Collaborative Culture: Moving Away From "Just Tell Us What to Do"

Creating a collaborative culture can be difficult.  It's messy.  The answers aren't always black and white.  It takes time to come to resolution.  Discussions can be tense.  People will disagree. Collaboration is iterative.  It's never ending.  It's a process.

In a collaborative effort, titles don't matter.  Everyone possesses the ability to create change.  Everyone has the ability to influence decisions.  Completely collaborative environment probably never fully exist.  At some point, a hierarchy always develops.  However, moving as far on the continuum from hierarchy to true collaboration should always be the goal.

Think of the power of the group.  Ideas coming from collaboration are truly exponentially better than the idea of one person.  As one person comes up with an idea, another person builds on it.  This process happens over and over. People learn from each other and build on each other in a collaborative environment.

At times, a final decision has to be made.  However, when you have the ability to be collaborative on a decision, never wish for somebody to "just tell us what to do."  If somebody just told you what to do, think of all of the opportunities your organization would have missed.

"If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together."-African Proverb