In the workplace, cooperation is often very important – even essential. When you work with others and you build on each other’s strengths, you can accomplish things that you could never accomplish alone.

Cooperation isn’t about “going along” or “giving in.” It’s about voicing your opinions, sharing ideas, contributing, and working together to come up with the strongest solution. It’s an active process – not a passive one.

And cooperation is a skill. It’s a skill that you can learn, practice, and enhance! To cooperate with a group of people, you should:

  • Listen to what the other people are saying.
  • Ask questions when you aren’t sure you understand what’s being said.
  • Make sure you all have the same understanding of the task at hand.
  • Share the knowledge and information that you have with the group.
  • Help and support the other people in the group.
  • Encourage everyone to participate.
  • Be open to new ideas.
  • Try to build on other people’s ideas.
  • When people disagree, try to find a solution that will satisfy everyone.
  • Contribute whenever you can.
  • Thank other people when they contribute something.

Sometimes, cooperation takes effort. It can sometimes be difficult and frustrating to work with other people. But the benefits make it worthwhile.

When you cooperate with others, you can often accomplish things more quickly and efficiently. You get to hear different people’s ideas and perspectives, which allows for greater innovation and creativity. Overall, you can achieve really exciting and effective results.

Good luck! And play nice!