What is collaboration at work?

So how's your day?

A question for you: what score do you give your days at work? Do you have a 5/10 day each day? Are some of them 7 or 8 - or even 9/10? (I asked a group this question once - one woman said "I would LOVE to have a 5/10 day...most of mine are 1/10!)

We spend a lot of our time at work, and we're all just trying to get along with each other, do a good job and go home happy and satisfied. Whether you're a boss, an employee or self-employed, in sales, private enterprise or the public service, we are all looking for the same thing - happier customers, a better working environment, more enjoyment and higher productivity.

So how can we get it?

What causes the problem?

Recent research by Prof Colin Coulson-Thomas of the University of Lincoln indicates the behaviour that is likely to lead to poor relationships and results at work:

• being reluctant to share
• seeking to cooperate only on your terms
• putting the bare minimum into maintaining relationships
• avoiding the confrontation that comes with arguments that precede mutual respect and agreement

In other words, people are afraid to collaborate: to do those things that are necessary for us to navigate through the inevitable difficulties, challenges and pitfalls of working together. So how can we fix it? Prof Coulson-Thomas' research shows how.

Collaboration at work means...

• being open to new ideas and suggestions for improvement
• endeavouring to find common ground and resolve conflicts
• establishing and regularly reviewing collaborative processes (eg the effectiveness of meetings!)
• being willing to challenge constructively
• recognising that deepening relationships is essential to mutual success

What this research shows is that it is possible each day to "improve the score" - there are practical things we can all do to have a better day.

Remember: the score you give each day isn't fixed at the beginning of the day, and needn't nose-dive just because something has gone wrong!