Collaboration Cohort Roundup: 10 tips from our customers to help you thrive in 2021

Last year, we launched the Collaboration Cohort on our social channels to spotlight tried-and-tested tips from global community members like you. We’ve been so inspired by the best practices you’ve shared to support each other and your teams through collaboration, clarity, and mindfulness.

As we start the new year, we wanted to share our top 10 #collaborationcohort tips from the past year so you can approach the opportunities ahead with renewed motivation and positive energy. Take a look below, and we hope they inspire you to set yourself up for success this year!

Master clear communication

Collaboration and communication without clarity is pure chaos. To set up your team for success you need clarity—of purpose, plan and responsibility. When teams have clarity, everyone understands what work is required to effectively achieve their goals.

If you want to help your team be more productive, embrace asynchronous communication. This requires getting good at writing down your thoughts, but pays dividends in how much you can get done without a meeting.”

Embracing asynchronous communication is critical for effective remote team collaboration. Patti Chan, VP of Digital Product at Imperfect Foods recommends jotting down your feedback and communicating so you and your teammates have a single source of truth and don’t miss out on key information.

To be more productive, set clear deadlines and establish clear accountability in an environment of openness, understanding, and empathy. Having clear communication and expectations are key.”

When we communicate clearly and openly, we foster a more collaborative environment. Leah Heidenheim, Senior Manager Development Operations at National Ballet of Canada shared this insightful pro tip about clarity and collaboration at an #AsanaTogether panel in Toronto.

Model inclusive practices

Inclusion impacts culture, and when we foster inclusivity in the workplace, teams thrive. It takes a village to build inclusive practices, so to get to thriving we need to model the type of positive behavior we want to see more of in the workplace.

Commit to being less nice and more kind. Nice can be passive & polite, all wrapped up in an unwillingness to learn. Kindness creates room for growth, connection, advocacy and trust.”

This pro tip from host, actress, and entrepreneur Stacy Ike is one way to build a more inclusive workplace. As our friends from wineandwhiteboardspodcast commented, “This subtle but important difference feels so relatable. Nice can be interpreted in so many ways and most of them are not super authentic—which leaves us compromising ourselves in some way.” Attention to kindness can help foster trust and facilitate more open and direct conversations.

Acronyms and other descriptive terms may not be as universal as we think... Come up with an organization glossary, embed it in your workflows and train staff on it to jumpstart collaboration.”

Casey James, Head of Creative Operations, at Jones Knowles Ritchie offers this pro tip for helping ensure that your communication is clear and inclusive with acronyms and internal lingo. “The words we use to describe things can mean something different based on who’s saying it and who’s hearing it. Acronyms and other descriptive terms may not be as universal as we think—especially if you have a global team.” Ensure your communication is clear, reduce insider lingo that can feel exclusionary by being mindful about when you use acronyms and making their definitions accessible.

Include team members in the strategic planning process. Start by outlining a yearly plan for the organization, then ask for feedback & ideas. Including my team means they will feel empowered to share, and it helps me to be as transparent as possible.”

#AsanaTogether community member and Marketing Consultant Shawnee Leonard believes in empowering her teammates, starting at the planning stage. “I want to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the vision I wish to bring to life. It’s only right to include the people who are also putting in the effort to make that happen.”

Gather information on where the roadblocks are within your teams. Don't just assume that one size fits all. Look at how different things are impacting people. Once you have that holistic view... work on a solution.”

Identifying what’s getting in your team’s way is essential to unblocking them, but blockers can show up differently for everyone. Devin Henderson, Delivery Manager at RewardOps offers a helpful pro tip.

It's OK to say no to tasks and meetings that aren't urgent. Having too many meetings can sink your day and leave you without enough time to accomplish the things that you really need to.”

It’s OK to say no to things on your plate. That’s the advice shared by Adam Sharma at human-I-T. The more comfortable you are saying no to things that will sink your day, the easier it will be to prioritize and really get the most out of your work week.

Practice self care

Taking care of yourself is not a selfish act, but rather an act of kindness towards yourself and others. The more you prioritize your self care, the better you will show up for others.

You don't have to be 'on' and available all the time. Carve out time for deep, focused creative work, and let your teammates know you'll be slow to respond. Then do your due diligence and over-communicate when you're not in deep work mode.”

It can be easy to fall into the trap of being “always on,” but this behavior can be detrimental to your productivity and overall wellbeing. Here’s one way to spend more time in-the-zone doing our best work this year: Patrick Ng, Video Editor, at Vox Creative’s number one tip for creatives is to coordinate and communicate your work schedule.

Connect your team to the bigger picture

Create a system where everyone can get transparency into the organization's vision, strategy, and what goals they plan to hit. The more connected we feel to overall goals, the more inspired we can be to do great work.”

Don’t you love the feeling of knowing that your work is making a real impact? Frances Coronel from our partner Techqueria shared this pro tip on how to ensure your team feels connected to the big picture. “The more connected we feel to overall goals, the more inspired we can be to do great work. When there’s a process where everyone can understand how their contributions fit into the larger whole, it’s much easier to scale impact.”

By connecting company OKRs to the actual work being completed, you are fostering an environment of focus and alignment, and empowering your employees to contribute real value. ”

By setting clear priorities and communicating them effectively you are empowering your team. Asana Partner Lawrence Walsh, Head of OKR Projects at There Be Giants shared his expertise on setting OKRs. “Connecting company OKRs to the actual work is all about the employee realizing and understanding the part they are playing in the bigger picture for the organization. You are also empowering your employees to contribute real value and instill within them the power of saying ‘no’ to tasks that do not contribute to the overall goals that the company is working toward.”

Stay connected for more tips

We’ve loved reading and sharing our communities valuable lessons and experiences through the Collaboration Cohort. Stay connected on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, and follow the #collaborationcohort hashtag to get a new tip every Monday. Have a great tip you’d love to see featured? We want to know about it! Send us a DM on Instagram or Twitter.