True collaboration as a state of grace and an act of rebellion

I have been reflecting a great deal on collaboration lately in light of many examples both here in Australia and globally where true collaboration has been severely lacking, and the devastating consequences of this results in broken trust, broken systems, broken progress, and in some cases, broken lives.

When it comes to driving societal change, collaboration is essential. No individual or single organisation can deliver the breadth and depth of impact required to create meaningful long-term shifts in the embedded systems under which we all live.

However, these current embedded systems are not designed to foster collaboration; they are designed with competition and siloes at their core. In this sense, true collaboration is an act of rebellion by those who choose the betterment of society over the elevation of themselves.

I have been reflecting on the idea of true collaboration as a state of grace. I mean this is secular terms. I recently read the book ‘Bright Shining: How grace changes everything’ written by Julia Baird , who describes grace as being ‘both mysterious and hard to define. It can be found when we create ways to find meaning and dignity in connection with each other, building on our shared humanity, being kinder, bigger, better with each other. If, in its crudest interpretation, karma is getting what you deserve, then grace is the opposite; forgiving the unforgivable, favouring the undeserving, loving the unlovable.’

Baird gives the powerful example of our First Nations peoples invitation to non-Indigenous people to walk with them towards true reconciliation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. ‘To continue to ask for this after a history of murder, slavery, exploitation and humiliation – and not to seek to retaliate, rage and burn in return – is a stunning act of grace.’ The heartbreak that so many of us felt and continue to feel after the majority of Australia voted to turn away from this extended hand of grace remains palpable. The lack of grace and poor spirit of collaboration reflected in the Australian identity is one that many others and I can no longer identify with. And thus fuels our rebellion to try even harder, requiring a state of grace to rise above the hate to listen, acknowledge and try to understand the different viewpoints to help find a sustainable path forward, together. ‘Grace is honouring another person’s humanity even when they don’t honour yours.’

Collaboration has always been my natural default in how I choose to live and work. It’s in the name and the DNA of the organisation that I co-founded with two other serial collaborators Moira Were AM and Sarah Gun – Collab4Good – and one of the core values and practices that are deeply embedded into the other organisation that I am fortunate to work for – Social Traders. These two organisations know that true collaboration is essential to driving the kind of systemic societal change that we all work towards each and every day, and our absolute belief in this principle means that we often put the elevation of a sector above the need for our own individual or organisational advantage. There have been many instances of this both locally and nationally which have been the threads holding together the tapestry of our sector’s shared life work towards a more inclusive and equitable Australia. However true collaboration requires reciprocity, with mutual trust and respect as fundamental building blocks – when one party does not understand or practice true collaboration, collective efforts will fail and the delicate threads holding that tapestry together fall apart instead of growing stronger. When competition continues to win over collaboration, our progress is set back by decades and this is grounded in history repeating itself.

We must continue to rebel against the patriarchal systems that continue to work hard to hold us back. And to do this requires a state of grace. I invite you to walk beside me and the many others who understand and practice true collaboration for the betterment of society – it is our state of grace and our act of rebellion that will enable the kind of world that we want for ourselves and for generations to come.

‘Grace is… the chance to be wrong and mess up and that not to be the end of our story.’ - Bright Shining

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