What would your workplace look like if collaboration technology shifted from something people “should use” to something people “want to use all the time?”

When the workplace reaches the point where collaboration technology is something employees want to use all the time, people are moving towards a collaborative mindset.

According to David Coleman, a collaborative mindset requires “the ability to listen to others, make a judgement on what they say without being dismissive and potentially building on that initial idea.”

Coleman explains collaborative mindset this way:

“There is a specific type of listening that works best when developing a collaborative mindset. It’s called, listening for ‘we’.”

The impact of the collaborative mindset and collaborative technology goes way beyond a more productive culture. For example, connections between team members and groups strengthen. People then start communicating regularly, and a common knowledge base about the company develops. These outcomes help accelerate decision making and innovation.

CMO as the Leader Collaborative Technology Adoption

A majority of organizations now acknowledge that the CMO is the right person to lead collaboration activities within an organization and between organizations. CMO’s have a unique point of view about the customer.

The CMO’s role as advocate for collaboration technology empowers them to set an example of how leaders should communicate and connect.  CMO’s who fully adopt collaborative technology as a tool to facilitate meetings and conversations have an opportunity to demonstrate how people can continuously learn and solve problems.

Behaviors that Drive Adoption

• Engage with CMO’s on strategies that leverage collaboration technology.
• Leverage collaboration technology to facilitate communication and listening within teams.
• Communicate with leaders on common practices that demonstrate a collaborative mindset.
• Create continuous learning experiences on how to listen for “we” with collaboration technology.
• Implement collaboration technology as a way to strengthen the customer journey.

Wayne Kurtzman, research director of social and experiential solutions at market research firm IDC, describes adoption in terms of key behaviors businesses need to develop. Kurtzman says, “Businesses that embrace collaboration behaviors and technologies will be able to save significant time and money, be more responsive to their customers and be more attractive to prospective employees,”

Ready to develop a collaborative mindset in your company? Use collaboration technology to build relationships with CMO’s and fellow leaders. Encourage open and frank feedback with customers.  Build trust and open communication with employees. Strengthening relationships using a collaborative mindset makes it easier for all stakeholders to continue their journey with you.