Collaboration sounds simple. In reality, it’s one of the biggest challenges across almost every organization I’ve worked with, from corporates to agencies to scale-ups.

Different teams move at different speeds, goals aren’t always communicated clearly, and priorities shift faster than people can realign. With a little everyday pressure, even the most motivated teams can slow down. Over the years, I’ve noticed it’s rarely the big frameworks or complex processes that change collaboration for the better…it’s the small behaviors.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that it’s often not the big frameworks or the complex processes that change collaboration for the better. It’s the small behaviors that improve collaboration.

The ones that take almost no effort, but create a huge impact on speed, alignment, and quality of work. Here are three of them…

1. Share insights broadly, not selectively

One of the biggest reasons collaboration slows is that information gets stuck in pockets…inside teams, between agencies, or along the hierarchy.

Not because people want to hide information, but because:

• Goals aren’t communicated clearly
• Assumptions aren’t challenged
• Political dynamics get in the way
• or simply because “everyone is busy”

The result is always the same:

• Decisions get delayed
• Meetings multiply
• Teams start solving different versions of the same problem

So here’s what I’ve learned:

Transparency removes friction big time!

So switch to a “default to share” mindset!

Not the huge “knowledge-sharing initiatives” but the small things:

• Share working drafts, not only final versions
• Summarize key insights after a call
• Align on goals early and write them down
• Don’t wait for the “perfect moment” to update others

Micro-Practice:
Work with a “default to shared” mindset for early insights and drafts.
If an update, thought, or learning could help more than one person, make it visible, even if it’s not polished yet. This creates alignment early and reduces unnecessary back-and-forth.

If you want to explore this further:

Team of Teams by Stanley McChrystal offers a great perspective on why transparent information flow is often more powerful than strict hierarchy especially in fast-moving environments.

2. Provide unfiltered truth, respectfully!

Many teams avoid being completely honest. Very often not because they want to hide something, but because they don’t want to disrupt harmony or step on someone’s toes.

The problem: lack of clarity slows down decisions far more than respectful honesty.

One of the advantages of being an external partner or interim manager is that you can name things without being tied to internal agendas. And often, that’s exactly what teams need.

Unfiltered truth doesn’t mean being harsh. It means being clear.

Sometimes it’s as simple as:

• “Does this really get us where we want to go?”
• “Aren’t we just solving a symptom, not the root cause?”
• “Do you really think timeline and ambition are aligned yet?”

Clarity accelerates decisions and these are behaviors that improve collaboration.

And most people appreciate it more than expected, because clarity creates confidence.

Micro-Practice:
Before offering honest feedback or a direct observation, start with a brief intent statement like
“My goal here is alignment and clarity.”
It lowers tension immediately and makes the message easier to receive.

If you want to explore this further:

Radical Candor by Kim Scott is an established framework for giving clarity while remaining respectful and constructive. A valuable read for anyone working across teams.

3. Ask the obvious questions

This is one of the most underrated leadership behaviors.

In many meetings, people hesitate to ask simple questions because they assume someone else must know the answer or because they fear it might sound too basic.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

If you’re thinking it, someone else is thinking it too.

And if nobody asks, the misunderstanding will surface later. Usually when it’s more painful.

Asking questions helps to:

• Unblock discussions
• Clarify assumptions
• Avoid misunderstandings
• Align on next steps
• Reduce politics and interpretation

Questions like:

• “Am I the only one who doesn’t quite get this?”
• “Can we clarify the goal one more time?”
• “What does success look like here?”
• “What is the constraint we’re working with?”
• “What do we absolutely need to decide today?”

These are simple questions, but they create alignment in seconds.

Micro-Practice:
Start meetings with a quick “common ground recap”:
What are we solving? Why now? What does success look like?
It aligns everyone before the discussion even begins and prevents misunderstandings from slowing teams down later.

If you want to go deeper:

A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger is an excellent exploration of how simple questions lead to clarity, progress, and better decision-making.

Why these behaviors matter even more in interim and cross-functional work

Interim roles mean this:
You join moving teams, with projects already in flight, priorities shifting, and multiple stakeholders in the mix.

You don’t always have the luxury of long onboarding phases.

You need clarity fast.

That’s why these behaviors matter so much:

• Sharing information openly prevents misalignment
• Honest clarity accelerates decisions
• Asking questions helps you arrive at shared understanding quickly

And the truth is:

You don’t need authority to improve collaboration.
You just need intention.

Small behaviors, big impact

Collaboration doesn’t fail because people don’t want to work together.

It fails because small behaviors compound: silence, assumptions, politeness, uncertainty.

The good news: The opposite is also true. Small positive behaviors compound too.

1. Share openly
2. Say the helpful truth
3. Ask the honest questions

If you start with one of these next week, you’ll likely notice a difference immediately: In clarity, speed, and overall momentum.

If you’re curious how I support organizations in their own transformation journeys, you can find more about my work here: Linelia’s services

And of course, I’m always happy to hear from you. If you’d like to exchange ideas or explore how we might work together, feel free to reach out via my contact page or directly connect via LinkedIn.

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