Collaboration isn’t just a buzzword in today’s fast-paced business world; it’s actually the key to success.
Yet, after countless meetings, emails, and team check-ins, many organisations remain unable to collaborate authentically.
This was said by Mr Stephanus Vries.
Vries, who is Old Mutual Namibia Human Capital Manager, pointed out that too often, teams work in silos, labouring toward shared high level objectives but hardly collaborating with each other in significant capacities, which results in overlooked potential, redundant work, and disconnection that holds back innovation.
“Collaboration isn’t just getting things done with others; it’s getting them done with and through others,” he said. “It’s creating a culture that inspires people to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and apply their talents to advance the entire organisation.
“When workers are invested in the broader vision, their allegiance strengthens, creativity increases, and output shoots through the roof. Building collaboration between teams takes more than technology or opens-pace offices.”
It begins with a shift in mindset, he pointed out, one that emphasises communication, trust, and a sense of common purpose.
“When leaders intentionally promote cross-functional collaboration, they unlock a reservoir of untapped talent. The best teams thrive on diversity, of thought, experience, and background.
“A marketing specialist can develop a ground-breaking concept for product innovation, while an IT specialist can offer a different perspective on customer engagement. When teams move beyond silos and truly listen to each other, they find solutions that would never have been possible in segregation.”
But, Vries said, collaboration is not simple. Priorities conflict, communication fails, and even office politics get in the way.
“That’s why effort is required. It starts with creating a culture of transparency, where feedback is not just welcomed but sought out. It means creating spaces, physical and virtual, that encourage informal interaction.
“And most importantly, leadership needs to set the example by collaborating openly and genuinely to set the tone for the rest of the organisation. The greatest teams are not simply those that work together, they are the ones who win together.
“True collaboration is about lifting each other up, understanding that success is a group victory, and recognising that every voice adds worth. When teams unite with purpose and work toward a shared vision, the result speaks for itself.”
Vries added that the next time you feel trapped in your comfort zone, “venture out. Meet with someone in a different department. Bring your insights where they may not be expected.
“The more we are connected, the stronger we are, not just as teams, but as an organisation driven by the power of collaboration.”
In the photo: Mr Stephanus Vries, the Old Mutual Namibia Human Capital Manager.
