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In reality, It isn't. Collaboration is not instinctive. It isn’t automatic. And it almost never “just happens.”
In this book, we reveal why collaboration breaks down and how even the most capable teams get stuck in misalignment, stalled decisions, and conflict.
Through compelling stories and the journey of Tim, a fictional yet deeply familiar leader, you’ll see how good intentions collide with clashing personalities, unclear expectations, and hidden dynamics that silently shape group behavior. But we don't just explaining the why; through fiction-meets-facilitation storytelling, we share six principles and our proven tools that help teams think clearly, communicate honestly, build trust, and navigate conflict with confidence.

“The story kept me rooting for Tim the entire time! Refreshing—backed by evidence and paired with clear, actionable strategies. I’ll return to this book throughout my career.”
-Executive Higher Education Leader, Arizona State University
“This book combines vivid stories, powerful insights, and practical tools to help us design collaboration that actually works.”
-Sarah Tracy, PhD, Professor, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University
“Fresh, current, and fun. Packed with helpful guidance and information. The ending is simply beautiful!
-Former CMO, Transformational Fellow, The NARBHA Institute


If you’ve purchased the book, you get access to the digital Activity Guide: a practical and applicable toolkit featuring all the activities and tools from the book including Guide-to-Me, Ways of Working, Collaboration Assessment, and much more!

If you’ve purchased the book, you get access to the digital Discussion Guide; a guide for
for book clubs, teams, and leadership groups that includes chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, reflection prompts, and conversation starters!
Download the first 14 pages of The Collaboration Illusion and meet Tim, the team, and the collaboration chaos that starts it all.
Sneak Peek (pdf)
DownloadA dynamic, story-driven keynote introducing the six principles of collaboration, the Tim narrative, and one applied activity focused on how teams can start to work better together.
Typically 60-90 minutes
Great for: all-hands meetings, retreats, conferences, and learning days.
**Discounts available for education, non-profit, and government
After the keynote, we facilitate an in-depth session with participants where we dive into how collaboration show us in their work, explore the the six principles, and engage in some fundament collaboration skills they can take into their work right away.
Typically 2-4 hours
Perfect for: department retreats, leadership development programs, culture-building initiatives.
**Discounts available for education, non-profit, and government
After the keynote, we engage participants in an applied collaboration lab where we help them surface their current collaboration patterns, learn their ways of working, practice perspective-taking, work through tensions using real examples, and build a simple collaboration plan or charter.
Typically 4-6 hours.
Ideal for: teams and leaders looking for a hands-on, practical, and transformational learning experience.
**Discounts available for education, non-profit, and government
Anca is a human-centered designer, strategic storyteller, and collaboration consultant known for bringing improv, visual thinking, and futures thinking to leaders who want to communicate with clarity and build forward-thinking strategies together. She holds a Master's Degree from Arizona State University in Business and numerous certifications in applied methods and tools that support collaboration. Born and raised in Romania, she brings global perspective, cultural nuance, and a love of stories to all her work.
Cary is a researcher and organizational communication expert who helps teams navigate complexity, uncover behavior patterns, and translate insight into practical change. With over twenty years of experience leading strategic initiatives and transforming workplace culture, she brings a unique blend of credentials: certified public accountant (CPA), project management professional (PMP), and one of the first 500 certified change management professionals (CCMP) in the world. She holds master's and doctoral degrees in communication from Arizona State University—a combination she calls being a "pracademic," bridging the worlds of research and work.
Together they are Co-CEOs of a female led consulting firm, DesignConvo LLC, in Chandler, Arizona. As facilitators, designers, and leadership educators they have spent a combine 25+ years inside boardrooms, universities, healthcare systems, and cross-sector coalitions helping thoughts of people As a dynamic due, they teach leaders how to communicate with intention, navigate conflict, and design the structures that make real collaboration possible.
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