5 Reasons Collaboration fails (and how to avoid them)
There’s magic in true collaboration. When people in a group genuinely set aside their personal agendas, trust their collaborative partners, and have an open mind, there is tremendous possibility for creative and long-lasting solutions. Even more important than finding solutions to problems is the emerging reality that humans are wired for collaboration. But here’s the thing: Even with the best intentions, sometimes a collaborative approach doesn’t work. Why?
1. The physical environment doesn’t support collaboration
For a group to collaborate there needs to be a space in which they come together. Think about current trends in corporate office space design. Individual offices and walled cubicles are common. In open concept offices, little thought is put into creating useful spaces where a group might organically gather and brainstorm without interrupting a colleague’s concentration. On top of it all, group meeting spaces are often tough to come by, and are typically designed to promote linear and hierarchical meetings.
Check out an article on the effects of the built environment on collaboration here
In the post covid-19 world, the environment for collaboration might be virtual, rather than a physical space. Groups may be using social media or online collaboration tools that are new to them, and some team members might be more comfortable than others navigating technology.
How to avoid it:
Be aware of the physical set-up of any space. Consider whether a group might be more comfortable sitting in a circle, meeting outside, or perhaps meeting somewhere more/less formal than a typical workplace environment. Consider the furniture, lighting, physical accessibility and even the historic significance of the workspace where you hope to work together. Inspiring spaces might just catalyze creative thought.
In a virtual environment, consider whether the tools used to connect the group are accessible, easy to understand, and also foster creative thinking. Consider whether a group could choose a meeting technology that no one is familiar with, and then support each other in learning to use it together.
When a group isn’t co-located, there is also the option of trying goal-oriented online multi-player games as a way to help build trust and increase teamwork.
2. The social environment doesn’t support collaboration
Collaboration works best when everyone is interested and invested in making it work. However, it’s not uncommon, especially in a corporate workplace in North America, for people to be told to collaborate or else (Mandated Collaboration). Organizations know that working in silos doesn’t always lead to lasting solutions, and so they assemble cross-functional teams, call it a matrix, and cross their fingers and hope for the magic of collaboration. But just because a group of people with diverse skill sets are told to work together it doesn’t guarantee that they will support each other, or set aside their personal agendas in support of the group. In fact, this approach might just breed one or more collaboration saboteurs: individuals who purposefully disengage or actively undermine the group in order to discourage assignment to future work teams.
How to avoid it:
Recognize opportunities to support grassroots efforts to collaborate and seek out personalities that are naturally drawn to collaborative work. Acknowledge the contributions of individual collaborators regularly in order to foster a culture that celebrates the successes of group work and individual work.
3. Power dynamics haven’t been addressed effectively
There are systemic barriers to participation that can prevent individuals from marginalized groups from fully participating in a collaborative process. Issues of race, culture, ability, and gender, that are left unaddressed by the group can undermine even the most well-intentioned collaborative efforts. Perhaps there are a greater number of men than women in the group, leading some women to hold back their contributions. Maybe there are individuals whose cultural values align with an individualistic approach to decision making, and they’re perceived as bullying or overly influential by those with a more collectivist approach.
How to avoid it:
Make psychological safety a priority. Establish group norms around sharing personal information, discuss confidentiality, and determine a shared definition as a group in order to encourage sharing and trust building. Remember to continually check in with your collaboration partners and ask for feedback specifically on how your behaviours are contributing to a sense of equality.
4. Collaboration fatigue
Solving complex problems while managing personal dynamics and competing interests takes a lot of time and mental energy. To get to a point of true collaboration, a group needs to build trust and trust building requires constant communication; checking and re-checking assumptions, and vulnerability… all of which take tremendous mental energy. Failure to recognize the effort required to collaborate effectively can lead members of the group to feel burnt out or uninspired.
How to avoid it:
Carefully consider when to collaborate. Sure, people can collaborate to solve a mundane accounting problem that’s vexed the organization for years, but maybe it’s more appropriate to assemble a group to tackle a novel or future focused task.
Make sure to recognize the contributions of individuals within a team, not just the output of the group. Regularly acknowledge the effort it takes to work cross-functionally, and don’t be afraid to recognize unique contributions from individuals. When individual contributors feel valued, they’re more likely to continue to contribute meaningfully to group work.
Check out: HBR’s article “How to Avoid Collaboration Fatigue”
5. No defined decision maker
Maybe you are a part of a group that has gotten to the point of generating solutions. The group is buzzing, there’s a positive and creative atmosphere, and the ideas are flowing. Great. Maybe you’ve even determined some objective criteria to help determine which of the ideas are feasible. Even better. However, it’s likely that the group has generated not one, but many solutions. Everyone has worked hard to ensure equality up until this point, and suddenly someone has to evaluate the options and decide which is best. Uh oh.
If the group gets to the end of the work and has failed to agree on who will make the final decision there’s a risk that the collaborative efforts fall apart. Think of how many times you’ve heard someone tell you “this is great, I’m just going to have to run it past my leader…” only to have them come back with significant changes to the product.
How to avoid it:
Identify a collaboration sponsor and generate a collaboration agreement before starting the work. Continually reaffirm with the sponsor and your collaborative partners all of the necessary approval check points. If the collaborative group is a cross functional team reporting to different leaders, consider whether there is an opportunity for a project sponsorship committee, or a “board of directors” approach to final decision making.
In the end, many of the reasons collaborative efforts fail boil down to poor planning. If we pair our good intentions with some foresight, and take deliberate actions to avoid common pitfalls, collaboration can lead to long-lasting success.
Happy collaborating!
Annemarie Marshall is an engagement professional, mediator, and group facilitator based in Calgary, Alberta. With over a decade of diverse experience, Annemarie has a demonstrable passion for public participation. She's happiest hearing people's stories, helping neighbours navigate conflict, and writing and reporting on all things engagement. Get in touch at www.anagramconsulting.ca
