Behind every successful brand, there is a team. The teamwork that goes into creating the product is more than a group of people hashing out the concept, design, and delivery of the product. Anyone who has worked on a team can tell you that the success was born out of much comprise, aggravation, and cooperation.
Not to change gears, but New Zealand business culture lays the platform for the collaboration in that, while much business is taken care of, an attitude of mutual trust and respect is the foundation for teamwork. Taken one step further into a coworking platform, and you have pretty much established a recipe for success in any business venture. The coworking platform has streamline office space, so businesses can perform a number of functions in one space, as seen in Servcorp New Zealand’s site.
Let’s take a closer look at the ways in which you can maximise collaboration when coworking.
Relax For A Moment
If you find yourself moving with people in the workspace that you would like to collaborate with, consider getting to know them on a more personal level. The great thing about the coworking collaboration is that the space is primed for social interaction, and many spaces have a community calendar that can set the platform for building friendships. With networking always a focus in the coworking space, there is ample opportunity to get to know your team members.
Consider taking the relationship outside the coworking platform, which can give you more opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal platform. Working with others becomes less stressful when relationships turn into comradery, which can also make it easier to communicate honestly with each other. In many cases, it can make the work fun.
Get Everyone On The Same Page
Collaboration cannot work without everyone desiring to be a part of the team. Essentially, team members should not have to chase down each other because everyone should be active participants in the venture. Furthermore, this desire is going to be the motivation to contribute to the venture in a way that is very productive. Great collaborations coalesce easily, and after all of the discussion, everyone comes to the same conclusions regarding parts of the project.
For example, when assigned to teams at work, the potential is there for the motivation to produce to be lost because the work is seen as another assignment. However, in the coworking situation, teams are formed through the volition of each participating member, which can generate very different results. In essence, agreeing to collaborate means that everyone wants to be a part of the team and is reflected in the participation from each member.
Participate
As a part of fleshing any ideas, members have to participate too, which means asking questions, making observations, arguing, analysing, and offering opinions and advice. Depending on the size of the group, you will more than likely end up with dealing with a lot of different personalities. For people who are naturally gregarious, dealing with all types of personalities might be a breeze for this person. However, a more reserved person might hang back and listen to others, which is not always the best way to approach collaboration. Even if you force yourself to engage others, make it a point have your voice heard.
The Collaboration Tango
While it might seem cheesy, the collaboration is a tango in a sense. The “you go this way and I go that way” is created from the energy that comes from the combined tasks related to getting to know each other, getting on the same page, and actively participating in the venture. The collaboration, when done effectively, can be the beginning of great opportunities for any idea.
