Leading collaboration is so demanding that many leaders will not only never collaborate effectively — they’ll never even really understand what it means.

This is the second in a series of blog posts for leaders about overcoming obstacles to collaboration.

Here’s something you may not have seen in print: leading collaboration is so demanding that many leaders will not only never collaborate effectively — they’ll never even really understand what it means.  But there’s good news. In this post and in Part III I’ll share a few examples of great collaborative leadership I have observed up close in my consulting work over the years.

Involving Others Strategically

Scott was about 80% clear on a decision, and under time pressure to keep things moving. He had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, however, since the decision would have big — and costly — implications. He wasn’t sure if the feeling in his gut was intuition telling him it was a mistake, or simply fear of bearing so much responsibility.

Scott’s response: He selected two trusted colleagues to pressure test his thinking, asking them the question, "Do you see any deal breakers?" Based on their advice, he proceeded with a more reasonable timeline, and slightly altered objectives, based on other priorities that were occupying people's attention.

Strategy: One important type of stakeholder is anyone with experience, perspective, and/or expertise that could inform the leader’s decisions or actions. We hear all the time from our clients that they regretted their inattention to this group. We recommend that leaders systematically identify all types of stakeholders, and revisit the list to ensure ongoing alignment and involvement as new stakeholders are identified.

So, how do you identify key stakeholders, and how they should be involved? Here’s a simple framework to help you do that. Involving stakeholders appropriately not only leads to better decision making, it aids implementation as people feel they have more ownership in the process.

Download the Stakeholder Management and Analysis Worksheet (pdf) now.

When you involve others strategically, you invite them to own the change you are asking them to make. Not only can this accelerate the change process—it helps you, as a leader, get alternative points of view on your own strategies. In my next post, we’ll look at decision-making strategies and support systems for collaborative leaders.

If you missed Part I of the series, Developing Collaborative Acumen, you can read it here. And stay tuned for Part III.