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Sat, 10/01/2022 - 18:01

You will probably get across circumstances when you need to co-operate with others to complete a task hassle-free, regardless of the industry or the job that you are in. Understanding how to cooperate and work with people improves workplace productivity, aids in professional growth, and guarantees that you meet organizational objectives. Learning more about cooperation or collaboration abilities can guarantee success at work. In this post, we define collaboration skills, look at their advantages, give a few instances of this skill set, and learn how to develop and promote your collaboration skill set.

What are collaboration skills?

Collaboration skills are the interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities and competencies that we leverage collectively to get work done easily or develop ideas together. When you collaborate with people, you both work toward the same objective. For instance, a design team can use this skill set to create brand-new goods or find a solution for a client’s issue. Collaboration skills enable you to work well in a team regardless of the task at hand, making it one of the most sought-after skills for various career tasks.

Employers frequently prefer to select candidates who possess strong cooperation skills during interviews. Strong communication abilities, active listening abilities, conflict resolution abilities, and emotional intelligence are necessary for successful collaboration in the workplace. Additionally, when working together, you have the opportunity to take time to hear what others have to say and learn.

Benefits of collaboration skills.

Being collaborative has a multitude of benefits, including:

Solves conflicts: Solving difficult workplace issues by yourself can be a daunting task. One of the best ways to address difficulties is to work with others and pay attention to what they have to say.

Encourages self-analysis: When you collaborate, you become aware of your assets and liabilities. It aids in pointing out places where professional assistance is necessary.

Boosts efficiencies: since teamwork makes it simpler to finish tasks on time and meet deadlines, hence efficiency is increased. Collaboration splits the workload in ways that take advantage of everyone`'s talents rather than collaborating on a single, comprehensive project.

Types of collaboration skills.

Communication skills

Strong communication abilities are crucial for teamwork. Teams that share perspectives and work together to accomplish a common goal are more collaborative than those where no one expresses their thoughts or ideas. Collaborative collaborations can be ensured by sharing your ideas simply while not disrespecting those of others. It is essential to have effective written communication; else, your words might convey a message that you did not intend to. For jobs requiring teamwork, employers favor employing applicants with strong verbal and written communication abilities.

Organizational skills

Organizational skills are equally vital when working in a team because they ensure task delegation and on-time project completion. Working on the same activity simultaneously by two employees might be confusing and have a negative impact on the project’s completion. By assigning tasks to team members, you may manage the workload effectively and without feeling overburdened while ensuring that no task gets reassigned and that each team member feels important.

Emotional intelligence

Your capacity to maintain control over how you recognize and communicate your emotions to others is known as emotional intelligence. Strong emotional intelligence is preferred by employers because it promotes better cooperation and teamwork at work. This is one of the most crucial abilities because it guarantees that you behave appropriately and professionally in every circumstance. Your emotional intelligence allows you to recognize when a snappy colleague needs some assistance with their workload. Observing these indicators can help you create a cooperative workplace and make sure that everyone on the team collaborates to reach a common objective.

Adaptability

For building a collaborative workplace, employers prefer candidates who can adapt to changes. This is because the project may not go as planned, resulting in unforeseen delays and shifts in priorities. Adapting to the changing workplace requirement is essential for collaborative work.

Conflict resolution

Unresolved conflicts with colleagues or clients can halt a project. Employers prefer candidates who can resolve workplace conflicts by understanding the opinion and beliefs of both parties to resolve the conflict. Conflict management or resolution is important for collaborative work because it helps a team move past conflicts and work towards organizational goals.

Active listening

Active listening is not only about what your colleagues or managers are saying. It means listening to others without making a judgment. When you actively listen to others, you try to understand the meaning behind what they want to say. Listening with empathy and without judging is essential for building a collaborative workplace.

How to develop your collaboration skill at your workplace?

Here are a few examples of this skill set:

Communication skills

When working collaboratively, strong communication skills are necessary. Teams, where all team members share their ideas and contribute to achieving a common goal, are more collaborative than teams where no one shares their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Sharing your thoughts and ideas succinctly without disrespecting the ideas of others can ensure collaborative work. Having excellent written communication is necessary; otherwise, your words may deliver a message you did not intend to communicate. Employers prefer hiring candidates with excellent written and verbal communication skills to work in collaboration with others.

Organizational skills

When working in a team, organizational skills are equally important because they ensure task delegation and timely completion of projects. If two employees work on the same task, it can become confusing and adversely affect the project`'s outcome. Delegating tasks to team members ensures no task gets reassigned, all team members feel valued and you efficiently manage the workload without feeling overwhelmed.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is your ability to stay in control of how you identify and express your emotions to others. Employers prefer candidates with strong emotional intelligence because it facilitates better cooperation and collaboration in the workplace. This is one of the most important skills because it ensures you act respectfully and professionally in every situation. Using your emotional intelligence, you can understand that a snappy colleague requires some help with their workload. Picking up such cues can help you build a collaborative environment and ensure everyone on the team works together to achieve a common goal.

Adaptability

For building a collaborative workplace, employers prefer candidates who can adapt to changes. This is because the project may not go as planned, resulting in unforeseen delays and shifts in priorities. Adapting to the changing workplace requirement is essential for collaborative work.

Conflict resolution

Unresolved conflicts with colleagues or clients can halt a project. Employers prefer candidates who can resolve workplace conflicts by understanding the opinion and beliefs of both parties to resolve the conflict. Conflict management or resolution is important for collaborative work because it helps a team move past conflicts and work towards organizational goals.

Active listening

Active listening is not only about what your colleagues or managers are saying. It means listening to others without making a judgment. When you actively listen to others, you try to understand the meaning behind what they want to say. Listening with empathy and without judging is essential for building a collaborative workplace.

How to highlight collaboration skills in your resume?

How to highlight collaboration skills

During the recruitment process, employers look for candidates who can work in a collaborative environment. Understanding how to use the skill in your resume, cover letter (CV) and interview can help you get hired for a desirable job:

On your resume

Review the job description to understand and identify collaborative skills desirable for a job role when writing your resume. Also, understand how much collaborative work the job entails. This can help you highlight your skill set in your resume and share examples of when you worked collaboratively with others. You can present the cooperation skills in the skills section as bullet points or list them under the work experience section as a part of your job duties.

You can even mention it as a part of your resume summary. Some desirable and most sought-after skills are conflict management, communication, adaptability, organizational skills, and emotional intelligence.

During your interview

For job roles that require you to work in a collaborative workplace, come to the interview prepared with specific examples of times when you used your collaborative skills to complete job-specific duties. Provide evidence that you enjoy and are good at working as a part of a team. You can even describe situations where you resolved disagreements between colleagues to ensure the project`'s timely completion.

Apart from giving examples from the past, show your skills to the interviewer during the interview. By actively listening and communicating clearly, you can convince an interviewer that you are a suitable candidate for the job.