Collaboration is and will always be one of the cornerstones of a business’ success. Despite this, many workers believe their organization doesn’t promote collaboration.
Do you?
As a small business owner, one of the most powerful tools you have is your workforce. This has less to do with individuals and more to do with how everyone comes together to form something that’s much more than any one person could be. Collaboration is the only true way to make this happen. It’s also something that’s worth your time and effort to do for a number of important reasons.
Collaboration Provides Inspiration.
In an environment where people are free to meet and communicate, you’ll have more than a range of different voices—You’ll have a situation where employees inspire one another, share better ways of doing things, offer new strategies, and so much more.
When inspired, employees are more productive, feel free to think outside the box, and push themselves and others to do better. It also provides a sharing of ideas that have the potential to save time and money.
It’s the linchpin for your ongoing success—Which is why empowering your workforce with the tools necessary to make collaboration as easy as possible is, and will always be a step worth taking.
Collaboration Fosters Networking.
To build alliances, it’s important to seek out others with common interests. This is paramount for an entrepreneur, and critical to make a business dream a reality.
While it’s true that every new person you meet might not result in a collaborative effort, you never know what the future might hold. Networking is less a sprint and more a marathon to help sustain you for the long haul.
Collaboration Encourages Education.
Anyone who says they “know it all” or “they’ve learned all they can” is sadly overlooking an opportunity for self-improvement. Every interaction that you and your employees have with those outside your business is an opportunity to broaden your horizons. Just as collaboration within your workforce is essential, so too is the willingness to consider differing opinions about “how things can be done.”
Simply put, you never know who might be able to teach you something new, or provide you with a valuable insight you wouldn’t have arrived at on your own. Even people with vastly different skillsets or perspectives are invaluable, because of the differing strengths they bring to the table.
Collaboration Is Cost Effective.
There’s a reason why businesses with two or more founders are far more likely to succeed than those that are the product of a sole proprietor—Collaboration really is that important.
Collaboration can help to save costs when starting a business. As part of a team, you can share development and marketing expenses, and rely on others to fill knowledge and experience gaps. In this way, you can approach new situations from a stronger footing.
Collaboration Enables Problem Solving.
The old saying, “two heads are better than one” is definitely relevant in the world of business, particularly when it comes to problem solving. So much of your day is spent making decisions and trying to overcome obstacles. And, it seems that no sooner are you finished solving one problem, then a new one crops up.
With the strength of numbers on your side, and a team of trusted collaborators, all of this will be much easier. At this point, it’s just common sense—If you can’t get something solved on your own, why not bring in another for some assistance.
Most of you probably do this already. If you have a situation that you just can’t get a handle, or a question that’s left you stumped, what do you do? You probably turn to a trusted friend, partner or mentor for advice. They can act as a sounding board, give you someone to talk to, and help you unlock a different part of your brain so you can tackle the problem from another angle.
When Collaborating, Step Outside Your Inner Circle.
If you’re willing to collaborate outside of your immediate circle the positive effects will be amplified. By bringing in new viewpoints and experiences, you’re likely to accomplish something even greater. The importance of this is something that can’t be overstated.
Your business may have been created in a vacuum, but it certainly can’t stay that way – at least not if you want to grow and evolve into the type of organization that you always hoped to be.
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