3 Sweet Results of Collaboration

Why are people called to be in community?

Can we truly create in a vacuum, or does collaboration with others happen even when we least suspect it?

Working as a creative, influence and inspiration comes from the people, places and things around me. Whether it’s the cover of a book, an email I received challenging me to think in a different way or a casual encounter with a colleague, the cross-pollination of passion, motivation and inspiration provide a catalyst unlike any other.

Here are 3 sweet results of collaboration and why you should be seeking them out.

1. Momentum Builds

It is in this state, perhaps accompanied by a good cup of tea or coffee, that one finds themselves particularly empowered and firing on all cylinders. There’s energy flowing freely and you can see how all the pieces fit together. You need buy in and a team to help make it happen.

At the root of all this is people. We rarely do anything that is not motivated by how we can be of service to someone else. Adding value to the lives of others is at the core of why most businesses and organizations exist.

Remember that you belong to a group of people working toward the same goal. Harness that reality and turn it into a battle cry.

2. Stakes Get Higher

Explaining your vision helps everyone see how they benefit. This isn’t just about you and your goals anymore, it becomes about you and your team. Connecting the puzzle pieces and gleaning insight along the way from those whose hearts want to invest in your mission raises the stakes for everyone.

Imagining the possibilities and realization of desired outcomes is a strong motivator as is meeting quota.

When participation means achieving key performance indicators and goals everyone needs to meet metrics wise, it’s a no-brainer. This feeds into urgency and the buy-in you’re looking for. When one of us wins, we all win. As we say at Voices, we’re a #OneTeamOneDream sort of people.

3. Goals Become Crystal Clear

You’ve just had an amazing flurry of productivity. If you could only do more of these activities consistently, your game would be taken to the next level. “How can we bottle this?” you might ask yourself.

Take that passion and bridle it into a process.

When good things happen but aren’t formalized, you lose. Over the years, a number of informal processes have become formal in our company and it’s amazing to see how much of an impact taking a strategic approach has. By nature, I am far more tactical, but by nurture I have come to realize how important strategy is to obtain consistency and predictable results.

Know who the players are on the team the process demands and get the wheels turning. The level of clarity you achieve at this point is remarkable and as an added incentive, its results are measurable.

Collaborating Makes Companies Thrive

In order to create and be all we can be, we need to walk alongside other people. Being in community and collaborating with like minds is electric. Even if you enjoy working by yourself or find that you’re most productive alone, the need for connection ultimately supersedes isolation. It is by leaving the studio (or your desk) and convening with friends, colleagues and other creatives that your work is enriched and finds deeper meaning.

We create because we love. Creating is something we were made to do, be it creating a piece of content, an opportunity, a job for someone else, a workplace or corporate culture that inspires our people to achieve their goals.

The writer Jeff Goins says that the starving artist works alone, but the thriving artist collaborates with others.

Which would you rather be?