Collaboration

I had the privilege of leading a session here in Albania on collaborative leadership. Here’s some of what I said -

It’s amazing what can be accomplished when instead of defaulting to competition we opt for and work towards collaboration! Leadership that builds consensus and collaboration does not necessarily come naturally to people. We are all human beings and therefore, at least a little selfish.

The most efficient way to lead, if you want to be completely pragmatic about it, is dictatorship. But power corrupts and whilst decisions will get made and orders are carried out, often those decisions are bad. Dictatorship, even benevolent dictatorship, is neither healthy nor endorsed by any faith or religion.

So, what does collaborative leadership look like? Rather than marching at the front of the line we come alongside people; we ask questions, then listen well, encourage and strengthen. We don’t do people’s work for them, but we do coach and encourage them. A collaborative leader remembers that the goal is both accomplishing the task and building the strength of the team.

Collaborative leaders are alongsiders. They truly believe that the people on their team might have a solution to a problem that they hadn’t thought of and are not threatened by that. They are willing to help and to be helped, to speak but also to listen, to teach but also to learn.

Collaboration is not the same as delegation - where the leader tells others what to do. Rather, a collaborative leader listens and actually expects the people she leads to solve problems and move forward together.

Collaborative leadership is completely dependent on Trust and Trust is built by Character, Competency and Vulnerability.

Character is being who you say you are, making sure your No is No and your Yes is Yes, making sure your promises are kept – being honest, being truthful, being kind – being a person of integrity.

Competency is about using your abilities and gifts to do your job well and properly. It’s marked by your willingness to combine your knowledge, your skills and your behaviours in an effort to engage people and effect a transformation.

Vulnerability is about being a learner, being willing to say “I don’t know, teach me”. Vulnerability is not about weakness - it’s strength! It’s about putting others before selfish ambition and goal, it’s about inclusion and acceptance even at the risk of rejection, it’s about designing in the face of reality rather than idealistic utopianism – and being willing to change, adapt and fail. (But it’s not generally what the world expects!)

We are charged to be people of collaboration! Not outsider professionals or disengaged managers, not insiders protecting an agenda or a portfolio – but alongsiders, transformers, learners, and leaders.The easy way may be dictatorship. The harder, messier, chaotic, unpredictable - but more sustainable and empowering way is collaboration, interrelation and transformation.

I suggest to you today that the greatest example (and risk) of collaboration is the relationship of humanity with God. You and I are God’s collaborative approach to the future – we are the sustainability plan.

Mother Teresa, in whose homeland (Albania) I write today, challenges us with her words:

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred.

   Love them anyway.

If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives.

   Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies.

   Succeed anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.

   Do good anyway.

Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable.

   Be honest and transparent anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

   Build anyway.
People who really want help may attack you if you help them.
   Help them anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt.

   Give the world your best anyway.

<< MY PRAYER FOR YOU >>

May we seek to know ourselves, with all our complexities,
    as only The Creator (Al-Khaliq) knows us.
May we come to accept ourselves, with all our strengths and weaknesses,
    as only The Giver of Life (Al-Muhyi) accepts us.
And may we allow the Merciful God (Ar-Rahim)
    to change us more and more into true reflection of The Provider (Ar-Razzaq).
Amen.