Getting Collaboration Right in 2017. When asked what our strengths are, we reply that we can take the lead and work on our own but also adapt to teamwork when the task or situation calls for it. What does collaboration mean in 2017? Of course, there will come a time when collaboration needs to happen within your office space, as your team comes together to work closely on a project. This can be supported by considering the set-up of your office and your collaborative spaces, and by thinking intelligently about the design of your workplace. Again, this is linked to adaptability and flexibility; operate a workplace which supports direct collaboration when it is needed, and remote collaboration when the moment calls for it. A secure approach is not simply the best way to take care of collaborative tasks in 2017; it is the only way. Engage in extensive training to make sure all team members are on the same page when it comes to security, and that they are willing and able to implement security measures on their own devices and networks. Next, secure the software. Moving in the Right Direction What do you want to achieve from collaboration?
While this post is sponsored by Microsoft Office, all thoughts are my own.
For many, it is the classic job interview cliché. When asked what our strengths are, we reply that we can take the lead and work on our own but also adapt to teamwork when the task or situation calls for it.
There is nothing wrong with this response. Indeed, a job interview scenario is something of a game in which the candidate must give the right answer to the right question. Certainly, being able to work alone and also collaboratively is an important skill in the workplace. But, what is teamwork? What does collaboration mean in 2017?
Collaboration has evolved. What used to involve getting a few people around a table to plan, and then sending them off into the field, has now become much more dynamic and sophisticated.
Take a look at our guide to getting collaboration right in 2017, and for more details, get the full Forbes report here.
Knowing When, and How, to Collaborate
The modern marketplace is a competitive one, one which requires focus and agility. Your organization needs to be able to respond and react to different situations as and when they arise, and then know that you have the best team in place to achieve the objectives you need.
As early as 2013, Forbes was advocating this high level of agility as a key asset for business. Writing in September of that year, Craig Le Clair discussed how 70% of the companies ranked on the Fortune 1000 list in 2013 had vanished in the intervening decade, due to too much rigidity and an inability to adapt.
So, flexibility is the order of the day, not least when it comes to collaboration. Understand your aims, understand how to achieve them, and make sure that you are ready to assemble and deploy the right team at a moment’s notice.
The Legacy of the Team
The individual legacies of the teams you create are also worth considering. Was the team you put together designed to meet a specific, ad hoc need? Was the team a provisional one, designed simply to plug a gap until a more permanent solution can be found? Or is this the team you need on an ongoing basis?
Answering these questions comes down, once again, to understanding. This must be the grounding for any collaborative strategy in 2017; a solid base of understanding – both of organizational needs and objectives…
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