any industry since most tasks today require constant and regular interaction as well as plenty of teamwork. Let’s look at the examples of collaboration in detail.

Working together for a project

Team members collaborate when they work together for a project or in order to complete a task. Here, the team members have a shared purpose which they claim as their own. The team also operates using a strong long-term vision and a set of values. These values act as ground rules for all the work processes and interactions in the team.

Using online collaboration tools

Online collaboration tools are usually used by remote teams to work efficiently. However, these tools are not only used by remote teams but also by organizations with a physical workspace. These collaboration tools can be used for communication, file-sharing as well as project management. Thus, teams have easy access to their work and can track the progress efficiently.

Interacting through video conferences

Team members also practice collaboration when they interact with each other through video-calls and video conferences. This has become highly common in the post-covid world where safety and social distancing is essential. Team members can also attend meetings held on a digital platform which can greatly reduce costs for the organization.

Brainstorming to come up with solutions

Problems and challenges may arise regularly in an organization. New trends and risks may come up requiring the team members to brainstorm and come up with innovative ideas and solutions. Team members use online whiteboards to make brainstorming easier. These whiteboards encourage even introverted team members to post their ideas and suggestions at any given time.

Working together on shared documents

Shared documents usually use cloud-based technology so that the work process becomes easier and more accessible to everyone. Team members can build documents, give their comments and also edit, even when they are placed in various geographical locations. Shared documents also let team members see the changes made by others and keep track.

Adapting to change together

Change is constant, especially in a business organization. Team members frequently collaborate together in order to adapt to change. In fact, change brings teams together as they work closely to rise up above the challenge. However, adaptability requires open-mindedness, transparency, problem-solving and critical thinking abilities from the team members.

Advantages of collaboration in the workplace

Collaboration brings many benefits and advantages to the workplace. The most important advantages are discussed as follows:

The work process is better

Through collaboration, the work process in the organization can become a lot smoother and efficient. Team members are assigned roles and responsibilities, which they clearly understand. Since they find these roles highly meaningful and relatable, they also show more ownership and responsibility. In this manner of divide and conquer, the work is completed in a faster manner.

The team has more resources

A collaborative team is one which is composed of the right team members. These individuals bring high quality skill sets, knowledge and expertise to the team. They also bring their networks to the organization. Thus, the team has a lot more resources to use in the work process. And thus, their productivity also increases.

Employees learn more

Employees learn best from each other. In a collaborative team of many skill sets and resources working together, there is always a chance to grow and learn. Teams may also learn new skill sets together in a bid to improve their performance. This not only improves the standard of the team but also greatly increases the cohesion of the organization.

Problems are solved quicker

Problems may arise often in a project and may need efficient problem-solving and quick decision-making. Collaborative teams foresee risks, and thus prepare for them beforehand. They are also highly adaptable and flexible, allowing them to come up with alternatives to solve the problem and get the job done with lesser disruptions.

Creativity and innovation develops

Many successful organizations give a lot of importance to creativity and innovation. When creativity is encouraged in employees who are well-aligned to the organization’s vision, it leads to better human-centered products and designs. Creativity also increases job satisfaction and thus can improve employee retention rates.

How collaboration contributes to an organization’s success?

Collaboration makes an organization by:

Encouraging open communication between team members and also between different departments and levels
Improving the method of problem-solving through critical thinking
Foreseeing risks in the future and preparing for them
Highlighting the organization’s vision and values and aligning them with projects
Encouraging creativity and innovation in employees
Making the work environment positive and nurturing
Investing in the education and development of employees

How can you develop your collaboration skills?

Not everyone is born with collaboration skills. And many organizations and workplaces require a certain set of collaboration skills for their particular work process. Even those who have great collaboration skills can always develop and improve them to stay updated and fresh. To develop you collaboration skills, you can use the following strategies:

Take up new tasks and projects

Taking up new projects that are unfamiliar to you will encourage you to depend on the assistance of others in order to achieve your goals. When you step out of your comfort zone, it opens up a whole new world of opportunities and possibilities. You will need to cooperate with others and ask for assistance along the way, allowing you to sharpen your collaboration skills.

Improve your self-awareness

Self-awareness is important for collaboration as well as leadership. When an individual is highly self-aware, he/she knows their strengths and accepts their weaknesses. You can develop your self-awareness by practicing meditation, mindfulness, attending various workshops and seminars. Many people also go to therapy and counseling to improve their self-awareness.

Be adaptable and flexible

Adaptability and flexibility is essential to work in any industry or organization. Since we live in a fast-moving world which brings a lot of change, we need to be ready to keep up with pace in order to be successful. You can improve your adaptability skills by educating yourself about recent trends and practicing with small projects and then moving up.

Educate yourself on diversity

Diversity is a great asset and resource to any team. Since organizations are becoming increasingly global, teams are becoming highly diverse. In order to celebrate diversity and use it as an asset, it is important for us to know about it thoroughly. This can be done by reading about various cultures and sensitive topics as well as by interacting with those from different cultures.

Learn how to use collaboration tools

Digital collaboration tools are becoming highly common in the workplace today. They are not only used by remote teams, but even in organizations which have a physical workplace. These collaboration tools require you to have various collaboration skills like written communication, verbal communication as well as brainstorming and project management skills.

Conclusion

This article has examined various examples of collaboration. We have also seen the different advantages of collaboration in the workplace and how they work in making the organization a successful one. In addition, we have also explained the various ways through which you can develop your collaboration skills.

Frequently asked questions: (What are examples of collaboration?)

How do you show collaboration at work?

You can show or demonstrate collaboration at work in many simple but effective ways. Some of these ways are:

Building healthy relationships

This is a great way to show collaboration at work. When team members have a good relationship with each other, they collaborate closer and work efficiently to achieve goals. You can build healthy relationships with your team members by interacting with them one-on-one and getting to know them on a personal level.

Motivating and encouraging others

A great team is where each team member motivates the other one. When you motivate and encourage others, it inspires them to do the same. It also creates a positive and supportive environment for work. You can motivate others by using effective communication and also by setting a good example.

Socializing outside work

Even though organizations strive to make workplaces employee friendly and pro-collaborative, our minds still see it as a stressful and sometimes hostile environment. Employees cannot be expected to let their guard down in the office. However, socializing with your team outside the workplace can be a great way to collaborate with them.

Showing accountability and responsibility

Good team members show high accountability and responsibility in their tasks. This allows managers to entrust them with additional responsibilities and better opportunities. You can demonstrate your accountability by showing it even in the smallest of tasks. Practicing accountability also means showing honesty and transparency with others.

Fostering cross-functional collaboration

An organization may face many barriers to collaboration. A frequent problem organizations face is in the form of silos. This happens when there is very less inter-departmental or cross-functional collaboration. However, this form of collaboration yields plenty of benefits to the organization in the form of resources and innovative ideas.

How do you collaborate with someone?

If you want collaborate with someone for a particular project or task, you can follow these steps:

Understand what your main aim of the collaboration is and what you want to achieve
Define the goal and make it a smart one. This means it has to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and set in a time-frame
Choose the right people for your team who can bring the required resources
Persuade them about the benefits of this collaboration and what it can achieve in the long-term
Encourage collaborative practices right from the start and communicate frequently to keep everyone on the same page