Collaboration is an important and multifaceted
soft skill for any creative professional.
It includes a range of abilities, such as clear communication, problem solving, empathy and accountability. Projects involving design, marketing and user experience, for example, require these skills as professionals often work together in teams and across departments. To help you better develop your workplace collaboration skills for projects like these, follow these five tips:
- Work on projects outside your comfort zone.
Assignments that fall beyond your area of specialization
force you to rely on the knowledge of others. Use these
opportunities to offer your expertise while also learning
from colleagues in other departments.
- Communicate clearly. It’s
important to be
clear and timely in your responses when you’re
working with anyone, but especially when you’re
collaborating with other departments. For example,
avoid using buzzwords or acronyms that others may
not know.
- Find a mentor. Ask a colleague
with strong collaboration skills to mentor you. A
mentorship relationship doesn’t have
to require a big time commitment; it could be as
simple as eating lunch together once or twice a month.
- Join industry groups. These
associations are excellent resources for developing
both hard and soft skills. Consider volunteering on
a committee, which can be a good way to expand your
network and hone your collaboration skills outside
of the office.
- Participate in team-building activities.
Spending 15 minutes trying to untangle a human knot
may seem silly, but
team-building
activities help strengthen collaboration abilities,
improves communication and boosts morale and connection
between colleagues.
Read more about skills development options on
The Creative Group blog.
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in connecting
interactive, design, advertising, marketing and public
relations talent with the best companies. More information
can be found at roberthalf.com/creativegroup.
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