Collaborating with the Enemy
Adam Kahane
24 min
9 Key Points
4.6 RateWhat's inside?
Discover strategies to effectively work with difficult individuals, resolve conflicts, and foster collaboration even when agreement seems impossible.
You'll learn
1. How to work well with tough people2. Tips for handling disagreements and earning trust3. Why different backgrounds make a team stronger4. Keeping personal opinions out of work5. Ways to make work fun and productive6. Mastering the art of solving conflicts and keeping friends at work.Key points
01We often get collaboration wrong, thinking it's all about getting along. But it's really about working with people we might not agree with to reach a common goal
Adam Kahane's got a fresh take on teamwork that might just change the way you think about collaboration. He reckons we've got it all wrong. We've been thinking that collaboration is all about everyone getting along, agreeing on everything, and working towards a common goal in a controlled environment. But Kahane says that's old hat. It's not how things work in our complex, diverse world today. He's come up with a new concept he calls "stretch collaboration". It's all about embracing the messy stuff - the disagreements, the mistakes, even the chaos. Instead of seeing these as signs that things are going wrong, Kahane says they're actually catalysts for progress and innovation. It's a shift in mindset from seeking agreement and control to embracing conflict and uncertainty. So, what does stretch collaboration look like in practice? Well, instead of trying to get everyone to agree on a single plan, you explore multiple possibilities. And instead of trying to change other people's minds, you focus on changing your own perspective. It might feel like you're stepping out of your comfort zone, but Kahane says it's more about taking control and being proactive when faced with challenges. Let's say you're part of a team working on a project. In the old way of collaborating, you'd all aim for consensus, agreeing on a single plan of action. But with stretch collaboration, you'd welcome different opinions and ideas, seeing them as opportunities for innovation rather than obstacles. You'd also be open to changing your own perspectives and approaches, rather than trying to convince others to change theirs. In a nutshell, Kahane's saying we need to rethink collaboration. His approach, stretch collaboration, is about embracing conflict, uncertainty, and personal change. It's not about stepping out of your comfort zone, but about taking control and being proactive when faced with challenges. It's a more realistic and effective way of working together in our complex and diverse world.
02When we see others as 'enemies,' we lose focus on the task at hand. We need to concentrate on the goal and figure out how to work together, despite our differences
"Every time we focus on the 'enemy,' we barely manage to get what really matters done." This idea is a key takeaway from Adam Kahane's work. It suggests that when we're too caught up in our disagreements with others, we often miss the mark on achieving our shared goals. Let's break this down with a real-world example. Picture yourself in a team, working on a project. One of your teammates has a different take on the project, and you're not on board with their ideas. You start seeing this person as an 'enemy' because their views clash with yours. Instead of zeroing in on the project's success, you're using up your energy trying to prove them wrong or knock down their ideas. This 'enemy' focus takes your eye off the ball: getting the project done and done well. This is what Kahane is getting at when he talks about barely managing to get what really matters done. We shift our focus from the job at hand to the people we're butting heads with. This not only slows us down but also makes for a pretty tense work environment. Kahane offers up 'stretch collaboration' as a way to tackle this issue. Stretch collaboration is all about working with people you might not see eye to eye with, or even like or trust, but you do it anyway for the sake of hitting a shared goal. It's about putting personal differences aside and keeping your eyes on the prize. Take the 2016 presidential election, for example. The country was called to band together against a common enemy. This is a case of stretch collaboration, where folks with different political beliefs were nudged to work together for the greater good of the country. Another example is the tale of Hugo Chávez, who was the president of Venezuela from 1999 to 2013. Despite his controversial policies and leadership style, Chávez had to work with a range of stakeholders, including those he didn't see eye to eye with, to run the country. This shows that even when the going gets tough, collaboration is key to moving forward. To wrap it up, Kahane's idea underlines the importance of collaboration, even with those we see as 'enemies'. By shifting our focus from personal disagreements to shared goals, we can get more done and create a more cooperative and productive environment.
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03Collaboration isn't always the answer. Sometimes, working alone or trying a different approach might be more effective
04The old way of one person controlling collaboration doesn't cut it anymore. We need a more inclusive approach where everyone has a say
05Stretch collaboration means stepping out of our comfort zones and being open to new ideas. It's about being ready to navigate the unknown
06Good collaboration is a balance between sharing your ideas and listening to others. It's about contributing your thoughts, but also being open to different perspectives
07In our diverse world, we're moving away from controlled collaboration and trying out new ways of working together. It's about embracing diversity and using it to spark creativity
08In a team, we need to take responsibility and be proactive. It's not enough to just participate; we need to contribute and be accountable for our actions
09Conclusion
About Adam Kahane
Adam Kahane is a Director of Reos Partners, an international social enterprise that helps people move forward together on their most important and intractable issues. He has facilitated teams in more than 50 countries including post-Apartheid South Africa and post-Pinochet Chile.
