Perks, Plans & People: How Collaboration is the Quickest Way to Executing Your Vision

What does it mean to truly collaborate?

This learned skill can hardly be taught at in an institutional setting and must be accomplished by having a unified vision amongst participants. The idea of collaboration involves one’s ability to do some self-assessment in order to realize in fact where the weaknesses lie and how to overcome them. It may come naturally to a person to incorporate genuine collaborative efforts into a long-term strategy. However, even if you don’t have a gift to connect with others, collaboration is not a talent one can expect to develop by sitting in a classroom or following the protocol of a handbook. It is acquired through the natural environment and mindset of becoming a hustler: one who recognizes strengths and uses the talents of others to generate concerted efforts around an idea or process.

What are the benefits of collaboration?

• Seeking advice from experts and applying it to new ideas
• Working with others in their areas of excellence to execute those ideas
• Recognizing what resources are accessible
• Holding others accountable for being the best at their respective talents

Is collaboration really that intimidating?

Of course it’s possible that one’s ego is struck during the personal assessment phase. Realizing what you are not good at can be tough. But once you come to grips with what’s lacking in your skillset, the opportunities for working with others to realize a dream are endless. However, anyone can easily become intimidated about reaching out to other experts and developing a plan in order to reach those dreams. This will not happen without eliminating fears of inadequacy or even failure.

Who is collaboration best suited for?

Collaboration is one of those trending words thrown around the workplace much like “innovation” in order to inspire creativity. The reality of this popular concept is that not everyone can adopt the necessary personality to bring the results. Here are the personality types that are NOT ready for collaboration:

• The weary-minded pseudo entrepreneur. They are often unsure of themselves. They occasionally use excuses to explain why they couldn’t meet a personal goal. They say things like, “I was almost ready to get that certification, but my mom’s birthday is coming up and I wanted to get her a gift instead.”
• The idea thief and ego-tripping “mastermind.” This person can always guarantee that their ideas are original but almost never take the time to develop a plan that includes their skills. In fact, the plan only exists with the ideas and work ethic of other people, yet if you ask them directly, they never get credit for their efforts.
• The lazy “busy body.” This person likes to boss others around but never do the work to satisfy their end of the bargain. They often want to pull others in to a project, but never pull their weight in order to move a project forward. They are often in denial about the amount of work that needs to be done to make a project excellent.

The reality of this concept is that most people say they want to collaborate, but don’t want to commit to the lifestyle. Collaboration with an entrepreneurial mindset still takes sweat, tears and failures. It also takes a humble spirit to respect the talents of others. Collaboration does not ensure success; it enlightens one’s ability to push through moments of discomfort in order to reach that success. It involves a certain level of accountability and an unapologetic character labeled “diligence.” Take some time this weekend to reflect on your own plans and past behavior. Are you ready to reach your goals faster? Are you suited for genuine collaboration? Or are you simply caught up in the hype of being called an entrepreneur, playing out a one-man show?