Collaboration—it’s a buzzword we hear often, right? We’re constantly reminded of its value. But for small business owners, the story can be a little more complex.

In schools, collaborative learning is encouraged to help students develop critical thinking, teamwork skills, and to prepare them for the workplace. In business, gathering ideas and input from a diverse group of employees usually leads to better processes and products. When a team works together, they’re more likely to innovate, reach goals, and enjoy a sense of community and accomplishment.

According to a study by Zippia titled 35+ Compelling Workplace Collaboration Statistics (2023): The Importance of Teamwork, more than half of U.S. workers rely on collaboration for their jobs, 75% of employees rate teamwork and collaboration as very important, and 86% of employees in leadership positions cite a lack of collaboration as the main reason for workplace failures. As a communicator, I often share stories about the amazing things my clients’ teams achieve, from solving complex engineering problems to redefining markets.

However, not all collaborations are positive. In fact, too much collaboration can lead to overload, and well-intentioned efforts can backfire. Here are five pitfalls of what I call the “collaboration trap,” especially for small businesses.

1. Wasted Time

Research shows that smaller teams often outperform larger ones. For a small business that might be three to four people. Yet, in an attempt to be inclusive, small business want to include al lot more people. Teams can grow too large, pulling individuals away from other important work. Coordinating a larger group takes more time, and discussions can drag on without reaching a conclusion.

2. Groupthink

In any group, there are a few who haven’t mastered the art of listening. These individuals tend to dominate conversations, push their ideas, and cause others to shut down their creativity. This dynamic can silence the more introverted members and undermine the purpose of collaboration. In a small company where there may be a number of younger people it is good to be sure that they don’t buy into the group dynamic. You want fresh ideas and that can be squelched if older or more senior members of the team get too vocal.

3. Poor Results

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” The same applies to excessive collaboration. Large groups can struggle to form strong bonds and a unified sense of purpose, leading to a lack of trust. Competition for leadership can cause divisions, and the best ideas might get overlooked. For instance, during a recent product launch, what started as a concise, two-minute video script ballooned into a six-minute piece after the entire group’s input.

4. Paralysis

While collaboration aims to surface the best ideas, it can also lead to clashes of personality and working style. These conflicts can stall progress, particularly in creative projects or when implementing process or product improvements. Paralysis, or indecision, can be costly.

5. Employee Burnout

For some, constant collaboration is a fast track to burnout. Too many meetings, back-to-back, can leave employees feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. I’ve been on calls where clients admit they’re lost on a project’s status or what needs to be done. The mental toll of constant communication can be draining. Sometimes, it’s more efficient to tackle some tasks solo and then reconvene with the team.

Now, it might sound like I’m not a fan of collaboration, but that’s not the case. In fact, my business—media production—is highly collaborative. We work closely with client teams to create the best content. Here are some tips that have helped us make collaboration successful.

Tips for Successful Collaboration

1. Start Large, Then Narrow Down: Begin with a broad brainstorming session and then reduce the team size as the project advances to avoid time wastage and excessive collaboration.
2. Assign a Leader and Set Ground Rules: Designate a team leader and establish ground rules to ensure everyone has a chance to contribute.
3. Foster Respect and Curiosity: Encourage respect for others’ ideas and ask questions to clarify different viewpoints. Prevent any single individual from dominating the discussion.
4. Keep Meetings Short and Sweet: Schedule meetings for 25 or 55 minutes instead of a full half or full hour to give people a breather between sessions. Don’t be afraid to do “stand-up” meetings or just brief check-ins. Not everything needs a long time to discuss.
5. Use Collaboration Tools: Document the progress and use tools to keep everyone aligned and on track. If your small business does not have these tools a simple goggle sheet can also work. No need to use expensive systems.
6. Know When to Collaborate and When to Delegate: Break down tasks and let individuals work independently when appropriate. Have them bring their completed work back to the group for review and feedback.

When done right, collaboration can be transformative. Just be mindful not to fall into the collaboration trap.

The original version of this post was published in Entrepreneur.