<p>Team Collaboration: What does it really mean?If there's one thing that all business leaders should know about surviving in this tough economic business world, it's that team collaboration is essential to their success. According to this article in the Harvard Business Review, "there's a world of difference between merely working together and truly collaborating with one another. Collaborative activity is the "secret sauce" that enables teams to come up with innovative new products or creative, buzz-worthy marketing campaigns." Indeed, many seem to have the wrong idea about what collaboration is really about and often confuse "collaboration" and "communication." In order to succeed, organizations must understand that collaboration and communication are two different things. Communication simply refers to the flow of information, and is a one-way thing. Collaboration is always interactive and can only occur when two or more people work together towards a common goal.</p><p>Why is team collaboration important?The old saying "two heads are better than one" is often true, especially in the business world. Many corporations today encourage teamwork within the office. Studies have shown that team collaboration aids with productivity, problem-solving, and superior solutions within the workplace. Forrester reports that for organizations who implement Web 2.0 collaboration tools, 77% gain faster access to information, and 60% reduce their communication costs. By working in teams, employees can also learn from each other and build on existing ideas. When teamwork is put in place, it often better results at a faster pace; not to mention that it is often more cost-effective.</p><p>Team collaboration today: A whole new cultureTeam collaboration has always been an essential part of any project, especially when it comes to product or project management. When ideas are exchanged, organizations can meet their goals faster. However, the concept of "team collaboration" these days is not the same as it used to be even just a couple of years ago. Changes in market demands, technological advancements, and the increasingly fast working pace in today's bustling corporate environment have caused the meaning of team collaboration to change.</p><p>A decade ago, team collaboration was document-driven, with no set collaboration technique. Information was drawn from all available "single sources." As the Learning Generalist explains, "There was a time when we believed in single sources of good information. Popular authors, popular textbooks, popular magazines, popular news channels, popular radio stations, all led to the birth of mass media. People believed these authentic sources of information because the people that created information were hugely qualified and apparently quite talented in their field."</p><p><a href="http://www.customerthink.com/blog/team_collaboration_the_2_0_way">Keep reading...</a></p>