My memory is a bit foggy now but when I was a child and was asked many times what I would like to do when I grew up, I never thought that I would like to fail. I am pretty sure this is a universal reaction. Children simply […]
Collaboration is not joke, but it doesn’t take too much to turn it into one. If it does become a joke, it is unavoidably because we, the people, never got it in the first place. For every collaboration that went well I can find ones that could have […]
Fashion is fun. Great fun for many. But above all it is one of the most competitive industries. It is also one of the industries that thrives on collaboration. In fact, given endless fast paced trend changes and the fickle nature of consumer interests, it would be almost […]
If there is one major obstacle that can threaten collaboration working at its best, it is the attitude of those who see collaboration as a perfect opportunity to be part of a group, but without having serious intent or capability to play a part. Good intentions simply count […]
Almost every business discussion, irrespective of the industry or sector, seems to centre on financial return, strategy, marketing and the like. Basically the stuff we tend to feel comfortable with – the real ‘business’ factors. It is rare that conversation focuses on things like elegance. In fact, elegance, […]
Theoretically, the longest chess game possible involves 5,949 moves. That implies a lot of combinations. But I wonder how many combinations are possible in business collaboration. In my experience I think collaboration would give chess a run for its money. We should not be surprised at that possibility […]
Enterprising Collaboratives (EC) are one of the models of collaboration created by ROADMENDER. This particular model emerged after years of mixed activities: designing collaborations; facilitating workshops; analysing collaborations, old and new; researching and testing new concepts; innovating; and discussing with like-minded professionals as well those who were new […]
So many things impact on collaboration. It is not always an easy task to keep everything under control but it is critical nevertheless. This week’s selection of recommended reading is a reflection on the diversity of some of the angles from which collaboration can be considered during both […]
Collaboration implies sharing. Sharing of many things is common with the exception of IP. Somehow IP remains out of bounds. And yet, in today’s economy this is precisely what collaboration could be based on. Recently, two automotive giants and competitors Mazda and Toyota entered into a collaborative arrangement […]
There’s one thing that lies at the heart of excellence in almost every human endeavour; the quality of one’s word. Nothing comes close when it comes to collaboration and pretty much a whole raft of other things in life. Things like friendships, partnerships, family, and society and […]
Let’s face it; we all hate making mistakes. As a matter of fact, we probably fear mistakes a little too much. Collaboration is a near perfect area where mistakes are possible because so much of its process depends on making decisions about the unknown. There is no simple […]
My first experience in freelancing was some 20 years ago as a photographer. Freelancing was not new then but it certainly was not the best way to make a living. Some professions were always more aligned with the practice of freelancing and for some people that way of […]
Early in my working life I figured out that I would never make an exemplary sales person. My problem is that I am either passionate about an issue or I fall asleep from boredom. So collaboration being in the former category, I do not tire easy. Some of […]
A noted researcher in the field of human creativity, Prof Barry M Staw, once wrote a paper arguing that the majority of people are not actually prepared to do what is needed in order to be prepared. Despite what seems like a universal desire among people to be […]
In the world of music, C major is synonymous with simplicity and it is commonly considered that C major is the best key for beginners. No matter how much we discuss collaboration, it always raises questions that are really basic. This week ROADMENDER’S focus will be on a […]
This is a mini special dedicated to all the entrepreneurial souls who value collaboration. The ongoing fragmentation of the workplace as a mixture of practices is further brought into the spotlight by mounting evidence pointing to the fact that employee engagement is undeniably low, and the cost of […]
Over the years I have learnt that some things really make a difference to collaboration outcomes. A really big difference I should say. Collaboration with colleagues internally or people from other businesses (cross business collaboration) is always dependent on the people factor more than technology or process. Good […]
Those were the words uttered by a robot computer in a short, science fiction story by the legendary Isaac Asimov. The storyline is placed in distant 2061, but its relevance is timeless. Regardless of your literary interest, reading Asimov is much more than science fiction. It’s about ideas […]
I am fond of telling people I work with “before you get to the creative part, get the boring bits right”. In my view, this applies equally to collaboration. It’s tempting to jump into the fun part of ‘working together’ where we bounce ideas, debate issues, analyse etc. […]
Collaboration as a term is now everywhere. It is a word that has gained currency, in part because it evokes a kind of touchy-feely quality. But connotations can be tricky when details are complex. There are still many who feel uncomfortable with the word. To some it carries […]
Good things can get even better, despite what our cultural norms sometimes tell us. Not meaning to sound flippant when implying that even when things are challenging they are good as they give rise to opportunity, but there’s something in it. What is meant by ‘good news everyone’ […]
Some people simply won’t collaborate. Not really that surprising except when you find there are senior managers in the mix. I suppose, because collaboration is a disruptive process since it is creative and innovative, and as long term researcher into creativity Prof Barry M. Staw points out, most […]
To collaborate one needs to face the pressures that come with it. Like, for instance, what happens when we run out of things to say to one another? Well, maybe that’s not a problem for all of us, but the gist of the point is this; in the […]
Do you know the one about the fox and the hedgehog? No. Let me gist it for you. A long, long time ago (around 700 BCE) a smart (ancient) Greek man remarked that the fox knows many things and the hedgehog knows one big thing. Fast forward to […]
Collaboration. Such a warm and fuzzy term and yet so terrifying at times. It implies all the things humans crave. Being included in a group. Sharing your knowledge and ideas. Sharing goals and celebrating wins and successes. All true. However, it also brings up anxieties of all kinds. […]
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