Chief Change Officer Podcast Summary

Episode: Tricia and Edward: Getting Teams to Work Together Without the Headaches – Part One

Release Date: January 18, 2025
Host: Vince Chan
Guests: Edward Van Loonen and Tricia Cerone

Introduction

In this episode of Chief Change Officer, host Vince Chan delves into the art of fostering effective collaboration within teams. Joining him are two seasoned professionals, Edward Van Loonen and Tricia Cerone, who share their decade-long journey from colleagues at Disney to co-founders of Authentic Collaboration Incorporated. This episode is the first part of a two-part series focused on building sustainable and headache-free teamwork.

Guest Introductions

• Edward Van Loonen
  Edward begins by recounting his experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1980s, teaching English in the Republic of Guinea. He reflects on his passion for talent development, shaped by roles at Avon Products, Heineken, Sony, and Disney. Edward emphasizes his commitment to enhancing team dynamics and leadership within organizations.

  Quote:
  “I think I like this. I'm enjoying this work.”
  (05:14)

• Tricia Cerone
  Tricia shares her extensive background in designing and storytelling with new technologies, predominantly at Disney. She highlights her role in leading the Blue Sky Studio and her passion for innovation and talent development. Tricia's ability to teach and inspire others laid the foundation for her collaboration with Edward.

  Quote:
  “If you have those, then the technology will work for you. But if you don't have those or something similar, then all the technology in the world isn't going to help your team be happy or collaborate better or communicate better.”
  (30:00)

The Genesis of Collaboration at Disney

Vince initiates the discussion by asking Edward and Tricia to share their initial experiences working together at Disney. Their collaboration began approximately a decade ago, evolving from professional acquaintances to a deep personal and business partnership.

• Edward’s Perspective:
  Edward recalls meeting Tricia as a new member at Disney's Imagineering division. He was impressed by her ability to bridge business leadership with talent development. Recognizing the potential for a fruitful partnership, Edward sought Tricia's collaboration to enhance leadership and team performance.

  Quote:
  “This is something that is a beginning of a collaboration that I think could be very promising.”
  (09:59)

• Tricia’s Perspective:
  Tricia describes her initial meeting with Edward as a mix of excitement and apprehension. She was concerned about the challenges of co-leading a project within a matrix organization but was reassured by Edward’s proactive approach and shared interests, particularly in innovation and team development.

  Quote:
  “Edward did a couple things really well in that first coffee that helped me to relax and realize, okay, so far so good.”
  (13:00)

Building a Sustainable Partnership

Over a three-year project at Disney, Edward and Tricia’s working relationship blossomed into a strong friendship. Their consistent application of collaborative behaviors fostered a positive team environment, leading to remarkable project outcomes.

• Collaboration Practices:
  They maintained close contact through weekly meetings, task force gatherings, and constant communication via text and phone. This regular interaction not only strengthened their professional bond but also modeled effective collaboration for their team.

  Quote:
  “We had pretty close contact regularly. We had a weekly meeting, we had our teams, had task force meetings.”
  (15:50)

• Impact on the Team:
  Their leadership approach, centered around mutual respect and the five key collaboration behaviors, inspired their team members to actively engage and deliver their best work. This created an environment where team members felt valued and motivated.

  Quote:
  “Everyone who was on the team always just gave us their A game. They were always solving problems, they were always had just positive energy.”
  (17:00)

Developing the Five Collaboration Behaviors

Post-Disney, Edward and Tricia focused on distilling their collaborative success into a structured framework. They identified five key behaviors essential for effective teamwork:

1. Generosity
2. Resourcefulness
3. Co-creation
4. Action
5. Gratitude

These behaviors form the foundation of their upcoming book and methodology for fostering collaboration in any setting.

• Generosity:
  Start interactions with kindness and a willingness to support others.

  Quote:
  “Generosity in the beginning, when you are meeting someone to offer them a smile, to offer them a handshake, to ask something about themselves first instead of making it about yourself first, that's like the most basic human thing that we can do.”
  (26:30)

• Resourcefulness:
  Encourage creative problem-solving and the effective use of available resources.

• Co-creation:
  Promote joint creation of ideas and solutions, leveraging diverse perspectives.

• Action:
  Emphasize the importance of taking proactive steps towards goals.

• Gratitude:
  Cultivate an environment of appreciation and recognition for contributions.

Noble Purpose as a Driving Force

A central theme in their collaboration is the concept of a "noble purpose." This involves aligning team objectives with a higher mission that goes beyond individual or organizational goals.

• Definition of Noble Purpose:
  The noble purpose acts as a unifying force that motivates and guides team members, ensuring that their efforts contribute to a meaningful and shared vision.

  Quote:
  “We recognize a noble purpose bigger than ourselves. And that's what's been driving us to keep working together and keep pursuing things and is in some ways, the foundation of our friendship.”
  (27:45)

• Implementation:
  Edward and Tricia integrated their noble purpose into their collaboration framework, ensuring that every team member understood and internalized the mission. This approach fostered commitment and enthusiasm, enhancing overall team performance.

Challenges in Collaboration

Despite their success, Edward and Tricia acknowledge that effective collaboration is often misunderstood and undervalued in the workplace.

• Common Misconceptions:
  Many organizations mistakenly believe that collaboration is solely about teams, tools, or technologies, neglecting the critical role of individual behaviors.

  Quote:
  “The core unit of collaboration is the individual. And so we all have to work on our individual skills first or we won't be able to collaborate with anyone.”
  (32:40)

• Human-Centric Approach:
  Their methodology emphasizes the importance of individual contributions and interpersonal dynamics over reliance on technological solutions.

  Quote:
  “Collaboration is not one action. It's a collection of actions or behaviors. That's why we said these five behaviors.”
  (33:00)

Conclusion and Future Directions

Edward and Tricia’s journey from Disney colleagues to collaboration experts underscores the importance of intentional relationship-building and shared purpose in achieving team success. Their forthcoming book aims to provide actionable insights and a structured approach to overcoming workplace collaboration challenges.

Vince wraps up the episode by highlighting the significance of their story and teasing the next episode, which will delve deeper into the principles and frameworks they’ve developed.

Closing Quote:
“Create the change you want to be. So I feel that that's really at the heart here, is be the change you seek.”
(21:17)

Key Takeaways

• Effective collaboration begins with individual behaviors and personal relationships.
• A noble purpose unites and motivates teams, driving sustained success.
• The five key behaviors—generosity, resourcefulness, co-creation, action, and gratitude—are essential for fostering a collaborative environment.
• Human-centric approaches to collaboration are more impactful than solely relying on technological tools.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Edward Van Loonen:
  “I think I like this. I'm enjoying this work.”
  (05:14)

• Tricia Cerone:
  “If you have those, then the technology will work for you. But if you don't have those or something similar, then all the technology in the world isn't going to help your team be happy or collaborate better or communicate better.”
  (30:00)

• Tricia Cerone:
  “Generosity in the beginning, when you are meeting someone to offer them a smile, to offer them a handshake, to ask something about themselves first instead of making it about yourself first, that's like the most basic human thing that we can do.”
  (26:30)

• Edward Van Loonen:
  “We recognize a noble purpose bigger than ourselves. And that's what's been driving us to keep working together and keep pursuing things and is in some ways, the foundation of our friendship.”
  (27:45)

• Tricia Cerone:
  “The core unit of collaboration is the individual. And so we all have to work on our individual skills first or we won't be able to collaborate with anyone.”
  (32:40)

• Vince Chen:
  “Create the change you want to be. So I feel that that's really at the heart here, is be the change you seek.”
  (21:17)

Final Thoughts

This episode of Chief Change Officer offers invaluable insights into building effective teams through intentional collaboration and shared purpose. Edward and Tricia’s experiences highlight the importance of nurturing relationships and embodying collaborative behaviors to drive organizational success. Stay tuned for Part Two, where they will explore the specific behaviors and frameworks that underpin their collaborative methodology.