Collaboration – why all the singing and dancing? – The Irish News

Collaboration is certainly the new buzzword around these components, even though as a concept it is far from new. Some anthropologists even go so far as to suggest that humans evolved as a species because of our ability to work together.

The concept featured prominently at several business events we recently attended, organized by the NI Chamber of Commerce and CBI NI. Speakers, including our First and Deputy Prime Ministers, saw collaboration as crucial to tackling the enormous challenges we face – whether in the economy or skills. poverty or tackling climate change. But why now?

The old adage that ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ has to be one of the main reasons why this is in vogue, because the scale of the challenges and the funding constraints we face warrant new thinking.

The question is: is cooperation in our nature, as anthropologists suggest, and therefore easy? Or have we forgotten the value of collaboration and need to relearn these skills if we are to meet the challenges ahead?

One school of thought is that through evolution we have developed other, more dominant skills at the expense of collaboration – especially that of ‘organization’ to achieve our goals more efficiently and effectively. In clearly defined structures with rules, procedures, and clear lines of authority, effective organizational leaders have learned how to exercise power and influence. They must also focus on the long-term health of their own organization above all else.

In contrast, there is no organizational chart that can guide cross-sectoral or external collaboration. But when the problems are much bigger and ever evolving, adaptive and collaborative networks are much more effective. In this context, we can assume that those who will succeed will be those who are not limited by their organizations, but rather those who embrace collaboration.

At a recent annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, one of their three core themes was building trust for global cooperation. The current turbulent geopolitical context has seemingly led to an increase in conflict and competition, and a decline in trust in international systems. This reinforces that trust is at the heart of all successful collaborations, and yet in this country we know all too well that trust can sometimes be in short supply.

Are we therefore culturally ready to fully embrace the benefits and put in the effort that true collaboration requires? There is much evidence that this is not always the solution, and where it is, it is not easy. It takes work and dedication. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders once quipped that cooperation is “an unnatural act between non-consenting adults.”

For collaboration to succeed, people must take into account their goals, barriers and interests – and those of their potential partners. Most organizations will face political constraints, competing priorities, personality conflicts, resistance to change and limited resources.

In their book Making Collaboration Work, professors Julia Wondolleck and Steven Yaffee describe collaboration as “a kind of tricky dance that none of us know the steps to.” Using this analogy, the simple advice is to get to know your partner before you start dancing, choose music you both enjoy listening to and start with a few basic moves. Oh, and forgive your partner if he or she steps on your toes – just as you expect forgiveness if you step on theirs.

Over the past few months, we have had the privilege of being involved in several important customer collaborations within the energy transition space and have seen the value of true collaboration to tackle one of the biggest challenges of our time: climate change.

These are based on a few basic principles: having the right people at the table, trusting relationships, a clear purpose, open communication, shared data, effective leadership and shared decision-making.

Like dancing, collaboration is not easy, but the skills can be learned through practice and training in communication and group process. Anyone fancy a dance?

• Kieran Donnelly is Managing Director of Morrow Communications, a creative consultancy based in Holywood.