3 Benefits of Cultivating a Collaborative Culture

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”  - Proverbs 12:15

Here at HORNE, we are building the Wise Firm. That is our culture. We want to be like the wise man from the biblical parable who built his house on a strong foundation. When the great storms came, he was able to overcome because he had built his house on a solid foundation. 

One of the building blocks of our Wise Firm culture is “Collaboration.” Collaboration to us means that every voice counts. We believe that if we listen to each other, we create the best ideas. From my personal journey at HORNE, I know that the leaders do not think that they know all the answers; they truly listen, as is recommended by the wise proverb above. At HORNE, we are by no means perfect, and we acknowledge that, but are striving to grow and create a collaborative culture where everybody has a voice.

Here are just a few ways I’ve seen that in my eight months at HORNE:

• Strategic Planning – Our team’s strategic planning meetings involved everyone from associates to partners, and everyone was encouraged to participate in charting the course forward as a team.
• The Feedback Movement – We are in the middle of a feedback movement at HORNE, seeking to improve how and when we receive feedback, but also how and when we give it. Continuous, informal feedback is encouraged from top-down and bottom-up.
• beBetter Teams – These are our collaboration teams. Assembled from various segments of the firm and with people from all levels, they discuss topics such as training, flexibility, communication and belonging. Many firm-wide initiatives come from these teams, from the voices of our team members.

Why do we strive to be collaborative? Because we care about our team members and our firm. We believe that a collaborative culture is fundamental for our employees, but at the same time, essential for business success. Here are three ways I believe cultivating a collaborative culture where everyone has a voice can be beneficial for any company and its employees:

1. A Unified Team – A collaborative culture creates a team that understands each other better. A unified team will not only be able to accomplish tasks more efficiently and effectively, but it will also provide a much more pleasant working environment.
2. Better Ideas & Career Ownership – Everyone knows that “two heads are better than one.” More people thinking and providing input means better ideas, which turns into innovation and process improvement. This will lead any company away from irrelevancy and towards success. But not only that, it will provide employees with an opportunity to own their career, to show initiative and passion, and to grow within the company.
3. Sense of Purpose & the Talent War – Lastly, and in my opinion the most important reason, it gives employees a sense of purpose. Contributing to the direction of the company makes employees feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Speaking from personal experience, I know I want to be a part of something bigger, not just watch from the sidelines. I feel a sense of belonging when I know my opinion counts. For employers, there is no better way to win the competitive talent war of today than creating a sense of purpose within their employees. If employees feel like they have a purpose and belong, they will be much less likely to leave and outside talent will also be drawn in.

Collaboration matters. Are you creating a collaborative culture for your team?