Purpose
The reason to collaborate. What is it the group is trying to do together? A sense of purpose, or intention, is necessary because it creates the spark of energy for collaboration, and whilst not always crystal clear, there is some shared belief around what they are wanting to make happen, or what they are trying to shift.
Thinking
Many of the issues we face defy straightforward answers and require a depth of critical-thinking that can feel counter-cultural to the more traditional, fast-paced, solution orientated approaches to problem solving. Protecting the time and developing the practices to think better together around complex challenges is vital. It’s about being aware of the underlying assumptions and patterns we each have and how these impact the way we’re working together. In the words of Marshall Rosenberg, it’s not about striving ‘to know’, it’s more about becoming “progressively less stupid”. It enables a shift in worldview, allowing us to see and understand ourselves better in context of the systems we live and work within.
Complexity Web
Leadership, collaboration, and change are complex, contextual and dynamic social processes. The web, as an overlay to the compass, helps to remind us that we are working within an interconnected and interdependent reality. There is no ‘being’ in isolation from ‘doing’, ‘thinking’, and ‘relating’. We are doing all of them, all the time, consciously and unconsciously, well, and less well.
Being
We often overlook the complexity of our inner experience, yet our inner state - our emotions, sensations, and nervous system responses - heavily influence the quality of our interactions with others and the outcomes of our collaborative efforts. There is always a lot going on beneath the surface individually and collectively, that, with practice, we can learn to pay attention to, and with greater awareness comes choice. Engaging more consciously with these different aspects of ourselves and each other, and developing a shared language helps to improve the quality of our presence and connect better with others. As collective capability in this area shifts, the group’s culture and leadership style becomes more integrated and effective.
Relating
Our relationships with each other and the dynamics that emerge from these are always going on and influencing the culture as well as what we’re able to do together. When a group commits to time and attention to understanding and working with their relational dynamics it enhances the sense of connection and participation and enables people to work more cohesively and compassionately together. Working with tensions, difference, power and other tricky dynamics in a group can be uncomfortable and at the same time, liberating. They are unavoidable, natural and a valuable part of a group’s process. When skilfully addressed these dynamics can enable us to realise the power of the collective.
Doing
Many groups are heavily skewed towards a culture of “doing” prioritising action, performance and productivity. Yet, when this is done at the cost of other domains of action, the quality of the output can suffer and the longer term sustainability of progress may be hindered. It’s not just about activity, but about thoughtful, iterative and intentional action. The habits and practices for getting things done well are key to the success of any project or initiative. Processes, systems and structures need clarity. Building in opportunities for action and reflection across a group, helps to enable the agile, self-directed, dynamic and empowered cultures that many endeavours require.
Me - We Dynamic
At the heart of any collaboration is the interplay between the individual and the collective—the paradoxical reality of how we are each shaping and influencing how we work together. The Collaboration Compass asks us to experience the process of forming and being formed in our interactions, influenced by our individual and collective history and context.
Collaboration Compass
Megan Taylor
Created on June 10, 2024
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Interactive Onboarding Guide
View
Pastel Color Presentation
View
Choose Your Own Story
View
Pixel Challenge
View
Retro Bits Quiz
View
Math Calculations
View
Puzzle Game
Explore all templates
Transcript
Purpose
The reason to collaborate. What is it the group is trying to do together? A sense of purpose, or intention, is necessary because it creates the spark of energy for collaboration, and whilst not always crystal clear, there is some shared belief around what they are wanting to make happen, or what they are trying to shift.
Thinking
Many of the issues we face defy straightforward answers and require a depth of critical-thinking that can feel counter-cultural to the more traditional, fast-paced, solution orientated approaches to problem solving. Protecting the time and developing the practices to think better together around complex challenges is vital. It’s about being aware of the underlying assumptions and patterns we each have and how these impact the way we’re working together. In the words of Marshall Rosenberg, it’s not about striving ‘to know’, it’s more about becoming “progressively less stupid”. It enables a shift in worldview, allowing us to see and understand ourselves better in context of the systems we live and work within.
Complexity Web
Leadership, collaboration, and change are complex, contextual and dynamic social processes. The web, as an overlay to the compass, helps to remind us that we are working within an interconnected and interdependent reality. There is no ‘being’ in isolation from ‘doing’, ‘thinking’, and ‘relating’. We are doing all of them, all the time, consciously and unconsciously, well, and less well.
Being
We often overlook the complexity of our inner experience, yet our inner state - our emotions, sensations, and nervous system responses - heavily influence the quality of our interactions with others and the outcomes of our collaborative efforts. There is always a lot going on beneath the surface individually and collectively, that, with practice, we can learn to pay attention to, and with greater awareness comes choice. Engaging more consciously with these different aspects of ourselves and each other, and developing a shared language helps to improve the quality of our presence and connect better with others. As collective capability in this area shifts, the group’s culture and leadership style becomes more integrated and effective.
Relating
Our relationships with each other and the dynamics that emerge from these are always going on and influencing the culture as well as what we’re able to do together. When a group commits to time and attention to understanding and working with their relational dynamics it enhances the sense of connection and participation and enables people to work more cohesively and compassionately together. Working with tensions, difference, power and other tricky dynamics in a group can be uncomfortable and at the same time, liberating. They are unavoidable, natural and a valuable part of a group’s process. When skilfully addressed these dynamics can enable us to realise the power of the collective.
Doing
Many groups are heavily skewed towards a culture of “doing” prioritising action, performance and productivity. Yet, when this is done at the cost of other domains of action, the quality of the output can suffer and the longer term sustainability of progress may be hindered. It’s not just about activity, but about thoughtful, iterative and intentional action. The habits and practices for getting things done well are key to the success of any project or initiative. Processes, systems and structures need clarity. Building in opportunities for action and reflection across a group, helps to enable the agile, self-directed, dynamic and empowered cultures that many endeavours require.
Me - We Dynamic
At the heart of any collaboration is the interplay between the individual and the collective—the paradoxical reality of how we are each shaping and influencing how we work together. The Collaboration Compass asks us to experience the process of forming and being formed in our interactions, influenced by our individual and collective history and context.