HBR Guide to Collaborative Teams

by Harvard Business Review

Break down the barriers to effective collaboration.

To get work done and accomplish your goals, you need access to resources and ideas from across your organization. But technology issues, office politics, and lack of clear authority can get in the way of success.

The HBR Guide to Collaborative Teams provides practical tips and advice to help you collaborate more effectively. Whether you're working with your own direct reports or looking to find resources outside your department, you'll discover how to align the ideas and objectives of others in ways that allow you to work together and solve problems more easily.

You'll learn to:

Bust departmental silos
Develop a shared purpose
Forge relationships across the company
Overcome turf wars and conflict
Prevent collaborative overload and fatigue
Use the right tools for virtual information sharing and teamwork

Genres: Business, Management, Leadership

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2021

Reviews

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a fan of Harvard Business Review Guides and the HBR articles on its .org website and the Dear HBR podcast. The information conveyed is always informative, well-researched and practical. Such is the case with this book, HBR Guide to Collaborative Teams. Collaboration has become a bit of a sticky situation in many organizations. Collaboration done right brings teams and organizations forward. Collaboration done poorly can worsen morale, make company objectives more difficult to attain, and even lead to divisive company politics.

This guide offers practical, effective advice to keep the focus on a shared purpose while decreasing conflict and competitive attitudes which can arise in disparate teams. If you are looking for practical tips and techniques to balance teams, motivate reluctant individuals among them, and maximize group competencies, I recommend this guide.

[Adama · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great addition to my leadership and management toolbox

I love HBR guides and this guide is no exception. And like all guides, there are two ways to read it.

Reading from A-Z, chapter by chapter, with each chapter building on and reinforcing the previous one. I started this way to understand the fundamentals of collaborative teams and how to get the most out of them.

Reading as needed to get practical and ready-to-use tips when faced with a specific challenge, for example "how to convince someone to collaborate with you", "how to clarify roles and responsibilities" or "strategies for group decisions".

Whichever way you choose, you will get the most out of this guide.

After reading this guide, I reinforced my knowledge of some things I already knew such as group decisions and influence without power. I discovered new things and learned how to apply them such as the 6 ways to convince someone to collaborate with you, teaching people to listen not talk, motivating a problem employee.

This guide is a great addition to my leadership and management toolbox.

[Pablo Montañés · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really good summary and a great gateway to a number of key topics. If you're keen on drive some positive changes in your team or organization, this can be a good starting point and then deciding where to go deeper.

[Lukasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bardzo dobra kompilacja artyułów wcześniej opublikowany na łamach HBR. Świetne kompendium wiedzy na temat tego jak wspierać pozytywną współpracę w ramach organizacji. Bardzo polecam. Sporo sam się nauczyłem czytając tą pozycję.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful and thought-provoking little book of essays and articles on various facets of building great teams. Surprisingly easy and good read for a business book.

[Jb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Business common articles sense in a row.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Seems practical. I anticipate this is the type of book I will be revisiting from time to time as different scenarios pop up in my professional career.