Collaboration: The Good. The Bad. The Good Enough.

Beginning with the positive:

The Art of Collaboration 

Koi Collaboration ©LoraFisherPhotography   

Signs That Your Team Is On The Right Track:

You have shared goals and understand that you are all in this together.

You are excited by the process, as well as the project.

You value your team’s input and they validate yours. 

You welcome hearing your team’s contributions.

You see positive outcomes and happy endings.

You listen with openness and curiosity. 

You laugh together, often. 

You feel respected.

You respect your teammates.

You believe in and trust the integrity of your team.

You do not take the rejection of an idea personally.

You and your team operate with openness and practice reciprocity.

You know that success grows exponentially. One success leads to another.

You know that small successes lead to big success, and you celebrate each.

If this particular idea doesn’t work, you know that it’s likely that the next one will. 

You and your team give each other the room to make mistakes and make amends.

You understand that nothing is perfect, but strive for it as a team.

You know that the success of one reflects on the entire project. 

You look forward to the next adventure with your team.

Practicing the above creates good vibes, productive process, 

and that longed-for outcome: Success!

Ending with the not so positive:

The Artlessness of Collaboration

Holding Off The Inevitable ©LoraFisherPhotography 

Signs That Your Project Has Been Derailed:

Your ego is getting a solid workout. 

You already know how this is going to turn out.

You have to force yourself to smile and cooperate.

The sound of another person’s voice causes you to cringe. 

You know that the best way to get things done is your way. 

You are not having fun and have no enthusiasm for the project.

You can’t wait for others to shut their yaps so you can open yours.

You find your teammates to be utterly boring or stupid, or both.

Your first reaction is to belittle or dismiss.

You anticipate being shot down, again.

You resist contributing.

Others take credit for your ideas. 

You feel diminished on a regular basis.

You’re fairly certain that ‘they’ are out to get you. 

You want to tell them all to stick it, or worse: you do. 

You know that it would be a failure if you weren’t there to rescue it.

The most important thing is that you get credit for your brilliant ideas.

You find yourself dwelling deliciously on thoughts of revenge.

You’re unwilling to confront out of fear of retaliation.

Your contributions are regularly sabotaged. 

You believe that there is no hope.

Having survived and enjoyed a number of collaborative projects, 

I offer this sage advice:

Analyze the situation to discern if it is a salvageable. If there seems to be enough that is good – and if there is enough trust – then address the issue to see if others want to do the necessary work to keep the project afloat.

If you are met with resistance, or worse: denial, you will have your answer. It might be time to make a dash for the door.

Koi Conga ©LoraFisherPhotography  

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