Millennials are said to be the change makers of the modern workforce. They are also demanding more collaboration. Shared workspaces are now the norm. Cultural nuances are vital when it comes to working together. And let’s not forget leadership. In the words of Dr Janice Presser, one of my favourite thinkers on teamwork, there’s more to leadership than presence. All the above points form part of the broad selection of selected reading for this week’s edition. To learn more about millennials and the way collaboration works in a range of situations, check out the full list below. Oh, and don’t skip the piece on women and collaboration which is really insightful.

Sincere thanks to those who have suggested articles for this edition of Roadmender Recommends.

Cracking the collaboration code

A leader should manage the team’s trust and emotions to ensure a smooth collaborative process, say experts.

Teamwork makes dreams work, right? Well, some of us might choose to differ. Rather than a dream, collaboration within teams can sometimes be akin to a nightmare. Getting the team aligned on vision-and-mission is easier than aligning the emotions, egos and eccentricities of different personalities. Add to the mix virtual presence (or should I say absence), cultural nuances and time differences, and you have a combination that makes you want to give up before you begin…READ ON

Collaboration Realization

Shared workspaces, daily stand-ups, virtual meetings. These serve as some fundamental elements of the modern workplace, where collaboration is seen as the holy grail of innovation, employee engagement and, ultimately, a higher level of business success. Virtually every workplace blogger and author touts the value collaborative workers bring to the table while castigating the opposite end of the workplace spectrum: the siloed employee — the prototypical loner in a high-walled cubicle, nose perpetually inches from a computer monitor who seldom communicates with anyone about a current or future project…READ ON

Leadership Presence is More Than Just Being There

Now I’m not knocking charisma. It’s useful and people tend to be attracted to it. And, from the leader’s perspective, it’s kind of easy. You just show up. Problem is, that approach only works for the already-successful, guru-ninja-rockstar leader. The rest of us need to do our homework before that big day arrives. So here’s your assignment. It’s in three parts because really, increasing your leadership presence is complex and the factors are interrelated…READ ON

Why Women Fail at Collaboration

Well let’s see, this is actually counter to a lot of the research that states women are natural collaborators. I believe that women are, indeed, natural collaborators. I see it all the time, even marvel at it. It makes me smile when I see people helping each other. But that’s not what I’m talking about…READ ON

8 Themes of “Purposefulness” That Successful Leaders Follow

The survey of more than 500 global business leaders conducted by the Springfield, Pa.-based consulting firm found a similar thread in the way successful leaders think: High-performing executives are focused less on themselves and more on external motivations, including the greater purpose of their work and the success of other people within their organizations. “Their mindset any moment impacts their mood, their clarity of thinking, their sense of strength and wellbeing, and their capacity to influence others and accomplish great things,” the report found. Specifically, eight themes executives most frequently correlated with extraordinary results, in order of importance, were:..READ ON

Collaboration ‘way forward’ for city regions

Wales will lose out if Cardiff does not become part of a bigger economic region to bid for UK government investment, researchers have claimed. Chancellor George Osborne is expected to give extra help to Leeds and Sheffield in his Autumn Statement on Wednesday. It follows support for Greater Manchester and Greater Glasgow. Centre for Cities called on Cardiff to work more closely with its south Wales neighbours and with Bristol. Dylan Jones-Evans, professor of entrepreneurship at University of the West of England, said collaboration was the way forward…READ ON

Millennials in the Workplace: More Collaboration, Less Private Space

Workplaces are currently experiencing a dramatic transformation, led by the upcoming Millennial workforce majority. As I explored previously in “Millennials in the Workplace: More Engagement, Less Powerpoint,” Millennials are looking for more engagement and collaboration in a work setting. In most industries, the need to attract and retain Millennial-age employees is leading to an increase in public work environments, instead of traditional cubicle and private office setups. As an added benefit, these companies also typically save on workplace-related costs. Here’s a trend that makes both employees and company accountants happy…READ ON

Karen Walker Says Collaboration is the Key to Growth

Collaboration is at the heart of the business, helmed by designer Karen Walker and her husband and business partner Mikhail Gherman, who also works on the company’s non-traditional marketing campaigns. In addition to clothing, the brand has expanded into product categories including eyewear, jewellery, homeware, paints, handbags and footwear, launched through a series of licensing deals…READ ON

…and now for something completely different…

Ten spectacular graphic novels from 2014

Page from Climate Changed: A Personal Journey through the Science by Philippe Squarzoni

Discover visual storytelling at its scary, sexy, charming and futuristic best in these standouts from the past year…READ ON