Lessons in Collaboration. Click to keep reading…

16 Jun Lessons in Collaboration. Click to keep reading…

Participants at the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS), a National Security Agency-funded big data laboratory, recently published a book about multidisciplinary collaboration. The LAS consists of teams of business, academia, and government. The book details theoretical and practical lessons that can be drawn from the LAS for the development of cross-sector, interdisciplinary collaboration.

Here are some of the researcher’s biggest takeaways:

• Keep sight of the long term goals – while little fires sometimes take priority over long-term projects, there is a danger in being “increasingly drawn to produce tangible widgets that can be implemented quickly”. Be sure that short-term projects do not absorb time needed for “longer-term research and innovation that can have significant future payoffs,” writes Kathleen Vogel.
• Specificity is key – even for the small stuff. People in varying fields can have unique understandings of basic tasks, like scheduling meetings or sending email. “You have to be in constant communication about how things are or aren’t working, and be explicit about problems as they arise. Establishing clear protocols on how to interact is key to collaborative success.
• Use “mission critical” status to build team bonds and motivation. “Criticality is really important when it’s virtual,” says co-author Beverly Tyler.
• Focus on output versus time spent working. People with non-traditional schedules may encounter resentment from peers whose schedules are more nine-to-five. Make it clear to the team that the outcome is more important than time spent in the office.

You can get the book on Amazon if you’d like to learn more about overcoming culture clashes while fostering collaboration.