6 Essential Practices for Early-Career Academics for Better Collaborations

As seasoned administrators, we have experienced the challenges of teamwork and collaboration in academia. We’ve been part of teams that truly clicked. We have also been part of teams where success meant just staying afloat. Many times what we’re doing isn’t traditional teamwork at all. It’s collaboration—people from different areas or backgrounds coming together temporarily to solve a problem or advance a project. Collaboration transcends boundaries, while teamwork occurs within more defined work roles and organizational hierarchies. Collaboration is crucial when you are working with others who are not your supervisor or direct reports. For example, you might collaborate with others in another lab group on a research project, or within a professional society on a community resource.

Collaboration skills are not routinely taught in academic training. We expect early-career academics to step into and lead committees, research partnerships, teaching communities and task forces, often without support, clear guidance or formal preparation. Add to that full calendars, unclear expectations, power dynamics and limited resources, and even the most promising projects can start to wobble.

In this column, we share six practices that, in our experience, are often overlooked but are important for those engaging in collaboration in academic institutions.

1. Clarify Purpose and Roles

It’s easy to lose track of how many meetings we have been invited to that ended with ideas exchanged and debated, yet no clear path forward established. Some pre-work can help you avoid that. You might have a general idea for a project and a few people have agreed to help, or you may have been asked to lead a project without receiving specific details or general guidance. To help ensure that you and the project are set up for success, use the resources available to you to align the project’s purpose and people. Your institution, through offices such as those for human resources, organizational development or strategic planning, may have processes and tools that you can use.

Tools like the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) Matrix help clarify not only who’s doing the work, but also who’s in charge, who can provide more information and advice, and who needs to be kept informed. Also, a project charter outlining the scope, goals, member roles and milestones can serve as a centering document in decision-making and communication. While these frameworks are common in project management, some academics encounter them for the first time midcareer—if at all.

Tip: Align on a clear goal early on and use simple tools to outline roles and responsibilities. This clarity of purpose will help you and your team stay focused and work toward a common objective, reducing confusion and making even complicated collaborations more straightforward to manage.

2. Respect Work Rhythms and Workloads

We tend to underestimate the time needed to do things. Departments, units, schools and disciplines all have their own schedules and cultures. Faculty members juggle research, teaching and administrative demands. Staff may be overwhelmed by projects, events or deadlines. One way to navigate this is to ask colleagues you trust—those with knowledge and wisdom around institutional or team culture and a willingness to help—for their honest assessment and advice about your project and the context in which you will be completing it. They can offer valuable insight into realistic timelines, resource availability and unspoken challenges and opportunities, helping you set expectations that align with the real environment, rather than an idealized version. Getting feedback on your project plan and charter early can set you up for success.

Tip: Build timelines that account for real-life work cycles and be ready to flex when needed. Checking in with trusted insiders can save a lot of frustration later.

3. Build Trust Through Transparency

For junior professionals, establishing trust through timely and open communication is essential. By being clear and assertive in how you express needs, share challenges and make decisions, you not only keep the project on track but also instill confidence in your leadership.

One common challenge for emerging leaders is discomfort with managing others who have more experience or hold higher ranks. Acknowledge their expertise and determine how to best use their skill sets to reach the project’s goals. It’s also important to recognize that you have your role for a reason—your perspective and skills are valuable.

It’s also OK to admit when you’re stuck. In high-performing environments, this can feel uncomfortable, but knowing your limits and seeking support—whether from a mentor or external resource—is a sign of strength, not weakness. We’ve all been there, and it’s part of developing your collaboration skill set.

Tip: Be clear, consistent, intentional and respectful in your communication. Seeking direction and support if you are unclear or unsure about something encourages openness, trust and engagement across the team.

4. Be Intentional About Communication

Finding the perfect communication tool is a fool’s errand, given the variety of platforms and security protocols across institutions. Discuss what works well for individuals and the team and ensure that the chosen communication method is accessible to all team members before moving forward.

Clarify the goals of each meeting in advance—whether it’s for feedback, decision-making or a quick check-in—to ensure that time is used productively.

If you’re the most junior person in the room, you may often end up as the default scribe. While that can feel like invisible labor, it’s also a powerful way to clarify next steps, ensure accountability and keep the project moving forward. Without clear agendas, documented action items or effective task tracking, teams often lose momentum. Establishing a communication maintenance plan can make a significant difference. AI tools can assist with transcription and note-taking, but organizing and sharing that information will need intentionality.

Tip: Don’t just hope communication happens—discuss how you’ll communicate well. Use a collaboration platform, or mix tools like email, chat and meetings. Organize effective meetings, set regular check-ins and make essential tasks such as setting meeting agendas, recording minutes and tracking action items either a shared responsibility or manageable for you.

5. Manage Conflict Constructively

Disagreement is often a sign that people care about the work. Differences of opinion are expected and can be a beneficial attribute of your collaboration. But when the disagreements become emotionally charged and impact the group dynamics, they become conflicts. Managing conflict is hard for everyone. It comes with risks: Stepping into tense situations or navigating clashing egos can feel daunting when you are the junior colleague.

One way to manage conflict constructively is to set expectations for respectful communication, revisit shared goals and be prepared to facilitate change when necessary. This is where it can be handy to refer to your project charter and team roles. Also, don’t manage conflict alone. Your ombuds office and experienced mentors can be great resources. Conflict handled well can strengthen the team, building trust and a sense of support.

One of us has had to restructure a team midproject because tensions and time constraints made it clear that someone couldn’t stay involved. In another instance, we intervened to manage an interpersonal conflict between two team members whose communication styles and priorities clashed. In both cases, respecting the experiences, value and contributions of everyone—while keeping the team’s shared purpose at the forefront—was key. Being someone who can navigate conflict to get the work done is not only valuable—its career advancing.

Tip: Model respectful communication. Take action to manage conflict when it occurs and embed practices in project or team formation to mitigate its occurrence.

6. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Outcomes

Academia tends to reserve recognition for the finish line, such as the paper getting published, receiving a grant or launching the program. However, the effort is in getting to the finish line. Waiting until the end to say “well done” can leave people feeling undervalued or burned out before they reach their goal. At one of our institutions, the top response to a survey question about how to improve the work climate was simply this: more thank-yous. Even in the best environments, people want to feel seen along the way. Leadership researchers James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner call this “encouraging the heart”—a core leadership practice that reminds us to express genuine appreciation and celebrate contributions, big and small. It’s not fluff; it’s fuel.

Tip: Celebrate effort and accomplishments. Don’t wait until the end. Take time to acknowledge effort and momentum—whether it’s a shout-out in a meeting, a thank-you note or a simple “We’re making progress.” Those small moments go a long way in keeping people engaged and energized.

Collaboration Is a Skill—Practice It Early

Collaboration is essential in academic careers, but most of us aren’t formally taught how to do it well. We hope that by sharing a few key practices that we have found to be important in our experiences, you will be ready to make your collaborations excel.