For part two of this eight part series, visit Attitude is Everything Part 2: R-E-S-P-E-C-T on Blogging4Jobs. 

“Politeness is the poison of collaboration.”  ~ Edwin Land

Collaboration and partnership are popular buzz words being used in our families, schools, and local organizations.  The terms sound so pretty and nice, but I really start to feel nausea when I hear them…

Should Collaboration in the Workplace Be Required?

The definition of collaboration is “to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor”…and a partnership is where parties “agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests”.

These definitions are crazy!  Getting 2 people to work together (never mind teams or groups) and agree on common goals is literally impossible.  No two minds think alike!  Webster Dictionary should have said –

“…Where people choose to align…”

Alignment allows people to work together while “Daring to Disagree” (Margaret J. Wheatley), AND stay focused on the end game!  Rank and privilege do not prevail! (Jack Welch Leadership Principles) So how do we choose to align, collaborate and partner up to reach our business goals?

Let’s follow the ATTITUDE formula in Part 3 of this 8 parts series:

Would you like to find more value and acceptance in, Who your boss is instead of focusing on who he isn’t?

Would you like to find more value and acceptance in, Your daily work expectations instead of focusing on what isn’t your responsibility?

Would you like to find more value and acceptance in, Who your co-workers are instead of focusing on who they aren’t??

If you answered YES! …Then proceed to the next section of learning more about how to work collaboratively and with partners in the workplace!

1. Pick one of the 3 relationships – Boss, Work Expectations, or Co-Workers to focus on.

2. When you think of the relationship, do you feel a level of frustration or anxiety? (psst! – This is the emotion that is driving your non-useful behavior!)

3. Ask yourself, “What am I demanding about the relationship?”  (When we feel a steady stream of frustration or anxiety, we’ve slipped into being very demanding on the job…and we’re on the losing end of having collaborative relationships.)

4. Ask yourself, “Can I always get what I want?”… “How is what I am about to say or do going to impact the business relationship?”

Let’s explore the 3rd attitude…

That will help you get out of your judgment of frustration or anxiety and put your focus back on your work relationship needs!

Amy Poehler , an American actress/comedian, whose first break came on the NBC television show Saturday Night Live (SNL) says it simply:

 “As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration.  Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own.  Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” 

Practice!

Say what you mean…and mean what you say.  Don’t talk the fresh lingo if you’re going to be secretly narcissistic.  The business leaders of the world are in a power struggle for control.  Let’s be the generation to shift the paradigm! Go back to the questions earlier and utilize the Attitudes of Collaboration and Partnership.

Collaboration feels good.  At the bare minimum, you’re not the only one carrying all the weight on your shoulders.  Partnership lets you know you are not alone!  Nothing feels better than having a sense of belonging and value at work. Building a tool box of useful attitudes will allow you to manage your frustration and anxiety…i.e. your judgment! Curiosity, Respect, Collaboration & Partnership…3 out of 8 attitudes, so far, to use for better business relationships!  How do they inform the situation?  The Relationship?

Remember: Sometimes you’re the decision maker, sometimes you’re not.  At least you said what you needed to say.  Choose to Collaborate and Partner…stay focused on business goals and I guarantee you the outcomes will be beyond your wildest dreams!