Collaboration = Cooperative Behavior + Assertive Behavior

Based on the Thomas-Kilmann assessment for how people handle conflict, Sandy Styer in her post, At the Corner of Assertiveness & Cooperation: Collaboration, outlines five behaviors: the Avoider, the Accommodater, the Compromiser, the Competitor and the Collaborator. These behavior arise from the individual’s focus on "the “Self” and the “Cooperative.” Below is the pictorial view of the framework from her post:

So, are people who are not “Collaborators,” based on this model, unfit for effective collaboration? What do you do when a person who is “Competitive” (Low on Cooperative and High on Self), but whose expertise, skills and knowledge are critical to the success of the mission? Moreover, people typically have situation-dependent behavior profiles; for example, the normal day-to-day behavior may be dramatically different from behavior under stress. What do you do with that?

What’s in it for me (WIIFM) can be a great persuader. Professional athletes are arguably the most competitive bunch, yet they collaborate to accomplish the mission (that is, winning championships). See a related post: If You Can’t Pass the Ball, You Can’t play!

Learning how others behave and, more importantly, how we behave ourselves, can offer insights into how to effectively engage others in a collaboration effort. I think the model is instructive in that it enourages us to strive for the "Collaborator" behavior and encourage and support others on the team to do the same. I can not resist including the quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  that Sandy has in her post: "A leader isn't a seeker of consensus, but a molder of consensus."

To which category of behavior(s) do you belong? Do you recognize the behavior profiles of your teammates? How do you engage teammates who fit into different categories from you of this model?



Update on 22 November 2010 by Lokesh Datta

"Politeness is the poison of collaboration." - Edwin Land (via Steve Lamont)

Update on 25 December 2010 by Lokesh Datta

See Related Posts:

• If You Can’t Pass the Ball, You Can’t play!
• Measuring Collaboration Behavior
• Effective Collaboration Is More than Deliverables
• Collaboration: Building and Sustaining Trust
• Collaboration Is More than Team Building and Management
• Managing Virtual Teams
• The Four Ps of Effective Collaboration
• How’s your collaboration effort going?

Comments

[Lokesh Datta]

I posted this question on LinkedIn: What key characteristics/traits do you look for when assessing whether someone is or would be an effective collaborator?

I received interesting responses that I would like to share.

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Vincent Vanderbent, Document Specialist at Cooley LLP, Creative Thinker, Owner of Your Health First!

An effective collaborator contributes her/his expertise for the common goal/good, so I would assess whether the person shares useful information, appears to be holding back, tries to mislead by giving only partial info etc. You could do this in a group setting, or by asking project related questions in an interview format. Give the person a hypothetical situation and observe how (s)he works her/himself through it.
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Tirumalai Kamala, Immunologist, Microbiologist, Organizer

A common goal and similar level of importance or need to attain such goal would be primarily important considerations. Further, sharing credit, ideas, responsibilities, resources and information on a regular and timely basis are other must-have characteristics for successful collaborations. These are qualities that can be assessed by careful analysis of the person's history or by careful questioning.
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Paul Slater, Owner, Mushcado Consulting, Management Consultant and Executive Coach

I'd say that an ability to listen to and appreciate the other party's views and being prepared to discuss and negotiate around topics which both sides (or more than two) may have differing opinions on. For this to happen I believe there have to be two conditions in place. Firstly, there has to be a recognised goal that both sides are aiming at so that when discussion get into difficulties they can re-focus on what they are trying to achieve. Secondly, there must be complete openness and honesty in communication at all times around the issues at hand.

Hope this is of some use.
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Wallace Jackson, Multimedia Producer & i3D Programmer for Acrobat3D PDF, Android Mobile Apps, Virtual Worlds, iTV Design, JavaFX & JavaTV
1. Organized
2. Goal Oriented
3. Knowledgeable
4. Educated at Top Universities
5. International Client References
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Warren Lake, Visionary

1) Feels passionate about collaborating with you and stays committed through the length of the project, or long-term over the course of many projects.

2) Likes to stay in close communication by answering phone calls, emails and instant messages in a timely fashion. Is easy to talk to and get along with, open to new ideas and is a creative brainstormer.

3) Comfortable with using standard methods of collaborating, but is also willing to try out new methods and techniques, and will give them a decent trial period before determining their merits and limitations.

4) Has the time to invest in new pursuits and can work toward long-term goals without requiring instant rewards because he or she is insightful enough to recognize the value of developing collaborative product lines, contacts and networks over time.