Lost in Collaboration
You’ve got your team together. You’re creating the conditions for everyone to share ideas.
Something’s still not working.
What gives?
Well, have you got all your minds on one problem, or have you all got your minds on their version of the problem?
Collaboration isn’t just about bringing people together; it’s about aligning their thoughts and goals. Without a solid, shared understanding, even the most well-intentioned collaborations can falter.
The key is to create conditions where everyone is on the same page and moving towards the same objectives. This isn’t just about communication – it’s about visualising, sequencing, and continuously refining idea, together.
Visualisation and Sequencing
One powerful method to achieve shared understanding is through visualisation and sequencing.
This involves physically (or digitally) arranging and rearranging information in a way that allows everyone to see the bigger picture and how each piece fits into it.
Side note: by writing things down, you are ‘cognitively offloading’, meaning your brainpower is freed up to do actual thinking rather than attempting to hold thoughts in its short term memory. Fun fact – depending on the complexity your brain can only hold 7 +/- 2 pieces of information at any one time. So take notes. And stock up on sticky notes.
Why it works:
Clarifies Complex Information: Visualisation helps break down complex ideas into manageable parts, making it easier for everyone to understand.
Facilitates Discussion: Visual aids provide a focal point for discussion, helping to keep conversations on track and ensuring everyone is looking at the same information.
Encourages Engagement: By actively involving team members in arranging and sequencing information, you engage them more deeply in the process, leading to better understanding and buy-in.
Aids memory: Not only by ‘cognitively offloading’ but also giving your mind something real to remember is easier than trying to remember an abstract list – and it will be the same mental image as everyone else’s.
Voting and Prioritisation
Once the team has a shared understanding, the next step is to prioritise items effectively.
Voting is a simple yet powerful technique to facilitate this.
How it works:
Generate Ideas: Start by having all team members generate ideas or list tasks.
Visualise: Arrange these ideas or tasks visually, such as on a whiteboard or digital tool.
Vote: Have team members vote on the ideas or tasks they believe are most important. This can be done using sticky dots, digital voting tools, or simple hand-raising.
Prioritise: Based on the votes, prioritise the tasks or ideas. This helps the team focus on what matters most and ensures that decision-making is democratic and transparent.
Why it works:
Democratises decision-making: Voting ensures that everyone has a say in the prioritisation process, making it more likely that the team will commit to the final decisions.
Clarifies Priorities: It provides a clear, visual representation of the team’s priorities, making it easier to focus on the most important tasks.
Facilitates Action: By prioritising tasks, the team can move from discussion to action more quickly and effectively.
Creating Conditions for Shared Understanding
To truly collaborate, teams must move beyond just being in the same room (or virtual space) to achieving a shared understanding.
Techniques like visualisation and sequencing, combined with voting and prioritisation, help teams align their thoughts and efforts. This creates a dynamic where collaboration is not just a meeting but a productive, collective endeavour.
Creating these conditions benefits not only productivity and time efficiency. It also fosters a more meaningful working environment, where colleagues can see their contribution, form strong team bonds, and make real progress.
And with time efficiency and collaboration under control, the conditions for creative, innovative, problem-solving thinking are beginning to take shape.
Ready to transform your team's collaboration?
Schedule a call with me for more information and to book a facilitated workshop incorporating these techniques and more.
