How to Collaborate Well

Abstract

In this paper, I answer the question, how do we collaborate well with others? I first look at cases of good collaboration, contrasting them briefly with some cases of poor collaboration; I then describe the similarities between the good cases, such as shared aims, shared planning of projects, shared norms among collaborators. The conclusion is that collaborating well involves shared norms, derived both from societal norms and from a well-ordered relationship between participants; a shared vision derived from shared knowledge and open communication grounded in relationship; and open-mindedness and thoughtful disagreement, which depend on mutual respect and trust between participants. 1 For instance, Tencati and Zsolnai (2009) argue that businesses should prioritize a collaborative strategy over a competitive one.