MIT Sloan Management Review Fall 2019

MICHAEL GLENWOOD GIBBS/THEISPOT.COM FALL 2019 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW 29

C

ount-offs at the beginning of musical performances, whether verbal (“One,

two...”) or symbolic (with a baton or a snap), are a fixture of live collaboration

for musicians. Conductors use them to establish tempo and feel, and to provide

guidance on how to interpret the written rhythms — the patterns of sound and

silence — that the ensemble is about to play.

Similarly, in the workplace, leaders help set the beat for their organizations’

and teams’ collaborative efforts. For at least a century, they have done this largely

by planning working-group meetings, huddles, one-on-ones, milestone reports,

steering committee readouts, end-of-shift handoffs, and so on. Through 30-, 60-,

and 90-minute calendar meetings scheduled weeks in advance to prevent

Improving the Rhythm

of Your Collaboration

COLLABORATING WITH IMPACT: LEADERSHIP

Alternating between always-on connectivity and heads-down focus is

essential for problem-solving.

BY ETHAN BERNSTEIN, JESSE SHORE, AND DAVID LAZER