A workshop based on the Scale of cooperation model
How is it that some teams “run like clockwork” – they’re cohesive, comfortable working together, and achieve shared goals – while others end up completely stuck?
LOCATION:
Indoors / Outdoors / Online
DURATION:
From 2 to 6 hours
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:
5 or more
PROJECT BENEFITS:
The scale of cooperation is a model that helps us understand how groups of people work together.
Of course, like any model, it is a simplification — but that’s exactly what makes it so useful. When applied in practice, the Collaboration Scale allows teams to quickly identify where they currently stand and what steps they can take to improve the way they collaborate. And that’s exactly our goal!
The key to understanding the Scale of cooperation lies in the concepts of survival, avoidance, and cooperation. These are three distinct “worlds” or states of reality that people create and reinforce in their interactions with one another. Behaviors typical of the survival stage tend to trigger similar responses in others, keeping everyone trapped in that mode. The Collaboration Scale model assumes that it is possible to guide individuals or teams toward higher levels on the scale—and that it can be applied flexibly, depending on the goal or context.
Being in the survival stage means functioning under intense pressure.
The natural response to such stress is defensiveness and pushing others away. It’s a mindset of win or lose — us versus them. In this stage, blame is shifted onto others, there’s gossip, division, and a general tendency to turn people against each other. A negative, problem-focused attitude prevails, along with criticism and a lack of constructive dialogue.
Avoidance is the most fascinating stage, because people in it rarely show what they’re avoiding — or why. There are many reasons someone might be in the avoidance stage: They may not want to fight for survival. They may feel uncertain about where they stand, how the process they’re part of is unfolding, or what direction they’re heading in. The situation may feel unclear or unstable. They might have no goals to pursue — or may no longer want to collaborate at all, having just given up on cooperation altogether.
Cooperation means sharing, mutual appreciation, and reinforcing one another. It involves seeking common goals, using each other’s strengths and talents, learning from one another, and working together to find solutions that benefit everyone.
During the workshop, we use active training methods that allow participants to experience each of the described states firsthand, followed by reflection and drawing conclusions. The program is designed for managers, team leaders, and entire teams alike.
We invite you to read our article on the Scale of cooperation and team building.
