Can you teach people to Collaborate?
Over the last few months I have been wondering exactly how to teach someone to collaborate.
Seems like a simple statement. Collaboration spaces are the tools to use, in which we teach others to use. One particular method I get best results from is:
One on one training. Guiding the user through the collaboration spaces, using specific examples within their work environment. The user will use their own documents, thoughts and structures.
Memory Joggers, quick reference guides and contact numbers for HELP. I like to provide any participant access to hard copy references so they can quickly refer to it during the working day. People like these, especially if they are small enough (and some like GLOSSY) to place beneath a keyboard.
Follow ups. I encourage any participant to contact me with all their questions, but to try and resolve it the best they can. By learning 'the hard way', i have found participants learn other useful tricks...Having said this, it is important to go through any resolved issues with the participant - incase they are doing it wrong and counteraffecting another issue highlighted!!
Person to person follow up. If the participant is in close proximity walk past and ask directly on their progress, thoughts and issues after their initial training..However, because we are discussing COLLABORATION...why not collaborate on the HELP FORUM...which will also help those trained in distant locations.
I encourage the use of collaboration, and found that by using this space to resolve issues and re-hash learning outcomes effective; it not only creates a knowledge base for future participants, but develops confidence in Collaboration (the action) itself and builds rapport via online communication.
Of course all learning methods are different to every person; there is no one learning approach that can be applied to one group. IT is the Trainer's job to understand the group and individual(s) to best develop a learning package that will be effective.
How to teach collaboration.??
Collaboration is an approach; Someone once discussed learning Email for the first time in the workplace. Though email was simple enough having many advantages, it was still a HUGE change in work practices (snail mail, telephone, fax). The same principle used then should be applied to learning collaboration.
To teach collaboration I would recommend:
Encourage the use by using it yourself
Force the use of collaboration - place all documents and discussions in the collaboration space with all users involved.
Continuous training
Create an online forum for help topics
Actively research how other departments are integrating collaboration
Old Way New Way workshops and training http://www.changetools.net/
Teaching collaboration and having the user to apply this approach is the hard part.
Many users can see the positive outcomes, there are many that dont have the time to relearn, there are alot of people that dont trust the new form of work methods.
Do you have any tips or tricks on how you have taught collaboration?
