Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
SlideShare a Scribd company logo

TMA World Viewpoint 12: Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy

•
•
TMA World
TMA World

Develop greater collaboration across your organization's geographic, business and functional borders.

1 of 8
Download to read offline
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy TMA World Viewpoint
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Many organizations want to develop greater collaboration across their geographic, business and functional borders. What do they hope to accomplish? We have to understand that collaboration can mean different things to different people in different contexts: Solutions Productivity Game Change Coordination
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy As more jobs become increasingly interdependent, PRODUCTIVITY greater cooperation and collaboration is required between individual knowledge workers across borders  Greater collaborative efforts are needed to ensure COORDINATION the efficient and effective functioning of project teams and distributed knowledge workers  Collaborating across the organization and even with SOLUTIONS those ‘outside’ of the organization, is often required to solve the problems and dilemmas resulting from today’s complex business environment  Diverse thinking and perspectives working together GAME CHANGE help generate game-changing ideas and create new competitive spaces and sources of revenue 
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Different metrics are required for each of these areas of performance. For example: Productivity: Speed, cost, quantity and quality of knowledge outputs, e.g., data gathering and analysis, reports, technical or customer support  Coordination: Speed and cost from project initiation to project completion, quality of project outputs, knowledge sharing, learning and application rates, process improvements identified and implemented  Solutions: Speed and cost from problem identification to quality solution creation and implementation  Game Change: Speed, cost and quality of new innovations generating new competitive advantages 
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Surface One way of looking at these different areas of performance is to think of them as being on a spectrum between Surface and Deep Collaboration: Productivity Coordination Solutions Game Change In developing collaboration strategies, we need to be thinking about what is most important for us to accomplish along this spectrum – now, short term and long term. Deep Collaboration
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Let’s think about some of the potential elements of a collaboration strategy: Culture: How to develop shared values, assumptions, norms and behaviours that support collaborative mindsets. Structure: How to organize to achieve our goals more efficiently and effectively through greater collaboration, e.g., power/authority distribution, roles and responsibilities. Processes: How to manage flows of activities and communications between knowledge workers and groups to generate collaborative advantage. Incentives: How to create rewards and recognition systems to support the difficult balancing of competitive and collaborative behaviours. Talent: How to identify, develop and sustain competencies needed for working and leading in a collaborative environment. Technology: How to utilize new technologies/platforms to enable quality cross- border collaboration.
Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Changes in the organizational culture are likely to be needed over time, but culture change is very difficult to accomplish. If quicker results are needed, in productivity say, it is probably best to focus your immediate collaboration strategy on technologies, talent development and most importantly, incentives. Incentives don’t just mean financial rewards, but those that support intrinsic motivational factors like: engagement, communication & a sense of common purpose and identity There is no easy formula for deriving the benefits of greater collaboration. But be sure to think carefully about what benefits you are looking for, whether they require surface or deep collaboration, what elements of a collaboration strategy will help you achieve those benefits now and in the short/long term and if you have appropriate measures to support your efforts.
To learn more about how TMA World can help your organization, please contact us at enquiries@tmaworld.com or visit www.tmaworld.com/our_solutions.cfm

More Related Content

TMA World Viewpoint 12: Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy

  • 2. Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Many organizations want to develop greater collaboration across their geographic, business and functional borders. What do they hope to accomplish? We have to understand that collaboration can mean different things to different people in different contexts: Solutions Productivity Game Change Coordination
  • 3. Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy As more jobs become increasingly interdependent, PRODUCTIVITY greater cooperation and collaboration is required between individual knowledge workers across borders  Greater collaborative efforts are needed to ensure COORDINATION the efficient and effective functioning of project teams and distributed knowledge workers  Collaborating across the organization and even with SOLUTIONS those ‘outside’ of the organization, is often required to solve the problems and dilemmas resulting from today’s complex business environment  Diverse thinking and perspectives working together GAME CHANGE help generate game-changing ideas and create new competitive spaces and sources of revenue 
  • 4. Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Different metrics are required for each of these areas of performance. For example: Productivity: Speed, cost, quantity and quality of knowledge outputs, e.g., data gathering and analysis, reports, technical or customer support  Coordination: Speed and cost from project initiation to project completion, quality of project outputs, knowledge sharing, learning and application rates, process improvements identified and implemented  Solutions: Speed and cost from problem identification to quality solution creation and implementation  Game Change: Speed, cost and quality of new innovations generating new competitive advantages 
  • 5. Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Surface One way of looking at these different areas of performance is to think of them as being on a spectrum between Surface and Deep Collaboration: Productivity Coordination Solutions Game Change In developing collaboration strategies, we need to be thinking about what is most important for us to accomplish along this spectrum – now, short term and long term. Deep Collaboration
  • 6. Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Let’s think about some of the potential elements of a collaboration strategy: Culture: How to develop shared values, assumptions, norms and behaviours that support collaborative mindsets. Structure: How to organize to achieve our goals more efficiently and effectively through greater collaboration, e.g., power/authority distribution, roles and responsibilities. Processes: How to manage flows of activities and communications between knowledge workers and groups to generate collaborative advantage. Incentives: How to create rewards and recognition systems to support the difficult balancing of competitive and collaborative behaviours. Talent: How to identify, develop and sustain competencies needed for working and leading in a collaborative environment. Technology: How to utilize new technologies/platforms to enable quality cross- border collaboration.
  • 7. Thoughts on Collaboration Strategy Changes in the organizational culture are likely to be needed over time, but culture change is very difficult to accomplish. If quicker results are needed, in productivity say, it is probably best to focus your immediate collaboration strategy on technologies, talent development and most importantly, incentives. Incentives don’t just mean financial rewards, but those that support intrinsic motivational factors like: engagement, communication & a sense of common purpose and identity There is no easy formula for deriving the benefits of greater collaboration. But be sure to think carefully about what benefits you are looking for, whether they require surface or deep collaboration, what elements of a collaboration strategy will help you achieve those benefits now and in the short/long term and if you have appropriate measures to support your efforts.
  • 8. To learn more about how TMA World can help your organization, please contact us at enquiries@tmaworld.com or visit www.tmaworld.com/our_solutions.cfm