Collaboration 101

This introductory program helps colleagues build the skills they need to work collaboratively with others. It invites learners to reflect on healthy team dynamics and on their own contributions to the group. It offers useful strategies for handling mistakes, avoiding “groupthink,” managing conflicts, and asking solution-focused questions. The program is co-developed with Jennifer Porritt, CHRL, CTDP. Jennifer is the founder and principal consultant of JP Consulting, a firm offering custom leadership training plans built on award-winning and notable tools. She brings 25+ years of experience in the Human Resources industry and has empowered more than 5,000 individuals and led more than 475 training events.

TOPIC: COLLABORATION

LEVEL: Introductory

Core Skills & Behaviours

Use strengths-based approaches: Reflect on personal strengths and those of colleagues to appreciate unique contributions and integrate diverse perspectives into collaborative work.
Select accessible tools and processes: Move beyond “opening the floor.” Consider accessibility needs and select tools and processes that ensure everyone’s voice is heard and considered.
Take responsibility for contributions: Deliver on personal commitments reliably and actively speak up during collaborative projects rather than defaulting to passive consensus.
Get unstuck: Apply simple strategies to resolve mistakes, conflicts, and goal misalignment while maintaining team psychological safety and momentum.

	Snippet Title	Topic Covered
1	In the Weeds	Encourages reflection on what unique skills and perspectives each person contributes to the team dynamic. Positions diversity as the cornerstone of collective intelligence.
2	So Many Edits	Promotes the intentional inclusion of colleagues with differing viewpoints to avoid “my-side” and “our-side” bias.
3	The Right Tech	Emphasizes the importance of understanding the team’s needs and choosing appropriate and accessible tools and environments.
4	Don’t Be Shy	Suggests strategies to ensure that team members contribute roughly the same amount and are equally heard.
5	A Big Problem	Presents the concept of risky shift and offers strategies to identify potential gaps, risks, or problems in a group’s work.
6	An Extra Task	Emphasizes the importance of following through on commitments. Provides practical strategies for documenting accountabilities and managing capacity.
7	Rocky Start	Suggests strategies that foster psychological safety and encourage growth and risk-taking.
8	Outside the Box	Shows the importance of creating clear goals, roles, and plans at the outset of a collaborative project. Expectations can help us avert conflict, derive meaning, and celebrate wins.
9	Party or Professional?	Presents practical strategies for handling disagreements, such as stating interests or concerns instead of reiterating a position.
10	The Perfect Solution	Introduces the concept of groupthink and presents an inquiry activity that can help teams detect and prevent it.

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