Our relationship with others is often determined
by boundaries found in virtually all organizations:
demographic, geographic, horizontal, vertical, or
stakeholder. All too often, however, boundaries become
barriers separating people into groups of “Us” and
“Them.” These shared identities can create suspicion
and distrust that undermine effective collaboration.
Yet in today’s interdependent and complex world,
effective solutions to the most pressing challenges in
business, government, and our global society involve
working together collaboratively. We must find a way to
work with other groups despite differences in our defining
values, perspectives, and beliefs. Leaders must learn
to span boundaries.
