Mastering Collaboration: Make Working Together Less Painful and More Productive

by Gretchen Anderson

Collaboration is key for organizations in the 21st century, yet few business people have been trained to teach this skill. How do you advance ideas in a collaborative way and then communicate them throughout your company? In this practical book, author Gretchen Anderson shows you how to generate ideas with others while gaining buy-in from all levels of your organization. Product managers, designers, marketers, technical leaders, and executives will obtain better insight into how team members work together to make decisions. Through tangible exercises and techniques, you’ll learn how to turn promising ideas into products, services, and solutions that make a real difference in the market.

Genres: Business, Management, Communication, Design, Nonfiction, Leadership, Professional Development

226 pages, Paperback

Published April 23, 2019

Reviews

[David Maywald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2019, by an author who has worked extensively in both a consulting environment and inside corporates. Anderson has helped many clients with their product strategy, as well as improving their team collaboration skills/capability. Her work speaks to the often-cited African proverb:

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”

The models presented in this book are largely driven by an agile framework, with multiple sprints of: objective setting; expansionary/divergent thinking (in order to explore alternatives); followed by convergent analysis (in order to narrow down options); and finally testing/experimentation (in order to learn and incorporate continuous improvement)…

The content is excellent and is well worth engaging with, drawing upon the above framework for structure but supplemented by many helpful examples (which make it practical and tangible). There are dozens of tools and approaches, suggested by the author for specific circumstances. The overall structure of the book is broken into four sensible parts, traversing the lifecycle of a collaborative project.

Anderson faces up to the typical challenges of collaborating (especially within large/mature organisations): having to lead and manage teams with a composition that is drawn from the available internal people; leaning into difficult topics and discussions; communicating clearly with stakeholders (including stories and non-traditional alternatives to status updates); and dealing with difficult situations (such as depressed team morale due to a setback, and not being able to meet project milestones).

There is some relevance to board members and governing bodies, from an oversight perspective as well as increasing empathy with management (with applications to a range of governance interactions). The most relevant audience for this book is likely to be collaboration leaders within organisations, such as managers and executives, and I would certainly recommend this book to them. The style of writing I found to be a bit difficult to read (a top-notch editor would have helped a lot), but the substance of the content made it more than worthwhile persevering… Proving once again that it’s dangerous to judge a book by it’s cover, and often unwise to draw strong conclusions from first impressions.

[Scott Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many modern problems must be solved in teams, so healthy organizations must prioritize social issues to the fore. Yet sometimes, it seems that modern culture has done worse, not better, at limiting stress and anxiety. These problems are heightened in technical fields where workers often address scientific issues, rather than people issues. To answer these troubling questions, Gretchen Anderson, a Harvard-educated Silicon Valley executive, lends her voice from decades of experience leading teams to develop great products.

As a book published by O’Reilly, this work clearly centers on technical audiences, especially those involved in producing software, and Anderson’s career experience involves various forms of software. Nonetheless, the broad theme of collaboration involves human factors that aren’t specific to IT. With a liberal arts background, she focuses on how certain leadership traits and communication skills can advance projects towards successful deployment more quickly.

The book is divided into four sections and covers team dynamics, planning, solutions, and communication – all key components of a managing a product’s development. While she does break down central ideas, each chapter’s focus is heavy on practicalities and potential pitfalls. She’s clearly pragmatic, not theoretical, in her approach. She also includes basic illustrations to bring the concepts from text to life.

This book’s most direct audience includes those involved in the people side of software. Executives, product managers, technical leaders, and even marketers can benefit from enhancing their collaborative skills. I’m a software developer mostly involved in writing code, but I find learning some about the people side has helped me significantly engage my teammates and users without complicating elements of a multi-disciplinary team. Therefore, Anderson’s management-driven view helps me focus on small refinements in lateral thinking that can set my projects up for success.

[Willie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mastering Collaboration: Make Working Together Less Painful and More Productive" by Gretchen Anderson

As a school principal, I understand the challenges that come with teamwork in an educational setting. In "Mastering Collaboration," Gretchen Anderson provides invaluable insights that are not only applicable to corporate environments but also resonate deeply within schools, where collaboration is essential for fostering a positive learning atmosphere.

Anderson artfully dissects the common barriers to effective collaboration, such as miscommunication, differing goals, and lack of trust. Her practical strategies and tools empower educators to navigate these challenges and create a more cohesive team dynamic. The book emphasizes the importance of establishing clear communication channels and encourages teams to embrace vulnerability as a means to build trust.

One of the standout features of this book is its actionable advice. Each chapter includes concrete steps that can be implemented immediately, making it a useful resource for faculty meetings or professional development workshops. Anderson's writing is engaging and relatable, filled with real-world examples that illustrate her points effectively.
Moreover, the book fosters a growth mindset, encouraging teams to view collaboration as a skill that can be mastered rather than an inherent trait. This perspective is particularly relevant in the ever-evolving landscape of education, where adaptability and teamwork are crucial for success.

In conclusion, "Mastering Collaboration" is a must-read for educators seeking to enhance their collaborative efforts. Anderson’s practical approach and insightful recommendations provide a roadmap for transforming teamwork from a source of frustration into a powerful catalyst for productivity and innovation. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their collaborative practices in a school setting.

[Philippe Aubrée · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quelques généralités pour commencer (toujours utiles tout de même): Ensemble, confiance...
La bonne idée : les rôles de navigateur, conducteur, historien, critique et facilitateur (très proche des roles délégués de Cardon...)
Quelques rappels: lieu de la collaboration physique, les perturbations de la réflexion par un 'externe'
On reste quand même au niveau 'participatif': le chef consulte et décide seul....

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massive number of references to other books, and filled with gems of good advice. Largely focused on the facilitation of collaboration.

I love how the recommendation for dealing with negative/constrictive personalities during idea generation phases is to just have them not attend. There have to have been a huge number who subsequently felt left out.

[Preecha Sangaroon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was best practice in your workplace

[Duaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collaboration is key for tackling tough challenges, but it needs clear roles, trust, and a focus on goals.