Collaboration

Nothing creates more opportunity than collaboration.

Sharing ideas with other businesses can make some old-fashioned mindsets cringe. It's a scarcity mindset that only a finite amount of opportunities exists.

People believe there is one pie of customers and if your slice is bigger, then mine has to be smaller. This is not true.

The fact is, nothing is for everybody, but everything is for somebody. Use collaboration to help each other find the best customers and refer the rest. In this scenario, everyone wins. Your trust value goes up and you gain more of the right customers.

Almost a decade ago, my friend Elliot and I released a mini-book (give us your address and we'll mail you a copy) and a series of workshops to assist individuals in improving collaboration skills. We found that after decades of experience, working together usually produces better outcomes.

Here are a few of the plumb lines I keep in mind when collaborating with someone new.

1. Avoid the word "No"
No, is rarely needed when working with getting projects started. When comedy students are learning improv, one of the first rules they learn is the word "no" is a killer. What makes improv amazing is the performers' ability to keep going. Collaboration works this way in the beginning. Let an idea, any idea, be heard. Who knows where it might lead you.

2. Be a good finder
The easiest thing to do to an idea that isn't yours is to shoot holes in it. Rarely are ideas 100% bad. Sometimes it's the smallest kernel of a terrible idea that leads to an amazing outcome. Trust your partners. They obviously think their idea has value. Look for the good in it and proceed to number 3.

3. Propose alternate solutions
If you don't like something or recognize it's not relevant, offer alternative ideas. Try "How about..." or "What if we...". This provides constructive feedback and reduces the risks of egos getting out of line. The last thing a team needs is for someone to get defensive and disrupt momentum.

When I keep these precepts in mind, my collaborations go smoother and produce better.