Skillful Collaboration PG

Skillful
Collaboration
Working Successfully with Others to
Achieve a Common Goal
PARTICIPANT GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview
Introduction 4
Course Objectives 5
What is Collaboration? 6
Benefits and Challenges of Collaboration 7
Action Points towards Successful Collaboration 10
Establishing Standards of Collaboration

Define the Goal 11
Identify Reasons for Collaboration 12
Involve the Right People 13
Establish Expectations 14
Tool: The Expectation Checklist 15
Promote Collaborative Behaviors
Self Check: My Collaboration Skills 17
Develop Collaborative Mindset 18
Practice Positive Demeanor 20
Use the Right Words 23
Avoid negative communication 24
Manage Non-Collaborative Behaviors
Common Non-Collaborative Behaviors 29
Address Non-Collaboration 30
Strengthen Group Collaboration
Widen your internal network 38
Develop and support Collaborative Leadership 39
Create a Community of Practice 40
Maximize tools for online Collaboration 41
Learning Application
Let’s Review 42
Test your Knowledge 43
Let’s Turn Knowledge into Action 45
Resource Section 46
2
INTRODUCTION
The old expression says “two heads are better than one.” That’s certainly true when collaboration
runs smoothly—when everybody involved gets along, contributes unique perspectives and skills, and
works together to resolve problems productively and meet deadlines. But what about when people
argue, work gets stalled, and contention is prevalent?
Successful collaboration involves far more than just working side-by-side. It’s a process that requires
attitudes, skills, and practices that can be learned and strengthened—and mastering them will not
only make your job easier, it will help you become more successful professionally.
A 2003 survey by the Level Playing Field Institute found that American employers and employees
think that being a team player is the most important factor in getting ahead in the workplace *. They
ranked this factor higher than others including “merit and performance,” “leadership skills,”
“intelligence,” “making money for the organization,” and “long hours.” By working well with others to
achieve a common goal, you can become a sought-after resource and team member, and maximize
your value to your organization.
This program will focus on how to structure and implement an effective collaboration process so
that working with others will be a productive and enjoyable experience.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
*http://www.lpfi.org/how-fair-study
3
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of this course, participants are expected to be able to:
- Define what collaboration is

- Enumerate benefits and challenges of collaboration
- Identify the four action points towards successful collaboration
- Enumerate the steps in establishing the standards for collaboration and describe the principle
behind each step
- Appreciate the principles of collaborative mindset and apply related skills
- Practice elements of positive demeanor, choice of words and reframing to support collaborative
behavior
- Practice skills in handling non-collaborative behaviors
- Apply tips and strategies in networking, collaborative leadership, communities of practice and use of
online tools to strengthen group collaboration.
Write your Learning Goals and Expectations Here:
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
4
WHAT IS COLLABORATION?
GROUP ACTIVITY: What is Collaboration?
Follow the instructions of the facilitator.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
DEFINITION
We all have an intuitive idea of what collaboration is, and we know it involves working with others.
In this program, we will define collaboration as “ people working together toward a common goal .”
The emphasis will be on developing a process—one that can be as simple or complex as needed—to
ensure that the common goal is reached.
This program will primarily focus on collaboration as it applies to specific projects. However, the
information is relevant to ongoing, daily interactions as well. The process will likely be simplified, but
the objective remains the same—to achieve a common goal.
TOP THREE AREAS FOR COLLABORATION*
1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
* http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns340/ns856/ns870/C11-539465-00_CollaborationStudy_wp.pdf
5
BENEFITS OF COLLABORATION
THE NEED FOR COLLABORATION
In today’s business climate, employees are expected to do more with less. Working collaboratively can
result in more efficient outcomes.
Nowadays companies often have national or international branches, affiliates, or vendors. Many
employees must work with others in different locations in order to perform their job duties and fully
harness the diversity of resources.
Even people who appear to be loners have a need to connect with others on some level.
Collaboration allows people to feel that their contributions are meaningful and valued.
BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO THE ORGANIZATION

THE ORGANIZATION THE INDIVIDUAL
Promotes creative and effective problem- Increases an individual’s network of “go-to”

solving. colleagues that he/she can count on for help.
Increases productivity, efficiency, and cost Appreciate the big picture and feeling of worth
savings. which translates to higher engagement and
loyalty
Helps achieve common goals and shared Creates high-trust relationships.
purpose.
Enables the organization to draw on individual Offers exposure to new projects and
employees’ specialized skill sets no matter experiences.
where they are located
A collaborative mindset spreads across departments enabling all

to focus on achieving the greater goal of the business.
6
CHALLENGES TO COLLABORATION
A survey conducted by Clearvision during its Atlassian Summit in 2015 revealed that Collaboration is
the biggest challenge in today’s enterprise.**The following are some of the reasons why.
1. DISPARATE TEAMS
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. SILOS
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. TOO MANY EMAILS AND MEETINGS

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. SCALING
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. TOOL INTEGRATION
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. RESOURCE PLANNING
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
**https://www.clearvision-cm.com/solutions/
7
CHALLENGES TO COLLABORATION
7. DATA SECURITY
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. PROCESS ADOPTION
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Group Activity: Share Your Collaboration Experiences

Instructions: Read thru the Case Study to be given by the facilitator. Identify as a group which
challenge is most relevant to you. Answer the following questions:
1. Why is this challenging for you?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Cite at least three specific examples of how this challenge affected your group goal.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. Give three examples of how you addressed the challenge.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
8
ACTION POINTS TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION
1. ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR COLLABORATION
▪ Define the goal
▪ Identify Reasons for Collaboration
▪ Involve the Right People
❖ Avoid adding participants when project is underway
❖ Identify who needs to be involved and to what extent
❖ Match Individual’s skills with the project
❖ Limit involved to those who can contribute to the goal
▪ Establish Expectations
❖ Determine Objectives. Think SMART
❖ Define Roles and Responsibilities
❖ Agree on operating norms
2. PROMOTE COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORS

▪ Develop Collaborative Mindset
❖ Sense of Personal Responsibility for the quality of relationships
❖ Concerned with ‘’What’s in it for us?”
❖ Keeping an Open Mind
❖ Willingness to Share
❖ Willingness to Trust Others
▪ Practice Positive Demeanor
❖ Convey Personal Warmth
❖ Listen Actively
❖ Turn conflict into cooperation
❖ Commit to Completion
▪ Use the Right Words
❖ Use ‘’I”Messages
❖ Present Ideas as Question
▪ Avoid negative communication
❖ Be mindful of destructive communication
❖ Reframe negative messages
❖ Don’t argue
3. MANAGE NON-COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIOURS

▪ Identify Non-collaborative Behaviors
▪ Understand Causes of Behavior
▪ Manage the Behavior
4. STRENGTHEN GROUP COLLABORATION

▪ Widen Internal Network
▪ Develop and Support Collaborative Leadership
▪ Create communities of practice
▪ Maximize Online Tools for Collaboration
9
ESTABLISH STANDARDS OF COLLABORATION
1. DEFINE THE GOAL
Almost all organizations would have goals to keep everyone focused towards the same direction.
Goals give clear direction as to where the organization wants to go. It will serve as a reminder as to
when the business is off-track and measures the level of success and how far the organization has
come. Down the line, goals give employees the push to be better.
Individual Activity: What are your Individual Goals?

Instructions: Individually, think of 5 personal goals which you established at the beginning of the year.
1.__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3.__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4.__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
5.__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
TIP: What is the difference between goal and objective?
GOAL - long term aim that you want to accomplish. It points one to a specific
direction.
OBJECTIVE – concrete accomplishment that is achievable by following certain steps.

Objectives outline timeline, budget, personnel and specific measures of success,
among others.
10
2. IDENTIFY REASONS FOR COLLABORATION
As a general rule, it’s best to collaborate when the involvement of other people adds value to a
project. If the involvement of others doesn’t add value, there usually isn’t a compelling reason to
collaborate.
Collaborate
To determine whether collaboration might be beneficial, ask yourself the following questions before
embarking on a new project:
❑ Am I unable to achieve the desired outcome by myself?

❑ Will collaborating increase the likelihood of solving complex problems or addressing complicated
issues?
❑ Will working with others reduce costs or allow the project to run more efficiently than otherwise
possible?
❑ Will banding together with others increase visibility of the project or an important issue?
If you answer “yes” to one or more of these questions, you likely have a strong case for
collaborating.
Don’t Collaborate
Before initiating a collaborative effort, it’s also important to ask yourself these questions:
❑ Will an individual approach achieve the desired results?

❑ Am I unable to invest the extra time required in successful group collaboration?
❑ Is the specific purpose not clearly defined?
❑ Is the organizational culture unsupportive of collaboration?
If you answer “yes” to one or more of these questions, you may want to consider moving forward
independently rather than with a group. If your organization is not supportive of collaboration, you
can likely still collaborate; you will just encounter more obstacles.
If you answer “yes” to at least one question in both sets, you probably have a case for collaborating,
but you need to set up some structure and support to be successful.
Individual Activity: Collaborate or Not?
Instructions:
Go back to your answers on Page 10 and determine whether you will Collaborate or Not Collaborate
in each goal that you have listed.
Specify which specific element is required for Collaboration or Non-Collaboration.
11
3. INVOLVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE
If you determine that collaboration is the best approach to a specific project, the first step is to figure
out who should be involved.
Four Key Steps

1. Determine who needs to be involved—and to what degree.
❑ Who needs to actively participate in decisions, actions, and commitments? These people
should be your core collaborative team .
❑ Who needs to be consulted or informed? These people should also be part of the team, but
function in a peripheral capacity. Involve them in major decisions and keep them in the
loop as necessary.
2. Match individuals’ skills to the project. If you have too few people, or the wrong people, the
resulting group may lack the necessary expertise to complete the project successfully.
3. Don’t involve too many people. The more people who are part of the collaboration, the more
difficult it is to coordinate efforts.
4. If possible, avoid adding new participants late in the process. Once a time-limited collaboration is
underway, adding new participants can slow down the process.
Group Activity: Who Needs to be “In the Loop”?
Instructions: Read the scenario. Then, working with your group, answer the question that follows.
Scenario: You are the head event planner, and you and your team have collaborated to plan the kick-
off dinner at a conference. Before the event, you’ll need to make sure:
✔ There are vegetarian menu options.

✔ The keynote speaker’s A/V requirements are met.
✔ The floral centerpieces are very fresh, as you are planning to reuse them for another event the
following day.
✔ The room is wheelchair-accessible.
Who do you need to communicate with to ensure that each of these matters goes smoothly?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
12
4. ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS
The next step in a collaborative project is to establish expectations and communicate them clearly.
❑ Determine the Objective

To determine the project’s objective, your group should be able to answer the following questions
(and agree on those answers!):
✔ What is our purpose, vision, or goal? What result/outcome do we want the collaboration to
achieve? (It should be something that no one can achieve alone.)
✔ If this is a finite task or project, what is the deadline?
✔ What does success look like? How will it be measured?
Answering these questions at the get-go is especially critical for people who haven’t worked together
before.
For ongoing collaborations, some of these answers will be more open-ended. For example, success
might look like the ability to accomplish more together than separately, the ability to resolve conflict
productively, and so on.
❑ Define Roles and Responsibilities

Ideally, each person should be allowed to define his or her own role in the collaboration. This will
increase individual buy-in and commitment to the collaboration.
Particular roles will depend on the nature of the collaboration; however, every group should
designate a leader who is responsible for scheduling meetings and clarifying assignments and
deadlines, as well as someone who is responsible for communicating information to the appropriate
people.
Individual Activity: Establish Expectations
Instructions:
Go back to your answers on Page 10 and choose one Goal which you need to collaborate with other
people and answer the following questions:
1. What result do you want the collaboration to achieve?

__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the timeline?
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3. How does success look like? What are your indicators of success?
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
13
❑ Agree on operating norms
The heart of establishing expectations is developing operating norms—rules of behavior that guide
interactions and set boundaries for appropriate and inappropriate behavior. The questions below
cover common issues addressed by operating norms.
✔ What does participation entail? What form(s) of communication will be used and how much?
✔ How much information-sharing is enough, not enough, or too much?
✔ How will decisions be made?
✔ When someone is struggling or can’t meet an obligation, how will that be handled?
✔ Will new members be introduced to the existing group? If so, how?
✔ Will one person take the lead? Will group members take turns leading?
✔ How will conflict be addressed?
✔ How will we handle situations when members fail to adhere to agreed-upon processes and
expectations?
THE EXPECTATIONS CHECKLIST
TASK NOTES
Determine the objective—the result/outcome
we want the collaboration to achieve.
Identify why this objective is something that no
one can achieve alone.
Describe what success will look like when we
accomplish our objective.
Specify who is involved and define the roles
and responsibilities of each person.
Identify any potential conflicts of interest
among group members and/or the functions
they represent.
List the operating norms in each of these areas
and any others that are relevant:
∙ Participation
∙ Communication
∙ Decision-making
∙ Mutual support
∙ Leadership
14
LET’S PRACTICE!
Group Activity: Lost at Sea
Instructions: Follow the facilitator’s instruction. Use below worksheet for your answers.
STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5
ITEM Individual Group Coast Guard Difference Difference

Ranking Ranking Ranking Between 1 & 3 Between 2 & 3
15
PROMOTE COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORS
Individual Activity: How Strong are my Collaborative Skills
Instructions: For each statement, circle the number that best reflects how often you practice the
behavior described. Use the following scale: 1 = seldom, 2 = occasionally, 3 = frequently, 4 = always.
Statement Frequency
1. I take personal responsibility for the quality of my relationships at

1 2 3 4
work.
1. I go out of my way to convey personal warmth. 1 2 3 4
1. I practice positive intent by assuming that my co-workers and I both

1 2 3 4
want what is best for the organization.
1. I am an effective listener, and people can tell that I’m listening to
1 2 3 4
them.
1. I ask questions to find out what other people know and what they are
1 2 3 4
thinking and feeling.
1. I address disagreements before they become major conflicts. 1 2 3 4
1. I mean what I say and I say what I mean. 1 2 3 4
1. I keep an open mind and avoid making assumptions until I have

1 2 3 4
accurate information.
1. I share information and expertise freely. 1 2 3 4
1. I follow through on my commitments. 1 2 3 4
Total:
Add the numbers assigned to each statement and refer to the presentation for the interpretation of
the result. What have you discovered about your collaborative skills?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
16
1. Develop Collaborative Mindset
To successfully work with others toward a common goal, you must develop inward attitudes that
support collaboration. This mindset is necessary to establish and maintain successful relationships in
the workplace.
❑ Sense of Personal Responsibility for the Quality of Your Relationships

Be someone that others want to work with. Write down the top five qualities that you appreciate in
people you work with, and then try to emulate these when you interact and collaborate with others.
Find a mentor—someone who is a role model for working collaboratively. Approach this person and
ask whether he or she will formally or informally serve as a mentor.
Don’t wait for others to notice and act on an issue that needs attention. By taking the initiative
yourself, you’ll come across as a proactive problem-solver.
❑ Concerned with “What’s in It for Us?”

Adopting the mindset of “What’s in it for us?” is especially important when working with people from
outside your organization, or even outside your department.
Focus on how you and the others involved can benefit (not on “What’s in it for me?” or even “What’s
in it for you?”).
Recognize that you’re not competing against a person, but against a situation.
❑ Keeping an Open Mind

Suspend judgment.
Individual Activity: Check your Assumptions!
Instructions: For each behavior, write down one negative assumption and one positive or neutral
assumption you could make about the reason behind it.
1. She is using a loud voice to talk back to me.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. He seems tired and uninterested in what I’m saying.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. She is taking a long time to respond to my questions.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
REMINDER: Avoid making assumptions. Listen before you jump to

conclusion. Avoid sweeping statements and ask for clarity.
17
❑ Willingness to Share
Sharing data, information, expertise, and experience is vital to successful collaboration.
Sharing facilitates reciprocity; others will be more likely to share with you.
Think about the unique skills and experiences you have that would be valuable to others, and then
determine how you can share them.
❑ Willingness to Trust Others

If you want others to trust you, you must be willing to trust them. Try these strategies to increase your
willingness to trust others:
Trust someone unless he/she has given you a reason not to.
Think in terms of trusting someone to honor a specific commitment.
Choose one person to trust in a specific situation. Then, add more situations and more people until
you are comfortable trusting others.
NOTES:
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
18
2. Practice Positive Demeanor
Your mindset is reflected in your demeanor. Demeanor is how you approach a situation. It is your
outward facing behavior that tells the story about you as a person. When you have cultivated a
collaborative mindset, you are more likely to project a collaborative demeanor
❑ Convey Personal Warmth

✔ Greet others; be the first to say “hello.”
✔ Maintain a relaxed and open posture.
✔ Make eye contact—be direct but not too intense.
✔ Smile!
✔ Give the other person your full attention.
✔ Show your (appropriate) sense of humor.
✔ Encourage others with supportive words.
✔ Show concern for others—pay attention to what is going on with them, offer to help out, and
express your appreciation.
❑ Listen Actively
• Practice positive intent. Assume that you both want what is best for the organization.
• Listen first, then talk.
• Acknowledge the speaker’s point of view. Repeat key words, phrases, or ideas he/she shared to
show that you understand. If you misunderstood, the other person will correct you.
• Express a desire to achieve your common purpose.
Listening is always important, but it is especially vital in the following situations:
▪ When the other person is upset.

▪ When you suspect the other person has a hidden agenda. Look for hedge words such as, “maybe,”
“almost, “pretty sure,” and so on.
▪ When you’re being criticized. Active listening helps prevent you from becoming defensive. Ask
questions such as, “Can you give me an example?” or “Is there anything else you want to share?”
When you want to persuade someone. Counter-intuitively, persuasion is more about listening than
talking.
REMINDER: An effective listener seeks to understand the speaker’s

message as well as the feelings behind the message.
19
❑ Listen Actively
Poor Listeners Active Listeners
Glance at their watch, tap their feet, and drum Make eye contact, nod occasionally, and say words
their fingers. of encouragement.
Finish people’s sentences and make Paraphrase the speaker’s words, clarify, and
assumptions. summarize.
Interrupt to disagree and rush to correct the Are patient and calmly state their views when
speaker. appropriate.
Focus on the speaker’s delivery or mannerisms. Focus on the content of the message.
React emotionally. Remain non-defensive.
Ignore non-verbal cues. Pay attention to non-verbal cues.

Tell others how they should feel. Control others’
Respect others’ feelings.
feelings.
Talk more than they listen. Listen more than they talk.
Group Activity: Practice Active Listening
Instructions: Follow the Facilitator directions. Use below space to write down your notes/answers.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
20
❑ Turn conflict into cooperation.
If you find yourself in a conflict, rely on these foundational behaviors:
• Maintain composure.
• Always show respect.
Find common ground between you and the other person. Acknowledge your differences, and focus
on common goals.
Employ strategies for resolving task-based conflict:

• Search for root causes – e.g poorly designed work processes, communication breakdowns,
unrealistic expectations, or lack of knowledge, skills or training
• Focus on “what” not on “who”. Concentrate on what needs to be changed and not who to blame.
❑ Commit to Completion
Whenever possible, describe actions you will take in decisive terms. Many people tend to use vague,
noncommittal language, and this conditional commitment can influence others’ perception of their
trustworthiness and reliability.
Individual Activity: Expressing Commitment

Instructions: Replace each statement that uses conditional language with one that uses committed
language.
Conditional Committed
1. “I can … as soon as …”
1. “I can’t … until …”
1. “I’ll try that next time.”
1. “Whenever he contacts me, I will…”
21
3. Use the Right Words
Words are powerful—and permanent. It’s hard to take back something once you say it. Being careful
and conscientious with your word choice can greatly support collaboration and help build good
relationships.
❑ Use “I” Messages

“I” messages are an effective way to express how you feel assertively, not aggressively or passively
(not expressing yourself at all). “I” messages are especially powerful because they:
• Focus on solving problems.
• Emphasize the present and future.
• Use words with reduced emotional impact.
• Demonstrate sincerity and respect.
Make sure your statement includes observable behavior, not your assumption or negative judgment
of what someone did.
FORMULA:
“I feel/felt when you ( behavioral description ). I’d appreciate it if you would
( behavioral description ).”
EXAMPLE:
Wrong way: “I felt angry when you humiliated me in front of others. Don’t ever do it again.”
Right way: “I felt angry when you criticized my work in front of others. I’d appreciate it if you
would discuss your concerns about my work with me in private.
❑ Present Ideas as Questions

Many people will be more open to your opinion, point of view, or idea when you present it as a
question, especially if your idea is contrary to another person’s.
FORMULA:
Acknowledge the other person’s thought and follow up by presenting your idea as a question to
consider.
EXAMPLE:
“I can tell you care a lot about staying within our budget, and this unexpected expense has really
messed that up. What if we look for a corporate sponsor to increase our budget instead of cutting
back on deliverables?”
22
4. Avoid negative communication.
Just as important as knowing effective words and language is knowing what words and language to
avoid. There are behaviors and words that signal negative messages hence the challenge is to reframe
to make these more positive, constructive and collaborative.
❑ Be Mindful of Destructive Communication

The following behaviors damage (or destroy) collaborative efforts and relationships:
• Being sarcastic (especially in new collaborations).

• Questioning someone’s integrity; for example, calling someone a liar.
• Dismissing people and their ideas; for example, saying, “That is the dumbest idea I ever heard.”
• Acting incredulous; for example, saying, “Really?” and exaggerating your response.
❑ Reframe negative messages.

Negativity and especially the word “no” undermine relationships; they project an uncooperative
attitude, even if that’s not what you intend. Instead, say what you can do, not what you can’t do.
Individual Activity: Rephrase Negative Messages

Instructions: Rewrite each negative statement in a more positive way.
1. “I can’t process your request because you did not fill out all the information.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. “You need to call another department”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. “It won’t be ready until next week.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. “I don’t know.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
23
❑ Don’t argue.
Argumentative language alienates those you work with and creates a “me vs. you” perspective, rather
than “us vs. the problem.” Refrain from using language that:
- Attempts to prove the other person wrong.

- Focuses on the past.
- Contains words and phrases that provoke the other person.
- Demonstrates a sense of mistrust and a lack of respect.
Example (blaming statements): “You should/shouldn’t have…” or “I told you three times to…”
Example (absolutes): “You always…” or “You never…”
Individual Activity: Reframe Argumentative Language

Instructions: Replace each argumentative statement with a more positive response.
1. “I can’t count on you.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. “You are inflexible.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. “If you had told me sooner.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. “You always want your own way.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
24
CASE STUDY: The Flaming Email
Emails are a vital form of communication in the workplace due to its speed, convenience and its ability
to provide communication medium for people across geographical boundaries. However, the same
strengths are also the challenges faced by email users. Because of speed and convenience, it is very easy
for users to just shoot an email without thinking of possible consequences. In some cases, little
misunderstanding brought about by email conversations may mean a lost sale or business.
One of the negative sides of email is the “flaming”. Flaming emails are generally emails with a negative
tone. There are various broad definitions of the word and among the most common words associated
with “flaming” are:
Unfriendly
Sarcastic
Hostile
Blunt to the point of rudeness
Offensive comments
Obscenities
Inappropriate comments
Intimidation
Insults
The use of “emoticons” or pictographs can also be considered as flame triggers except for the younger
generations who are regularly using them. Font size, color and use of punctuation marks may also be
flame triggers. For instance, bold, capitalized red letters as well as exclamation marks are perceived as
screaming.
HOW TO AVOID SENDING FLAMING EMAIL?

Take responsibility for the words you use, and the reaction/response that you will get. Never send a
message containing profanity, all capital letters and excessive punctuation marks. Frame your words in
the “moving forward” mode and eliminate emotion and spur of the moment feelings. Think of what you
want your receiver to do after reading your email. When collaboration is vital to your business, it is
better to please rather than flame your email recipient.
If you’re tempted to send a flaming (nasty) email, try these tips instead of hitting “Send”:
• Talk to the person face-to-face if possible.

• Write the email and send it to yourself. Wait an hour before reading it, and then see how you feel.
Does it accomplish anything? Does it help solve the issue or resolve the conflict?
HOW TO ADDRESS FLAMING EMAIL?
• How you feel about the issue might be valid but it does not mean that you have to act based on your
emotion in the moment. Reframe to make your reply neutral and non-emotional.
• Know when to initiate a face-to-face discussion. Remember, email is not the only medium of
communication.
25
LET’S PRACTICE!
Group Activity: Stop Sending Flaming Email
Instructions: Rewrite the following flaming emails so it uses respectful language.
EMAIL NUMBER 1:
“If you don’t fix this problem immediately, I am going to QUIT TOMORROW. I AM TIRED OF PAT’S
INCOMPETENCE!!”
YOUR RECOMMENDED VERSION:
EMAIL NUMBER 2:
“I have been calling for the last two hours and your assistant informed me that you are in a lunch
meeting. Everyone knows that lunch meetings do not last all afternoon. Call me ASAP to discuss an
urgent matter.”
EMAIL NUMBER 3:
“There are two reasons why you have not yet completed the report which I assigned to you. One, you
have not given it time. Two, you don’t know how to do it. Either way, will you let me know ASAP when
may I expect to get that report. IT IS ALREADY DUE YESTERDAY.”
26
LET’S PRACTICE!
Group Activity: Responding to a Flaming Email
Instructions: Write a response to the following flaming emails.
EMAIL NUMBER 1:
“If you don’t fix this problem immediately, I am going to QUIT TOMORROW. I AM TIRED OF PAT’S
INCOMPETENCE!!”
EMAIL NUMBER 2:
“I have been calling for the last two hours and your assistant informed me that you are in a lunch
meeting. Everyone knows that lunch meetings do not last all afternoon. Call me ASAP to discuss an
urgent matter.”
EMAIL NUMBER 3:
“There are two reasons why you have not yet completed the report which I assigned to you. One, you
have not given it time. Two, you don’t know how to do it. Either way, will you let me know ASAP when
may I expect to get that report. IT IS ALREADY DUE YESTERDAY.”
27
MANAGE NON-COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORS
Group Activity: Paint that Challenging Person
Instructions: Draw an image of the most challenging person you have encountered in a collaboration.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NON COLLABORATIVE
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS
PERSONALITIES
Hoard information.
Say things like, “It’s my job, not yours.”
Protecting the Turf Say things like, “It’s your job, not mine.” (If a task isn’t in their job description,
they won’t touch it.)
Have a reason why others’ ideas won’t work—no matter what is suggested.
Say things like, “We tried that five years ago.”
Nay-saying
Say things like, “We can’t afford it” or “The budget won’t allow it.”
Say things like, “Management won’t like it.”
Unable or unwilling to make a decision to move a project forward.

Say things like, “I don’t think so-and-so will like it,” “We don’t have enough
information,” and “What if it goes wrong?”
Indecisive
Ask endless questions and/or request more data or additional study.
Hold meetings where no decisions are made and no action list is created.
Be demanding, inflexible, closed-minded, and stubborn.

Wanting their Own Lack empathy and not pay attention when others are talking.
Way Say things like, “This is the way it should be done.”
Not “get it.”

Make mistakes.
Needing Excessive Not function independently.
Help Panic or stress easily.
Say things like, “The report is going to be late again,” “I didn’t think about that,
” and “Could you tell me again?”
Waste time online with games, social media, etc.
Not get work done on time.
Not do their fair share.
Acting Uninterested
Talk on the phone about personal matters.
Take extra-long breaks.
28
CHALLENGING
PERSONALITY CAUSES POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
TYPE
Silo Thinking Encourage ownership of individual
responsibilities and group results
Culture of Individual Rather than
Protecting the
Group Rewards Encourage big-picture perspective
Turf
Desire to gain power Revamp process and resources to force
people to work together
Job dissatisfaction or being unhappy
Avoid getting drawn in. State your own
realistic perspective.
Habit. Some people are pessimistic
Nay-saying thinkers
Ask them to offer a positive idea of their
own for every suggestion they shoot down.
Not knowing any other way to feel
heard.
Share a decision-making process to help
them get better at making choices they’re
confident in.
Not wanting to be responsible for
making a decision. - Gather information.
Not wanting to be held accountable - Brainstorm alternatives.

for the results of a decision.
- Analyze options using a cost/benefit or
Being afraid to take a risk that could pros/cons approach.
Indecisive
lead to failure or change.
- Choose the best option.
Missing information.
Set interim deadlines for small steps, and
Overgeneralization and lack of key don’t allow deadlines to slip.
details can add to indecisiveness.
Be supportive—offer praise and
encouragement for decisions made and
risks taken.
29
CHALLENGING
PERSONALITY CAUSES POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
TYPE
Support ideas that are useful.
Don’t criticize him or her. Instead, try a

questioning approach: “What if we
considered…?”
Wanting their A need for control.
Show the benefits of your idea to the
Own Way A need for power and personal gain.
person individually and address his or her
concerns. Explain the “why” behind your
suggestion, and provide concrete
evidence/data if possible.
Demonstrate your competence.

Offer resources such as training and
mentoring
Create job aids
Being the wrong fit for the position. Check in frequently
Needing Being the wrong fit for the assigned Anticipate problems and adjust task
Excessive Help task/work. accordingly
Having the wrong skill set. Identify and maximize individual strengths.
Find a better fit for the person
For specific project, replace this person

with someone who has the necessary
skillset
Explain how their actions are affecting
efforts to achieve your mutual objective,
as well as how they affect you and others.
Boredom, a lack of interest in the task
Give specific examples with dates.
or project, or laziness.
Allow them to explain their side of the
Acting
story in case they have a legitimate
Uninterested Feeling overwhelmed or out of their
explanation for their behavior.
league (unable to do the work).
Keep track of your own work and
contributions so that you can document
your efforts. You may need to go to your
manager to intervene.
30
LET’S PRACTICE!
Group Activity: How to Manage Non-Collaborative Personalities?
Instructions: Form groups of three and discuss how you will address the personalities described in the
cases below. Identify what are the probable causes of such behavior and outline your major steps in
managing the person or the situation.
CASE STUDY NUMBER 1:
As a Quality Analyst, it is Ana’s job to ensure that she documents all process gaps in the factory so she
can recommend solutions to address such. Her job is challenging and rewarding if not for the consistent
problem she encounters with the Shift Supervisor. The said supervisor does not fully disclose machine
downtime even if it was clear to Ana that a machine broke down due to rejects and defects of the final
product. When there are rejects, line workers will need to render overtime. In the final report, the Shift
Supervisor declares 100% compliance to preventive maintenance and 0% downtime which are critical
success indicators in his line of work. The company has a very competitive rewards system which
provides monetary rewards for good performance. Ana is a consistent top performer but with her
current concern with the Shift Supervisor, she might get lower ratings this year.
1. What are the likely causes of the Shift Supervisor’s behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. If you were Ana, how will you address the behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
31
LET’S PRACTICE!
Manny has been with the IT for the last 6 years. He literally grew with the company and is now
promoted as an IT specialist. Alex, meanwhile, is the new IT Manager who will directly supervise Manny.
One of the first projects which Alex wants to prioritize is the improvement of collecting data on
downtime and troubleshooting procedures. He would like to install an IT feature that will enable the
mainframe to store information about any downtime and errors that will happen in all 5,000 computers
in the office. Manny was not supportive of the idea saying it will stretch their small team. He shared that
a similar project has been planned before but it did not materialize. In addition, he thinks that the
management does not provide additional budget in the middle of the year. Alex has been asking other
managers about his idea and has been getting positive encouragement to continue with the project.
One manager even remarked that he knew for a fact that the reason the project did not happen before
is because there had been IT people who opposed the implementation and did not pursue the idea.
1. What are the likely causes of Manny’s behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. If you were Alex, how will you address the behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
32
LET’S PRACTICE!
The decision to promote Jenny as a Senior Process Expert has been pending for the last six months. Her
supervisor Joey promised that she will work on it and will come up with a decision by the end of the
month. Two weeks before, Joey said that she needs more time to evaluate the scorecards and past
accomplishments of Jenny so she can be more objective in her recommendation. Last week, Joey invited
Jenny for a 1-hour conversation which focused on stories which Jenny feels had been thoroughly
discussed already in their previous conversations. The deadline for the Performance Appraisal is already
5 days away and Jenny is still not sure as to what would be Joey’s final decision.
1. What are the likely causes of Joey’s behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. If you were Jenny, how will you address the situation?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
33
LET’S PRACTICE!
Karla had been a top performer ever since the company starter. It is not surprising that she now leads
the highest performing teams in the office. This year, Karla is invited to be part of the core team in
charge of the preparations for the 20 th company anniversary. During the initial meeting, Karla brought all
her prepared plans as well as recommended program concept and list of suppliers. She took pain in
explaining all the details during the meeting and seem to not listen to other suggestions from the other
attendees. Louella who facilitates the meeting likes Karla’s enthusiasm but would like to solicit more
ideas from the rest of the team.
1. What are the likely causes of Karla’s behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. If you were Louella, how will you address the situation?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
34
LET’S PRACTICE!
Daniel has been with your business unit for 7 months now. He received extensive classroom training and
worked with senior team members so he could fully appreciate the process and work more effectively
when he gets on the floor. However, you’ve been hearing complaints lately that Daniel has been asking
repetitive questions and seems to be at lost about what should be done. During the last call, he called
Albert to handle the call because he said that he forgot how to solve the client’s concern. Albert feels
that Daniel is already taking up too much of his time and most of his questions can be answered if only
he would pay attention.
1. What are the likely causes of Daniel’s behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. If you were Albert, how will you address the situation?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
35
LET’S PRACTICE!
Don and Ryan are partners for the upcoming Innovation Project and Don was very excited about it. He
prepared well for his initial meeting with Ryan and has a lot of ideas. However, he was sorely
disappointed when he talked to Ryan. Ryan seemed to be not listening and appeared to be engrossed
with his phone. When Don asked what their plans would be, Ryan vaguely said that he would think
about it and would let Don know. Don is worried that they won’t be able to finish the project in time if
Ryan acts like that.
1. What are the likely causes of Ryan’s behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. If you were Don, how will you address the behavior?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
36
STRENGTHEN GROUP COLLABORATION
1. Widen your internal network.
Networking with colleagues within your organization is just as valuable, if not more so, than
networking with people outside of it. Connecting with people throughout your organization helps
bridge silos and leads to more productive and collaborative work.
Focus on your goal: to connect with people you wouldn’t ordinarily work with.
Aim for variety, not sheer numbers. Strive to build an efficient network of people who all possess
different skills and experiences so that each offers a unique contribution.
Don’t overinvest time in a networking relationship . Each person doesn’t need to become your best
friend. Maintain enough contact so that you are comfortable calling on people in your network when
you need to, but aren’t wasting your time or theirs.
Talk to a veteran employee who’s been around long enough to know people in every part of the
organization, and ask that person to introduce you to new contacts.
Gain acquaintances throughout your organization by getting involved in its activities, such as
volunteering for an internal committee or community service project.
Offer your unique skills and experiences to others in your network. Remember that collaboration is
based on reciprocity.
Individual Activity: Your Unique Skills
Instructions: List several specific skills, areas of expertise, or experiences that you have that would be of
value to others in your organization. Explain how you can make use of these in increasing your network
in the organization.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
37
2. Develop and support collaborative leadership.
Group collaboration can’t happen unless the organization’s top leadership supports the concept.
Collaborative leadership takes a non-traditional approach toward managing others. Collaborative
leaders:
Redefine success. They reward group achievement rather than rewarding solely individual efforts
(which creates “lone wolves”).
Involve others. They are open to input, solicit different perspectives, and cultivate an atmosphere
where respectful debate is welcomed.
Hold themselves and their employees accountable. Every person is responsible for reaching his/her
own decisions and goals and working well with others.
Attempt to minimize detrimental personal traits in themselves such as defensiveness, lack of

humility, arrogance, or a need for power.
Collaboration across business or functional units, which combines various areas of technical expertise,
can result in innovative new products or processes. The following are examples of how collaborative
leadership played a role in launching innovation in their respective organizations.
Case Study 1: Procter & Gamble (P&G)***

In 2001, P&G introduced Crest White Strips as an alternative to getting your teeth whitened by the
dentist. Three units collaborated: the oral-care division provided tooth-whitening expertise, the fabric
and homecare division provided bleach expertise, and the corporate R&D division provided film
technology. While Crest White Strips stand out as a major collaborative accomplishment, P&G has
multiple programs in place that facilitate collaboration. The company:
Created 20 communities of practice with 8,000 participants. These groups share best practices and
solve specific problems that are brought to them.
Has an “ask me” feature on its intranet where employees can describe a business problem, which is
then directed to those with relevant expertise.
Continually creates cross-unit networks by rotating employees through business units and countries.
Case Study 2: US Department of Defense****
The USDS employs more than 57,000 employees worldwide. Their goal is to be able to access and
contribute knowledge anywhere, anytime. Their solution included the following elements: self-forming
and self-managing online communities, a central repository for knowledge, connecting to expertise,
integrating with enterprise search, and using social media to make knowledge-sharing part of the daily
workflow. An example of this is “Diplopedia,” their version of Wikipedia.
***Hansen, Morten T. Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Create Unity, and Reap Big Results. Boston: Harvard
Business Press, 2009.
****http://www.slideshare.net/OnlineTownhalls/tiffany-smith and http://www.state.gov/m/irm/ediplomacy/
38
3. Create communities of practice.
Community of practice: A group of people who share a concern or passion for something and learn
how to do their crafts better as they interact regularly. Communities of practice are formed by people
who make use of collective learning to better shared interests.
Elements of Community of Practice+
Domain – there is an identified shared domain of interest which requires commitment and shared
competence that differentiates the members from other people or groups.
Community – to further advance their interest in the domain, members are actively engaging in
activities and discussions where they can help each other and share information.
Practice – Members of a community of practice belong to almost the same practice or expertise. In
the process, they bring in the table experiences, stories, tools and insights which the members can
find value on.
The following are some of the common important building blocks of a Community of Practice:**
▪ leaders/facilitators
▪ critical mass of active members
▪ management support/being an integral part of the organizational structure
▪ resources
▪ topic focus
▪ problem-solving emphasis (practical aspect)
▪ technology
▪ knowledge transfer and dissemination mechanisms
▪ trust
▪ passion
Why are communities of practice important?
• It enables experts to take charge of their learning plan and with the right structure and
organizational support can actually be more effective in improving their knowledge base since they
are in the best position to do so.
• It directly connects learning to on-desk application since the same people who learned together
practiced together in their respective communities, teams and business units.
• Experts provide on demand knowledge creation and sharing and can vastly improve knowledge
management system
• Communities create connections across organizational and geographical boundaries
+”Introduction to Communities of Practice” by Wenger-Trayner

**CoP_QA, Ksharing@worldbank.org
39
4. Maximize tools for online collaboration
Goals
Online collaboration is a modern business must, most especially for those who are operating across
geographical boundaries and time zones. Local businesses meanwhile can make use of online
collaboration to increase productivity and improve process workflow. There are a lot of software
applications that make online collaboration seamless and real time. Before choosing a tool to enhance
collaboration, it’s essential to determine what you hope to achieve by using it. An effective
collaboration tool has at least one of these qualities:
• Promotes communication.
• Allows spontaneous interactions.
• Lets users share and update data and documents easily.
• Is easy to learn and use.
Categories
The many varieties of tools that facilitate collaboration include:
• Virtual meetings.
• Instant messaging/chat.
• Ancillary communication (synchronous or asynchronous) to tap into a network of colleagues,
experts, and acquaintances.
• Document construction (synchronous or asynchronous), which allows co-writing in real time,
brainstorming, and articulating ideas.
• Project management or task management and file storage.
• Image sharing on collaborative spaces, drawing boards, etc.
• Blogs and chat rooms.
• Social networks, public and private.
Users
People who increasingly use online collaboration software are the following:
• Remote staff members

• Contractors, vendors, and freelancers
• HR Teams
• Project managers
• Agile team members and managers
• Developers
Group Activity: How do I collaborate Online?

Instructions: Identify one online collaboration software which you have used or currently use. Identify
how this helps in achieving the 4 goals of online collaboration.
40
CASE STUDY: The Past, Present and Future of Collaboration Tools++
Workers have used collaboration tools as long as people have worked together on projects. The
telephone, telegraph, and other broad communication tools changed the landscape of modern business
early in the 20th century. No longer did salesmen have to go door to door or wait for a customer to walk
into a shop to connect with prospective customers.
As the internet grew late in the century, employees began to use emails, instant messaging, VoIP (Voice
over Internet Protocol), and mainframe, and then server-based, portals to track projects and time. Some
of the organizations involved early on in collaboration tools include the following:
▪ Wiki : A wiki is a user-editable website, with no designated owner or moderator. The first wiki site
was WikiWikiWeb, founded in 1994 by Ward Cunningham in Portland, OR. Since then, thousands of
wiki sites, and software that powers them, have come into use. The most successful is Wikipedia, a
global knowledge base that any reader or user can update.
▪ Microsoft : Microsoft launched SharePoint in 2001 as a content management and storage system that
also integrated with its Office products. The software, powered by servers, let employees and project
members upload and share documents, resources, due dates, notes, and more. Today, SharePoint is
cloud-based, and the platform is highly customizable.
▪ Lotus Notes : The Lotus Corporation developed the word processor collaboration software in 1989,
and it was bought by IBM in 1995. Now called IBM Notes, the platform, like SharePoint, handles
internal and external communications, document filing and versioning, and more, and can be easily
customized to fit a company’s needs.
▪ Google: One of today’s powerhouse collaboration suites is offered free by Google to anyone with a
Gmail account. This provides access to Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Sheets, and the
communication tools Google+ and Google Hangouts. Based on an earlier collaboration tool called
Writely, Google Docs was introduced broadly in 2009 and has quickly become one of the world’s
most widely used suite of collaboration tools.
Looking ahead, the trends that will be affecting small and enterprise level collaboration tools involve the
broader use of the cloud for storage, security, and speed of response. The key for companies is to
identify the needs of their business—and their employees—because any collaboration solution requires
complete buy-in for it to really boost productivity.
++”Choosing an Online Collaboration Tool”, Smart Sheet
41
LET’S REVIEW!
Group Activity: What have you learned today?
Instructions: Form FOUR (4) groups and answer the questions regarding the Learning Topic that will be
assigned to you.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
42
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Individual Activity: What have you learned today?
Instructions: Find out how much you have learned today. Answer the following:
1. List at least three benefits of collaboration, either to the organization or to individual employees.
2. List at least three challenges of collaboration.
3. What is the main reason to collaborate?
4. Which of the following is NOT a basis for successful collaboration?

a. Finding someone you like.
b. Identifying a clear objective.
c. Defining individual roles and responsibilities.
d. Agreeing on a process.
5. Which of the following statements is true? Encircle it.

Wait for the other person to bring up an issue so you don’t initiate conflict.
Make sure your opinions are set in stone so you don’t appear wishy-washy.
Wait to trust others until you are sure they trust you.
Listen before you talk so that you understand where the other person is coming from.
6. Which of the following is an example of an effective “I” message? Encircle it.

“I think you’re wrong.”
“I feel frustrated when you are late to our meetings. I’d appreciate it if you would be on time.”
“I feel you are always getting your own way.”
“I wish you would stop telling me what to do all the time.”
7. List at least three characteristics of argumentative language.
8. Which of the following is true about building a network?

Find as many people as possible to connect with.
Focus more on finding people outside your organization than in it.
Use veteran employees as a starting point to connect with others in the organization.
Spend as much time as possible with each contact so you really get to know him or her.
43
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
9. Which of the following is a behavior of someone who protects his turf?
He hoards information.
He shoots down any idea you have.
He can’t make a decision.
He makes mistakes repeatedly.
10. Which of the following is the best strategy for dealing with someone who always wants their own
way? Encircle it.
Reward sharing information and experience.
Play devil’s advocate to present another point of view.
Offer praise and encouragement for decisions made.
Don’t directly criticize the person.
NOTES:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
44
LET’S TURN THAT KNOWLEDGE INTO ACTION
SUPPORT I NEED (RESOURCES,

SKILLS I WANT TO MASTER TIMELINE
MENTOR, ETC)
ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND PROJECTS WHICH YOU CAN DEVELOP/UNDERTAKE AS A RESULT OF THIS
TRAINING:
45
RESOURCE SECTION
OBSERVER’S GUIDE
Instruction: Look for the following principle if being used during the role play. Cite specific instances
in the NOTES section
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Collaborative Mindset _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Practice of Positive Demeanor _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Use of the Right Words _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Avoiding Negative Communication _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Willing to Trust _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Correct identification of the non-
_____________________________________________________
collaborative behavior
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Match strategies with the
_____________________________________________________
behavior*
_____________________________________________________
(Refer to Page 29-30 for best
_____________________________________________________
practices and strategies)
________________________________________________
46
RESOURCE SECTION
Expectations Checklist
Project: ________________________________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________________________________
Collaborators: __________________________________________________________
Task Notes
❑ Determine the
objective—the result/
outcome we want the
collaboration to achieve.
❑ Identify why this objective is

something that no one can
achieve alone.
❑ Describe what success will

look like when we
accomplish our objective.
❑ Specify who is involved and

define the roles and
responsibilities of each
person.
❑ Identify any potential
conflicts of interest among
group members and/or the
functions they represent.
❑ List the operating norms in
each of these areas and
any others that are relevant:
∙ Participation
∙ Communication
∙ Decision-making
∙ Mutual support
∙ Leadership
∙ Conflict resolution
47

Skillful Collaboration PG

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Skillful Collaboration PG

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Skillful

Establishing Standards of Collaboration

- Define what collaboration is

Write your Learning Goals and Expectations Here:

TOP THREE AREAS FOR COLLABORATION*

BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO THE ORGANIZATION

Promotes creative and effective problem- Increases an individual’s network of “go-to”

A collaborative mindset spreads across departments enabling all

3. TOO MANY EMAILS AND MEETINGS

Group Activity: Share Your Collaboration Experiences

1. Why is this challenging for you?

2. PROMOTE COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORS

3. MANAGE NON-COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIOURS

4. STRENGTHEN GROUP COLLABORATION

Individual Activity: What are your Individual Goals?

TIP: What is the difference between goal and objective?

OBJECTIVE – concrete accomplishment that is achievable by following certain steps.

❑ Am I unable to achieve the desired outcome by myself?

❑ Will an individual approach achieve the desired results?

Individual Activity: Collaborate or Not?

Specify which specific element is required for Collaboration or Non-Collaboration.

Four Key Steps

Group Activity: Who Needs to be “In the Loop”?

✔ There are vegetarian menu options.

❑ Determine the Objective

❑ Define Roles and Responsibilities

Individual Activity: Establish Expectations

1. What result do you want the collaboration to achieve?

THE EXPECTATIONS CHECKLIST

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5

ITEM Individual Group Coast Guard Difference Difference

1. I take personal responsibility for the quality of my relationships at

1. I go out of my way to convey personal warmth. 1 2 3 4

1. I practice positive intent by assuming that my co-workers and I both

1. I address disagreements before they become major conflicts. 1 2 3 4

1. I mean what I say and I say what I mean. 1 2 3 4

1. I keep an open mind and avoid making assumptions until I have

1. I share information and expertise freely. 1 2 3 4

1. I follow through on my commitments. 1 2 3 4

❑ Sense of Personal Responsibility for the Quality of Your Relationships

❑ Concerned with “What’s in It for Us?”

❑ Keeping an Open Mind

Individual Activity: Check your Assumptions!

1. She is using a loud voice to talk back to me.

REMINDER: Avoid making assumptions. Listen before you jump to

❑ Willingness to Trust Others

Think in terms of trusting someone to honor a specific commitment.

❑ Convey Personal Warmth

• Listen first, then talk.

• Express a desire to achieve your common purpose.

Listening is always important, but it is especially vital in the following situations:

▪ When the other person is upset.

REMINDER: An effective listener seeks to understand the speaker’s

React emotionally. Remain non-defensive.

Ignore non-verbal cues. Pay attention to non-verbal cues.

Group Activity: Practice Active Listening

Employ strategies for resolving task-based conflict:

Individual Activity: Expressing Commitment

1. “I’ll try that next time.”

1. “Whenever he contacts me, I will…”

❑ Use “I” Messages

❑ Present Ideas as Questions

❑ Be Mindful of Destructive Communication

• Being sarcastic (especially in new collaborations).