Collaborating

The ability to work together with people or groups in order to explore constructive ideas and find a solution that would otherwise have been beyond one’s own limited vision is known as collaborating.

Collaborating is, basically, the skill of taking teamwork to a much higher level where brainstorming, idea sharing, as well as a shared sense of purpose is involved to discover ways or solutions towards achievement of a common goal. Therefore, collaborating skills are very important for success in the workplace as they allow for innovative solutions which are essential for organizational success in the fast paced business world of today.

Why are collaborating skills important

The definition alone is enough to estimate the implications of having available collaborating skills in workplace. Some of the following benefits will help extend your appreciation for collaborating skills:

• The ability to collaborate provides a greater access to the strengths and skills of others. As a result, the combined efforts bring about better results as compared to when those skills are used on an individual level for the achievement of the same goals.
• Personal development. Collaborating skills not only helps to explore the best possible solution to problem at hand but also, we learn about the thought process of others, how they negotiate and operate etc. adding to our knowledge base, we can always pick up a few things that can help widen and improve our own skill set.

How to improve your collaborating skills

Following are some useful tips for improving your collaborating skills:

• Don’t be afraid to communicate. Whatever ideas you may have, share them with your coworkers, managers, or anyone who is willing to listen. When you decide to share an idea with someone, you feel an urge to clarify your own thoughts before conveying them to another so that they may easily understand. This process, combined with the critique from the listener that may follow, helps to nurture your ideas further.
• Acknowledge timely. Giving credit is very important because performance improvement requires individuals in a workplace to feel valued. Therefore, always acknowledge any good idea contributed, any hard working team member, or even a listener bringing forth constructive criticism on your idea.
• Work on building good relationships. Your collaborating skills will keep on improving over time if you are inclined towards building and maintaining good relationships at work. As long as relationships at work are comfortable and smooth, it will enable you and other team members to share and discuss ideas in a better way, and bear fruitful results accordingly.

Job profiles that require this skill