Cultivating Collaboration: Don't Be So Defensive! | Jim Tamm | TEDxSantaCruz

Ever see red? It's called being defensive, and turns out, it is the single greatest inhibitor to true collaboration. Jim Tamm shares years of experience in getting out of the red zone and cultivating a "green zone" attitude.

Jim Tamm is a former law professor and senior administrative law judge for the state of California. He mediated nearly 2,000 employment disputes and handed down legal decisions that impacted national labor policy. He’s worked for 40 years in the field of alliance building and conflict resolution, and is an expert in building collaborative workplace environments. He’s the author of “Radical Collaboration,” published in 2005.

[jadenromero]

“You can’t compete externally if you can’t collaborate internally”. That is extremely helpful for encouraging teamwork! I love it!

[sirvancealot]

I've known this man for more than forty years.  He knows what it takes to deal effectively with conflict.  He has conducted workshops on collaboration around the world.  He is well worth your time.  As we get better at collaborating with each other, our lives get easier and the world will become a better place for all of us to live.

[eh]

I have suffered from defensiveness since I was little. I had felt like a victim most of time as a child, coming from an unhealthy family environment. I am at a point in my life where my future career is threatened because of that and been fired other times because of it as the only reason not because of my lack of competence or production. This video says it all!! It's hard to catch yourself doing it when it's a behavior practiced many times. It's all worth to understand it, and make the change to collaboration.

[DavidM-urfc]

As a retired judge and one of the preeminent mediators in the U.S., Jim Tamm took his message about the power of radical collaboration to the world years ago, and he has gained quite a following since then.  I had the privilege of seeing him speak at the TEDx Santa Cruz, and his presentation was powerful and polished.  Jim and his group have transformed a huge number of organizations around the world, from government entities to Fortune 100 companies, and after seeing him speak, I can understand why his charisma and intelligence have made him a leader in the space of collaborative thinking.

[vasentia]

"A list of common signs of defensiveness"
Me: Oh nice, they are talking about me.

[cszxbtk]

I think it's important to note that chickens don't act like this when they have plenty of space to live. It happens when they are crushed together in small spaces where they have to compete. I think that's a lesson humans can learn too!

[leighd]

Self-awareness is an essential tool unfortunately, many dont have it. Great talk!

[princessfly]

“Our defensiveness helps us hide our fear from ourself.”
Whoah

[Zekeeboy]

when i connected with that paper .... i was truly focused ... so focused that when he crumbled that paper up... i felt it... it was a quick shock to my body... ifelt it ...it startled me... i was not expecting gud ted talks

[sanketpande]

The fears that are referred to, I call them "insecurities". and with both self as well as with others, knowing the insecurities (and of course manifestations of these) wins half the battle in dealing with conflicts, disagreements and promoting collaboration. Great talk.

[JOALKR]

When he snatched the paper I died. Great talk.

[coachmirianndyanabokaamate]

I just cannot stop smiling! I just breathed into that blank paper and I feel happier and lighter 🦋

[nattily]

Having the last word, oh yes.. I do get defensive a lot. Thanku so much, I will surely try these tactics..

[erockk]

Love this. Look internally to your fears why you are defensive with other people.

[BigMrG]

My work is becoming a red zone and its so hard to become green like before. people are thinking about quitting because they hate the hours and the place itself but, they don't see the job they are going to loose.

[gizzy]

Jim – this is amazing! Your Radical Collaboration work invites a fail-forward approach; a recovery model and suggests starting over again when you notice you’re defensive. An even more amazing point you make: is feeling confident in knowing once people (teachers and chickens!) get to flourish in green zone systems, they are then impacting others around them profoundly. One, to one, to one, to many – beautiful long lasting transformation in our world. Thanks for the great talk. Hope you’re well, Noelle O.

[MaartenPieters]

The work of Jim on Radical Collaboration helped me tremendously with building trustful relations with and between civilians, local politicians, civil servants and entrepreneurs in the municipality of Oisterwijk (the Netherlands). Radical Collaboration skills are a must for everbody who wants to practice servant leadership.

[swapnil]

Jim .. this is THE thing..I have become a big fan of you.. world really needs collaborative skills than compitive skills.. thank you so much..10/10.

[etiennebasse]

I can testify it works as well for the people I train with Radical Collaboration as for myself.
It is highly effective.

[agnestaupelyte]

Thank you very much for this great speech. It so useful to hear not only in terms of collaboration but also for self-discovery and self-mastery as well.