How do you share ideas with collaborators?

Physical meeting to me is very important, It allows you to get close to your collaborators and express yourself, It also gives them that feeling of being cared for beyond just business In situations where physical meetings are not possible, You can do a Zoom call but in such situations, regular meetings are important so your collaborators don't feel left out

Your toolkit is essential! I like to utilize cloud-based platforms like Google Docs for real-time co-creation, the lower effort to get it working - the better! Opt for messaging tools like Slack, Teams, or even Discord for quick exchanges. Tailor tools to cater to accessibility and compatibility. Mural is another great tool because you have several functions that enable you to structure information better, especially if there are many people sharing. For calls, Teams has a Whiteboard function which many don't bother to use, but it's really great to visualize on the go! Lastly, my favorite collaboration tool is actually Freeform on iOS, because I can sketch ideas out, use it across my devices and share it with my teams and colleagues.

Collaborating with colleagues in a team on mutual projects, or even more with external partners can be tricky and it takes some time to adapt. My recommendation is to always start with more intensive tools of communication like live presence when possible or at least video calls, utilizing tools like Teams & Zoom, in order to establish the basic guidelines and rules of co-operation. As long as things flow nicely you can automate the most of the communication through emails and collaboration platforms like Slack. Always remember that humans are community creatures and we need personal communication as some points to keep the spark alive. So try to automate, but always keep a more personalized way of communication at least from time to time.

Select collaboration platforms like Slack for communication and Google Docs for real-time document editing to ensure seamless idea sharing. Keep the tools simple!

Elevating Collaboration: The Art of Effective Idea-Sharing In the realm of collaboration, sharing ideas seamlessly is paramount. Channels like Slack, Teams, and email establish clear communication, while brainstorming sessions and diverse perspectives fuel innovation. Visual aids clarify complex concepts, and centralized knowledge hubs ensure access to vital information. Digital tools transcend distances, fostering teamwork. Constructive feedback refines ideas, and ownership empowers contributors. Celebrating milestones binds the team. Let's reshape collaboration through impactful idea-sharing.

Successful collaboration mirrors innovation. Just as innovation blends the past, present, and future, effective collaboration relies on timely sharing and tailored updates. Crucially, by offering a glimpse into the estimated time of completion, you foster a sense of anticipation and involvement. Your collaborators become active participants in the integration project, knowing that their feedback is not just welcomed but anticipated. This approach builds trust and rapport, showcasing your commitment to a collaborative, inclusive process. Offer a roadmap with completion estimates to engage and build trust, aligning past experiences with future goals. This can be conveyed effectively via general or separate channels in Teams.

For me there's nothing as exciting as seeing each coffee, 1:1 session, or meeting as a place to share and to start creating new and innovative ideas. Actually ideas tend to be richer after sharing with others as they are enhanced with different points of view. Perfectionism is the worst enemy for this kind of projects.

Ditch perfectionism. Share drafts, sketches, or prototypes as soon as possible. Early input enhances ideas, avoids duplication, and sparks fresh perspectives. This practice nurtures trust and underscores your value for collaborative engagement. Most of my best collaboration comes from like a "60% it'll work kinda idea" and let's iterate as we implement. Learning to do it step-by-step is more important for me than to have the whole guide ready to go. Collaboration also involves bringing others into the picture, so leadership through listening is crucial.

Don't wait for an idea to be perfect; sharing drafts and initial thoughts can spark creativity and lead to refined outcomes. Be open for feedback!

One of the earliest lessons I learnt as a second time founder was to share early and often. Don’t be scared to ask for advice, get feedback, and take advice. Everyone is worried someone will steal their idea but in reality people are more willing to help you do it because it’s far too much work for them to. And in the case that someone does steal the idea, you should be a defensible founder so that should be a worth for you! But in almost all cases, these people you share with won’t steal the idea. Get out there, speak to your customers, and get feedback early!

Communication is your cornerstone. Simplify language, shun jargon, and provide context. Your collaborators must grasp your message and its significance swiftly. Employ visuals and storytelling to heighten engagement and memorability. I was once thought that if you can't communicate something in simple terms - you haven't mastered the complexity of the subject itself.

Encourage team members to ask questions and provide input, creating an open environment where ideas can be challenged and improved.

This is one of the problems I find with members of my teams, they tend to over communicate and sometimes the point of the conversation is completely lost. As a leader I feel responsible to ask questions and to reframe their messages and to feedback them about the importance of delivering simple and concise messages.

Communicating clearly with your collaborators is absolutely paramount to creative flow. If you can articulate your challenges, and insights, clearly and concisely people will not only understand you better but also be able to properly analyse the situation to be able to be a helpful collaborator. Furthermore, if you can bring some flare and passion to that articulation, you’re onto a winner ????

Clear and Concise: Use simple language, avoid jargon, and explain technical terms. Contextualize: Provide enough context without overwhelming with details. Focus: Emphasize main points, goals, and benefits. Visualize: Incorporate visuals, examples, or stories for engagement. Memorable: Make ideas stick by keeping them engaging and easy to remember.

Embrace the dialogue. Encourage feedback for growth, identify gaps, and uncover novel solutions. Be open-minded, receptive, and thankful. Inviting questions refines your ideas and tests assumptions. It's a two-way learning process. Critical feedback is also usually not personal - so don't personalize everything people say, even when it sounds angry. I recently got an email with some harsh feedback - and it took some effort to remind myself wasn't personal, just someone wanting the best outcome for the deal. We continued to worked on it together and closed a great project. But to be honest, it could have easily fallen apart if I let it become personal!

Encourage team members to ask questions and provide input, creating an open environment where ideas can be challenged and improved.

Never be afraid to take feedback and be questioned. One of the things I’m very clear with as a startup advisor is that I’ll ask difficult and uncomfortable questions about the things we like to try and ignore. This is how you get the best results but tackling the difficult stuff head on. But this also relies on you being willing to take the challenges. You don’t have to do what your collaborator says, but you should be able to listen, digest, and respect their insight and opinion. Being willing to take questions and feedback is absolutely pivotal to that relationship!

Collaboration is about synergy. Embrace a positive stance and open mindset is crucial to facilitating fit. Merge creative techniques like brainstorming to amalgamate concepts creatively. Recognize and expand upon your collaborators' contributions. Draw on each others strengths. Some of us are better with vague and abstract developments, but others require structure and process. Lean on each other to put the idea together without stressing out too much.

Co-creation brings everyone new value and insights but is also a refreshing solid way for engagement and adoption. Not divergence but creative convergence is key. Good tools are Excellerator krachtbaan), COCD box or smart formats.

Listen actively to your collaborators and add value by expanding or refining their suggestions, fostering a culture of collective brainstorming.

I just love when people start to build on each other's ideas, it gets people in the team excited about projects and even though the project might not be under their scope they feel their part of a transformation process and that their ideas where heard and will sooner or later will become a reality.

For me, communication and collaboration are base for everything, can be in personal or professional life, because what I understand is different than what you understand, if not there is clarity of the communication, about what are the expectation of the both parts the things leave of the inadequacy form, can to generate rework, etc.. and collaboration, because I believe that anyone do anything alone, we live in a community made by people. Anyway, both (communication and colaboration) are strong importants and one complement each other, make senses? Do you agree with my opinion or have something for complement? I would like more know your opinion about this topic! (:

As a founder with two cofounders, celebrating everyone’s ideas creates a thriving and creative collaborative environment! It doesn’t always have to be elaborate. Simply acknowledging people’s wins can be extremely validating and often gets forgotten in the wider world. So next time you’re collaborating with someone, whether it be a colleague, family member, or peer, make sure you can take a step back and be their cheerleader too!