Collaboration can be controversial. Some loathe the idea of working on a project with a partner or in a team. Others thrive off of sharing ideas, insights, and experiences with their colleagues. One thing that ultimately defines the success of a collaboration is the results it achieves, and achieving that success takes much more than idly gathering as a group. Regardless of company or industry, successful collaboration involves people who are communicative, focused, and honest, allowing them to achieve both personal and professional growth.

The catalyst that pushes collaboration forward is communication, which Vivas Kumar deems the “bedrock” of collaboration (Ep13). Communication not only allows for ideas to be shared but also helps drive conversations and interactions in the right direction— toward a specific goal. Ruth Lopez Turley, a sociology professor at Rice University and the director of the Houston Education Research Consortium, explains that the members of a team must also be very clear in their goals and opinions (Ep18). Maintaining clarity is especially important for collaboration because it allows ideas to be better articulated and responsibilities to be thoughtfully delegated, allowing tasks to be completed efficiently (Ep17). In terms of leadership, Nigel Levy, citing Jurgen Klopp—the manager of Liverpool F.C.—, agrees that collaboration and leadership are no different in the sense that everyone in a team is a leader since they contribute original and significant ideas (Ep12). Denise Reyes claims that problems in the modern world are only becoming more complex and thus solving them requires leaders in various fields to develop and emphasize these impactful ideas (Ep16).

A diverse team of leaders often brings diverse ideas, which can decrease productivity when managed ineffectively. Therefore, it is crucial to align those diverse ideas with the main purpose of forming a team: to accomplish a shared goal. Collaboration, according to Ameer Jumabhoy, should allow employees to perform more efficiently, whether they are sharing their unique ideas or testing their unprecedented solutions. Additionally, interacting with others in a team helps solve the problem sooner as long as everyone is “on the right track” (Ep14). In other words, an influx of varying ideas and perspectives is often beneficial (Ep15) when the team keeps the common purpose in mind.

A successful collaboration has the ability to naturally benefit each team member. Everyone in the team learns from each other and changes their perspective somehow, especially when their contrasting ideas receive honest and insightful feedback. Therefore, the outcome of a successful collaboration is not limited to achieving certain goals; it extends beyond that and into personal improvement. Being open-minded while collaborating with others can improve both interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships as people explore new and fulfilling endeavors, wherever they may be.

Join us on Longitude Sound Bytes to hear more insights and experiences.