Leading in aCollaborative World

Collaboration

n.

1.The act of working together; united labour.

2.The act of willingly cooperating withan enemy, especially an enemy nation occupying one’s own country.

Collaboration

A collaboration is a purposeful relationship in which all parties strategically choose to cooperate in order to accomplish a shared outcome. Because of its voluntary nature, the success of a collaboration is dependent upon oneor more collaborative leader’s abilityto maintain these relationships.

Collaborative Leadership

Collaborative leadership is the skilful and mission-oriented management of relevant relationships. Collaborative leaders do this by building structures to support and sustain these productiverelationships over time.

“Collaboration needs a different kind of leadership; it needs leaders who can safeguard the process, facilitate interaction and patiently deal with high levels of frustration”

Rosabeth MossKanter

Collaborative Leadership

Talk about the most collaborative leader you have experienced.

•What were their skills?

•What impact did they have on others?

•What results did they achieve?

Collaborative Leadership

Five Qualities of Collaborative Leaders

• Willingness to take risks

• Eager listeners

• Passion for the cause

• Optimistic about the future

• Able to share knowledge,power and credit

Carter

Ten Key Lessons for a Successful Collaborative Leader

1. Find the personal motive for collaborating2. Find ways of simplifying complex situations for

your people3. Prepare for how you are going to handle conflict

well in advance4. Recognise that there are some people or

organisations you just can’t partner with5. Have the courage to act for the long term

Ten Key Lessons for a Successful Collaborative Leader

6. Actively manage the tension between focusing on delivery and on building relationships.

7. Invest in strong personal relationships at all levels.

8. Inject energy, passion and drive into your leadership style.

9. Have the confidence to share the credit generously.

10. Continually develop your interpersonal skills, in particular: empathy, patience, tenacity, holding difficult conversations, and coalition building.

We lead fromwhere we stand

From Judger to LearnerMindsets

Judger• Judgmental (of self and/or

others)

• Reactive and automatic

• Blame

• “Know-it-all”

• Inflexible and rigid

• Either/or thinking

• Self-righteous

Learner• Accepting (of self and others)

• Responsive and thoughtful

• Responsibility

• Values not-knowing

• Flexible and adaptive

• Both/and thinking

• Inquisitive

From Judger to Learner

Mindsets

Judger• Personal perspective only

• Defends assumptions

• Possibilities seen as limited

• Primary mood: protective

Learner• Considers perspectives of others

• Questions assumptions

• Possibilities seen as unlimited

• Primary mood: curious

We all have both mindsets, and we have the power to choose where we operate from in any moment.

From Judger to LearnerRelationships

Judger• Win-lose relationships

• Debates

• Feels separate from others/self

• Fears differences

• Feedback perceived as rejection

Learner• Win-win relationships

• Dialogues

• Feels connected with others/self

• Values differences

• Feedback perceived as worthwhile

From Judger to LearnerRelationships

JudgerListens for:

• Differences

• Right/wrong

• Agree/disagree

Seeks to attack or defend

LearnerListens for:

• Commonalities

• Facts

• Understanding

Seeks to resolve and create

We all relate from both mindsets, and we have the power to choose how we relate in any moment.

The Steps towardsCollaboration

1. Cultivate a shared vision right fromthe start... Even if it’s vague.

2. Carefully recruit the right mix to reach your stakeholders and decision-makers.

3. Pay close attention to:• Sustaining momentum• Engaging perspectives and addressing the process and

needs of each individual partner.

4. Ensure that each partner’s individualand institutional self-interests areserved by both the process and resultsof the collaboration.

5. Don’t waste time. Meetings must be efficient and productive; management must be lean and driven. Remember: for everyone else this is no more than a second priority.

6. Keep in touch. Make thecollaboration a regular event.• Develop clear roles and responsibilities for

participants (even if these roles and responsibilities regularly shift among partners).

• Recognise that it is easier and better received to cancel a meeting or remove a responsibility than it is to add a meeting or responsibility to participants’ lives.

• Get commitment from all participants to ensure full each time you meet – time wasters stifle creativity, productivity and commitment.

7. All collaboration is personal. “inter-institutional collaboration” is a common misnomer. Effective collaboration happens between people – one person at a time.

Reflection

What’s your role incollaboration?