How to Collaborate, Communicate, Build Teams - HBR best articles
- info3096793
- Apr 27
- 3 min read
A Let's Talk session on17. March 2026.
Moderated by Parmeshwar Sharma
Meeting Notes (scroll down to bottom to access slides files)
How to effectively collaborate, communicate and build great and successful teams in an
organizational setting. Real life organizational case studies based on insights from Harvard
Business Review (HBR)
• Building Effective Teams: Param led a discussion on the essential elements of
building effective teams, referencing research and practical experiences from the
group, and highlighting the importance of common purpose, complementary skills,
clear roles, and mutual accountability.
o Team Versus Working Group: Param explained the distinction between a
team and a working group, noting that teams have a dedicated purpose,
collective accountability, and open-ended problem solving, while working
groups focus on individual work products and broader organizational missions.
o Core Disciplines of Teams: Research by Katzenbach and Smith was cited,
identifying meaningful common purpose, specific performance goals,
complementary skills, strong commitment to work processes, and mutual
accountability as universal elements of successful teams.
o Role Clarity and Accountability: Challenges faced by new project managers
were discussed, emphasizing the need for clear expectations, defined roles, and
documented responsibilities to prevent confusion and ensure team members are
accountable for their tasks.
o Team Charter and Ground Rules: The value of collaboratively defining
team rules was shared and creating a team charter, which fosters trust, buy-in,
and collective accountability, especially in distributed or small teams.
• Enhancing Team Performance: Param presented eight proven techniques for
improving team performance, with input from the audience focusing on urgency,
motivation, clear direction, small wins, and the importance of psychological safety and
constructive conflict.
o Performance Techniques: Eight techniques were outlined: establishing
urgency, demanding performance standards, selecting members for skill
potential, thoughtful first meetings, clear behavioural rules, focusing on small
wins, challenging teams with fresh facts, and positive feedback and
recognition.
o Motivation and Stretch Goals: The group discussed aligning tasks with
motivation and setting ambitious stretch goals to energize teams and maintain
constructive pressure.
o Psychological Safety and Constructive Conflict: The necessity of
psychological safety was highlighted and constructive conflict for innovation,
especially in R&D and creative industries, noting that high-performing teams
need space for challenge and trust.
o Communication and Information Flow: The importance of transparent
communication was emphasized, sharing information with the team, and
listening to concerns, noting that project managers should avoid acting as
barriers and instead facilitate open dialogue.
o Reflection and Community of Practice: The group discussed the value of
forums and communities of practice for project managers to share experiences,
reflect, and learn, which is often missing in fast-paced environments.
ollaboration Across Teams and Organizations: Param introduced research-backed
techniques for fostering collaboration in larger organizations, detailing factors such as
office design, leadership modeling, mentoring, community building, and clarity of
roles, with additional discussion on challenges posed by team size, virtual
participation, diversity, and education levels.
o Collaboration Techniques: Eight techniques were presented: collaborative
office design, leaders as role models, formal mentoring and coaching, building
community, transitioning from task-based to relationship-based leadership,
heritage relations, and promoting clarity in tasks and roles.
o Role of Executives, HR, and Team Leads: Executives should invest in social
connections and model collaborative behaviors, HR can implement company-
wide training and community events, and team leads should ensure team
members know each other and shift leadership styles as teams mature.
o Collaboration Challenges: Param cautioned about double-edged aspects:
large team size can reduce cooperation, virtual participation can hinder
collaboration, high diversity and education levels may increase conflict and
decrease knowledge sharing if not managed properly.
o Checklist for Collaboration Need: A checklist was provided to determine
when collaboration is essential, such as when tasks require input from many
people, teams are geographically dispersed, or success depends on
understanding external preferences.
• Effective Communication and Persuasion: Param led a session on the art and
science of persuasion, referencing research and case studies, and engaging the group
in identifying techniques for establishing credibility, framing proposals for common
ground, using vivid presentations, and connecting emotionally with stakeholders.
o Credibility Establishment: Credibility is built through proven expertise, track
record, and strong relationships with stakeholders; gaps can be filled by
leveraging industry experts, case studies, or informal connections.
o Framing for Common Ground: Proposals should highlight shared benefits
and be positioned in the audience's language, with case studies illustrating the
impact of reframing proposals to align with stakeholder priorities.
o Vivid Presentation: Persuasive proposals are more effective when presented
visually and in an easy-to-absorb manner, increasing impact and retention
among stakeholders.
o Emotional Connection: Understanding and matching the emotional state and
expectations of stakeholders is crucial; proposals should demonstrate balanced
passion and be sensitive to the audience's current mood and achievements.
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