In the land of creativity and innovation, ego can often be a double-edged sword. While a healthy sense of confidence and self-assuredness is definitely valuable, unchecked egos can hinder collaboration, stifle creativity, and impede progress. In the last decade, I've come to understand that true success lies in the ability to set aside individual egos and embrace the power of collaboration and connection.

At Indicius, we firmly believe that collaboration is not just a buzzword, but rather a guiding principle that drives our work and propels us towards our goals. It's about recognizing that the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives of our team members far surpass the capabilities of any individual. In our journey towards sustainable growth, collaboration has emerged as the ultimate force for innovation, creativity, and success. It has also helped us heal from past experiences where we were forced to see others as obstacles rather than teachers and collaborators.

However, fostering a collaborative culture isn't always easy, especially in industries where individual recognition and competition often reign supreme. It requires a deliberate effort to cultivate an environment where ego takes a backseat to teamwork, where ideas are freely exchanged, and where everyone's contributions are valued and respected. Does this sound unrealistic or overly idealistic? Only if you assume that the path to achieve it is easy and comfortable… It’s not something that’s simply achieved, but rather a mindset that permeates to how you interact with others. I’ve personally had to face toxic situations and interactions in order to come to this understanding and co-create a work culture where those who seek personal recognition at the cost of others have had no choice but to go somewhere else to find it.

With these lessons learned behind us, these are some of the ways in which we’ve been able to foster a collaborative culture at Indicius.

Psychological safety

One of the key strategies we've implemented at Indicius to promote collaboration is fostering a culture of psychological safety - in 2022 we created InDiversity and generated several initiatives that led to our current internal policy. This spans from how we approach our recruiting process to generating activities and conversations where we’re able to dig deeper on issues that clearly affect the way in which we show up at work.

On this journey, we’ve discussed multiple subjects such as our aversion to making mistakes, external and intrinsic motivation, proactiveness vs. reactiveness, to mention only a few. We've created a space where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, expressing their opinions, and taking creative risks without fear of judgment or ridicule. This open and inclusive environment not only fosters trust and camaraderie, but also fuels innovation and problem-solving.

Collaborative tools

We've adopted tools and platforms that facilitate both synchronous and asynchronous communication and streamline workflows, enabling seamless collaboration across teams. Whether it's brainstorming workshops, feedback sessions, or project collaborations, these tools have become indispensable assets in our quest for sustainable growth.

We use Slack for daily communication, allowing us to generate discussions in threads, use reminders if we’re busy when we get a request and don’t want to forget about it, or set up a quick huddle to discuss something that can be clarified in 5 minutes through a video call. ClickUp is our go-to tool to create roadmaps that provide us and our clients the big picture, while also giving us the detail we need for a specific task, creating relationships amongst tasks to facilitate asynch collaboration. Figma is the perfect design collaboration tool because it not only allows our designers to work together, but also enables developers and clients to collaborate. Notion is the ideal tool for our handbook, where we document all of our processes, as well as our benefits, team OKRs, vacations, birthdays & wishlists–you name it! And we’re continuously researching these tools to find new ways to collaborate, as well as exploring new ones to contemplate improvements on how we interact as a remote agency.

Leading by example

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of fostering collaboration at Indicius is leading by example. As leaders, it's essential that we embody the principles of collaboration in our own interactions and decision-making processes. By actively seeking input, listening to diverse perspectives, and empowering our team members to contribute, we set the tone for a culture of collaboration that permeates every aspect of our organization. Part of leading others is allowing them to make mistakes and being there to support them during their learning process. We also send out a feedback form to the entire team so that we can receive constructive criticism and visualize what to keep doing in order to grow and become better leaders.

Conclusion

Collaboration isn't just a means to an end; it's a fundamental principle that underpins our approach to growth and success at Indicius. Together, we're not just building a prosperous design agency; we're cultivating a community where collaboration thrives, egos diminish, and sustainable growth flourishes. In a world that demands constant and toxic productivity, let's continue to champion collaboration as the cornerstone of our success and pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.