Importance of Collaboration

😮 5% of people are responsible for 35% of the valuable collaboration in your organization.   One of the highlights of my time at the Tulsa Remote Plugged In Conference was meeting Rebecca Hinds, PhD, Head of Asana's Work Innovation Lab. Onstage she gave a presentation jam-packed with great insights about what it takes for effective team collaboration. Offstage we got to share stories about how what her research shows is what I see on a daily basis as we work with cross-functional distributed and hybrid teams. And how teaching teams to create their team charters / team working agreements to codify goals, roles, and ways of working leads to more effective collaboration and more teammate connection. Key takeaways from her presentation, "5 Research-Backed Strategies to Drive Better Collaboration": 1. Collaboration equity 52% of employees say their teams rely on a few high performers to get work done. When Asana provided a dashboard to show how collaboration was distributed across the team, 93% made meaningful changes when it was visible who needed to step back and others needed to step up 2. Cross-functional collaboration The most innovative firms have 30-50% of their ties established cross-functionally. Example: for tech companies the top predictor of innovation is strength of collaboration between marketing and engineering 3. Collaboration across physical space Asana research shows that the current behavior is for people to do more cross functional collaboration on in-office workdays than on remote workdays. [My 2 cents → this is why building what I call "Omni-modal" leadership skills is so critical, so that people are equally skilled at collaborating in a remote or hybrid setting as they are in an in-person setting. Especially since many people need to switch between these modes even within the same day. ] 4. Collaboration across work The connection between tasks and goals is a massive driver of employee engagement. Only 55% of workers in remote and hybrid orgs are clear on how their work helps their company reach its goal. For every 10 pieces of work related to goals there is + 7% increase in engagement. For every 100 pieces there is a +101% increase in engagement. 5. Collaboration with AI Treat it like a teammate, not just a tool. When used daily, 89% of people say they get productivity gains. But AI needs cross-functional context to enable the best collaboration. P.S. a big thanks to Justin Harlan and Betsy Slagle for pulling together a well-crafted event with a great line-up of speakers! #tulsaremote #virtualleadership #hybridteams

𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 Whenever I meet a new batch of students, I like to gauge their interests and past experiences by asking which stream of digital marketing they are most passionate about and where they envision building their careers. I’ve noticed that interest in creative and social media is generally high, followed by performance media. More specialized skills like SEO and technology and finally influencer marketing, tend to attract fewer students. However, it’s important to note that most students show interest in multiple streams and are open to exploring various lines of business since they are in an exploratory phase of their lives. One piece of advice I always give my students is that in today’s fast-paced digital landscape, having multi-disciplinary, cross-functional skills and interests is crucial. The interdependence of different services is high and understanding various aspects of digital marketing can significantly enhance one’s career. For example, for a media campaign to perform well, the planner/buyer should be able to advise the creative team on what kind of creatives drive better metrics, such as CTRs. Similarly, a social media executive who understands video production could have inputs into content that's being shot for social media posts like reels and stories. When working in integrated teams, having at least a basic understanding of other functions is important. This knowledge provides well-rounded exposure, especially for those starting their careers and can enable a department switch if they discover a passion for another service line. While specialization remains important, having a cross-functional perspective is always beneficial for those looking to grow in the industry. What are your thoughts on this? #CareerInDigital #DigitalMarketing

Transforming How We Think About Collaboration: The 'Collaborative Innovation' Approach 🪄 🎯 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 Instead of seeking lowest-common-denominator agreement, start with a powerful vision that attracts committed changemakers. 👥 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Rather than "open door" meetings, carefully select participants to ensure the whole system is in the room — from grassroots to grasstops. 🔄 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼-𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Move away from "develop-then-present" to working together in real-time, leveraging collective intelligence. ⚡️ 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 Stop pushing for false harmony and start using differences as catalysts for innovation. ✨ 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 Build the strategy through action rather than endless planning sessions. What's powerful about this approach is how it transforms resistance and diversity into sources of innovation. It's not about getting everyone to agree — it's about weaving different perspectives into transformative interventions. Insights from Russ Gaskin, CoCreative and Ashoka's Leading Multi-stakeholder Collaborations course💡 🤔 How do you navigate the tension between inclusion and focused action in your collaborative work? #SystemicChange #Collaboration #Innovation #Leadership #CollectiveImpact

🔐 “Privacy today isn’t just a legal obligation—it’s a design challenge.” This insight, captured in the image, truly reshaped my perspective during my Privacy Engineering Certification with Privacy Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. As a lawyer interested in AI, privacy law, and compliance, I learned to view privacy through an engineering lens—bridging the gap between legal frameworks and practical system design. 💬 Let’s Discuss: How can lawyers and engineers collaborate more effectively to ensure privacy by design? 🔹 Key Takeaways: • Translation of regulations (GDPR, CPRA) into actionable system designs • Deeper understanding of Privacy by Design, threat modeling, and algorithmic fairness • Hands-on experience with tools like TensorFlow Privacy (for differential privacy) and Fairlearn (for bias mitigation) 🔹 What I Learned: • Foundations of privacy • Law and policy from a technical perspective • Privacy-focused system design and cryptography • User-centric privacy solutions • Preparation for IAPP CIPT certification 🔹 My Transformation: I now see myself as a privacy translator—helping engineers navigate complex regulations and guiding lawyers to better understand technical systems. 🙏 I’m deeply grateful to CMU’s distinguished faculty, especially Prof. Norman Sadeh and Prof. Lorrie Cranor, for making this journey so impactful. ⚖️ Final Thought: Building on my experience, I believe responsible AI and robust privacy compliance demand cross-disciplinary collaboration—something I’m passionate about fostering. 👉 Curious about the program? Check out CMU’s Privacy Engineering Certificate (link in the comments) Disclaimer: This post reflects my personal experience. All rights to the program structure and content belong to Carnegie Mellon University and respective instructors. #PrivacyEngineering #PrivacyByDesign #AICompliance #LegalTech #CMU #CIPT #IAPP #TechPolicy #AIandLaw #DataPrivacy #CrossDisciplinary #CMUPrivacy

💡 Speak Tech: Build Trust with Engineers and Designers Legal advice lands better when you speak the same language as your product teams. Why It Matters: Engineers and designers operate in frameworks like algorithms, user flows, and sprints. If you understand their process, you can offer legal solutions that work seamlessly—not disruptively. Example in Action: Your team is creating an AI app. Instead of generic questions like, “Is this legal?” dive deeper: ✅ How is the algorithm trained? ✅ What happens if a user opts out of data collection? ✅ What’s the fallback for edge cases or bugs? Practical Tips to Learn the Language: 1️⃣ Attend team demos—watch how engineers explain features. 2️⃣ Explore tools they use, like Figma for design or Jira for development. 3️⃣ Learn common terms like APIs, MVPs, and UX flows to stay in sync. Building trust starts with understanding. What’s one way you’ve connected with your product teams through technical fluency? Share below! -------- 💥 I’m Olga V. Mack 🔺 Expert in AI & transformative tech for product counseling 🔺 Upskilling human capital for digital transformation 🔺 Leading change management in legal innovation & operations 🔺 Keynote speaker on the intersection of business, law, & tech 🔝 Let’s connect 🔝 Subscribe to Notes to My (Legal) Self newsletter

How effectively do universities, firms, and governments collaborate to turn ideas into impact? Times Higher Education has collaborated with the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO to help answer this question with a new set of indicators for the The Global Innovation Index (GII). Universities lie at the heart of every innovation ecosystem. They create knowledge, train skilled talent, and link scientific discovery to real-world application. Their ability to collaborate — locally and globally — determines how effectively research translates into innovation. Policymakers increasingly prioritize this role. National strategies emphasize university–industry cooperation, co-publishing, and technology transfer. In the GII 2025, a new indicator — University industry and international engagement (5.2.3) — uses data from the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings on: 🧩 Industry engagement – how strongly universities work with firms 🌍 International outlook – staff, students and publications across borders. It captures how universities connect with businesses and international partners, offering a fresh perspective on how higher education drives innovation ecosystems. The results show a familiar pattern — universities in high-income economies still lead — but also a promising shift: universities in emerging economies are making notable progress. Global leaders Among high-income economies: Hong Kong, China – with the City University of Hong Kong scoring highly Netherlands – featuring universities such as Maastricht University School of Business and Economics with strong cross-border collaboration Singapore – National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University Singapore stand out as deeply embedded in global research & business networks Switzerland – led by institutions such as ETH Zürich and EPFL United States – with universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology combining frontier research with commercialization pathways 📈 Fast risers – emerging economy league table Upper middle-income economies China – with Peking University (Beijing) as a key anchor South Africa – strong university–industry and international linkages Türkiye – growing collaboration between academia and business Lower middle-income economies India – Indian Institute of Science (IISc) shine Jordan and Lebanon – stand out on international outlook Egypt – increasingly connected to global academic networks Regional champions – universities as innovation anchors 🌍 Northern Africa & Western Asia – Qatar University 🌍 Sub-Saharan Africa – South Africa / University of the Witwatersrand 🌏 Central & Southern Asia – Iran / Amirkabir University of Technology - Tehran Polytechnic 🌎 Latin America – Brazil / USP - Universidade de São Paulo With Lorena Rivera León and Sacha Wunsch-Vincent at WIPO and THE's Elizabeth Shepherd, we explore the issues in a new WIPO blog, pasted in the comments below. #GII #GII25

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 With a decade of experience, from founding my first business in 2014 to achieving two successful exits, I’ve learned the immense value of collaboration, which we continue to prioritize at X-Shift through partnerships with local and global players. Building strategic business relationships is one of the most pivotal factors in driving business growth, especially in the tech sector. As someone who has navigated this landscape for years, I'd like to share a few invaluable lessons for anyone looking to scale their business through collaboration. 𝟏. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝: Partnerships give you access to the resources, expertise, and technologies that would otherwise take years to build internally. The right partnership can be the difference between staying stagnant and growing exponentially. 𝟐. 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥: One of the most powerful lessons I've learned is the value of blending global innovation with local expertise. For instance, at X-Shift, our collaborations with companies like XEBO.ai (Survey2Connect) Exotel or Knowmax allow us to bring cutting-edge technologies and innovation to our region. But it's our deep understanding of the local market that ensures these solutions resonate and succeed. It’s a perfect balance of global insight and local relevance. 𝟑. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: A successful partnership is built on trust and alignment. It’s not just about the technology or the business deals. Shared goals and a common vision create the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth. Without trust, even the most promising collaboration will fall apart. 𝟒. 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲: Stagnation is the enemy of growth. The tech sector evolves fast, and being adaptable helps you stay ahead of the curve. Don’t be afraid to pivot when necessary. 𝟓. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧-𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬: The best partnerships are those where both parties walk away better off. Seek out collaborations where both sides gain value, whether it’s through shared technologies, expanded markets, or enhanced capabilities. A partnership should be a journey of mutual growth, not just a transaction. While collaborations offer limitless opportunities, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 key question we must ask ourselves as companies is: have we done great work internally, to position ourselves for success when those collaboration opportunities arise? #collaboration #business #tech #global #saudiarabia #KSA

Data analytics is a team sport, and your success often depends on how well you play with others in business and tech teams. Here’s why cross-functional is important for you: 1. 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Partnering with domain experts provides you with the context of your analysis, making your results more relevant for the business.     2. 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Aligning with other teams helps you to identify pain points and focus your solutions to solve the problems that matter most.     3. 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: Collaborating with non-technical teams improves your ability to adjust your language and level of detail to the needs of different stakeholders.     4. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Exposing yourself to different perspectives can spark creativity, helping you to design solutions you would not have thought of otherwise.     5. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: Analysts who can communicate effectively across diverse teams are seen as leaders and strategic partners opening up a fast track to your next promotion. Spending time learning each team’s goals and challenges will help you to become a much more efficient and respected partner for the business. What’s one lesson you’ve learned from working with teams outside of analytics? ---------------- ♻️ 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 if you find this post useful ➕ 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 for more daily insights on how to grow your career in the data field #dataanalytics #datascience #teamwork #collaboration #careergrowth

Collaboration isn’t just a strategy — it’s a catalyst for curiosity. One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned, is that curiosity rarely thrives in isolation. It emerges when people feel safe enough to wonder out loud, to ask the unpolished questions, to explore ideas that are still taking shape. When we collaborate, we give each other permission to think differently. We create the conditions where a spark can jump from one mind to another — where a passing comment becomes a breakthrough, and where uncertainty becomes an invitation rather than a threat. Great teams don’t simply divide tasks. They share imagination. In a world that often rewards speed and certainty, collaboration slows us down just enough to see possibilities we might have otherwise overlooked. It draws out the quiet voices, values the diverse ones, and reminds us that creativity is a collective act. If we want more curiosity — in our learners, our colleagues, or ourselves — we must design environments where collaboration isn’t an afterthought, but a habit. Because when people connect with purpose, something magical happens: they start to wonder again. #Leadership #Collaboration #Curiosity #LearningCulture #Teamwork

Collaboration is the way to go! Ed Sheeran’s recent visit to India—it’s a masterclass in modern marketing, seamlessly blending the essence of Gen Z appeal with strategic partnerships. His team’s promptness in documenting 🎥 and sharing his journey is commendable and something every brand builder and leader can learn from. What truly caught my attention, however, was Ed Sheeran’s strategic collaborations across diverse sectors. By partnering with renowned food creator Sanjyot Keer, engaging in podcasts, teaming up with musicians like Armaan Malik, and even collaborating with the iconic Diljit Dosanjh, Sheeran tapped into a vast array of audiences, showcasing the power of reaching out beyond your immediate market. Here’s why embracing collaboration could be a game-changer for you or your brand: 1. Diversification: Like Ed Sheeran, teaming up with professionals from various fields can open your brand to a wider, more diverse audience. 2. Innovation: Collaboration fosters creativity, bringing together different perspectives and ideas that can lead to innovative solutions and content. 3. Brand Growth: Working with others can amplify your reach and strengthen your brand presence in existing and new markets. 4. Learning Opportunities: Each collaboration is a chance to learn from others, gain new skills, and even understand your audience better. 5. Community Building: Collaborations help build a community of like-minded individuals and brands, paving the way for support and growth. For example, a tech company collaborating with artists to create unique, tech-inspired art can captivate both tech enthusiasts and the art community. A food blogger partnering with local farmers to showcase farm-to-table recipes can appeal to health-conscious eaters and environmental advocates alike. In conclusion, the art of collaboration is not just about combining forces; it’s about strategically choosing partners to create something truly unique and engaging. Picture credits : Hindustan Times