From Me to We
The Australian Defence Force are … not only required to do, think and act in a collaborative manner, but are well aware of the benefits of collaboration and of moving from a Me space to a We space. Collaborative thinking is … inherently rooted at an organisational level.
If you have been programmed or conditioned by society to believe that success means achieving on your own, you need to realise that no one achieves wealth, happiness, success, long-lasting love or anything else without the guidance and support of others. Innovation starts with collaboration. I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without consciously working with people who share in my vision and desired outcomes. You are as successful as the people you are surrounded by and Janine has dedicated her whole working life collaborating with and bringing together like-minded people to ensure continued and sustainable success.
Janine gets the challenge, the challenge of getting smart people working together. In From Me to We she offers a plan for creating competitive advantage by collaboration.
Collaboration is far from a soft skill. It is a bottom-line asset that lifts your team’s collective intelligence, increases engagement and drives innovation, providing points of view of risk and opportunities you might otherwise miss.
Great leaders know that we can do more together than we ever can alone. In today’s accelerated and competitive world, building strong relationships that are not only mutually rewarding, but commercially smart, is the new imperative. Garner’s book will help you do just that.
What I know is this. When people come together, and they find that place where their ideas and their passions and their values meet – that’s where the magic happens. We need to be encouraging more individuals and companies to truly collaborate and land in that place where everybody wins.
Commercial collaboration is not a ‘nice to do’ but the key imperative of our times, and holds the only means to solving complex global problems as well as daily business challenges. Commercial collaboration is the smartest way for us to future-proof our world together.
In a decentralised, digital and collaborative economy and environment, we will see an increase in commercial collaboration as people try to maintain lean operations while providing more business solutions. Collaboration also has the benefit of scaling up talent and value propositions.
You know you are really collaborating when the question evolves from ‘I have this to offer so how big is my slice?’ to ‘We have all the ingredients, so how big do we want this pie to be?’ It takes not only self belief, but also courage and unconditional trust in the talent around you to truly experience fearless and generous collaboration.
Collaboration is about opening up to new possibilities in life by listening, learning and growing; by sharing with inspiring people who lift you higher, and help change your perspectives through sharing knowledge without compromising core beliefs.
Collaboration is the result of understanding that while knowledge is power, sharing knowledge is empowering.
The fusion of talents, skills, knowledge and experience expand the opportunity set of all parties involved in the venture. Whether they are individuals, companies, governments, charities, schools or clubs, the partners to a well-structured and precisely purposed commercial collaboration are likely to derive a range of financial and learning benefits as the miracle of mutuality works its magic.
We really IS better than me. To be reminded that whatever the circumstances you find yourself in, this outward, others-focused frame will provide clarity and direction for you to create a future you want to be part of with people you love to work with.
Collaboration means sharing the gift of yourself to inspire and lift others to a better place.
For true collaboration you must be open to giving as much as receiving; that is when the real magic happens. Realising the power of true collaboration has put my business on another level.
Collaboration with people you like, doing the work you like, the way you like is both fulfilling and powerful leverage to commercial success.
To me, three main things make up collaboration: openness to share (ideas, experience, points of view), leveraging strengths and a commitment to create value from all parties. Collaboration sparks creativity and possibility beyond belief and when done well, produces outcomes and greatness that alone you’d never think was possible.
When you are working within a Me environment, ultimately you are working under the belief that you are the only person with any real ideas of worth. True success comes in the understanding that team ideas drive a business to its peak – when ‘We’ achieve the dream.
Collaboration is when you’ve genuinely got someone’s back and they’ve got yours.
FROM ME TO WE
Why commercial collaboration will future-proof
business, leaders and personal success
JANINE GARNER
First published in 2015 by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
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© Curious Minds Pty Ltd 2015
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Illustrations by James Henderson
Disclaimer
The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and neither purports nor intends to be advice. Readers