Smart Collaboration

Specialists who never share what they know leave value on the table, and Heidi K. Gardner's research shows what firms gain once those walls come down. Drawing on studies of professional service firms and other expertise-driven organisations, the book argues that collaboration pays off when it crosses real boundaries of skill and department rather than simply adding meetings. Gardner sets out what makes cross-practice work difficult, how trust forms between people who rarely work together, and what leaders can change in incentives, structure and client handling to make joint work worth the effort. Case studies and data sit beside frameworks that a partner, manager or team lead can put to use. What sets it apart: • Research and case studies from expertise-driven organisations • An argument for collaboration across silos rather than more meetings • Practical guidance on trust, incentives and client relationships • Frameworks aimed at partners, managers and team leaders Written for professionals in consulting, law, finance and similar fields, and shelved with the leadership titles at Boipoka.