The Collaboration Factor
by Peggy Mcnamara

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One of the greatest factors to success today is the concept of collaboration. It is certainly not a new concept. We have seen many variations throughout history. The most common phrases for collaboration today are teamwork, synergy, interdependence, and mergers and acquisitions. The idea is a group of people working together to accomplish a specific goal without becoming dependent on each other. Due to my fierce independent nature, this is not an easy thing to grasp. I tried for years to become "all that I can be" on my own. I was looking for shortcuts and the easy road to success. I didn`t find any.

A few years back I discovered a book entitled "Connecting," by Larry Crabb. He writes that, "We cannot become all that we can be without the love, wisdom, and feedback of others." This statement changed my life. I decided to dig deeper into his subject to see if that was really the case. I was amazed at what I found.

Leaders have been teaching the collaboration factor throughout time. Not only the importance of it, but how to create it. A great leader named Zaroaster in Persia 2500 B.C. taught it to his followers. Confucius, one of the great leaders of China 2400 centuries ago, was also a strong believer in the concept. Buddha preached it on the bank of the Holy Ganges 500 years before Christ.

Moving up a few years, Benjamin Franklin struggled for many years to discover his path to success. He decided it was crucial to create a positive network of supporters. One of his famous quotes is, "I will speak ill of no man and speak of all the good I know of everybody."

In the early 1900s there came along Andrew Carnegie, one of the wealthiest men in his time. He admitted his success was due to the strong collaborative network he built, which he referred to as a Master Mind Group. Napolean Hill was a fortunate man when Carnegie agreed to be his mentor. Hill went on to write a timeless book about the education he received from Carnegie called "Think and Grow Rich." Within those chapters he states that forming a Master Mind Group is the ninth step toward riches.

In 1921 Carnegie hired Charles Schwab (not to be confused with the present-day Charles Schwab) as president of the newly formed United States Steel Co., and was one of the first people ever paid a salary of $1 million. When asked why he thought he was hired with little experience in the steel industry, Schwab replied, "I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among my people - the greatest asset I possess – and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement."

I don`t care what you call your "network." Whether you refer to it as your sphere of influence, your Master Mind Group, or your team, the name is irrelevant. The point is, go find one! You will have a resource for unique challenges, create a learning environment for employees and compete effectively by being informed.

Collaboration is not going to happen automatically. It must be created, nurtured, and developed through consistent effort. The first step is to make a list of everyone you know who has a positive attitude. In addition, include names of people you admire and would like to emulate. Find out what makes these people tick. We have all heard of the old saying, "You have a much better chance of becoming great if you hang around great people."

When we look at all the elements to accomplishing our heart`s desire, collaboration can help with all angles. When my commitment waivers, it`s nice to know I can call someone up and ask them to remind me why I`m trying to accomplish what I am. When I am not feeling so disciplined it helps to remind myself of what others have gone through to accomplish their goals.

Incorporate the insight and wisdom of those before us. We`re always looking for that "new" piece of information that`s going to make the difference between failure and success - but there is nothing new. It is just different perspectives on the same thoughts.

Our independent spirits often cause us to overlook the importance of teamwork in our ongoing success in business. When we work on the collaboration factor, everything else will fall into place.