The first email was sent in 1971. By 2024, no one could have imagined that over 360 billion emails would be exchanged daily.

As the world embraced faster communication, email became more than just a quicker way to send messages—it enabled digital conversations. This shift laid the foundation for instant messaging tools, which have since evolved into powerful collaboration platforms, transforming how people work and connect in real time.

Are We Collaborating Too Much?

Today, our workdays are filled with Zoom meetings, Slack messages, and yes, still plenty of emails. But are we collaborating too much?

Imagine for a moment: What if all your communication systems were taken away for a week? No email, no Slack, no Zoom, no meetings. How long would your team members be able to move forward?

This thought experiment is a powerful test of how well-coordinated your organisation truly is. Collaboration is about how we work together. Coordination, on the other hand, is about how we work independently toward a common goal. In a well-coordinated organisation, people can move forward without constant communication, because they clearly understand their roles, responsibilities and objectives.

The Increasing Importance of Coordination

Today, the importance of coordination is coming into focus.

With hybrid and flexible work, team members are not always in the same location—or even the same time zone. Relying solely on online communication can be a challenge, and a major distraction. With the right level of coordination, people and teams can do more on their own. They know exactly what needs to be done and how their work contributes to the bigger picture, without waiting.

Coordinating Knowledge Work

Consider a Formula 1 pit stop—maybe the peak of coordination. Every team member knows their role and performs it flawlessly in seconds. The collective harmony comes from each individual’s clarity and skill. Collaboration would only compromise the split-second execution.

Of course, our work environments are not like a pit stop. We can't rely on consistency; knowledge work is full of uncertainties, shifting conditions, and a variety of perspectives. To effectively coordinate the modern workforce, we need greater focus on equipping people with the tools and feedback they need to be self-sufficient, and reduce the reliance on traditional delegation. 

Get Coordinated

Communication came first, then collaboration—it's now time to get coordinated. By focusing on clarity, autonomy, and smarter alignment, we can reduce the noise, reclaim time for deep work and create moments of more meaningful collaboration.

With a mindful balance between collaboration and coordination, work environments can be not just efficient, but also empowering—where every team member is confident in their role and purpose. With better coordination, we can transform the way we work and achieve more together, even when we work apart.