Learn How to be a Collaborative Leader

Learn How to be a Collaborative LeaderLearn How to be a Collaborative LeaderIn order to lead effectively in an increasingly VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) geschftliches miteinander environment, todaysleadersneed to develop the ability to build collaborative relationships. The ability to build coalitions and work collaboratively becomes even more important as a leader takes on more and more responsibility and the organization grows. Collaboration is no longer a nice to do its a leadership requirement needed to get results and advance in any organization. Here are ten ways for a leader to build more collaborative work relationships Let go of being the expert and having all the answersThe reality is, no single leader can possibly have all of the answers. Complex business decisions require the collective input of many stakeholders. Clinging to the belief that you need to have all of the answers leads to two negative outcomes burnout and a perception of arrogan ce from others. Let go of the need to be right and prepared, and allow yourself to be influenced by the opinions of others.Learn to listenIn order to be open to and consider the opinions of others, you need to listen. SeeHow to Become a Better Listenerfor more on how to improve your listening skills. Active listening is a skill that involves focus, energy, and commitment. Learn to lead sideways, not just up and downLeading sideways means being a leader and sometimes follower amongst your peers. It means paying attention to whats important to your peers and looking for ways to help them achieve their goals. Collaboration isnt just about political horse-trading (you wash my hands, and Ill wash yours) its about looking for ways to combine resources and talents to achieve extraordinary results for the organization.Build personal relationshipsWhen you take the time to get to know someone personally, it becomes easier to build trust, resolve conflicts, and collaborate. Regular coffee, lunch, or after-hour informal get-togethers will help lay the foundation for collaboration.Teambuildingevents and activities can help build relationships in a group or team by allowing everyone a chance to get to know one another better. Establish trustSee12 Ways for Leaders to Build a Solid Foundation of Trust with Their Employees. Most, if not all of the tips (dontover-commit, keep confidences, etc.) would also apply to peers, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders in which collaboration is required.Keep your commitmentsWhen you walk out of a meeting or end a phone call, and you say youre going to do something, keep your commitments Collaboration is hard work and requires extra effort to not only do your own work but to provide information and resources to somebody else so they can do their work. Missing deadlines and ignoring the concerns of others is a surefire way to erode trust and respect. Embrace diversityIts easy to collaborate with people who are PLUs (people like us). It gets messy when we try to solve problems and make decisions with PNLUs (people not like us) However when you get people with different perspectives together to solve a problem, youre more likely to come up with bolder, more creative solutions.Learn the art and skill of asking questionsAsking, instead of telling (see number one) is a great way to involve others. Use these four magic words to encourage collaboration What do you think? Learn to resolve conflictCollaboration can be messy and conflict is inevitable. If its not, youre probably not really collaborating. SeeConflict Resolution for Small Groups.Learn how to make consensus decisionsInvolving others in the decision-making process can beschirrung the collective wisdom of talented individuals, and gain critical buy-in through ownership of the decision, speeding up implementation. Follow these ten tips and youll become known as a collaborative leader a leader that helps to produce extraordinary results by leveraging the coll ective talent of the entire enterprise. Published 7/3/2015