Let’s Work Together: Creating a Culture of Collaboration at Work by Kimberly A. Ferguson

Kimberly A. Ferguson is the owner and Principal L&D Consultant at K-Ferg Training. An official member of the Forbes Coaches Council, she was a previous BOSS Network Influencer and a recipient of the BOSS Leader in Motion Award. Kimberly has contracted with countless organizations to provide training and coaching programs to their employees. Through these programs, Kimberly continues to help others align passion, purpose, competencies, and relevant action to yield meaningful results.

“Two heads are better than one.” “No man is an island”. I’m sure you’ve heard these sayings before, but what do they really mean to us as professionals? These sayings encapsulate the idea that there is power in collaboration --- working together, sharing our ideas, and blending our competencies.

Over the last couple of years, through K-Ferg Training initiatives, I’ve worked with several leaders to encourage the creation of a culture of collaboration within their organizations ---where contributors and their contributions are respected, appreciated, and valued.

What are some of the many benefits of building a culture of collaboration in the workplace? Here are a few of my favorite proven benefits from my work with various organizations:

• Collaboration eliminates redundancies and improves productivity;

• Collaboration encourages collective innovation;

• It is a proven employee engagement driver;

• Working together cross-functionally breaks down silos –

• A collaborative workplace culture encourages communication and relationship-building

These 5 benefits are just the tip of the iceberg! As exciting as these might sound, we must be prepared to face and combat some of the challenges that could hinder collaborative efforts. In my training sessions, we explore challenges like unclear goals or goal misalignment; roles/responsibilities that have not been clearly established; an absence of information or resources; cumbersome processes; or, a lack of trust.

Awareness of the challenges in one’s specific workplace makes it a lot easier to plan for and overcome them. It also makes it easier to identify applicable strategies.

Strategies: There are many things that we can do to contribute to a culture of collaboration at work. Here are a few that I’ve found to be especially helpful across organizations and industries:

• Acknowledge and embrace the power of collaboration, its benefits, and its value.

• Focus on Self Development. Honestly assess yourself. Are you a positive contributor to the collaborative environment or are you demonstrating behaviors that create challenges and hinder group growth?

• Create and support the creation of opportunities for collaboration. Meetings, brainstorming discussions, or collective problem-solving sessions are great spaces to get started!

• Acknowledge team member individuality. As much as I encourage my training program participants to embrace a “we” mindset, we must not forget the individual. Let’s be sure to take the time out to celebrate individuality and the contributions of individual employees.

It’s important to remember that no matter the role, we all play a part in creating a positive, effective, collaborative work environment. The ability to work well with others is a power skill, and foundational to our success in the workplace.

If you’re interested in learning more about ways that you and your organization can create a culture of collaboration and build more cohesive teams, visit K-Ferg Training at http://www.kferg.com to set up a free consultation.

Learn more about Kimberly at Website: www.kfergspeaks.com

Twitter: @kfergspeaks
IG: @kfergspeaks

Photo Credit: Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash