Appreciating Collaborations Worksheet

Transcription

1 Appreciating Collaborations Worksheet Lead-In Statement Collaboration refers to people coming together to produce something they all contribute to in a variety of ways. Increasingly, in our burgeoning global, knowledge economy, with virtual teams spread across the world representing different cultures, the need for productive collaboration is a topic of enormous interest. We have technologies to help us access more information, generate our own content on blogs, and participate on others blogs, wikis, social networking spaces, and so on. This way of working in cyberspace is location-neutral. We could be sitting in a cubicle across the room, or across the world in a different time zone. It is very exciting to have such a rich diversity of minds and emotions working on projects together. The values of trust, respect, and appreciation for difference are still required and possibly even more so in virtual environments. Furthermore, it is important to recognize that the right way or the only way isn t the domain of one group anymore. It helps if we are open and flexible to outcomes that are unknown and unpredictable and hold the belief that we are all doing the best we can with the resources we have.

2 Focus 1 Best Collaborative Experiences Paired Interviews 1. What s been the most successful collaboration you have been involved in? What did you appreciate about the whole situation? In your story, describe some of the qualities or practices that made the collaboration in your story successful, for example: purpose, vision, roles, goals, responsibilities, people s attitudes, communication, tools, and so on. 2. What did you value about your own contribution to this collaboration? What and how did you contribute? What motivated you? How did you feel? 3. What did you value about the other collaborators? What and how did they contribute? How did both similarities and differences help the overall experience?

3 Focus 2 Most Compelling Realizations Interview Pairs Combine to Form Groups of Four or Six 4. In your small groups, interviewers share highlights of their partners stories of appreciating collaborations. As you listen respectfully, focus on the common themes that come up in the stories. Select a story that you agree reflects all or most of the common themes and share it with the other groups. 5. Of all the stories you ve heard, what are the best or most successful attributes of collaborating its positive core those factors that make collaborations vibrant, energizing, and satisfying.

4 Focus 3 Creating a Template for a New Collaboration Small Groups 6. Imagine that next month you are presenting to a group of participants who are undertaking a corporate social responsibility initiative. Your team recommends the sponsors approach the project as true collaboration among cross-sector multi-stakeholder groups so that all perspectives are considered and diverse resources and expertise will be available. What are the most compelling reasons you d give to encourage them to approach this initiative as collaboration versus approaching it as discrete individuals, intact teams, or homogeneous groups such as only IT, only strategy, only marketing, only engineering, only government, only one demographic, etc? How might you help them envision other possible benefits and positive outcomes of collaboration? Present your group s template for collaboration as creatively as you wish to the other groups. It could be a drawing, a collage, a performance, a song, a poem. Be imaginative and enjoy it!

5 Focus 4 Reflection and Anticipation Groups and Individual Reflection 7. Having told and heard stories about successful collaborations of the past and imagined future possibilities, what new insights and learnings have you gained today? 8. Looking to your next collaboration, what will you most look forward to contributing and paying attention to?