News July 2010
Following the General Election the nation is pinning its hopes on the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats being able to work collaboratively to effectively and successfully run the country.
Being able to develop strong working partnerships with colleagues, peers and external organisations isn’t always easy, but it is critical if you want to achieve success.
Working collaboratively is something all businesses have to do on a regular basis. It can bring many business benefits such as sharing ideas, resources and costs, speed of delivery etc. Not all businesses however find the transition to collaborative working very easy.
In this article I would like to outline my thoughts for successful partnerships, whether they are with external partners or internal departments.
Collaborative working is often considered when difficult projects need to be tackled and neither party can tackle it alone, as the old saying goes ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’. Before embarking on any collaborative project, a small business should consider the following,
Agree on the outcome of the collaboration– this is the most important key to a successful collaboration. Make sure that all parties are very clear in what that want to achieve from working together, and continually revisit this to keep the collaboration on track. .
Be open to new ideas and maintain an open mind – everyone needs to have their ideas heard, prepare to listen well to all parties and keep an open mind before narrowing down the focus.
Be clear about who ‘we’ is – when launching a collaborative venture, make sure it is clear that you know who is undertaking each part of the project.
Be sure to understand your potential collaborator– How informed are you about the organisation that you wish to collaborate with? In order to collaborate successfully you must know enough about the organisations and individuals that you will be working with.
Be clear what’s in it for both parties - for a collaboration to work the outcome for each party need to be clearly articulated and be seen to be fair and equitable. If this cannot be established early in the relationship a collaborative partnership is unlikely to fly.
Invest in building strong relationships– a successful collaborative working partnership is built on openness, trust, honesty and respect. These relationships need to be carefully built.
Be sure to communicate well – Good communication of all types and at all levels is the key to achieving a strong working collaboration. Establishing a framework for regular formal and informal communication will reap great rewards.
Have a reflective approach– Be prepared to try things out, but always reflect and evaluate, making adjustments and if it is not working, then don’t do it.
Capture the energy and enthusiasm– Collaborative working results in a larger pool of ideas and input that often results in a ‘can do’ attitude. If a decision feels right and everyone agrees then just go for it. It can lead onto greater things.
While the country waits with baited breath to see how successful our newly formed coalition government will be, you should start to consider (if you haven’t already) how collaborative working could bring success in your business. Before you decided to embark in a working collaboration, be sure to consider the pointers outlined above – they will help you to set up a successful partnership.
ENDS
