The word Collaboration, meaning “working together, or united labour” comes from Latin derivation; collaborare, later changed to collaboratio, then in the mid 19th century changed to collaboration.
It is a term often used, a way of being often sought-after, yet, in my experience, rarely unpacked to determine what it may look like at various levels, the core elements that underpin collaboration, or how to move from one level to the next.
So let’s have a closer look at unpacking the different stages of collaboration and the core elements that underpin it.
Calling upon Parten’s (1932) theories of play as a framework, the graphic below provides a pathway towards collaboration.
Underpinning collaboration is Relational Trust. This includes qualities such as integrity, self-awareness, competency, respect, inclusiveness, empathy and straightforwardness.
In developing collaborative practises, we must also develop ourselves.
Where is your team or organisation situated? What makes it so? Where to next?
