“ReConnect to Start Principles”

Shifting from a Me orientation to a We orientation will help you steer your career and your organization. Businesspeople who want to “reconnect as team members, entrepreneurs” and “corporate executives” can follow seven tenets:

“Be brave” – Me serves as your starting point and essential self-actualization platform, the place where you are steadfast. From there, you can follow a process of moving toward a vital leadership role as a change-maker. To move out of your comfort zone, follow his lead. Be open. Be a risk-taker. Speak strongly. Disrupt.

“Build a diverse network” – To collaborate, you must network. Make your web of connections as disparate as possible. Seek people of different ages, genders, experiences and expertise. Having a variety of networking partners will challenge your ideas, extend your boundaries, provide valuable feedback and generate solutions you never considered. Some important networking considerations include: What value can you deliver to your network? What value can your network deliver to you? Is your network dedicated to collaboration? Are you?

“Full disclosure” – In addition to classic executive skills, effective leaders wield “soft skills” – like acknowledging their fears and facing their vulnerabilities. They show courage and trust. Even though it can be unsettling, you must demonstrate vulnerability in order to achieve openness and transparency. Regard your fears as gifts that prompt positive action. Face uncertainty head-on as you take bold new steps.

“Disrupt” – Maintaining the status quo means repeating the same ordinary actions you’ve pursued so far. It means no change – and no movement into a potentially more profitable future. And it means ignoring exceptional and innovative ideas. “The status quo is the enemy of change, new ideas, innovation and invention. The status quo is not a friend of commercial collaboration.” Shake up the status quo by becoming a disruptor. Collaboration requires change. Introduce new “leading-edge methods,” and empower the people in your network.

“Exchange value” – Collaboration involves transactions – fair exchanges among participants. These transactions, always based on good faith and good will, may concern knowledge swaps, value swaps, or both. To collaborate, you must be ready to share your valuable information with others. Can you deliver? What do you want in return? Before you share, consider how you will safeguard your intellectual property.

“Think bigger” – Do you have faith in yourself? Do you trust your team? Are you willing to take a chance and risk failure? If so, start thinking big and pursuing your dreams. Determine when to stop fantasizing, strategizing and weighing all options – and when to take action. Nothing is ever 100% perfect, so 80% should be your “go point.”

“Sponsor others” – Former General Electric chairman and CEO Jack Welch defined success for leaders as “growing others.” This means far more than mentoring. It involves offering others full sponsorship and opening doors for them. Introduce them to your network and help them succeed. Sponsors assist people who are junior to them and they’re always in the process for the long haul. A primary goal of collaboration is to future-proof your business. To achieve it, sponsor upcoming leaders and help them grow.