The ABCDE’s of Team Behavior: Collaborating Generatively

We believe there are five actions that, in alignment with the fruit of the Spirit, can support relational clarity. This clarity exists when employees exhibit the ABCDE’s of team behavior.

C: Collaborating Generatively

Collaboration is when two or more people come together to accomplish a task. Generative thinking is the result of the synergy of the participative thinking process. Therefore, when two or more people come together and tap the potential of each person’s knowledge, the team’s intelligence is greater than the sum of the intelligence of the individual team members.

When people take ownership of decisions and tasks to the exclusion of their teammates, confusion results. Whether intentional or not, this practice makes other members of a team feel unappreciated and devalued, and the resulting confusion both slows decision making and reduces innovation. Each of us is uniquely gifted, has been through different experiences, has accumulated distinct knowledge, has gained diverse perspectives, and is valuable to the solving of any challenge.

Beyond the generative effect of collaboration to solve problems, when people feel like their opinion matters and has value, individual motivation increases. When employees collaborate generatively, we have found them to be more productive, more creative, and more innovative. In short, collaboration can bring out the best in individuals and produce results that benefit the organization as a whole. Collaborating generatively results in innovative solutions, individual motivation, and greater collective ownership.

To read more about relational clarity and how it can strengthen your organization, log in to read our Covenantal Culture white paper.