Meaningful business decisions in the digital era will no longer be made by leaders behind closed doors, but via engagement across collaboration channels. That’s the view of Altimeter Group founder and CEO, Charlene Li.

A number of my previous blogs have discussed the value of collaborative hubs in big business or Enterprise Social Networks, but research shows that the biggest barriers lie with senior leaders. Studies have shown that the most communicative teams prove to be the most productive teams, so what’s holding leaders back from driving collaboration within their organisations?

Leaders have to demonstrate a willingness to collaborate, as the collaborative enterprise is without a doubt a ‘top down’ process. But it’s not just about going into conversations and validating, it’s about contributing and engaging. Leaders already doing this recognise the value in the deeper learning about their organisations.

So can a leader put a collaboration strategy together, demonstrate engagement and hope it’s successful? Not without an already unified organisation. Prior to the implementation of collaboration, organisations need to implement unifying strategies. This may be something like Airbus’s unifying strategy of the 90s – Beat Boeing. Within that unifying goal there are aspects that set clear and defined ambitions that all can buy into and are not abstract in any way.

The collaborative enterprise is a journey – but if your enterprise hasn’t made a start, you have some catch-up ahead.

Janice Scheckter is a collaboration strategist and was recently called a change-maker by New York Bestseller, Roger Hamilton.