Setting Up the Mindset for Essential Collaboration

The most important element of changing to the Collaborative Leadership Model is making the team process a priority. Therefore part of each team meeting should include time to recognize the team process. The focus of the Collaborative Leadership Model is the essential tripod of Communication, Accountability and Solution Focus which you have heard me discuss before. Each of these has a definition and focus in the Team Alignment process.

I urge you to consider the use of a version of the Collaborative Leadership/Team Alignment Process in your organization in the coming year; a description of the process is available for download here. I also want to encourage you to begin to change the mindset of your meetings as you go so that interaction in these meetings becomes more relevant and productive as the team becomes more collaborative.

Below are some  beginning processes that will alter the mindset and flow of meetings, using the communication and connection components which are so important to essential collaboration.

The TIPS FOR SUCCESS I want to impart to you before you start taking action and stop reading are:

  • Make team alignment a priority and communicate that to your team
  • Set up a team meeting to discuss and to introduce the process
  • Know that the team alignment process with a consultant and with the team during regular interaction will take time which will be made up by creating more efficiency and implementation with a new mindset
  • Give yourself as the leader the coaching and reflection time to develop new goals based on the fact that 21st century business demands collaboration
  •  Be open to new ways of thinking and doing and to your own leadership expansion
  • Know that empowerment of the members of your team will create more time for strategic thinking and interaction with other business leaders

As you begin to move into the prospect of focus on the Team Process, as well as the content of work, you can use the map we have created in the Four Meeting description that can be accessed here.

We suggest that the four meetings be held no more than two weeks apart, that attendance be required as much as possible, and that you schedule the meetings in advance so all four are on the calendar.

Please feel free to contact me with questions about using the four collaborative leadership introductory team meetings. I would be happy to set up a time for discussion.