Collaboritive Relationships in Business

805 Words2 Pages

One of my first thoughts when attempting to write this particular chapter involved the absolutely unequivocal need for organizations to collaborative. Collaboration is no longer a function of maintaining a good image within ones community or the four walls of the organization. It is a matter of survival. We live in a time where instant connectivity is the norm, where multi-million dollar transactions can be handled from the convenience of your iPhone. “Organizations of the future will increasingly live in a world that is flatter, faster, and much more chaotic. They will need to respond in the marketplace before headquarters realizes the game has changed.” (Katzenbach & Khan, 2009, pg. 99) In this world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity leaders need to be ready to respond swiftly and decisively. In this new era organizations need the innovation that only collaboration can bring.

Trust is the Framework for Collaborative Relationship

Organizations need to foster an environment where constituents feel comfortable sharing their ideas. Leaders play a critical role in creating an environment where this type of independent thinking is encouraged. Leaders must give their constituents permission to rethink all aspects of daily operations and the power to recommend changes without fear of reprisal. (McKeown & Wiseman, 2010, pp. 117-121) This can only be accomplished if leaders have the trust of their constituents. “At the heart of collaboration is trust. It’s the central issue in human relationships within and outside organizations. Without trust you cannot lead. Without trust you cannot get extraordinary things done.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2007, pg. 224) Leaders also need to build a culture of learnin...

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...t, in chapter one I discussed a collaboration between Pepsi and Appalachian State University, which result in the creation of the new G series line of Gatorade athletic performance beverages. As I mentioned Pepsi succeeded with their endeavor in part because of their cultural commitment to collaboration. Utilizing the world as your Petri dish is one way creating such collaborative synergy. In his article Big Blue’s Global Lab Steve Hamm identifies IBM’s radical shift in their handling of research and development. Due to this shift IBM has been able to create relationships with governments and colleges around the world that are enthusiastic about conducting research with them for mutual gains, tapping into the creativity and collective genius of the vast number of individuals worldwide. (Hamm, 2009, pp. 40-45) That is the quintessential nimble network.

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