Collaboration vs Cooperation: Unlocking Team Potential (8/22/2025)

Location: PDI Auditorium (Room 124)

Prerequisite: None

Full Schedule Friday, August 22 from (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM) EST

Facilitator Dr. Deirdre Dixon

DescriptionEffective teamwork often hinges on understanding the difference between collaboration and cooperation. While both are essential, collaboration drives deeper engagement and innovation. But how can leaders and teams identify and transition between these modes of working?

This hands-on workshop equips participants with practical skills to recognize when their team is cooperating versus collaborating. By fostering trust, breaking down silos, enhancing relationships, leveraging diversity, refining communication, and aligning with a shared vision, leaders can cultivate stronger, more dynamic teams. Mastering these principles empowers leaders to build respect, trust, and cohesion, unlocking their team’s full potential.

Learning Objectives At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Individual Outcome
  • Improved Awareness: Participants understand the key differences between collaboration (shared ownership of outcomes) and cooperation (individual contributions toward a shared goal).
• Team Outcomes:
  • Stronger Trust and Rapport: Teams leave with tools to build trust and cultivate mutual respect, creating a psychologically safe environment.
  • Breaking Down Silos: Enhanced ability to integrate cross-departmental efforts, leading to a more unified organizational culture.
  • Greater Innovation: By leveraging collaboration, teams generate more creative solutions than through cooperation alone.
  • Improved Problem-Solving: Teams learn to pool their strengths effectively, tackling complex issues with diverse perspectives.
• Organizational Outcomes:
  • Increased Productivity: More seamless workflows and better-aligned goals result in higher efficiency.
  • Enhanced Vision Alignment: Teams align their efforts with organizational goals, reducing redundancy and misdirection.
  • Long-Term Resilience: By emphasizing collaboration, teams become more adaptable to change and better equipped to handle uncertainty.

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