One quote that comes to mind to me all of the time is that of John Donne, “no man is an island.” This was true over three hundred years ago and it rings true today. We are constantly in a state of collaboration whether it be at work, school or our personal lives. Collaboration is key for our survival, if you do not believe me, just think about how the successful projects in Management Practice have been completed – with a team.

Because we must work together in order for us to survive, it also key that we avoid what HBR describes as collaboration fatigue. Have you ever been on a team that meets constantly, but there is nothing accomplished? Of course that does not happen at Goizueta, but I have had that happen with other teams I have been on. We have met multiple times and it seems as if we end up discussing the same topics we went over weeks ago. What happened? Why did we not accomplish anything?

To avoid collaboration fatigue and ultimately an ineffective team is more simple than we think. It is best to first determine the purpose of meetings or the project itself. Sometimes meetings occur, but the the purpose of the meeting or the desired outcome is unclear. Instead of assuming what the desired outcome is, have a discussion and set the purpose… it will save time and frustration later. It is also extremely important that the key decision maker up front. Sure we all want to be the one with the final say, but in reality it is just not feasible for that to occur.

If the above tasks are considered, it will be highly unlikely that you will encounter collaboration fatigue on your next project.