How to Minimize Collaboration Nightmares

Solid teamwork is what allows businesses to thrive, but there are also many reasons this collaboration can go somewhat awry. It can be challenging to get a team back on track, but it’s not impossible. Here are four ways collaboration can go horribly wrong, but four ways you can help your collaborative efforts resume.

No Clear Goals or Roles

The easiest way to get off course is to not have a destination in mind to begin with.

If a team doesn’t understand the purpose of the project or their responsibilities, it makes sense that they would go in different directions. What they lack is guidance, and this creates wasted time, duplicated efforts, and more confusion than they know what to do with. Before work begins, ensure that you establish the project’s objectives and each team member’s roles and responsibilities.

For a solution to this dilemma, a project management tool can help keep everyone on track, showcasing which tasks are being completed by whom and on what timeframe.

Communication is Lacking

A team with weak communication skills is going to get nowhere, and it can actively hold your business back from achieving the results you want.

Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and unaddressed conflicts. Whether you’re dealing with team members festering on unresolved arguments, a lack of appropriate feedback from project leadership, or an overreliance on too many communication channels, poor communication creates a rift that can be difficult to bridge. It helps to have clear communication protocols and solutions, including go-to tools and open, honest dialogue.

Make sure your team feels safe to voice their concerns and express themselves, as a fearful team is never going to achieve the results you want out of them.

Dominant Voices Drown Others Out

Sometimes in collaborative settings, there might be one or two dominant personalities in the conversation who rise to the surface while leaving the rest struggling to be heard or understood. 

This leads to frustration and disengagement, both of which can stifle happiness and creativity. Furthermore, it prevents the team from using its varied perspectives and expertise to its greatest effect. If you want your team to be productive and engaged, it starts with ensuring your team leaders know how to bring the quieter individuals on the team into the conversation.

Through the smart use of technology, you can ensure all voices are heard. Consider structured brainstorming sessions or anonymized feedback to collect ideas from everyone, not just the more outspoken team members.

They Don’t Trust Each Other

If your team doesn’t trust one another, you’ll find collaboration difficult to impossible.

Make efforts to ensure your team members trust and respect each other’s expertise, commitment, and intentions. Otherwise, they’ll find it difficult to share their ideas, take risks, or be vulnerable with one another. The absolute worst thing you can do is not trust your team’s ability to follow through, which creates everyone’s worst nightmare: micromanagement.

Take time to build a supportive unit, or you risk your team devolving into a group of individuals who do their own thing without the input of others—which is the exact opposite of what a team should accomplish.

Want more tips on how technology can help facilitate effective collaboration? We discuss these ideas and more every week on our blog. Be sure to keep an eye out for the latest tips and tricks you can try to run a more effective business.