The Collaboration Illusion
- BBE Insights
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Bluebarna POV — November, 2025
Why good intentions aren’t enough in the age of AI.
As organizations race to adopt artificial intelligence, a curious paradox emerges: AI is often easier to collaborate with than our human colleagues. While teams rate themselves highly on willingness to collaborate, a deeper investigation reveals a persistent lack of trust, alignment, and clarity.
THE ILLUSION
This article explores the illusion of collaboration inside modern organizations, exposing how ego, ambiguity, and emotional immaturity derail even the most well-intentioned efforts.
Drawing from real-world leadership sessions and simple diagnostic exercises, Orlando Vergara, Bluebarna’s Founder & CEO, outlines three critical barriers to effective collaboration and offers practical strategies to foster trust, define purpose and clarify decision-making.
In an age where AI collaborates without ego, it may be our emotional intelligence—not artificial intelligence—that requires the most urgent upgrade.
Why we rate ourselves a 10 on collaboration, but don’t really mean it
In leadership workshops across industries, I often ask teams a simple question:
“From 1 to 10, how willing are you to collaborate?”
Almost everyone answers 10.
But then I ask:
“Do you trust your own decisions more than your colleagues’?”
The answer shifts. Most say yes.
This isn’t just a contradiction. It’s a symptom of a deeper issue:
We love the idea of collaboration, but we rarely practice its true form.
Artificial intelligence has no ego.
It doesn’t interrupt.
It doesn’t need credit.
It doesn’t push for its own solution or sulk when overlooked.
Collaborating with AI feels seamless.
It offers ideas without insisting on them.
It lets go. Adapts. Moves forward.
It’s easier to collaborate with AI than with people
Because AI doesn’t judge. But humans do.
AI doesn’t cling to ideas. We do.
The rise of “Courtesan Collaboration”
We’ve perfected the art of appearing collaborative.
Smiles, nods, polite debates… all wrapped in a polished façade.
But beneath the surface, each person is defending their territory.
Everyone wants their idea to win. And no one wants to lose face.
This is a courtesan collaboration:
An elegant dance where ideas are exchanged—but egos are never truly surrendered.
And worse: mirror collaboration —Where we only listen to what already sounds like us.
A real-life moment: 50 people, 50 problems
In a session with 50 leaders, I asked a simple question:
“What is the problem we are here to solve?”
Fifty different answers.
We stopped everything. No slides. No agenda.
We aligned before moving forward.
Because collaboration without shared purpose is just choreography without music.
Why collaboration fails — despite good intentions
The objective isn’t clear.
→ Ask everyone to define the problem. Compare. Misalignment is guaranteed.
Roles and decision-making are vague.
→ Collaboration isn’t chaos. Someone must decide.
Remember the Smurfs? When it gets tough, everyone looks to Papa Smurf.
There’s a lack of real trust.→ We don’t say it, but we think: “My idea is better.”
Real collaboration means letting go
Not of your voice, but of your need to win.
Let go of credit.
Trust in others.
Support solutions not born from your ego.
COLLABORATION ISN’T BEING HEARD. IT’S BUILDING TOGETHER.
THE COLLABORATION SCALE
Level 1 — I want my idea heard
Level 2 — I’m open to hearing others
Level 3 — I’m willing to change my idea
Level 4 — I’m ready to co-create
Most teams think they’re in Level 4.
Most are between Level 1 or 2.
AI collaborates without ego.
If we can’t do the same, we’ll be outpaced and outclassed —at what we thought was our human superpower.
THE REAL LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE ISN’T AI. IT’S OUR EMOTIONAL MATURITY.
Are you really collaborating? Or just politely campaigning for your idea? Let’s build ecosystems together.
Download the PDF Article Here ->
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