Collaboration is powerful

Subconsciously, we are all in constant collaboration. Relating to the past principle of Great ideas come from many, we collaborate with family, friends and communities on a daily basis. Only until we sit down and discuss with others in a controlled environment, do we feel the pressure of discussion and idea generation. 

For the most part, we tend to collaborate with others that share similar point of view, which in turn can distort the problem solving process. 

Collaboration is key in the creative process because new ideas can be formed, and present ideas can be developed further with different points of views. 

 

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The most structured form of collaboration I experience are in smaller classes at MRU. Generally all these courses involve consistent group work. My most memorable experience was in an entrepreneurship class where groups were assigned a single task for the whole semester. I found the group picking process to be biased as we chose individuals who shared similar interests to one another. Nonetheless, I appreciated being grouped with others who had similar hobbies and interests and therefore made a better connection with my group. The value of this experience was that I gained further insight on my own hobbies and lasting friendships with those who I collaborated with. Also, since we shared similar interests, it enabled us to collaborate more effectively and concisely, which in turn made the whole experience positive.

One may oppose my point of view with the fact that this type of collaboration does not always result in effective work. For example, if a group of individuals share too many interests (among other attributes) it can limit the creative process to a smaller number of ideas and opinions. Moreover, this type of collaboration limits the development of ideas because if opposing opinions are expressed, it can create tension between otherwise agreeing individuals.

What prevents me from applying this principle more consistently is that too often I attempt to take on a problem or challenge on my own. With larger problems this can be a risk as I may try to make on too much responsibilty than I can handle. By doing so, I do not take advantage of other's opinions and points of views. In all my workplaces, I have to understand the importance of collaboration and to not take it for granted.
 

A question that still remains regarding this principle is:

How do we decide if collaboration is important when dealing with a problem?
Is collaboration only important or effective with more complex problems?