What is a skill?
In a nutshell, it's the sum of several elements:
- knowledge (e.g. knowing when Quebec City was founded)
- know-how (e.g. writing a report)
- interpersonal skills (e.g., active listening during exchanges with others).
You can find out more in Françoise Crevier's article "Connaissance ou compétence, la nuance est importante".
Skills evolve regularly because, among other things, technology and processes change. Take, for example, the evolution of handwriting: we've gone from writing by hand with a pen to typing on a computer keyboard. Although writing is still involved, it has required the development of new skills.
Understandably, skills evolve. Some skills, once indispensable, have become obsolete... This raises the question for the employee: what skills should he or she develop to secure his or her future?
An irreplaceable skill (for now)
Collaboration is not an attribute of artificial intelligence. We're not under Skynet[1], and human collaboration is a singular and indispensable element of high-performance teams... and therefore of organizations.
Being able to communicate, exchange and cooperate, both internally and externally, is essential, whether you're a large corporation or an independent worker. After all, all work is the fruit of collaboration.
An irreplaceable skill, but one that needs to be worked on
You don't need a PhD in psychology to know that we don't all have the same personality or the same way of working. Some people find it easier to collaborate than others. But collaboration, like any other skill, can be developed. A person can work on communication strategies and set up action plans to improve his or her level of collaboration. It's a matter of practice, over and over again. With a little determination, discipline and encouragement, any excuse is a good one for strengthening communication skills, whether it's a chat over the coffee machine or presenting a working document to the rest of the team. Every experience is a source of learning and improvement.
It's all the more important to develop collaborative skills, given that the nature of collaboration has also changed, with the arrival of remote teams (telecommuting or hybrid mode). Moreover, remote collaboration has a virtue when it's asynchronous: it leaves more time to back up or qualify a statement.
A multifaceted skill
Collaboration means sharing, which means keeping your digital literacy up to date. If you don't know how to use popular digital platforms, you'll quickly hit a wall, whether it's chat or file sharing.
On the other hand, collaboration also means helping to solve problems (whether individual or group). For example, making sure that a new recruit is not left to his or her own devices, that a good idea is put to good use even if it comes from another department, that everyone pulls together to meet a challenge... To fail to do so is to risk widening the gap between one's skills and those required for the position, damaging the employer brand and missing out on business opportunities, to name but a few examples.
A skill that includes the manager
Managers have a role to play in ensuring that their teams are functional and efficient. He must identify those who need to develop their collaborative skills, so that they have the means to keep pace and contribute, rather than finding themselves isolated. This involves pivoting his mindset from "why aren't you communicating" to "how can I help you communicate better". Then, if there has been a training plan, at the end of it take the time to ask questions that will reinforce commitment: what have you learned? how are you going to put it into practice? are there things that need to be changed to make the transition easier? etc. In short, recognize the investment you've made in your company.
In short, recognize the investment you've made... and make the most of it for everyone's benefit!
Conclusion
In business, we sometimes tend to take certain things for granted, including collaboration. However, the way work is organized, the way it evolves and human nature can all get in the way. We must therefore remain vigilant to ensure that collaboration contributes to limiting silos, fostering innovation, fluidifying communication, facilitating change management and helping in the retention of talent.
To find out more :
Team Collaboration: Enhancing Cohesion to Build on Successes[1] The network of machines featured in the "Terminator" film series
[1] Se préparer à un marché du travail en transformation : référentiel québécois des compétences du futur, CPMT, 2022, 16 p.
