Collaboration
Collaboration is essential as it allows for the innovation of new ideas through the mixing of multiple perspectives. Being able to collaborate is not only being able to listen and really hear what others are trying to say, it’s also synthesizing it and understanding it in the way it makes sense to you. It’s also very an exercise that requires reciprocity, meaning that it’s an even level of discussion and engagement between all bodies involved. Collaboration can also come in different forms. For example, I’d argue that holding the door for someone or displaying kindness is the same as working on a final group project. Essentially collaboration is about working collectively towards a communal goal. In the instance of the final group presentation, the goal is quite obvious and evident, everyone puts in the hard work to receive a “good” grade on the final and ideally in the class. Within this, there’s a sense of mutual respect and camaraderie that pushes us as a group to new limits. In the scenario of holding the door for someone, that kindness shows mutual respect and reveals the desire that you want them to have a good day or at least care enough to make an active effort even if it is as small as holding the door two seconds longer than you otherwise might. It shows an awareness which is an essential part of collaboration. Another aspect of collaboration is knowing when to provide constructive feedback and how to go about it. Collaboration is analogous to working as a team and so, another aspect of collaboration is keeping both yourself in check (accountable) as well as holding others accountable as well. This may be the most difficult aspect of collaboration as it requires some sort of confrontation or pointing out which can be very challenging especially if it’s something you are not used to. When you’re being questioned or you initiate an inquiry it’s important to assume the best intentions and try to really understand where they’re coming from and what’s causing them to bring something up to you. Collaboration is also very much about compromise and learning how and when to let go while also balancing holding your position and advocating for what you believe in. In this sense, there’s a push and pull aspect innately baked into a collaboration that inevitably comes from the meshing to two minds, two lives, two experiences, and so on. As a team, it’s essential to work around differences and search and focus on commonalities to produce and best possible result and to gain the most from the experience. By working together you’re able to change and see the world in a new way, a chance that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
How have you developed or demonstrated this competency this semester? Questions to consider (you don’t need to answer them all!): Leadership Can you give me an example of a time when a decision you made had an effect on a group? Tell me about a time when you were surprised that an action you took, or a decision …
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