Radical Collaboration –
8 Key Ingredients
I recently attended the Philanthropy 2.0: Radical Collaboration event with the Charities Review Council. As I listened to the panel discuss some of the key ingredients to RC in the non-profit world, I realized they need to apply to for-profit world as well.
Here are the key factors I gleaned from the event.
- Energy – You need all involved to have a desire for collaboration, a goal to get things done and the passion to work toward the goals.
- Ego Struggles Resolution – Check your ego out in the car, even before you get to the door. Approach the agenda with the idea that the room is full of experts with ideas. Even if you are the best in the room, little is accomplished by making sure everyone knows it.
- Get People Interested – People are more open, will work harder and come up with more ideas if they have a stake in it or you have captured their interest.
- Make It Personal – Show people how it matters to them. How it will impact people or a business they care about.
- The Power of Groups – Use each other to find answers you could not find on your own. Brainstorm, bounce ideas, decision board it, whatever works for the group. It is amazing how just talking out loud about a challenge or idea breeds thoughts. People pull from life experiences and others thoughts to create something new.
- Be Open to Letting Go – Sometimes the original idea isn’t the best or most needed path. Collaboration can often come up with a whole new path that will lead to success or is more mission critical.
- Be Available and Accessible – Be ready for conversations to happen when ideas arrive. Listen to the people impacted by the decisions. Seek to hear the voices of your shareholders and customers.
- Let Go of Leadership – You may need to share the wealth. Someone in the room may be more qualified to lead the charge. Focus more on individuals in charge of steps than having a figurehead.
It is about realizing the solution is bigger than and more important than just you. Let the success of the project be your accolades.
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