Sometimes it feels easier to collaborate with external partners than with colleagues inside our own organisation. If you recognise that feeling, it may both surprise and annoy you.
But in fact, it is not so strange. Internally, we tend to expect colleagues, even those in other departments, to naturally understand our way of working. After all, we are part of the same organisation, aren’t we?
When collaborating externally, we acknowledge upfront that “they are different”, and we accept the differences between our two organisations. That makes us more willing to put in extra effort to bridge the gap. We use alliance tools, follow lifecycle steps, and bring structure into the process. We do everything we can to maximise the chances of success.
Inside our own organisation, we often think structure is unnecessary. After all, we are part of the same organisation, aren’t we? Yet every department has its own microculture, its own way of working, its own rhythm.
We would benefit from consciously bridging these internal differences as well. While we do not need to apply the full alliance lifecycle, using some of the same tools internally can eliminate assumptions and bring more clarity. For example, the needs and contributions matrix is a good starting point to clarify why you are collaborating in the first place. Agreeing on how you will work together sets expectations, while establishing a regular communication rhythm keeps alignment and progress on track.
In today’s business world, collaboration across organisations is becoming ever more varied. Collaboration itself is now an essential skill to thrive. So why not practise and strengthen this skill within the safe boundaries of our own organisation?
The payoff is clear: stronger internal collaboration makes us easier partners for external stakeholders and more pleasant suppliers for customers. A genuine triple win.