Collaboration

What is it?

Why do we do it?

Why is it hard for us?

How can we do it better?Resources: Teamwork 101 –John MaxwellCoping With Difficult People –Arlene Matthews UhlTarget Intranet WebsiteWikipedia.comDictionary.com

IceBreaker

• Report to your assigned table (4 tables of ~8 team members)

• You have 8 minutes to put your puzzle together

• Winning team does win a prize

• Winner is the team that has puzzle completed first or least # of pieces left when time is up

IceBreaker

• How did your group work?

• Any collaboration?

• Any fighting/ competition?

• Anyone think they weren’t listened to?

• Anyone have a better way to do the puzzle…but your idea wasn’t considered?

Ground Rules

• Everybody participates

• Give your attention to the class (turn pagers, cell phones, iPhones, iPads, iButtons, gameboys, etc. off)

• We’ll take a break—try to wait for the break

• After the class is over, everybody zones(OK, just kidding about that one)

What is Collaboration?

• Take 4 minutes…use your table flip chart to write down what collaboration means to your group.

• Share with the group

Definition – from Webster

• 1 : to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor2 : to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one's country and especially an occupying force3 : to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected

Does it sometimes feel like this when you are collaborating?

Target Definition

Works effectively with others to meet goals and satisfy multiple business objectives; gets buy-in of stakeholders by developing and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external partners; fosters an inclusive culture in which people from diverse backgrounds are respected and valued.

Collaboration: Proficiency Levels

• ETL 2 Appropriately involves others in decisions and plans that affect them; builds networks with store team, peers, vendors and business partners; recognizes and rewards team accomplishments; fosters a diverse and inclusive culture.

• STL 3 Knows when to collaborate and when to work independently; seeks and supports cross-functional relationships; seeks win-win solutions.

• DTL 4 Leads a culture of collaboration and teamwork across the organization; proactively establishes and cultivates a broad network of contacts within the organization.

Consider your proficiency?

• What proficiency level are you at?

• Discuss among your table groups

• Use your flip chart to list ways you have collaborated. Provide some specific examples. (10 minutes)

• Present your findings to the group

Why Collaborate?

• Lets take some input directly from the group …and yes there are prizes for good answers!

Some good answers…

• Get more done• Get more & better opinions/ options• Broaden sphere of influence• Get help• Teach someone else/ make another team better• Raise everyone’s performance• Improve your personal brand• Learn something new

Why Don’t We Collaborate?

It could be our own fault!• Ego (think we can do the job ourself)

– “It marks a big step in your development when you come to realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone.” –Andrew Carnegie

• Insecurity (feel threatened—want to maintain control)– “We should not only use all the brains we have, but all the brains we can borrow.” –Woodrow Wilson

• Too Competitive• Naivete (underestimate the difficulty of big jobs)

• Temperament (not outgoing/not a people person)- “People have been known to achieve more as a result of working with others than against them.”- Dr. Alan Fromme

Can we fix ourselves?

1. Be generous- “All getting separates you from others; all giving unites to others.” –St. Francis of Assisi

2. Avoid Internal Politics-Do not position yourself for benefit without considering how it might damage relationships“A person first starts to live when he can live outside of himself.” – Albert Einstein

3. Display Loyalty“Loyalty fosters unity and unity breeds team success.” –John Maxwell

(Can we cultivate selflessness?)

Can we fix ourselves?

1. Value Interdependence over Independence“No man can live happily who regards himself alone, who turns everything to his own advantage. You must live for others if you wish to live for yourself.” –Seneca

2. Promote Someone Other Than YourselfSay positive things about others—especially to their superiors, family, and friends

3. Take a Subordinate Role Practice serving, letting others go first, or taking a subordinate role.

4. Give Secretly“You have not lived a day successfully unless you’ve done something for someone who can never repay you.” –John Bunyan

(Can we cultivate selflessness?)

Collaboration & Competition

1. Acknowledge your natural desire to compete

2. Embrace healthy competition

3. Put competition in its proper place

4. Know where to draw the line

Collaboration & Competition

1. Listen to all ideas

2. Never settle for one idea

3. Look in unusual places for ideas

4. Don’t let personality overshadow purpose

5. Protect creative people

6. Don’t take rejection personally

As a Team Leaders & Members, we need to Harness Team Creativity

Why Don’t We Collaborate?

Obstructionists at work:• Naysayers & Idea Slayers

• Nitpickers & Micromanagers

• Wishy Washy

• Stuck in Slo-Motion

• Workplace Whiner

Naysayers & Idea Slayers• Take the onus on yourself

If you believe the pessimist is motivated by fear, assure them that you will take full responsibility for the plan

• Suggest a small, limited trialIf things go well, suggest expanding your plan

• Raise their objections before they do

• Agree that they might be right

Nitpickers & Micromanagers

• Ask for boss/peer’s “big picture” opinion

• Pay compliments

• Give an assignment that allows the boss/peer to tap their expertise

• Double check your work / limit “do overs”

• Distract boss/peer with a less critical project that they can focus their obsession on

Wishy Washy• Keep the options simple

Pre-edit the choices as much as possible

• Explain time constraints

• Be clear about the results of not making a decision

Stuck in Slo-Motion• Team them with a high energy person

• Reward baby steps

• Don’t give them an ASAP project

Workplace Whiner• Be a friend, but be careful about asking for

details

• Don’t get personally over-involved

• Do refer them to an HR Partner

• Give them some space

• Don’t do their work for them

Balloon Tower

• Sooner or later, we all have to work with difficult people.

• Table groups are now in a competition to build the highest balloon tower in 12 minutes.

• Pick your note card to see your role. Some are assigned roles as great TMs…but some are not. Play your role—and build those towers. The timer starts now!

Balloon Tower

• In your groups discuss your tower build. (5 minutes)

• Can you guess who had what role?

• What went well on the build?

• What didn’t go well on the build?

• Report out to the group.

How do I Build a Team?1. Make a commitment. Decide that people on the team are worth

developing.2. Recruit the best team possible.3. Pay the price to develop your team

You will have to spend time and money that could be used elsewhere

4. Do things together as a team5. Empower Team Members with Responsibility & Authority6. Give credit for success to the team7. Bring accountability to the team8. Stop investing in team members that do not grow9. Create new opportunities for the team10. Give the team the best possible chance to succeed

collaborative

Impact of the “Weak Link”

1. Stronger members identify the weak one

2. Stronger members have to help the weak one

3. Stronger members come to resent the weak one

4. Stronger members become less effective

5. Stronger members question the leader’s ability

Bringing it home

• In your table groups, take 5 minutes to discuss how you can apply what you learned today back at your store/in D231

• You guessed it, then report out to the group

Does this stuff really relate to what we do?How does it impact zone?The truck unload?Shortage?Getting the store closed green?Guest Survey metrics?Team morale?

Go Forth and Collaborate!

• Take a handout with you• Fill out a quick survey before you go

(You can help us improve the content of this class.)

• If you were invited to the 11AM portion of the class, meet in Clay’s office at 11.

• Help rearrange the chairs back to classroom style.