In the complex, uncertain, and fast-changing world we live in, success and even survival require intensive collaboration among individuals, organizations, and countries. The outcomes of such collaboration can be breathtaking: Consider the growth of Netflix and Amazon, the rebirth of Microsoft and General Motors, or the successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Yet, most people and organizations fail to collaborate, preferring competition to cooperation. In business, up to 70% of strategic alliances fail, and more than half of joint ventures don’t survive to their 10th anniversary.

Why collaboration stumbles

There are good reasons that collaborations often falter: physical distance, time zone differences, and unequal access to information, to name a few. However, the biggest obstacles are psychological.

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