Time to read: 3 minutes
Article at a glance:
- Collaboration isn’t just passing work along. It’s shared ownership and investment, even when you’re not the one actively doing the task.
- It goes beyond roles or “hats.” Everyone’s perspective matters, not just their job title.
- True collaboration avoids tunnel vision by understanding how your work impacts others upstream and downstream.
- It’s a living practice rooted in curiosity, shared growth, and continuous improvement.
We talk a lot about collaboration at Redmond, but like “culture” and “synergy,” collaboration has turned into a corporate buzzword that’s lost some of its meaning.
We’ve written about what collaboration is, but let’s talk about what it isn’t.
What Collaboration ISN’T
It’s not about handoffs.
Collaboration doesn’t look like just one person working on a project for a while and then handing it off to someone else. It doesn’t look like an assembly line (unless you’re actually working on an assembly line, but there’s more to it than that).
It doesn’t mean your responsibility for the project ends if you aren’t currently working on it. If you package salt, it doesn’t mean you aren’t invested in the work that happens at the mill, even if you aren’t actively doing that work. It’s still helpful to know what goes on there and how it affects your work, and in turn, how your work affects people further along in the process.
It’s not about “hats.”
Just because there’s a copywriter on the team doesn’t mean they’re the only person who gets to touch the copy, or the only one whose perspective on wording matters.
We try to avoid hats. When we’re exploring and in discussions, we want your perspective, not just as a representative of your team, but as someone’s who’s deeply invested in the company and your own growth. Be wide open.
It’s not about “staying in your lane.”
Collaboration doesn’t mean only focusing on your area and not learning about other parts of the process. It doesn’t mean you don’t step in where you might be helpful.
For example, one of our associates had experience designing course curriculum. When we saw the need to create a course for new associates, she was incredibly helpful even though it wasn’t part of her “role” (i.e. what she was technically hired to do). This is why we care more about helpfulness than job descriptions!
What Collaboration IS
Now that we’ve cleared away some of the confusing cobwebs and misconceptions about collaboration, let’s return to what collaboration is, and what it means at Redmond.
Collaboration is continuous, shared responsibility and investment in the work, even when you aren’t actively working on it.
It’s an organic process.
It DOES mean plugging in to the needs of the company and customers, the ripple effects of your work, and what other teams are doing.
It’s understanding where your work fits in the overall process and company, and how you affect people upstream and downstream from you. It’s also taking responsibility for those effects.
It’s constantly working to improve your impact on other people and areas of the process.
It’s practicing Ubuntu and knowing that in order to truly succeed, we must succeed together.
It’s striving to understand how the strengths and contributions of others fit into our work.
It means seeking out as many relevant perspectives as you can find.
It means practicing our core values and deepening your understanding of them.
It means exploring your Three Circles so you can deeply understand your unique contribution, i.e. how you make the most impact and find the most fulfillment. That’s the ultimate win-win!
Collaboration is a Living Practice
This is how we do great work together: by developing and combining our strengths, and constantly working to improve our understanding and processes.
