I am regularly asked whether I think that a new business undertaking, be it a start-up, a social enterprise or a traditional business venture, has a better chance of succeeding with collaboration as part of its strategy. I am inclined to say “Yes”, but with one major qualification; […]
Humans are wired for the appreciation of beauty, harmony, pleasant patterns. Work can be beautiful. The entire experience can be pleasant in a similar way that we experience listening to good music, appreciate a sculpture or admire a well designed chair. It is not a standard thing for […]
I recently came across the term ‘collaborative capitalist’, which was in reference to Margaret Heffernan, the author of A Bigger Prize. I have not read the book and so can’t really comment much. But judging by what information is available, it seems that Ms Heffernan makes a critical […]
As you all know, I have a vested interest in collaboration, so if this piece sounds a bit ‘it’s all about collaboration’, that is probably because it is. My main point is not that collaboration is unavoidable and that everything has to be done collaboratively. What I do […]
The adoption of new ideas is not a precise science. Certainly it is not always about logic and rationality, as much as we hope these would be part of the argument. Embracing collaboration is one of those ideas whose seemingly simple construction leads to a blind spot: we […]
In the last selection of ROADMENDER Recommends I was guided by a point that seemed so obvious and yet in need of reinforcing. As I remarked then, collaboration has surpassed the point of familiarity and has entered into the sphere of relevance in a variety of ways. The […]
Collaboration is a hot topic in the not for profit world – from Australia and the UK to the USA, Africa and Asia. There is a shift in the way charities, not for profits, NGOs, community organisations, voluntary groups, social enterprises, and a plethora of other groups operate. […]
There are moments that at times stretch into days of frustration caused by collaboration not going as planned. How that frustration plays out in the final outcome can be largely determined by the design of the collaborative strategy. Collaboration is a process of value creation with a significant […]
There’s never a boring moment in the land of collaboration. If not collaborating on a project, one can always plot another opportunity. Now, that’s not too bad for engagement and satisfaction levels when it comes to competitive work. And, then there’s the bit about learning new things. For […]
In a culture of ‘winner takes all’, collaboration may be for wimps; until competition becomes the dominant practice, that is. However with dominance also comes rot, which manifests in many areas of an enterprise. Of course, this is not case with all organisations, but history tells us it is […]
The payments industry (Paypal, etc.) is reaching to collaboration as a way of creating strategic disruption, while collaboration between doctors shows that the cost of cancer care can be lowered. These are some of the examples in this week’s selection worth noting and gleaning. However, what I particularly […]
The first decade of the new millennium has brought a level of social, economic, environmental, technological and political changes in an aggregated degree and to a whole new level previously not witnessed. With the Y2K bug fever, societies across the globe became explicitly aware of the fact that […]
I find myself often repeating one thing: ‘if collaboration does not change you then you are probably not doing it right”. Every time I say that in a meeting, workshop, strategic planning session etc. I realise I need to underscore the importance of the link between the change […]
Over several decades, disaster management has matured into a profession that at once borrows from a range of disciplines, offers its own unique dimension and lends new insights to other disciplines. This dynamic has become a mainstay of the policy and practice of disaster management as it is […]
I see collaboration as much a part of present business and social drivers as much as one of the critical pillars of resilient society in the future. In my opinion, a resilient society goes beyond sustainability. In that context, I am willing to share what I consider […]
Leadership literature has delved deeply into all forms of behavioural factors that make and distinguish better leaders. The role of leadership in any form of business activity is acknowledged but not necessarily always best applied. Some complexities of leadership are at times at the mercy of our obsession […]
Collaboration in most cases evokes a good vibe amongst those who are inclined to that mode of creating. But, there’s one little factor that is rarely discussed and I get the feeling it’s an omission by commission, rather than accident. When we enter into a collaborative environment and […]
You can’t innovate on a whim. The first time I read that (the author eludes me for the moment) it resonated with a point I am at pains to repeat; the ability for innovation to occur is directly proportional to the investment we make in systems that at […]
For fans of the rebooted series COSMOS, now presented by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the title of this piece will makes sense. But, presuming that many have not seen it yet, let me explain. In the second last instalment of the 13 episode series, Prof. deGrasse Tyson talks about […]
It is not enough just to understand collaboration. It is not enough to like collaboration. It is not enough to collaborate. Collaboration professionals must be card-carrying collaborators. Now, the last time I carried a card of any kind that I was proud to display (tactically, with only a […]
I often wonder to what extent workers in the 21st century associate the ideas of collaboration and work as being inseparable. Perhaps the self-evident truth doesn’t need much reflection. But only just, as I am inclined to think that the changing context presents a challenge to better understand […]
It is very rare now to read about collaboration in a business context without the point being made that collaboration is ‘new competition’ or a form of ‘co-opetition’. This is true. It is also true that despite a growing number of business leaders becoming seriously engaged with this […]
I start this post with an assumption that everyone has seen the LEGO movie. Why wouldn’t I, it has all the drama and excitement needed to rival any serious contender; the only difference being that the characters came from a plastic mould. But, that’s precisely the point; how […]
Collaborative advantage, a concept developed by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and now 20 years old, continues to gain traction. The major difference between the time when the Professor Kanter developed the concept and now, is a massive environmental shift. Collaboration today is not only a response to wicked problems […]
I know of organisations which regularly get a bad rap in the marketplace for being poor at collaboration. Actually, I can name a few who actually know they have that standing but are not sure about how to change and improve their track record in collaboration. Being good […]
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