Collaboration skills are increasingly sought after and important in the workplace, according to Californian Judge, Jim Tamm. He was in the country last month and spoke to Deloitte event about the growing importance placed on relationship skills by employers.
“We’re seeing, in all types of organisations be it government or not-for-profit, growing recognition of the importance of collaborative skills to the bottom line, whether that’s in services provided or in dollars and cents.”
Describing collaborative skills as the ability to build long-term and effective relationships, Tamm says it is becoming more important as life and the world gets more complex.
“Gold was the coin of the realm, now I think it’s trust,” he explained, adding that long-term trust in relationships makes them much stronger.
In his role as senior administrative law judge for the State of California, Tamm has mediated almost 2000 employment disputes. He has taught collaborative skills in diverse settings ranging from the United Nations, US and Canadian Departments of Defense to school districts and toy companies.
Tamm said the New Zealand reaction to his message was extremely positive, something he attributes to the fact the Kiwis are “pretty collaborative to begin with. They don’t seem to be as cynical as some audiences I’ve had in the States”.
For more information on Tamm’s work on developing collaborative skills see www.radicalcollaboration.com www.theeffect.co.nz
