In the fast-paced world of large organizations, leaders and managers often find themselves amidst a whirlwind of stress, deadlines, and complex issues. Whether it’s technological advancements, market shifts, or unforeseen disruptions, the ability to adapt is paramount.
As leaders and managers in large organizations, cultivating collaboration becomes not just a strategy for success, but a crucial component of enhancing adaptability.
In such turbulent times, the instinct is often to stick with the first solution offered, keep your nose to the grindstone, and hope things get clearer and less overwhelming somehow. However, it’s precisely during these moments that the importance of collaboration shines brightest.
Here are three invaluable tips for busy leaders and managers to foster effective collaboration, even in the midst of chaos:
Tip 1. Listen and Learn
Understanding the problem from all angles is paramount. In the rush to find solutions, it’s easy to overlook crucial perspectives. Keeping an open mind and practicing mental flexibility (which is one of the 15 qualities the Adaptability Quotient I use measures) is vital so you ensure you aren’t stuck in tunnel vision. I appreciate that some leaders feel the pressure to have answers to the questions that need to be asked, but it’s important to create space for others to contribute their views and commitment to the solution moving forward.
Taking the time to actively listen to team members, stakeholders, and experts provide invaluable insights. It’s like you’re trying to solve a puzzle, but you don’t know what the final picture on the lid of the puzzle is going to be. Each perspective adds a piece to the puzzle, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. Remember, a solution can only be as effective as the understanding of the problem it addresses.
Tip 2. Create Guiding Principles
Collaboration isn’t just about working together when things are smooth sailing; it’s about navigating rough waters as a team. Establishing guiding principles for collaboration sets the groundwork for how to handle conflicts, shifting priorities, and uncertainty. In coach-speak, we call this “designing the alliance” or a team charter.
These principles provide a roadmap for teamwork, fostering a sense of psychological safety within the team. When everyone knows how they agree to work together, it becomes easier to weather storms and emerge stronger. Trust must be earned and nurtured. Creating a transparent framework for how you work, collaborate and resolve differences together helps feel connected and aligned, even when nerves may be frayed.
Tip 3. Experiment and Innovate
Complex problems aren’t going to be solved with bandaid or expedient approaches. It takes time, understanding and decisiveness to even understand the network of interdependent variables that are at play when you’re facing intricate, systemic issues.
Instead of looking for the “silver bullet” that will magically transform chaos into clarity, put on the hat of a scientist and start some experiments. As one of my mentors used to say, “Iterate your way to awesome”. This helped reframe the pressure of “getting it all right” into a more manageable bite-sized approach.
Embrace experimentation and innovation. Identify leverage points where small-scale experiments can be conducted. Learn as you go and recalibrate and develop new hypotheses to test and solutions to experiment with as you go.
Remember, people will do what you do, not what you say. It’s important that leaders be willing to demonstrate adaptability and collaboration themselves. The pace and nature of the future of work requires greater collaboration, not less. Effective solutions cannot come from a single person or even a single department. Show your team that change is not something to be feared, but embraced and navigated together.
If you’d like support with leadership within your organization or team, let’s connect to explore whether the Adaptive Advantage (™) program or Level Up Leadership executive coaching program can help!
