Idea in Brief

THE PREDICAMENT As organizations become more global, matrixed, and complex, they are requiring employees to collaborate more than ever before. Although companies reap the benefit of faster innovation and more-seamless client service, this always-on work culture can lead to collaborative overload, which results in less time for focused individual work, careful reflection, and sound decision making. THE KEY While organizational solutions are necessary to eradicate collaborative overload across the board, strategic self-management can help individuals tackle the problem on their own. First, understand why you take on too much; next, figure out what work most aligns with your strengths, values, and goals—and eliminate collaborations that distract from that work. Finally, make sure the collaboration you engage in is as productive as possible. THE OUTCOME By taking action on a few of the authors’ recommendations and…