We live in a world that has been dominated by a centralized “command and control” model for centuries – and by institutional cultures that are, therefore, anything but collaborative.
Tragically, for example, in the recent ongoing oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, there was poor collaboration before someone with control authority made the decision to proceed without adequate safety precautions. That situation is a clear example of how a focus on collaboration would have produced a positive result.
What kind of culture do you have in your workplace? Is collaboration more the rule or the exception? How do you lead your life? Do you tend to be more of a dominator or a collaborator?
Clearly, sometimes decisive action is needed; and there is sometimes good reason for a leader to make a final judgment call. How she or he does so – with collaboration or without – is often determinative of the quality of the decision and of the effectiveness of the culture.
What changes make sense in your life regarding collaboration? Where would expanded collaboration make the most difference to you and others in your workplace, family, and community?