When we collaborate well, we don’t just move faster, we move together. And when a team moves together, the game slows down, confidence rises, excellence becomes the expectation.
In the special forces, a fundamental military training directive that emphasizes the three core actions necessary for soldiers in combat.
- Shoot
- Move
- Communicate
In every great locker room, whether it’s on hardwood or in the boardroom, the same truth holds: talent matters, but collaboration wins. In business, just like on the court, the game moves fast. Market dynamics change, customer expectations shift, and competition doesn’t wait for you to get aligned. The organizations that thrive are the ones where teammates don’t just work in the same building, they play as one.
Playing as one is easier said than done!
Teams don’t succeed because they have smart people. They succeed because they have smart people who know how to work together. They treat collaboration like a discipline, not a buzzword.
Here are a few simple, repeatable tools you can use to elevate your team’s collaboration, starting today. No fluff. No corporate jargon. Just what works.
1. Build a Common Playbook
If everyone on your team is operating from a different set of definitions, you’re going to get inconsistency, confusion, and frustration. Top teams build a common playbook:
- Core values
- Leadership expectations
- How we make decisions
- How we handle conflict
- The big priorities (this quarter, not this decade)
This doesn’t need to be 50 pages. Keep it tight. Keep it visible. Keep it alive in conversation.
Consider using AI to distill it down to one page. The lesson “less is more” might win in this regard.
If the team can’t recite it, you don’t have alignment, you have slogans.
2. Short, Structured Weekly Huddles
Stop having marathon status meetings. They waste time and destroy momentum.
A weekly huddle should:
- Start on time
- End on time
- Be fast-paced, high energy
Agenda (15–25 minutes):
- Wins (quick round)
- Top priorities (no more than 3 per person)
- Stucks(where someone needs support)
When teammates know what everyone is doing and where they need help, collaboration becomes natural – not forced.
This is one of the simplest AND most game-changing habits I’ve seen in business. What is it? Consistency beats intensity.
3. Normalize Asking for Help
The biggest killer of collaboration? Ego.
In strong teams, asking for help is seen as a strength. In weak teams, it’s viewed as weakness. Leaders set the tone here. Model it.
Say things like:
- “I need support with this.”
- “Who has experience here?”
- “Can someone partner with me on this?”
When people stop pretending they have it all figured out, progress accelerates.
Teamwork is not a solo sport.
4. Recognize the Behaviors You Want Repeated
We get more of what we celebrate. And I don’t mean a pizza party or a trophy for showing up. I mean specific, intentional recognition of the behaviors that drive results:
- Preparing thoroughly
- Sharing knowledge
- Taking initiative
- Supporting a teammate
Say: “Here’s what I saw, here’s why it mattered, here’s the impact.”
It takes 30 seconds and it shifts culture.
5. End Every Meeting With One Clear Commitment
This is where execution lives.
Before ending any meeting, every person says:
“My one commitment before we meet again is…”
Not five. Not three. One. Say it. Write it. Follow through.
This prevents the “great discussion, zero change” syndrome that plagues companies everywhere.
Bottom Line:
Collaboration isn’t a motivational slogan. It’s a set of habits. Install them. Repeat them. Protect them. When your team collaborates at a high level, accountability rises, execution speeds up, and results follow.
Win the day, together.
P.S. What’s your one commitment for raising the bar on how your team collaborates?