Team of climbers reaching the summit of a rock pinnacle.

The buzz words in today’s workplace are work style and workplace values.  Recruiters focus on whether the interviewee has a collaborative attitude, indicating their ability to work well with others, and giving them an edge in workplace culture today.  Interview questions in this competitive setting are intended to weed out the hopefuls from the stars by testing intellectual ability, analytic skills and whether one can master the delicate balance between confidence and humility.  Potential candidates are viewed through the filter of “good fit” and whether they can adapt to the common mission and motives to create mutual understanding with others.
To achieve a winning level of effectiveness, it’s essential to include the skills of collaborative intelligence in one’s repertoire.  Code Black, a new TV series this fall, is a perfect example of highly trained medical professionals who are compelled to rely on each other’s strengths, experience and abilities to save lives in a trauma/emergency ward.  While in this environment, everyone is a rock star, the willingness to collaborate, share and learn transforms the individual doctors into a superstar team.  This is a milieu where every situation allows smart people to ask other smart people challenging questions, thus enabling people to do what they do best and become better at it.
                        trustlikecarwithoutgas
New Perspective:
Truthfulness and trust are the basis of a healthy conversation and collaboration
Situations of unresolved conflicts, lingering frustration, anger or fear are not uncommon in the workplace.  L
earning collaborative skills to manage emotions before they drive us to a negative response is a powerful way to contribute value to the organization.
  • Candor and openness plays a role in elevating our capacity to work through difficult challenges with others by activating parts of our brain which allows us to think strategically, have empathy, foresight and good judgment when dealing with uncertainty.
  • Becoming part of a team means managing the transition, taking an inventory of what we bring to the process and asking for feedback to gain valuable tips and advice from one’s peer group.
  • The ability to dialogue well can serve not only to defuse one’s own tense feelings when a situation is stressful, but it can lead the way to expressing constructive emotions.

Even when those around us are seeing the world through a negative frame – we can choose to trust, listen and follow our own inner guidance.  

Change begins inside each person. Often, we unknowingly prevent change from taking place.  By being curious and open we discover what is true and that’s a great beginning.
Creating an environment of trust and safety allows smart people to ask other smart people challenging questions, thus enabling people to do what they do best and become better at it.