Speaker | Author | Workplace Collaboration Expert
Press Kit
Follow Deb on
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-mashek/
Website www.debmashek.com
Hashtags #DoTogetherBetter #BeyondCollaborhate #Collaborhate #TruthBombsAndTruthBalms
About Dr. Deb Mashek
Speaker | Author | Workplace Collaboration Expert
Collaboration shouldn’t drain energy—it should drive results. Deb helps leaders and teams turn the hard work of working together into a productive, energizing force for real impact. As a social psychologist and author of Collabor(h)ate, she draws on nearly three decades of experience researching, teaching, and applying the science of human connection to reveal how people, tools, and culture shape the way we work together. A former professor and nonprofit executive, Deb blends truth-telling candor with practical science to show what’s possible when we do together better.
Pronunciation Guide
Deb MASH-ick
Featured In
Interview topics:
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Why collaboration so often fails to deliver on its promise?
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The three mistaken beliefs that silently sabotage collaboration
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Why enthusiastic people and great tools aren’t enough to make collaboration work?
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CINO - “Collaboration In Name Only” and how organizations fake it?
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The hidden warning signs of collaboration breakdown.
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The “dysfunction awareness threshold” — and why it matters.
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Why collaboration is hard (and why it’s worth of that hardness)?
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Why diverse perspectives make collaboration harder — and more powerful?
Suggested interview questions:
General
How did your background as a social psychologist shape your work in organizations?
Why do you care so deeply about helping people “do together better”?
Why do you believe collaboration is so misunderstood?
Why do you say collaboration is “hard — but how hard things get done”?
How has doing this work across nonprofits, higher education, and corporate environments shaped your thinking?
Collaboration & Failure
Why does collaboration fail so often, even when everyone has good intentions?
What are the most common mistakes organizations make when trying to encourage collaboration?
Why do so many collaborations end up feeling frustrating instead of productive?
Mistaken Beliefs that Sabotage Collaboration
What are the biggest myths about collaboration that you encounter in your work?
Why isn’t hiring enthusiastic people enough to make collaboration work?
Why do you say “tools don’t collaborate — people do”?
How do people, tools, and culture have to work together for collaboration to succeed?
What happens when organizations focus on only one piece of the puzzle?
Dysfunction & Early Warning Signs
What is the “dysfunction awareness threshold”?
Why do leaders often miss the early warning signs of collaboration breakdown?
What are the red flags teams should watch for?
Transformation & Possibility
What simple shifts can organizations make to start collaborating better immediately?
