Cracking the Code of Sustained Collaboration

Six new tools for training people to work together better

by

Francesca Gino

by

Francesca Gino

From the Magazine (November–December 2019) · Long read

MÁRIA ŠVARBOVÁ

Summary.

When most organizations strive to increase collaboration, they approach it too narrowly: as a value to cultivate—not a skill to teach. So they create open offices, talk up collaboration as a corporate goal, and try to influence employees through other superficial means that don’t yield progress. Companies that excel at collaboration, in contrast, realize it involves instilling the right mindset: widespread respect for colleagues’ contributions, openness to experimenting with others’ ideas, and sensitivity to how one’s actions may affect teammates and outcomes. What’s more, these firms have established programs to help employees develop those attitudes.

In her research, Gino, an HBS professor, has identified six types of training techniques used by such programs. They teach people to (1) listen, not talk; (2) practice empathy; (3) be comfortable giving and receiving feedback; (4) lead and follow; (5) speak with clarity and avoid abstractions; and (6) have win-win interactions.

Drawing from her observations of Pixar, Webasto, and other companies, the author shares specific tools and exercises that show employees how to work well together, learn from one another, and connect more fully.

Idea in Brief

The Problem

In all too many organizations, efforts to promote and sustain collaboration fall short.

The Cause

Leaders trying to create collaborative cultures tend to focus on instilling the right values or designing the right space. They overlook the fact that collaboration requires certain skills.

The Solution

Follow the example of Pixar, Webasto, and other companies, and teach people to genuinely listen to one another; to approach discussions with empathy, not opinions; to become comfortable with feedback; to lead and follow; to speak with clarity and avoid abstractions; and to have win-win interactions.

Ask any leader whether his or her organization values collaboration, and you’ll get a resounding yes. Ask whether the firm’s strategies to increase collaboration have been successful, and you’ll probably receive a different answer.

A version of this article appeared in the November–December 2019 issue of Harvard Business Review.

Francesca Gino is a behavioral scientist and the Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. She is the author of Rebel Talent and Sidetracked.
francescagino

Cracking the Code of Sustained Collaboration

Idea in Brief

The Problem

The Cause

The Solution

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