Collaboration is gaining attention as a key driver of overall business performance, innovation capabilities and productivity. However, there is a discrepancy between the perceived importance of collaboration and the extent to which companies approach collaboration in a structured manner. Few companies methodically evaluate how well they perform in the area of collaboration, and few have implemented management and leadership principles to systematically improve collaborative performance. This article explains how businesses can benefit from systematic, structured investment in tools and methods supporting collaboration, and concludes with a few governing principles and a list of specific action points for businesses that are interested in improving their collaborative performance and obtaining a higher Return on Investment (ROI) on their collaboration initiatives.