5 Best Practices for Team CollaborationHerd WisdomHW_26ce6a24-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3... we're here to bring you an employee engagement platform that is complete, sustainable and co-created. Herd Wisdom is made up of seasoned veterans well versed in first-rate technology, business development, professional management and communications. In addition, we possess an in-depth expertise in the fields of human resources, psychology, marketing, interpersonal relationships and organizational systems.TeamsShared goals are achieved._26ce6b78-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3To create effective team collaboration practices._26ce6c22-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3CollaborationWikipedia defines collaboration as "working with others to do a task and to achieve shared goals." Collaboration is often required of employees, so it helps to know how to create effective team collaboration practices.Meeting PlansCreate plans for meeting._26ce6cae-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea31Know what you want to talk about. Decide ahead of time what the subject of your team meeting will be. What problem or problems are you trying to solve? Creating a concrete plan for your meeting ahead of time ensures that team collaboration is an efficient and productive use of everyone’s time. In doing so, employees will be willing and enthused to continue participating and the desired result is more likely to come about._26ce6d8a-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3BrainstormingBrainstorm._26ce6e16-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea32Brainstorm, Don’t Converse -- Meetings should be about coming up with ideas. Don’t waste time discussing the merits and disadvantages of each idea. Instead, come up with a variety of ideas during the meeting then assign team members to look into which options are most feasible, outside of the meeting. Direct them to write down their 3 best solutions from the discussion and why. Set aside a time to regroup and discuss everyone's findings. In a subsequent meeting discuss these findings and come to a group consensus._26ce6ec0-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3Roles & ResponsibilitiesAssign roles and responsibilities._26ce6f4c-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea33Implementing the Solution and Assigning Roles -- In implementing the solution, assign roles and responsibilities to each member of the team. Roles should indicate the part each member must play in the functionality of the team. For example, someone must be appointed the leader. The leader has the final say in decision making but they are also responsible for what the group does -- good or bad. You will also need to assign roles such as: note-taker, tech set up, communication officer (responsible for communicating information to team, boss etc.), room maintenance and set up (sets up room, passes out material etc.) Responsibilities and roles should also be assigned based on the current project the team is working on. Determine what needs to be done to complete the project and assign responsibilities to each employee._26ce6fe2-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3ContributionsGive Time for Individuals to Work Solo._26ce708c-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea34Team collaboration is most effective when members have the opportunity to provide individual contributions. This is best accomplished by allowing members time to themselves. This gives them an opportunity to process information from the meeting, come up with new ideas, and complete their assigned work._26ce7122-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea3FeedbackGive and receive feedback._26ce71b8-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea35Figure Out the Best Way to Give and Receive Feedback -- The only way a team will grow and become better is if individual members can give and receive feedback on their contribution to the team. Like the parts of a machine, each component (or individual) has to do their part in order for the machine (or team) to function at its best. When an individual isn’t up to par with their peers, team collaboration suffers and the machine falters. The dynamics of your team will determine the way members give and receive feedback. If employees are sensitive to negative feedback, it might be better if the manager collects feedback from group members and delivers it to individual employees. This way there is no ill feeling created among peers because the feedback is coming from a higher-up. If however, employees are open to peer feedback, you might consider anonymous, written reviews or open discussion of how individuals could improve. Talk to your team to decide how best to handle feedback._26ce724e-3375-11e6-98f0-4206d3e5eea32015-10-012016-06-15http://www.herdwisdom.com/blog/5-best-practices-for-team-collaboration/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net