It shouldn’t really come as any surprise that two heads are better than one and that combining resources achieves a greater outcome, but why then do so many people seem to shy away from collaboration? After all most successful businesses all began as small partnerships of people coming together, pooling knowledge and making a go of it as a collaborative company rather than competing or disparate individuals.
So it clearly works are here’s three reasons we think are behind the success of collaboration and how you can learn and follow these to tweak your success even more:
Ground Rules are set from the day one
Too often in business you may find parties “pussy-footing around” each other or making gestures in a chess-like fashion. When you set-out to collaborate from the outset both parties will usually agree the parameters. That will include things such as costs, profits and possibly losses, but also procedures and aims. Consider it a very focused business plan and you will see why so often collaborative projects are more successful – they are better prepared.
Personnel are in place
The parties will have selected for their strengths with their faults often known too. Careful consideration will have been given to who to collaborate with so parties will know, or have a good idea as to how the relationship will develop and what people and personalities come with the bargain. Rather than other businesses where the staff requirements are often built reactively, a collaboration project will normally have relevant resources already in place and planned out thoroughly so the personnel profile is proactive from day one.
Communication channels are complete
Again prior planning means communication protocols are established before a collaboration project begins. There may be some ad-hoc development but generally there won’t be variation. Everybody involved in the project understands how and when things need to be communicated and again many of the external facing messages will have been thought through in advance. With less worries about communication focus can then also be placed on actually getting the project complete, so all in all the success of the business is given more support and room to develop properly.
So collaboration works because of the preparation – that’s something all businesses – even those working alone can learn from. Collaboration also works because not everybody can be an expert in every field and using experts and the strengths of individuals is great way to improve the greater good.
