What’s the relationship between collaboration and leadership?
Collaboration has become a cultural priority in so many organisations today ─ and for good reason. Research shows that the ability to work together, share ideas, and leverage diverse perspectives can make teams stronger and more innovative. Yet the underlying processes, expectations, and assumptions around collaboration and accountability are often murky and tension-inducing between teams and individuals.
Roles and responsibilities: the potential pitfalls of the RACI model
Many organisations turn to structured frameworks like RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) to clarify who is responsible for each task/decision within a project. A good starting point. But while the RACI model can help to provide clarity on paper, there’s usually more to it than simply assigning names to roles. Frameworks like RACI require thoughtfulness, conversation, and ongoing clarity on how each role will be measured and evaluated in practice.
For example, if multiple names are listed under one RACI role, you might need to check:
Do we really need all of those people to take on that role?
When it comes to who’s accountable - can we assign just one person to be accountable for the outcome? (If not, why not?)
Are all parties in agreement on the role they play as individuals and as a collective? And how do we manage disagreement in the group?
Are we at risk of muddying the waters or slowing progress?
How do we avoid abdication, where no one feels fully responsible for driving the outcome?
Collaboration isn’t just a nice-to-have: it’s a powerful engine for performance
This brings us to a deeper truth about collaboration: it’s not just about assigning roles or collecting feedback from others. Collaboration is an opportunity for leadership. It’s about creating clarity, building trust, and making sure that everyone involved knows how their contributions are measured and evaluated.
When accountability is clearly defined, teams thrive. They become empowered, engaged, and motivated to contribute because they know how their individual work ties into the team’s overall success. There’s no ambiguity, no second-guessing, and no passive bystanders. Everyone is involved and invested.
Here are some things you might want to consider next time your team is embarking on a new challenge:
Are we clear on our roles? (If you’re using the RACI framework: have we agreed who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed - and when?)
Are we setting clear expectations around what each role looks like in practice?
Are we building a safe space and empowering people to be truly accountable for the outcomes?
Have we discussed how we’ll measure success?
Have we agreed how we’ll address situations in which someone oversteps or under-delivers on their role?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, and if you’re looking to explore these ideas in more depth, don’t hesitate to reach out.