Breakthrough Practices for Everyday Collaboration: Tools You Can Use Right Now

Collaboration is not just a value—it’s a verb. In Collaborative Intelligence, Markova and McArthur share a toolkit of simple, research-backed practices that anyone can use to turn ordinary meetings into engines of creativity and connection. Start with the hand-folding exercise: fold your hands the usual way, then switch so the opposite thumb is on top. Notice the discomfort? That’s your brain waking up, ready to break out of habitual patterns.

Teams can use sensory attention shifts—moving between visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities—to keep minds fresh and engaged. Begin a meeting with a visual check-in, then shift to a round of listening, then stand up and take a walk together. These small changes create space for new ideas to emerge.

Aikido-inspired practices teach us to blend with others’ energy rather than resist it. When disagreement arises, step alongside your colleague—ask, 'How can we move together toward a solution?' The CQ Playbook gathers these tools into a practical guide for everyday use. Each practice is a step toward building a culture where collaboration is not just an aspiration, but a daily reality.

Real teams have used these practices to move from deadlock to breakthrough, from tension to synergy. Whether you’re leading a project or joining a new team, try one of these tools today—and watch the magic unfold.