Henry Ford, the famous industrialist and founder of Ford Motor Company, once said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” The ability to work together, to be a team player, and to collaborate is so important in this rapidly-changing world.

However, because the world is becoming such a competitive place, people may fear that collaborating also means helping out one’s competition. Moreover, in certain circumstances, individual achievement is emphasized over group learning and success. The first thing that comes to my mind is Chinese gaokao national college entrance exam where students are graded solely by marks.

The reality, though, is that almost everywhere in the Western world from school to the playing field to university to the workplace demands teamwork. At top-tier private schools and Ivey League universities, students can expect to have to work on group projects and presentations together. A potential employer is going to want to hire those who can collaborate effectively as many tasks are project-based.

So what exactly is collaborating? It’s simply more than just working together. It’s about working together effectively. It is about identifying each team member’s strengths and using each of those individual talents for the group’s overall success. It also means a willingness on the part of each member to take the initiative instead of waiting to be told what to do. Think of the team as the engine in one of Henry Ford’s cars. Each part, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in the overall functioning of the engine.

One of the most difficult aspects of collaboration is accountability, that is ensuring that each member does his or her part. I’m sure we’ve all been in situations where one or a couple team members don’t pull their weight. We grumble and become frustrated and often times we’ll just do the work for them. A high-performing team will identify such problems and hold those team members accountable so that they are contributing their fair share of the work and responsibility.

Lastly, one of the most important things about collaboration is giving. Perhaps you have noticed that those in leadership positions tend to be some of the most generous people in the world. Well, there is a reason why these kind and giving people are successful. In fact, there is data to prove this. In his book Give and Take, Adam Grant, the youngest tenured professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, shows that those individuals who give more of their time and energy to others tend to be more successful in life.

So, if you take the time to invest in others, to build them up, and to effectively collaborate, you will be benefitting a lot in the end.