What I have come to realise in my studies on collaboration is that the rules for creating an amazing collaboration are also, pretty much, the same rules to lead your best life.
I almost feel embarrassed to be sharing the simplicity of these guidelines but then again I have seen so many people attempt collaboration and have absolutely no idea why it collapsed, that I feel a compulsion to spread the word. Basically if you see this article as common sense, you can consider yourself a natural collaborator. If you are curious and don't necessarily see how what happens in your life can actually connect to how you perform in a collaboration then you have come to the right place.
1. Show Up!
First and foremost if you don't show up consistently for what you believe in you will not be seen as collaboration worthy. By showing up I mean being visible to your audience, either on social media or in person. Being there with a consistent message, being visible for what you believe in, demonstrating your specialist knowledge and being known for your corner of that specialism.
Take social media as an example. You don't have to be on every last platform churning out banal content that is easily ignored. You need to choose your audience and hang out where they hang out. Limit yourself to 3 platforms and BE there, at least 3 times or more a week. By being there I mean posting, commenting, reviewing, supporting and sharing your knowledge.
This visibility will bring connections and opportunities, but the work doesn't stop there. Now you have connected you need to engage and deepen the connection. All of this takes discipline, commitment and consistency. No fast pass to showing up. The same with family and friends, the best relationship is the one you have spent time nurturing and being there for them.
2. Build Trust
Once you have done this, usually a 3 month minimum commitment, you can then begin to deepen the connection and build trust. People need to be able to rely on you, utilise your knowledge, try it out, see if it works, to see whether you are deserving of their time. They want to be reassured of your integrity and feel confident that if they chose to engage you they will be able to boast how wonderful you are. A tricky thing to do if you disappear from view. Your reputation is built on trust.
It is so easy for all of us to take family and friends for granted, but trust can still be lost if we are not careful. Be respectful of each other's time.
3. Confirm Common Goals and Values
There is no point working with someone if your goals are not aligned. They will quickly see through you if your only goal is to make a heap of money from them. Likewise it is difficult to be inspired by someone and want to show up for them if their only goal is simply to make a ton of cash. There is nothing wrong with making money, but for the good it can do, not simply for the act of having it.
Digging deeper to discover your aligned values is also a practical exercise to ensure you will enjoy working with this person. They do not have to be the same, but within the same family of values and aligned with each other's purpose. If you have been regularly showing up and creating content this will already be evident to the other person, they may not realise it yet but that is why they feel comfortable in your company. They already know subconsciously that you are aligned.
4. The Grown Up Conversation
Before you embark on the collaboration you will need to explore each other's mindset, attitudes and behaviours. Obviously you can embark on a collaboration without this conversation, but much better to have it before there is an issue than wait until later. That is why it is known in our community as ‘the grown up conversation’, where ego is put to one side, trust deepens, vulnerability is allowed and the relationship can grow. It explores triggers, limiting beliefs, stress hot spots and resolution responses.
5. Rules of the Game
The fun part, where you can choose how you operate for your optimum work flow and understand how others like to be treated. Set it up and no arguments later down the line. If your creativity is best at 5am you won't necessarily be able to expect your fellow collaborators to be up at the crack of dawn with you.
6. Set Up the Collaboration Profiles
In short, the 12 profiles are: Visionary, Catalyst, Driver, Strategist, Financer, Salesperson, Monitor, Nurturer, Tweaker, Technician, Multiplier, Finisher. Not a personality profile at all, but a guideline to the roles required. Anyone can be any of them, but by having each role adopted as a responsibility at different times within the project a more pleasing outcome can be expected.
Away from the work environment we all like to know where we add value in a family or friendship group, take on that role and you will be indispensable.
7. GSD, Get It Done!
We can talk until we are blue in the face but at some point we have to take action. By spending time in this preparation as described here, the outcome is much more likely to be a success. But sometimes you learn best by just getting started.
Whether in business or in your daily life, we all need to collaborate. Each collaboration, whether cooking Christmas dinner together or booking a family holiday, is a thing of joy when following these guidelines.
“80% of success is showing up.”, Woody Allen
Is there a part of this process you regularly use in a collaboration? What works for you?