Collaboration is a popular business buzzword these days due to the proliferation of mobile apps and enterprise social platforms such as Chatter, Yammer and Jive. In addition, Facebook recently unveiled a free version of its own Workplace collaboration service, along with updates to its Messenger app.
Yet moving past the latest tech hype cycles, it’s clear that collaboration is just another word for teamwork. Effective teamwork requires strong employee buy-in, a collegial workplace environment and proper tools for shared project management.
Leaders who strike the right collaborative balance improve how work gets done. It’s not enough to adopt technologies and a culture that make it easier for workers to communicate and share knowledge. Teamwork should ultimately become a business enabler, so it’s critical to focus collaborative efforts on achieving real business outcomes that spur innovations and increase productivity. Again, the two essential ingredients for successful collaboration are the underlying workforce culture and the enabling technologies.