Credo #4: Intentional collaboration depends on tapping into individual motivation
Irresistible individual motivation compels collaboration
Shared work must be as clear and compelling as people’s individual responsibilities
Successful organizations are full of driven individuals. More than anything else, these people want to achieve and be recognized for it. For them, generic, feel-good teamwork, teamwork for teamwork’s sake, is anathema; it’s a burden that obscures accountability and takes them away from their real work. If you want collaboration from these achievement-motivated folks, the pull has got to be irresistible. The teamwork you are proposing must be as clear and compelling as their individual tasks; it must tap into their deep-seated need for accomplishment.
This is how great teams operate. They isolate the work that unquestionably requires collaboration. They talk about why that collaboration is essential, how it will pay off for the team and the people involved. They clarify who should be involved and in what ways. They make collaboration clear, specific, and compelling so if feels like something to be achieved. They make collaboration irresistible.
