Learning to Collaborate in the 21st Century

Collaboration in business and life is essential for success in the real world. Every day, we interact with a variety of different people, whether it is a cashier at a coffee shop, a coworker, our family, or classmates. Collaboration is to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor (Miriam-Webster). This definition can expand to many situations. 

In class, there is a reason your teachers assign you group projects. It is not to torture you or annoy you. Learning to work with other people and how to communicate expectations, delegate tasks, and work together to complete an overall goal is directly parallel to working in your future job. 

TEAM DYNAMICS

When beginning any kind of collaboration, there will be roles and dynamics that happen naturally or assigned. Team Dynamics are the inner workings of a team that influences their success. Teams are composed of team leaders and team members.

• Team members are responsible for utilizing their skills, knowledge, and information collaboratively. 

• The Idealist: a person who is guided more by ideals than by practical considerations.

• The Collaborator: a person who works jointly on an activity or project; an associate.

• The Doer: a person who acts rather than merely talking or thinking.

• Team leaders are responsible for motivating the actions of all team members towards achieving a goal. 

ORGANIZATION & COLLABORATING

Whether you are collaborating with coworkers or another business, it is important to make sure you are organized:

• Discuss the collaboration and what each party is looking to get out of it (ex: tangible services, money, exposure)

• Set measurable expectations for each other

• Create deadlines for both parties

• Plan times to touch base and report progress

Internal Collaboration: 

Collaborating on projects within your office or your team. 

External Collaboration:

Collaborating with other businesses, people, or organizations outside of your company

CONFLICT RESOLUTION WHEN COLLABORATING

In group projects or collaborations, conflict is inevitable to happen occasionally. Have you ever worked on a project and someone isn’t pulling their weight or meeting deadlines? It’s frustrating and can cause conflict. Maybe two of your teammates get into an argument. 

The first step is finding the root cause. Review the list below and establish what ignited this argument on both sides. Identify the needs of both people involved in the conflict. What happened from each person's perspective? According to a Ted Talk around conflict these are three areas that often spark conflict:

·  Limited resources: time, money, property

·  Unmet needs: physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental

·  Different values: what your beliefs are in the world, how people should behave or talk, etc.

APPLYING COLLABORATION TO YOUR SCHOOL BASED ENTERPRISE

Building collaborations grows exposure to new audiences, allows for new ideas and perspectives, and the delegation of work so that your company can achieve more. When you collaborate you allow an opportunity for your SBE to grow. 

How can you collaborate within the four walls of your school? 

• Classes: Consider ways to collaborate with popular classes within the school.

Stocking school supplies needed for that class

• Clubs & Athletics: What if your SBE partnered with a club or the athletics department and they helped promote your SBE? Instead of competing, why not work together?

How can you collaborate outside of your school?

• Businesses within your community:

  • Sponsorships to help fund your Spirit Box

  • Paid advertising on a digital billboard over your Spirit Box

  • Placing a Spirit Box in their business in the community to scale your Spirit Box business.

• Work with local universities:

  • Place a Spirit Box at the local university

  • Collaborate with the business program

  • Paid advertising for the university