Let's talk Transformation : The business leaders podcast #96 Deep Collaboration with Dr Tanvi Gautam
"Do we really have the right conversations in our teams ?"
Tanvi and I delve into the different conversations that can enable and enhance a deeper, more effective collaboration at all levels of the organisation. We explore the concept of “Deep collaboration” within teams and organizations, revealing how understanding the roots of conflict can reshape the emotional landscape of the workplace.
What does ‘being a team’ really mean? What creates collaboration? What does collaboration really mean? It is a very specific concept, transcending who we are as individuals, but has been dumbed down and has become a buzz word.
Collaborative burnout and overload are common in matrix structures with multiple stakeholders and realigned business models, as people struggle to collaborate without putting the work in on the courageous conversations and more human aspects to build the inter-relational piece.
We must begin by acknowledging failings and accepting that collaboration is inherently tough. Accepting our hypotheses and experimenting to see what works and starting again by asking curious questions to go deeper.
If you are committed to creating a thriving work environment, listen to discover more about embracing the intricacies of group dynamics and leveraging them for the success and health of your organization.
The main insights you'll get from this episode are :
- Collaboration is a major lever for navigating the transition from hierarchy to interdependence for leaders to create flow in both teams and organisational systems.
- What does ‘being a team’ really mean? What creates collaboration? What does collaboration really mean? It is a very specific concept, transcending who we are as individuals, but has been dumbed down.
- The basic prerequisite is a collaboration infrastructure comprising tools, resources and talent, alongside meaning, contribution and community - there must be a balance between what are you giving and what are you getting - and conversations.
- The link between courageous conversations and the level of collaboration can be fast tracked using CART – clarity, accountability, resources, and trust.
- Divergent views of individuals within a company signals a lack of clarity; a blame culture signals a lack of accountability - flatter hierarchies require more clarity of accountability.
- Collaborative burnout and overload are common in matrix structures with multiple stakeholders and realigned business models – this requires support and shifting the ‘CART’.
- Five main conversations:
· Deep inspiration - a mountain with peaks of inspiration; a purpose-based conversation involving a collection of small moments of purpose that serve the larger purpose, connecting company and team purpose to close the loop.
· Deep learning - understanding each other’s worlds across silos in this age of polymaths and renaissance individuals - AI can connect the dots across disciplines and people must do this too.
· Deep friction - facing a waterfall and having the ability to quickly move in the right direction, navigating conflict in team.
· Deep strategising - the quality of strategy conversations and how they are translated into practice.
· Deep daring - looking at how we think about uncertainty, risk, resilience, failure, etc.
· Bonus conversation: deep (self-)introspection - the intentional, non-linear journey
- Deep constellation principle based on Boris Groysberg’s Chasing Stars, whereby successful people are supported by a network; the right constellation guides us, but we are not the star.
- Latent tension arises from conflict and a lack of conversations; this gives rise to surface tension and deep tension from different sources of conflict, e.g. status conflict, interpersonal conflict, which require different tools for resolution.
- Surface-level conflict is expected but can turn into deep-level friction as it becomes interwoven with emotions and identities and very deep rooted.
- Co-regulation (from the study of human neurobiology and trauma) is very relevant for a human-centred approach in the AI age; our wiring contains muscle memory, feelings, etc. and we can recognise things in each other to de-escalate a situation and reduce the emotional charge (as opposed to co-escalation).
- Advanced conversations are required and the ‘co-‘ concept is vital in leadership as all conversations form a tapestry, provide insight and understanding and facilitate progress – a synergistic system rather than five distinct conversations.
- Begin by acknowledging failings and accepting that collaboration is inherently tough; draw a line in the sand and start again by asking questions and reflecting both as individuals and as a team to bring about transformation.
Find out more about Tanvi here :