Wrike Blog

  Brainstorming. It's been something ingrained as necessary in order to generate new ideas since we were kids. "Time to brainstorm your next science project." "Let's get together and brainstorm some ideas on why Elizabeth can't stand Mr. Darcy."  . Brainstorming has been done to death. So much so, that managers have forgotten why we even brainstorm in the first place. Most managers believe it's just the first step to generating the next great idea. And if that great idea doesn't...

You have a project with a tight deadline, which is enough to stress over. But then you also have a cross-functional team of people from various departments who've never worked together before, and suddenly it's up to you to get them thinking and working together as an integrated unit. So how do you get them to coordinate their efforts and work as a team? We turned to the experts for tried-and-true advice — their collaboration hacks, if you will — and this is what they had to share...

Conflict is a reality of the working world. You deal with different people every day, people with varying perspectives, opinions, and convictions. When contrasting opinions and dynamic personalities collide, expect conflict and disagreements. As with anything in a professional setting, a little politeness goes a long way to help diffuse the situation. But you also need to realize that there are ways to approach a conflict that can still help you reach your desired outcome. The infog...

When we collaborate as a team, the sum is always greater than the individual parts taken alone. And it is this sort of collaboration that brings about category disrupting ideas and the type of fierce work hustle that leaves competitors in the dust. But in order to get to the productive collaboration that sets apart great companies from mediocre ones, you have to use the right tools. That's where this list comes in. We talk a lot about collaboration on this blog: about strategies, tips,...

Some people may call it a problem, others call it a solution! Problem solving activities are a great way to get to know how your team works (both individually and together) and learn strategies that will help your team quickly react to any obstacles that stand in the way of achieving your project goals.  .  Team building activities can target a specific solution you're focused on improving, including communication and collaboration, adaptability, or strengthening decision making techniqu...

What are the greatest hurdles you face when collaborating with people across your company? HR consulting firm Robert Half International surveyed finance and accounting professionals about their challenges when collaborating with people in other departments. Not surprisingly, the responses (in the graphic below) include coping with different personalities, work stress, conflicting deadlines, and communication breakdowns — answers which are pretty much the same across the board. The...

Part of what makes a team great is the mix of different personalities and perspectives each person brings to the table. But those differences also mean that misunderstandings and miscommunications are bound to happen at some point. And when they do, it can put a real strain on your team, jeopardizing the success of your project—and possibly even your organization.  When team communication starts to unravel, what do you do? And how do you minimize the number of mishaps along the way?  Her...

Remember how much fun St. Valentine's day was in grade school, trading cards and candy with classmates? Coffee time may have replaced nap time, but you can still bring some of that innocent Valentine’s Day fun to your office.  If you think it's too late to show your admiration for your colleagues, think again. There's always time to show appreciation for your team. Just print one (or all!) of these PDFs on regular 8.5” x 11” copy paper, fold or cut them out, and give them to your work bud...