Institutions vs. Collaboration

Jul 14

Clay Shirky gave a TED talk back in 2005 that reminded me of some of the themes from my Eliminating Barriers: No More Us vs. Them presentation at the AgileDotNet Dallas conference--organizations that are structured for efficiency rather than effectiveness. In my presentation, I noted that the hierarchy of an organization could become so rigid that the organization can no longer adapt to a changing market. The video of Clay's talk is below:

Organizations are the result of institution-creation, but can they change to allow collaboration? I think so. Every day I see organizations try to break down the barriers within to allow increased information sharing between employees across departments and teams. A popular way to encourage collaboration beyond the organization's walls is through hackathons or exploration days.

collaboration

Allison Pollard

Allison Pollard helps overwhelmed technical leaders debug their management approach. She teaches them how to manage up, support people through change, and make time for strategic work. Her education in computer science, mathematics, and English from Southern Methodist University helps her connect technical work with people management. As a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Allison focuses on improving product delivery and leadership culture. Her experience includes work in energy, retail, financial, real estate, and transportation industries. Allison regularly speaks at global conferences like Scrum Gatherings and Agile Alliance's Agile20xx. She promotes women's leadership as the program director for Women in Agile's Mentorship program. When she's not working, Allison likes to drink lattes and listen to Broadway musicals. Allison is a proud glasses wearer and co-owner of Middlegame Partners.

http://www.allisonpollard.com

Institutions vs. Collaboration

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