Why We Collaborate
And Ways to Do It Well
Recently I’ve had the honor of leading a Diabetes Prevention Program group and it has been wonderful! It has been a little while since I worked with a group, and getting back into the groove has been refreshing – a perfect topic to explore as we enter springtime. In the group, my role as a coach really comes down to facilitating the conversation, but the participants bring the real value. They show up with questions for one another, sharing personal stories of challenges faced and obstacles overcome. Their unique strengths add a dimension to the group that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. It is this collective contribution that makes the program so powerful. Seeing the power of their work has had me thinking about collaboration and the many ways people work together.
I sat down to write this post reflecting on two perspectives of collaboration. The first is from my individual perspective. As I’ve been steadily designing new opportunities for my career, it has taken a heavy amount of collaborative work to bring my projects to life. I laughed at the thought that in my line of work, I am technically someone who “works alone.” I am the sole owner of my LLC, I have no employees, and I am the only one who gets to decide who I work with and how. Yet, I talk to people every day who give me feedback, inspire me, and have a profound influence on what I do.
The second is from a much broader perspective. The problems humans are facing are ever-expanding in complexity. Our planetary issues, along with social, political, and economic climates, seep into every aspect of our lives. Let’s face it, we got ourselves into these situations through collaboration! Even if well intended, clearly things can go wrong. Heavy stuff, I know. This is how humanity has always functioned. It’s part of what makes our species so unique. No matter the result; collaboration has to happen. All that to say, the only way we can truly create healthy, sustainable change is to work together.
Not one to limit his subject matter, Wolff made portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. He took photographs and continued to publish books on his use of the Leica camera until his deathPhotograph: Dr Paul Wolffion...
Let’s be honest: collaboration can be hard. It evolves over time and demands the ability to pivot on command. No matter how big or small the purpose, doing it well takes effort. If so much of our world requires us to collaborate, I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at the process itself. I figured I could dust off my MFA in Collaborative Design to create a blueprint by answering these questions:
How might we cultivate a good collaboration?
What are the pitfalls that make a collaboration go wrong?
Keep in mind, this is just one approach; there are many models of collaborative structures for various types of work. As a very smart person once told me, “all models are wrong, but some are useful.”
The Blueprint of a Successful Collaboration
Just as an architect wouldn’t break ground without a plan, we shouldn’t expect collaboration to flourish without a design. Over the years, I’ve come to rely on three core components and one rule that form the blueprint of a thriving collaborative environment.
The One Rule to Follow: Everything changes. Plan for adapting your blueprint.
1: The Foundation (Governance & Clarity) Every solid structure starts with a stable base. In collaboration, this is about getting the “people stuff” right before the actual work begins.
The Singular Vision: A vision acts as the North Star. When the road gets rocky, this shared vision is the reference point that keeps the team aligned. It answers the question: Where are we going and why does it matter?
Roles & Responsibilities: While we want to avoid rigid silos, ambiguity breeds confusion. Good collaboration defines roles clearly but keeps them flexible enough to allow for overlap and support.
The Collaborative Agreement: Think of this as your team’s social contract. It defines how you show up for one another and should be created by the whole group. For example, a rule might be, “We don’t call people out for mistakes, we call people in for clarity,” or “We assume positive intent.” This agreement creates a container of trust.
2: The Framework (Structure & Visibility) If the foundation is the “why” and “who,” the framework is the “how.” This is the scaffolding that holds the work up.
Team Workspace & Communication Channels: It is vital to differentiate between “Flow” and “Stock.” Flow is the stream of communication: emails, Slack messages, the quick back-and-forth. Stock is the persistent knowledge: the documents, the project boards, the final designs. A good blueprint separates these so that important information doesn’t slip through the cracks.
Defined Constraints: It feels counter-intuitive, but constraints are actually liberating. Infinite freedom causes paralysis; constraints force creative problem-solving. Limited resources or a strict timeline don’t act as a barrier—they are focus mechanisms that get the team to innovate together.
3: The Ecosystem (Adaptability & People) A blueprint isn’t a static drawing; it’s a living system. If you don’t plan for growth and change, the structure will collapse.
Diversity: In nature, a monoculture is a death sentence; if a single disease hits, the entire crop is wiped out. Diverse systems survive because they have resilience. The same applies to collaboration. A team with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and thinking styles isn’t just “nice to have”—it is essential for long-term survival.
Iterative Process: Good collaboration assumes that the plan will change. It frames the work as “planning to be wrong.” By building a structure that absorbs shock rather than breaks under it, you allow the team to pivot without panic.
The Warning Signs: These are the warning signs that the process is on its way to breaking down, often starting subtly before causing real damage.
1: The Culture of Silence
Psychological Safety: This is the bedrock. Without it, the diversity of thought you worked so hard to build is rendered useless. If participants do not feel seen, heard, and understood—if they are afraid to speak their minds—the collaboration becomes a performance rather than a partnership.
2: The Echo Chamber
Group Think: This is the direct result of low safety. It happens when the desire for group harmony overrides the search for truth. When everyone nods in agreement just to avoid conflict, innovation dies because no one is willing to challenge the status quo.
Ignoring Bias: We all have biases; it is part of being human. The pitfall isn’t having biases; it is pretending they don’t exist. A collaboration that ignores bias allows blind spots to fester. Good collaboration actively mitigates bias by inviting diverse viewpoints to challenge the assumptions that the “majority” might miss.
3: The Control Trap
The Hero Complex: This occurs when one individual tries to “save” the project by doing all the work themselves. It might feel productive in the short term, but it disempowers the team and creates a bottleneck.
The Perfection Trap: Collaboration is inherently messy. Falling into the trap of aiming for a “perfect” process or outcome stalls progress. There is no such thing as perfect collaboration. Waiting for everything to align flawlessly means the work will never get done. You have to be willing to iterate through the mess to get to the good.
The Power of Agency
I’m sure everyone reading this recognizes examples of both the elements of success and typical pitfalls. When I think of healthcare as we know it, and the immense collaborative effort it takes for any individual to receive care, it becomes clear why the system is often barely functioning. If I had a magic wand, I would create an environment where these systems could grow and change organically, unstifled by rigid power structures.
But since I don’t have a magic wand, my hope for change lies within my own agency. I can affect the collaborations I participate in right now. I believe that the smallest action—such as engaging in honest conversations about collaboration—is our best chance for sustainable change.
Now I ask you: What kind of collaborations are you participating in right now? Is the vision clear? What is one small way you could improve your collaborations? What tools or styles of collaboration have you found that worked for you?
In My World Lately
What I’ve been working on - I’m facilitating a new workshop called The Art of Wellbeing! This isn’t about making “museum art”; it’s about using creative processes to explore your wellbeing. I’ll be using my Creative Compass framework to match your creative energies with an archetype to guide you through your exploration. It’s hosted by The Chronic Pain Project on May 28th—keep an eye out, registration opens soon!
What I’ve been listening to - With the spring foggy rainy mix turned to bright sunny days I’ve been listening to a lot of Simon & Garfunkel. Oldie but a goodie and always seems to fit my spring mood.
What I’ve been reading - lots of gardening stuff. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying spring. This is the year my garden might actually produce some good stuff. So far I have kale, rhubarb, artichoke, peas, and brussels sprouts. I’ve also got a bunch of other seeds sowed and sprouting. Thank goodness for the Edible Gardening Almanac.
What I’ve been observing - If you are in the Portland area - go check out the gallery at Tabor Space 5441 SE Belmont, Portland, OR - Illuminating the Invisible: The Beauty Behind the Pain- on display from Mar 1 - May 29, 2026. Free Admission. Open Mon-Fri | 9am-4pm PT - One of my pieces is in the show!
What I’ve been eating - Crunchy Kale from my garden. Simply toss it in oil, salt it, add some chili flakes and air fry it for 2 min. Then dust it with some nutritional yeast and it’s the BEST! You can add it to anything or just snack on it.
Stay tuned to hear about more of my projects coming your way!
Made with love
-Kailey