Initial Thoughts on the Complete Beginner's Guide to Collaboration Skills
Collaboration is one of the 10 keys skills needed to thrive in 2020. This is the tenth post and final one in the curated post series on the skills needed for future jobs, and this is the one on collaboration skills. I am surprised by what I discovered while writing these curated posts. Some of the skills that I thought would be easy to find information on, was harder than I thought, while others I thought would be difficult were not. This post will take about two hours for you to read and digest each piece of content.
To find each piece of content on collaboration skills, I used CurationSoft and BuzzSumo. Going through this process has reminded me of the importance of using commercial databases. But most people want to find free content on the internet. As a reminder, please use the curated posts to complement the books you read on each of the 10 skills.
When reading, viewing, and listening to each piece of content in this curated post on collaboration skills, answer the following questions to get a firm grasp of the skill. If you can answer the questions for each piece of content, you will have a foundation of collaboration skills on which you can build.
- What is the main purpose of this article? Why did the author write it?
- What is the key question that the author is addressing?
- What is the most important information in this article? This includes facts, experiences, and/or data the author is using to support her/his conclusions.
- What are the main inferences/conclusions in this article?
- What are the key idea(s) you need to understand in this article?
- What are the main assumption(s) underlying the author’s thinking?
- If you take what the author is saying seriously, what are the implications? If you do not take what the author is saying seriously, what are the implications?
- What are the main point(s) of view presented in this article?
What is Collaboration?
The Essential ‘C': Why Teaching Collaboration Skills Matters: This article is from Education Week and that’s a good thing because you can get a grasp of the basic ideas of a topic. The article refers to two tools used to teach collaboration skills – leadership-compass activity and BreakOut EDU. The article expands on each tool.
Great Teams Are About Personalities, Not Just Skills: This Harvard Business article is about great teams, but it is relevant here. It delves into emotional intelligence, but if you have a great team, the members will be able to collaborate effectively. The article reports on a study that found that personalities play a role in how a group functions.
Advancing Critical 21st Century Skills Through Collaborative Learning: This is another article from the education sector and a quote in it caught my eyes. Once again, I’d like to say that many of the 10 key skills needed for future jobs are related, and this article supports that. How are students learning today?
“We found that collaboration helps students to develop critical thinking and leadership skills through project-based learning, in addition to supporting social development. We decided to build the George I. Sanchez School as a collaborative learning environment with an emphasis on mobility and flexibility. — Melissa Grant, Facilities Specialist, Albuquerque Public Schools”
Collaboration Skills (With Examples): This is a great basic article on collaboration, which is such an important skill in the workplace. You'll find the definition of collaboration, why employers value it in the workplace, elements of successful collaboration, and examples of collaboration skills. This article is on The Balance, a website that I've grown to love.
Collaborating at work: The collaboration skills you need to succeed
More work inside organisations is done through collaboration rather than close teams. Here is how to be good at this way of working. Relationships are important in collaboration. Be optimistist, giving and forgiving. There is also a test that you can take.
Teamwork & Collaboration Skills The University of Strathclyde: As the title suggests, this article is on teamwork and collaboration skills. The ability to work effectively with others on a common task; taking actions which respect the needs and contributions of others; contributing to and accepting the consensus. By reading the article, you'll get a sense of what collaboration is. It's a short, information-packed article.
Collaborative Skills: Definition & Explanation – Video & Lesson: Find out what collaborative skills are and learn about different types of collaborative skills in this lesson. This is a great video on collaboration and it delves into collaboration skills, which includes expressing yourself, joining in, speaking up, and communicating.
Collaborative Skills: Class norms represent the behavior expectations that support the core concepts of trust, sharing, belonging and respect. I love this webpage because it lists a variety of collaboration skills.
How to Develop Collaboration Skills | The Fast Track: This is another article with basic information on collaboration skills to help you build a solid body of knowledge on the skill. There are four main areas to focus in order to improve your own collaboration skills that will benefit any group.
Good Thinking – Collaboration Skills
Collaboration is currently all the buzz, along with creativity and innovation. Everybody is talking and writing about it. While it may be a great idea, the challenge, and the enormous business opportunity, is to learn to actually do it, to actually collaborate. Collaborate in a way that makes a very positive difference to you and your business. Don’t settle for thinking that collaboration is just coordinating or assembling data resources or people. Learn how to:
- Think about conflict in a very productive way
- Manage options proactively
- Build buy in deliberately.
How to Improve Collaboration Skills
How to Improve Teamwork and Collaboration Skills: Team collaboration has never been more important in the workplace, but getting it right isn't easy. This article emphasizes the importance of collaboration in the workplace.
How to Develop Learners’ Collaborative Problem Solving Skills
In this video Professor Patrick Griffin from the University of Melbourne talks about the nature of collaborative problem solving tasks, and the cognitive and social skills learners need to apply and teachers need to observe. The concrete steps teachers need to take to set-up collaborative problem solving tasks in the classroom are also explained.
Collaboration is working with others to do a common task and to achieve shared goals. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals.
Final Thoughts on the Complete Beginner's Guide to Collaboration Skills
If you read the curated articles and view the presentations and videos, and if you take notes during the process, you will be on your way to learning collaboration skills. The next step is to read one of the books on collaboration. After you have done this, you have to find ways to apply the skills to reinforce your learning. That’s how you will learn and master collaboration skills.
Additionally, I have created a handy guide to walk you through the process of learning the 10 key employability skills, as well as other skills I think you'll need to succeed at work in the future. This will give you what you need to thrive in 2020.
Books on Collaboration Skills
Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Build Common Ground, and Reap Big Results
Parkinson's Law, and Other Studies in Administration42 Rules for Successful Collaboration: A Practical approach to Working with People, Processes and TechnologyGroup Genius: The Creative Power of CollaborationThe Culture of Collaboration: Maximizing Time, Talent and Tools to Create Value in the Global EconomyThe Art Of Collaboration: The Real Truth About Working Well With OthersRadical Collaboration: Five Essential Skills to Overcome Defensiveness and Build Successful Relationships
