This Collaboration had success written all over it – how do we guarantee it?

Many of us have been in that position, where you couldn’t see anything going wrong with a potential collaboration and yet despite your best efforts to keep it afloat, it ultimately dies and you are at a loss to work out what went wrong. It is so demoralising, when you had counted on something, perhaps an expansion of markets, additional cash flow or perhaps access to new tech and it disintegrates before your eyes and you are left bewildered and a tad embarrassed, that this amazing collaboration you told everyone about is no more. Plus, and from bitter experience, with no plan B.

We get caught up in the moment, we have faith, we believe it will be the answer to our prayers, the way forward. What could have gone wrong? Well, to be honest so many things, I could write another book on the subject – and probably will. Suffice to say, you probably didn’t do your homework.

 Don’t get me wrong, we have all been there to a greater or lesser degree and we can all get carried away in the moment – it ‘feels right’, it was ‘meant to be’ and when it collapses, we are left with the feeling of, ‘they saw me coming’ or the gut wrenching ‘I was made to look a fool’. Often, I hear people say, ‘never again!’ It doesn’t have to be this way. You were probably not conned, although it might feel like it at the time, but you could have avoided that roller coaster to disaster. Either by creating the collaboration through better communication or perhaps reading the warning signs and not even starting the project because the building blocks were not in place.

 How To Build a Collaboration!

Last month on LinkedIn I told you the 5 steps to success when starting a new collaboration https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/collaboration-definitely-work-wont-gill-tiney and I shared the 3 main profiles that are great for people to adopt to ensure success – The Visionary, The Catalyst and The Driver.

Now, don’t get me wrong, these are not personality profiles, or communication profiles or even job title profiles, however over the years we have noticed that when someone has an affinity to one or more of these roles at certain points of the project it really, really, helps the project move forward and has a profound effect on the rest of the team. I explained the first three, in the last article that I believe are essential and as promised I will share here the final 9.

Having an awareness of each role and when to adopt them is like having a magic collaboration coach looking over your shoulder, pointing out the options and the obvious, that generally you are too close to the situation to spot. The full explanations of these profiles are in my upcoming book:

Collaborate!

Harness the untapped power of collaboration, 

to transform your life, your business and our world!

 The final 9 profiles are:

The Strategist, Technician, Tweaker, Salesperson, Multiplier, Monitor, Nurturer, Financier, and finally The Finisher.

At different times in the project these roles have to be allocated to one of the team. If you only have 3 in your team you will at some point be wearing more than one hat, but from the sole purpose of maximising the outcome and ensuring everyone on board is being looked after. We all naturally lean towards certain roles and should volunteer for the roles you are good at, the ones you love. Occasionally you will need to take on one role that isn’t a good fit for you, but in every collaboration there is an opportunity to come out of your comfort zone and learn some new skills. Share with your team your concerns and ensure you get support whilst taking on the role.

In an ideal world with a team of 12 or more you will all gravitate to your preferred role and like the months of the year, astrological signs and seasons you will all seamlessly blend into each other. That is when the collaboration takes on a life of its own and the true magic happens. Never let a member of the team be without a role, they can always be learning and trying a role on for size.

 I believe that in the past the purpose of a collaboration was generally transactional and as such gave birth to expressions such as ‘it’s nothing personal, its business’. Now in our rapidly changing world this seems so last century and attitudes like ‘Show Me The Money’ from the movie Jerry Maguire are fortunately no longer admired. Therefore, we need to adapt and adopt a new way of being that brings a new win/win/win philosophy. A win for you a win for me and a win for the planet.

Which heralds the rising of the B Corp. Thank goodness! If you want to understand the essence of the B Corp look no further than @Paul Hargreaves and @JohnPritchard who both have outstanding companies that live and breathe the essence of the B Corp. Collaboration is at the very nature of what they do and create.

Collaborative roles ensure the team are brought together, for the benefit of the project but more importantly to create something that has the triple win at its heart. At @Collaboration Global we believe when a collaboration goes well there is always an element we can take and pay it forward for the benefit of others. We study how we performed, what we learned, who we can help, and how we can replicate it when it is reviewed and debriefed. The more we do this and follow the rules of the game that are always emerging the better we can live side by side and embrace our differences and our wonderful idiosyncrasies. for the benefit of others. This is becoming our blueprint for living a better life and creating a better planet for humanity to live peacefully side by side.

Yes, learning how to collaborate has untold benefits for business. Not surprisingly it has untold benefits for each of us as individuals too.

Photo Ian Schneider on Unsplash