Collaboration - a first taster
A personal anecdote
“You can’t compete externally if you can’t first collaborate internally.”
Jim Tamm, Senior Judge and co-founder of Radical Collaboration
What we usually say is that Radical Collaboration is both a toolset and a mindset. We can practice being together, in relationships with one another and the collective both on a practical level as well as on a more energetic and emotional level. To practice collaboration takes a lifetime to master. In this lifelong practice, we see the Catalyst Lab as a boot camp. In order to bring upon systemic change in the world, improving and deepening your relationships is a key skill and is, unfortunately, often underestimated and practised insufficiently.
Brief description
Collaboration is about humans being in contact with one another. What is important at the beginning of the learning journey of the Catalyst Lab is to get to know each other as humans and Catalysts and including everyone into the cohort, allowing them to be seen and recognized as they are.
How we are and work together is setting the tone of how we will interact and engage with the world around us. We, therefore, want to consciously create a culture of collaboration that we will be able to practice throughout and beyond the duration of the Catalyst Lab. We will lay the foundation for a healthy and enriching culture of cooperation within the cohort at the beginning of the journey of the Catalyst Lab, which afterward can also ripple onwards. This creates a first foundation on how we want to be in relation to and with each other in spaces and processes dedicated to systemic change.
Concretely this means to:
Practice a culture & mindset of trust and mutual support on the individual and the collective level
Create basic agreements and ground rules around how we want to be and work together
Inner work
True collaboration begins inside the individual. It starts with an intentional attitude and then works its way out into the interpersonal and the collective. As an individual in the group, the invitation is to convey an authentic, welcoming (versus defensive) presence in order to allow yourself and others to step up and realise their full potential of collaboration. The personal practice of a collaborative attitude of each member of the group is key to create a collective culture of trust and mutual support. We need to be willing to look at our defence mechanisms, at our own fears and consequently at the culture of collaboration that we are radiating into the world.
On the contrary, defensive behaviour usually creates an atmosphere of low trust and little creativity. This underlines the importance of shifting unhealthy patterns that are represented in the outer world also in ourselves.
Outer work
In the outer work, there are a couple of principles that guide us in collaborating across the cohort.
When engaging with a group, we are introducing the dialogue principles which are further explained here:
Speak from the I
Speaking with intention
Listen with attention
Replace advice with curiosity
As an example, in the Catalyst Lab 2 cohort during the Culture of Collaboration day, we expanded on the above list, and co-created a shared set of principles - how do we want to be and work together - ensuring a sense of orientation and safety for everyone being part of this cohort.
Communication: We strive to practice honest, clear communication and cultivate curiosity. When we communicate outside of our circle on what has happened, we respect the Chatham House Rule.
Self-responsibility: We practise self-responsibility and accountability and take care of our own personal wellbeing. We strive to stay self-reflective and open-minded when challenged, while not taking ourselves too seriously.
Openness & respect: We respect and appreciate different experiences and backgrounds and cultivate a non-judgmental culture. All of me and all of you are welcome.
Daring to stretch our comfort zone: We want to be challenged and we want to challenge others in a good way. We allow space for confusion and failure and look at our blind spots with curiosity.
Interplay
Collaboration is hugely dependent on the interplay between inner attitude and outer practices. This is where you build the foundation both individually and collectively. Our work is hugely influenced by the HOW we are together and how we collectively practice a culture of collaboration, trust, and mutual support.
Words of encouragement
“Collaboration drives creativity because innovation always emerges from a series of sparks - never a single flash of insight.”
Keith Sawyer
List of connected topics
Further references
For online and hybrid formats
Severin von Hünerbein is in charge of the design and facilitation of collaboratio helvetica’s Catalyst Lab, a learning and design process created to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Switzerland. He started his career in training and facilitation with euforia 2010. After graduating from the University of St. Gallen (HSG), he has been determined to bring social innovation to the business world through creating brave spaces that allow a diverse group of people who would usually not meet to find new forms of collaboration, dream together and to co-create innovative and sustainable solutions for systemic change.
He is decorated with a MA degree in International Affairs and with a mind full of jokes, joie-de-vivre, and patience.