Collaboration Tools Tips

Conflict gets a bad rap in the workplace. Early in my career, I believed conflict had no place in a healthy workplace. As I progressed, I realized that it was quite the contrary. The lack of conflict isn't a sign of a healthy work culture, rather it is an indication that important debates, discussions and differing viewpoints are being disregarded or suppressed. This insight revealed another key aspect: high-performing teams do not shy away from conflict. They embrace it, leveraging diverse opinions to drive optimal outcomes for customers. What sets these teams apart is their ability to handle conflict constructively. So how can this be achieved? I reached out to my friend Andrea Stone, Leadership Coach and Founder of Stone Leadership, for some tips on effectively managing conflict in the workplace. Here's the valuable guidance she provided: 1. Pause: Take a moment to assess your feelings in the heat of the moment. Be curious about your emotions, resist immediate reactions, and take the time to understand the why behind your feelings. 2. Seek the Other Perspective: Engage genuinely, listen intently, show real interest, and ask pertinent questions. Remember to leave your preconceived judgments at the door. 3. Acknowledge Their Perspective: Express your understanding of their viewpoint. If their arguments have altered your perspective, don't hesitate to share this with them. 4. Express Your Viewpoint: If your opinion remains unswayed, seek permission to explain your perspective and experiences. Remember to speak from your viewpoint using "I" statements. 5. Discuss the Bigger Objective: Identify common grounds and goals. Understand that each person might have a different, bigger picture in mind. This process can be taxing, so prepare beforehand. In prolonged conflict situations, don't hesitate to suggest breaks to refresh and refuel mentally, physically, and emotionally. 6. Know Your Limits: If the issue is of significant importance to you, be aware of your boundaries. For those familiar with negotiation tactics, know your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). 7. Finalize Agreements: Once an agreement has been reached, continue the engagement to agree on responsibilities and timeframes. This ensures clarity on the outcome and commitments made. PS: Approach such situations with curiosity and assume others are trying to do the right thing. 🔁 Useful? I would appreciate a repost. Image Credit: Hari Haralambiev ----- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Ever get a Slack message from your boss that’s just…a link? 😅 No context. Just an article, video, or idea that’s somewhat related to your purview. Your brain immediately goes to: “Are they saying I should do this?” ”This is cool but it’s not really aligned with my goals” “Is this supposed to be a priority?” Especially at a remote company, it can be incredibly confusing. There’s no tone in a voice, no expression on a face. That's why we stole an idea from HubSpot's CTO, Dharmesh Shah: #️⃣ Flash tags #️⃣ It’s simple: when sharing an idea in Slack, you tag it with your level of investment up front: # FYI = Just an idea that passed through my brain. # SUGGESTION = Here’s an idea I would look into if I were you. # RECOMMENDATION = I’ve put real time into this, so please consider it. # PLEA = I’ve researched this a lot. If I were you I would do this. Why it works for our remote team: 1. Sets clear expectations 2. Holds the sharer accountable 3. Prevents defensive reactions 4. Makes the sharer think twice before dropping links Ultimately, it puts an emphasis on OVER-COMMUNICATION - which is so important for a healthy, remote culture.

🚩 Misunderstandings come from wrong assumptions and unrealistic expectations. Here are the key points I always discuss for every design project — to avoid frustration and confusion down the line ↓ ✅ This is how we understood the problem. ✅ This is what we think the solution requires (steps and tasks). ✅ These are the assumptions that we’re making. ✅ This is how we work, and how we will work together. ✅ This is where and when we’ll need a (timely) input by stakeholders. ✅ These are the milestones, the timeline and deliverables. ✅ That’s the delivery date we commit to (for that scope of work). ✅ That’s the total cost of the work and how it will be paid. ✅ Late scope changes are expensive and cause delays. ✅ All scope changes are estimated and billed separately. Every UX task is different. But every task requires a shared understanding about the process, the people involved and the expectations that come with it. To get there, I typically prepare a one-pager with 10 sections listed above — statement of work that typically includes only bullet points, and nothing else. Just before heading into a project, we set up a call to discuss if we understood the problem correctly, if the process is clear and if we've overlooked something critical. I mention twice the role of UX research and evidence-driven decision making, and that late scope changes are expensive and cause delays. The goal of that meeting is to iron out anything that might cause confusion or frustration later — and to get a sign off on that 10-sections document. We don’t know how our stakeholders work. We don’t know their constraints, their budgets, their timelines. So we shouldn’t expect them to know our design process either. Instead, we should explain how we work, what is important to us, and why last-minute changes are expensive and cause delays. Stakeholders don’t want to make our lives difficult. They want us to succeed. We want the same. Ask them what is important to them, and tell them what is important to you. It won’t always work, but when it does, you get stakeholders on your side, supporting you and respecting your process from start to finish. #ux #design #process

70% of the designers I know are struggling with this. It is “client micromanagement!” In several cases, this can be because the client does not trust you or is someone who wants everything to be perfect. While some clients can mean this genuinely, when they constantly try to intervene in the process, it can destroy your creativity and increase stress. The feeling of not being able to meet a client’s expectations can lead to burnout. This is why I recommend every designer should do: → Communicate with your clients about all the stages, from the initial concepts to the final design. When they know what to expect, they’re less likely to micromanage. → Show your clients that you understand them by listening and incorporating their feedback. Over time, as you deliver results, they’ll feel much more confident. → If micromanagement is negatively affecting the project, talk about it. Most clients will appreciate your honesty and back off when they know the consequences. Most designers are usually scared to openly communicate as they feel that the client might find it rude. But if you don’t communicate, they will never know the issues you are facing. Do you openly communicate with your clients?  #graphicdesigner

I've spent a decade learning about Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Nexus, Lean etc etc. And honestly, 80 percent of the value of these tools comes from 5 main principles that you can achieve without a framework. 1. Work in small batches Every change and value add should be as small as you can make it. Yes, even when that seems like it's MORE work. This doesn't mean breaking every outcome into infinitely small tasks, it means breaking down the OUTCOME into the smallest parcels of recognizable value that is possible. 2. Focus on Value Things that seem obvious but are missed 90 percent of the time. Goals are more important than work items or elaborate plans. What 'value' means in your context is the first thing you need to pin down, but once you do, focus on it relentlessly, and make sure everything you do is in service to a valuable goal. 3. Pull, Don't Push Teams working on complex products need time to think, analyse and learn. The fastest way to make them unable to deliver value is to constantly push work onto them to fill their capacity. When Principle 2 is respected, principle 3 is easy. Let teams pull work as needed to deliver that value we care about it. 4. Eliminate waste Waste takes many forms, and a lot of them look like productivity. You should always assume that most of what you're doing is wasteful. Identify the most valuable things you're doing, and eject almost everything else. Keep it simple, from the product you're building to the way you build it. 5. Align on goals, not plans Working at scale is tough, and it can be easy to try to solve problems by aligning teams to fixed plans with clear dates so they can have certainty of what is needed, when. Instead, align on goals. Make sure that every team that might have a reason to care what you're doing knows exactly what you're trying to achieve right now. Keep the communication lines open, and make sure that if a goal is at risk, it's made transparent quickly. Detailed plans rarely make a difference so long as you understand *why* we're making the decisions we're making.

Most people assume collaboration happens naturally. It rarely does. Not because people are difficult. But because they are overwhelmed, distracted, and unsure if working with you will actually make their life easier. Meanwhile, your best ideas stall. Projects lose momentum. Opportunities slip by simply because the right people never said yes. Here are 6 reasons collaboration falls apart (and what to do to turn it around): 👉 People do not understand the value They cannot see the benefit clearly. Explain the win for them, not just for you. 👉 You have not built enough trust Collaboration requires confidence in your reliability. Show small proofs first so they can see your follow-through. 👉 The ask feels too big Most people decline because the commitment looks overwhelming. Break the request into smaller steps and lower the barrier to entry. 👉 They do not see where they fit If roles feel vague, people hesitate. Clarify what you need and why you chose them. 👉 Timing is unclear Busy people default to no unless urgency is obvious. Explain the timeline and why now matters. 👉 You have not tapped into mutual benefit People are most motivated when interests align. Look for outcomes that support their goals as much as yours. Collaboration is not luck. It is a skill. When you make it easier for others to say yes, your ideas move farther and faster than you ever could on your own. Which one of these resonates most with you? Repost to help someone else (or spark a conversation about collaborating!) ⊕ Follow Dorie Clark for more

Stop wasting meetings! Too many meetings leave people unheard, disengaged, or overwhelmed. The best teams know that inclusion isn’t accidental—it’s designed. 🔹 Here are 6 simple but powerful practices to transform your meetings: 💡 Silent Brainstorm Before discussion begins, have participants write down their ideas privately (on sticky notes, a shared document, or an online board). This prevents groupthink, ensures introverted team members have space to contribute, and brings out more original ideas. 💡 Perspective Swap Assign participants a different stakeholder’s viewpoint (e.g., a customer, a frontline employee, or an opposing team). Challenge them to argue from that perspective, helping teams step outside their biases and build empathy-driven solutions. 💡 Pause and Reflect Instead of jumping into responses, introduce intentional pauses in the discussion. Give people 30-60 seconds of silence before answering a question or making a decision. This allows for deeper thinking, more thoughtful contributions, and space for those who need time to process. 💡 Step Up/Step Back Before starting, set an expectation: those who usually talk a lot should "step back," and quieter voices should "step up." You can track participation or invite people directly, helping create a more balanced conversation. 💡 What’s Missing? At the end of the discussion, ask: "Whose perspective have we not considered?" This simple question challenges blind spots, uncovers overlooked insights, and reinforces the importance of diverse viewpoints in decision-making. 💡 Constructive Dissent Voting Instead of just asking for agreement, give participants colored cards or digital indicators to show their stance: 🟢 Green – I fully agree 🟡 Yellow – I have concerns/questions 🔴 Red – I disagree Focus discussion on yellow and red responses, ensuring that dissenting voices are explored rather than silenced. This builds a culture where challenging ideas is seen as valuable, not risky. Which one would you like to try in your next meeting?  Let me know in the comments! 🔔 Follow me to learn more about building inclusive, high-performing teams. __________________________ 🌟 Hi there! I’m Susanna, an accredited Fearless Organization Scan Practitioner with 10+ years of experience in workplace inclusion. I help companies build inclusive cultures where diverse, high-performing teams thrive with psychological safety. Let’s unlock your team’s full potential together!

In the last major internal conflict I had, I stopped and thought: am I the first one to live this?! Hostility. Threats. Ah, and I was in the car on the way back from the hospital from giving birth. Nice welcome back 😂 Managers spend up to 40% of their time handling conflicts. This time drain highlights a critical business challenge. Yet when managed effectively, conflict becomes a catalyst for: ✅ Innovation ✅ Better decision-making ✅ Stronger relationships Here's the outcomes of my research. No: I wasn't the first one going through this ;) 3 Research-Backed Conflict Resolution Models: 1. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model (TKI) Each style has its place in your conflict toolkit: - Competing → Crisis situations needing quick decisions - Collaborating → Complex problems requiring buy-in - Compromising → Temporary fixes under time pressure - Avoiding → Minor issues that will resolve naturally - Accommodating → When harmony matters more than the outcome 2. Harvard Negotiation Project's BATNA Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement - Know your walkaway position - Research all parties' alternatives - Strengthen your options - Negotiate from confidence, not fear 3. Circle of Conflict Model (Moore) Identify the root cause to choose your approach: - Value Conflicts → Find superordinate goals - Relationship Issues → Focus on communication - Data Conflicts → Agree on facts first - Structural Problems → Address system issues - Interest Conflicts → Look for mutual gains Pro Tips for Implementation: ⚡ Before the Conflict: - Map stakeholders - Document facts - Prepare your BATNA - Choose your timing ⚡ During Resolution: - Stay solution-focused - Use neutral language - Listen actively - Take reflection breaks ⚡ After Agreement: - Document decisions - Set review dates - Monitor progress - Acknowledge improvements Remember: Your conflict style should match the situation, not your comfort zone. Feels weird to send that follow up email. But do it: it's actually really crucial. And refrain yourself from putting a few bitter words here and there ;) You'll come out of it a stronger manager. As the saying goes "don't waste a good crisis"! 💡 What's your go-to conflict resolution approach? Has it evolved with experience? ♻️ Share this to empower a leader ➕ Follow Helene Guillaume Pabis for more ✉️ Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dy3wzu9A

Before I codified this, one loud voice could hijack my whole session. Now? I handle resistance without losing the room (or my authority) I used to let “just one comment” slide. Until it derailed the agenda. What started as a “quick comment” turned into a 40-minute detour. I watched the energy drain from the group. And from the client’s face. I was bringing my personal baggage Back then, I believed being “tough” made you less likeable as a facilitator. But I wasn’t being kind, I was avoiding discomfort. And that made me unclear. And unclear loses the room. Here’s my 2M framework, I wish I had years ago to protect focus and relationships. 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 (set yourself up for success): • Pre-session comms to set expectations • Co-create working agreements at the start • Introduce a ‘Parking lot’ early • Ask for permission to re-direct when needed 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 (when things go off-track): • Notice and name the disruption, neutrally • Refer back to the group’s agreements • Add off-topic ideas to the Parking lot • Check: “Is this moving us closer to our outcome?” This approach earned me a long-term client who brings me back to facilitate strategy days with their global brand leaders. Why? Because I kept big personalities on track without making anyone wrong. And even had execs thank me for shutting them down. Turns out, clarity earns trust. Fast. And the tougher I’ve been as a facilitator, the more I’ve been respected. ♻️ Share if you’ve ever had to wrangle a room 👇 What’s your go-to move when a session goes off the rails?

It bothers me to see designers with incredible designs struggle to explain their work. They might create magic on screen, but their ideas fall flat when presented. Designers need to understand that in this competitive field, strong visuals are only half the battle. Your communication skill is the real secret weapon. Look out for these 3 words - 'presentation skills' 'confidence' 'structure' Your presentation skills is what bridge the gap between your brilliant designs and the audience's understanding. Think of it like this: your portfolio is the product, but your presentation is the sales pitch. One important thing to note as well: confidence is contagious. When you speak with clarity and structure, you project an air of authority. People trust those who can articulate their vision. It's not about arrogance, but about demonstrating confidence in your design process. When you can explain the reasoning behind your choices, you show that your work is thoughtful and intentional, not just random pixels on a screen. So, how do you hone these crucial skills? Here are a few tips: 👉 Craft a Story: Every design solves a problem or tells a story. Learn to present your work with a clear narrative, highlighting the "why" behind the "what." 👉 Structure Your Sentences: Jumbled words create a jumbled message. Focus on clear, concise sentences that guide your audience through your thought process. 👉 Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse your presentation beforehand. The more comfortable you are with your material, the more confident you'll appear. Let's take it one step further! Strong communication skills aren't just for presentations. They're essential for collaborating with clients, explaining complex ideas, and ultimately, building a successful design career. Take your presentation and communication skills as important as your design skills and you'll surely be a few steps ahead. See you in the future! Samuel Lasisi #linkedin #uxdesign #uiux