Give it a go. Great collaboration needs an experimental attitude.

Ask yourself, "Is it good enough for now, safe enough to try?"

Letting go of perfectionism and focusing on experimentation can accelerate creativity, learning, and progress.

Collaborations can feel slow and frustrating when too much focus is on needing the right answer or a finished product. Whilst there is certainly a need to ensure safety and quality, there is room for embracing a more experimental attitude to test, learn and iterate.

If we get better at seeing decision-making as an "agreement to test" rather than a fixed way of doing something, it can help to create a more connected, engaged collaboration. And if we are open to learning and adaptation, it can also feel a lot more fun, fulfilling and fruitful!

In order to work with a more experimental attitude however, it does require us to let go of particular ways of thinking (and this can sometimes be harder than we like to admit...)

???[^] Reflective Exercise; Exploring Attachments...

Think about a new idea/product/service/way of working you are developing or exploring that feels important to you and the business.

• What is it that I am particularly attached to?
• How might my attachments be holding this collaboration back?
• What emotions or fears arise when I think about "just giving it a go"?
• Am I open to alternative options?
• What assumptions or biases might be influencing my attachment to this solution?
• What are the potential risks or downsides of being overly attached?
• Can I identify any past experiences or beliefs that have contributed to my attachment?
• What needs to happen in order for me to feel ok in saying, "Yes, it's good enough for now and safe enough to try?"

Working experimentally requires the development of self-awareness, reflexivity, communication, reflection, and decision-making.

[^] RISE helps groups develop collaborative skill sets; if you think we can be helpful, let's chat!

Megan Taylor, Managing Director of RISE Beyond, shares these reflections on collaboration.

Megan helps groups deepen their understanding of what is going on, guiding them to experiment with new ways of working on their biggest challenges.

With a curiosity for approaching challenges differently, Megan draws on a range of expertise whilst improvising in the moment to best serve the needs of the group. Find out more about Megan and her work

[^] RISE Beyond?is a global Collaboration Consultancy and learning community.

We partner with individuals and organisations to help people work and learn, better together.

Learn more at RISEbeyond.org