Collaborating to Win

Be honest, do you ever take on too much? Too often we try to accomplish everything ourselves and end up taking on more responsibility than is necessary.

As a serial entrepreneur, and a leader of aspiring executives who are also entrepreneurial, breaking the habit of trying to “go it alone” has been paramount. Leaders who do not master the art of collaboration are overworked, get limited results, or in some cases, both.

Our success at Share On Purpose is in large part because of the principle – Together is More: Collaboration Fuels Quality.

WHAT IS “TOGETHER IS MORE”?

The guiding principle Together Is More is about collaboration. Collaboration as a discipline is not well understood because the corporate management system by which most professionals start their career is deeply flawed. In most companies, failure is punished severely, which diminishes the willingness to take calculated risks, and includes an intense focus on individual accountability versus individual and team performance.

This translates into individuals and departments working independently, and in some cases against each other, rather than collaborating to win collectively. This lack of natural collaboration built into the cultural framework impacts productivity and results. It also slowly erodes trust, developing a cut-throat environment, rather than a place of possibilities.

The guiding principle Together is More requires that the executive team models collaboration from the top down, while ensuring collaboration occurs throughout the organization. It’s something that’s not just “talked about” but is embedded into the entire management structure, as it is role modeled at all management levels.

WHY COLLABORATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS

Building a place of possibilities is, in large part, dependent upon the effectiveness of the organization, which hinges on its ability to collaborate. Establishing a culture that has a foundation of collaboration will have a significant impact on the organization’s effectiveness and, ultimately, the growth potential of the business and the individuals supporting it.

HOW DO YOU BUILD COLLABORATION INTO YOUR CULTURE?

Effective collaboration requires a win-win mindset from every level of the organization.

For example, executives and middle management MUST believe:

• No one can win unless we all win.
• When an individual wins, we win as a team.

It requires a commitment to win-win relationships between employees and managers, and the company and its contractors.

This is a powerful leadership lesson that facilitates a culture of collaboration and supports a place of possibilities. I am grateful that our top executives model this attribute and have adopted a collaboration mindset.

If a company that has authentic collaboration among all of its team members sounds like a place where you’d want to work, consider applying for one of our open positions.