How amazing it is to see that people from all walks of life, across all kinds of professions and industries, often seem to be drawn to collaboration each time an individual idea hits the wall. It is natural for people to feel capable of solving all kinds of problems on their own. In fact it is fair to say that sometimes that may be the best way. But, taken over a long period of time we are often faced with a simple fact; joined forces with shared interests generally win. The sheer breadth of areas where collaboration is adding competitive value to enterprises big and small is a sure sign of a maturing discipline.

Continued collaboration is key to our success

It certainly has been an eventful five years here in Greenville. While the economic downturn had impacts here, like everywhere, we have emerged stronger and seemingly better positioned to continue growing our economic vibrancy and quality of life. With national and international recognition streaming into our communities, continued economic growth and an enhanced emphasis on community health and vitality, the future certainly looks bright in Greenville…READ ON

Collaboration Needed to Address Youth Unemployment

Not for Profits have called for a major collaboration between community, business and Governments to address the alarming increase in youth unemployment. The average Victorian youth unemployment rate for the year to July 2014 was 13.8 per cent, up from 12.3 per cent from the same period a year earlier. The figures place Victoria as the second worst Australian state for youth unemployment after Tasmania. Victoria’s peak welfare organisation Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) says Victoria needs to bring together community, business and government to develop a comprehensive workforce participation plan and begin to reorient the economic development towards employment-intensive growth…READ ON

Big Goal Collaborative

The Big Goal is one of seven priorities identified by Vision 2020. It aims to increase the percentage of Northeast Indiana residents with high-quality degrees or credentials to 60% by 2025. Research shows that more than 60% of jobs will soon require post-secondary education in the form of a two- or four-year degree or credential. Currently, less than 35% of Northeast Indiana’s workforce has a labor market-valued degree or credential…READ ON

India invites Serbia for collaboration in traditional medicine

India has extended an invitation to Serbia to enhance bilateral cooperation in Yoga and traditional medicine. An invitation from Union Health Minister Harshvardhan has been extended to Zlatibor Loncar, Minister of Health of the Republic of Serbia, inviting him sign a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in traditional medicine. With the NDA-government taking over, India has been keen to give a boost to traditional medicine and propagate Yoga. This was the message that Ambassador of India to Serbia Narinder Chauhan conveyed during her meeting Dr. Loncar this past week. She appraised the Minister of India’s keenness to ink the agreement in order to enhance bilateral cooperation in Yoga and traditional medicine…READ ON

Collaborator or Contractor

“The problem is that you have the mindset of a collaborator, not a contractor.” That’s what my oldest daughter said to me last night at dinner after I’d been complaining about my treatment as a freelancer. A light blinked on inside my head and I saw the problem clearly for the first time: clients are not collaborators; they are only clients. It isn’t merely an issue of my being “too nice”, or lacking boundaries (as women are so often accused.) The root of the problem is that I pride myself on doing good work and making people happy, and as a result I become over-invested in client projects. I become a collaborator, not a contractor, and in doing that I am setting myself up for frustration and exploitation—often unintentional on the client’s part. And that’s not fair to either of us…READ ON

Healthy Water Ohio says collaboration needed to address water issues

In the wake of the recent crisis in Toledo, the Healthy Water Ohio (HwO) coalition gathered at Grand Lake St. Marys to discuss collaborative solutions to the state’s water resource challenges. HwO is a uniquely diverse group of stakeholders from conservation, business and industry, universities, water suppliers, agriculture, public health and others. The group, launched publicly in July, is developing a 20 to 30 year management strategy to address water issues for Ohio. One priority issue is toxic algae…READ ON

For More Productive Meetings, Throw Out Your Conference Table

If your meetings are long, awkward and unproductive, you’re not alone in your misery. One study of 2,000 managers reported in Industry Week revealed that at least 30 percent of the time people spend in meetings is a waste of time…READ ON

Startup drags hardware design out of dark ages with collaborative, browser-based app

A few years back, Michael Woodworth got a call from Zak Homuth, a former housemate from his days as a computer engineering student the University of Waterloo. “One day Zack called me and said, I want to quit my job,” Mr. Woodworth recalls. “Seriously, that was the phone call: ‘You want to come to Waterloo and start a business?’” He didn’t even know what kind of business he wanted to start, but they’d talked a lot about it back in the day…READ ON

Drive Enterprise-wide Collaboration by Embracing Change

“Find out how IBM is reimagining the social business.  Imagine if you could move big ideas forward by thinking small. We’re talking about enterprise collaboration – and how bringing together small, diverse groups of people within even the biggest organizations can help those organizations be more collaborative and innovative than ever. Follow #TEDatIBM on Twitter to see our new engagement series inspired by TED@IBM, a TED-curated event on September 23…READ ON

…and now for something completely different…

“How to Get Rich” is Not How You’d Expect

Felix Dennis (1947–2014)
Mr Dennis’ lessons are based on real life experience.

Today, I’m going to impart one the world’s most colorful entrepreneur’s secrets to building lasting wealth. I’ll also bid him adieu. His name is Felix Dennis. He died on June 22, 2014, at the age of 67 from throat cancer. If you’ve never read his book, How to Get Rich, you’re missing out on the best book of its kind. But more on that in a bit. Felix Dennis was one of the richest self-made men in Britain. He started with nothing. No capital and no college education. Dennis made his money publishing hobbyist and lifestyle magazines, beginning with Kung-Fu Monthly in 1974. He then added many more titles, including Maxim and The Week…READ ON