E-book: 8 building blocks for effective interdisciplinary collaboration
04
Trust
Trust is the ultimate foundation when sharing knowledge, resources, and risks together. It is hard to gain and easy to lose, but an investment that pays off. It provides a healthy work environment for everyone and back-up in unpredictable circumstances. You can build trust by understanding each other and by comprehending the power dynamics within the collaboration.
The first part, understanding each other, is about respectful and interpersonal communication. Organizations and stakes are ultimately represented by individuals that need to find a way to connect and exchange. Spend some time learning about each other’s cultures, objectives, and work values. This can be done in numerous ways. Spontaneous phone calls, joint site visits, informal meetings, sharing best practices and lessons learned, or the celebration of key milestones all work beneficially for building solid relations.
4.1 Power can balance, evolve, and shift
The second part is about mapping the power relations within the collaboration and building trust mechanisms on both sides. All human interactions are characterized by power dynamics in one way or another. Trust can only be established when there is a balance.
Every type of power relation consists of a plus and minus side. Who is on which side depends on the moment in time and the subject at hand. This can be, for example, knowledge, money, reputation, contacts, supply and demand, legislation, visibility, or resources. These plus and minus positions shift and evolve constantly throughout time. It is often not certain when they will shift, but they always do at some point. And in today’s world, with an unpredictable climate and rapidly evolving technology, these positions shift even faster.
4.2 An elegant game for the long term
Always think ahead. The players’ positions at the start of the collaboration can easily change throughout the process. Unexpected plot twists can suddenly turn the tables. So if you are on the upper ‘plus’ side of the power balance, respect the margins and values of your partners. Even if you initially have the leverage to make cutthroat demands, it is highly probable that somewhere along the way you will need a favor or rely on their generosity. On the other ‘minus’ side of the balance, you equally bear the responsibility to keep it balanced. You must push back when needed to maintain your standards, margins and objectives.
Balanced power can be an elegant game between individuals, organizations, or countries. But out of balance, it quickly spirals down to control, revenge, distrust, and resentment. This is catastrophic for trust and collaboration. So keep navigating this balance and make sure that everyone stays safely on board.
Trust: questions to answer
- What does each partner bring to the table? How do they weigh in, depending on the subject?
- Can you think of realistic or hypothetical losses each partner might face by collaborating?
- The collaboration might not benefit everybody in the same way. When push comes to shove, which partner(s) stands to gain the most?
- How are possible vulnerabilities distributed among partners? Who is the first to be at a disadvantage when things go south?
- How can you mitigate potential complications at an early stage?
- What activities or procedures can you implement to strengthen trust relationships?
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