Helping a Team of Teams Practise the Human Skills of Collaboration
Why this Matters
Key insight from a participant:
“Before the event, we knew very little about what some of the other teams actually did. By the end, we had created real connection and practiced partnering together.“
The challenge was certainly not a lack of expertise. These teams were highly capable and consistently delivered on their commitments. The challenge was helping a newly formed Team of Teams build stronger connections, understand one another’s contribution, and create opportunities for more effective collaboration across team boundaries.
Challenge
A large IT organisation brought together approximately 50 people from eight different teams and a management team for the first time. The overall theme of the event was Partnering and Connecting with the Business.
As a relatively new structure, many team members had limited understanding of what the other teams actually did and few opportunities to collaborate across team boundaries. The organisation wanted the event to strengthen connection, increase understanding, and create a stronger sense of partnership across the wider group.
Approach
The morning focused on helping the teams better understand one another. Each team explored the question:
“What would we like to be famous for?”
Using a simple What, How and Why framework, each team developed a Compelling Purpose statement and created a short elevator pitch to communicate their contribution to the organisation. Teams then shared their purpose through short elevator pitches, creating visibility and understanding across the wider group.
In the afternoon, we introduced the concept of Skillful Conversations and invited participants to experience different ways of talking and thinking together.
Two activities proved particularly powerful.
The first was a debate around the motion:
“This house believes that all decisions should be made locally.”
The debate generated energy, laughter and strong opinions. Midway through, participants were invited to switch sides and argue for the opposite position. The experience highlighted the value of stepping into another person’s perspective rather than defending a fixed viewpoint. Participants reflected on how this capability could strengthen partnering and collaboration across the organisation.
The second was a marketplace activity. The following morning, each team shared their purpose through a short monologue before moving into open / skillful conversations with colleagues from other teams. Participants asked questions, offered feedback, explored connections and discovered opportunities for collaboration that had previously remained hidden.
Reflections
The workshop demonstrated that connection grows through the simple human interactions of conversation. The Compelling Purpose work helped teams become clearer about their own contribution, while the marketplace conversations helped others better understand and appreciate that contribution.
The debate revealed another important insight. Most people naturally advocate for their own perspective, yet collaboration often requires the ability to genuinely explore another point of view. By physically changing sides and arguing the opposite position, participants experienced the value of curiosity and perspective-taking.
Perhaps most importantly, the event reinforced that collaboration is not something we learn by talking about it. It develops through practising the skills of listening, inquiry, challenge, dialogue and connection.
Outcomes
The event created stronger connections across the Team of Teams and increased understanding of the different groups within the organisation. Teams left with a shared language for talking about collaboration and a deeper appreciation of the contribution made by their colleagues across the organisation.
The marketplace conversations created opportunities for meaningful dialogue between teams that had rarely interacted before, increasing both understanding and potential for future collaboration.
Participants also experienced how debate and skillful conversations can help people move beyond fixed positions, appreciate different perspectives and build stronger working relationships across organisational boundaries.
What Made the Difference?
Rather than delivering a traditional presentation about collaboration, the event immersed participants in a series of practical experiences.
By creating opportunities to explore purpose, practise perspective-taking, and engage in meaningful cross-team conversations, people became more aware of how connection is built and sustained.
This case illustrates a core principle of Skillful Collaboration: Human connection is not created by organisational structures alone. It grows through the quality of the conversations people have with one another.
Testimonials:
The hosting team and our director found the whole workshop fantastic. We created real connection and practiced partnering. Thank you.
