is not the mindset for commercial collaboration. To collaborate commercially is not about:
■ the close-minded, protective, ‘take, take, take’ of ideas and intellectual property from others
■ the business card swap-fest associated with traditional networking events
■ survival of the self (or even of the fittest).
My corporate journey is not uncommon – I worked like a maniac to get to where I thought I wanted to be, where I thought I should be: at the top of a highly coveted corporate sector. I do not discount the journey, or the thrill of making it to the pinnacle. What I found when I got there, however, was that although the spirit for commercial collaboration may have been present … as the old saying goes, the corporate flesh was weak. There were times when I felt we had some brilliant flashes of team thought and engagement, but unfortunately they weren’t sustained.
So, three years ago I came to a realisation. If I wanted to surround myself with the kind of thought leadership, diversity, knowledge and idea sharing that I knew was needed in commercial life, I had to strike out on my own. This was how the LBDGroup was born. There was a niche for a community of like-minded, results-oriented businesswomen who wanted to interact commercially at a level that wasn’t currently available – either within their own corporations, or with other entrepreneurs in their own sectors.
LBDGroup is unique. This is not only my opinion. The cross-pollination of ideas, IP, talent, leadership, thought and values is honestly something that I cannot put into words. The interaction and exchange of cutting-edge innovation, both in terms of the intangible and the tangible, is something that the businesspeople involved are actively embracing as they connect, collaborate and contribute to drive innovative thinking, new solutions and strategies to secure their careers and business futures.
The level of commercial collaboration that has resulted from this community has proven very clearly the essential points of this book: when one turns from the solitary space of Me, as satisfying as it may feel at the time, to the collaborative space of We, the benefits it brings are overwhelmingly positive and lead to that amazing lightness that only comes with future-proofing one’s career and success path.
The heartbeat of commercial collaboration is understanding and appreciating the change that is needed to future-proof businesses, careers and leaders. It is a new operating system that requires an equally new set of skills. It needs courage and a willingness to be authentic. It requires us to disrupt current norms, to proactively collaborate to drive change – and it will not occur in a vacuum.
Commercial collaboration is putting into practice Aristotle’s philosophy that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’. When in balance, working together serves a greater purpose. Ultimately it will drive you, your business and your potential to heights that you never imagined possible – and probably would not achieve if you continued to go it alone.
Imagine a different world. One where:
■ we are inspired and encouraged to openly share thoughts, opinions and knowledge
■ working environments respect the needs of the ‘whole’ employee
■ individuals can thrive on the freedom to create, to explore, to be curious about new possibilities
■ workers can add value and contribute to the big-picture goals
■ leaders are authentic and honest
■ we are constantly learning and evolving as a result of embracing diversity of position, thought, gender and age
■ we embrace uniqueness
■ we respect each other’s visions and dreams
■ we create actions that drive continued success for each other
■ we create space for people to share their amazingness
■ we have the courage to lead, to share and equally to ask for help
■ we appreciate the human in people as much as the financial return and the big-picture vision
■ there is no political game-playing, no saying one thing and doing another, no abuse of power that protects position, self, ego
■ collaboration is valued strategically and aligned positively to continued growth, evolution, creative thinking and future-proofing for all.
So what to do? The answer is simple.
Collaborate.
Talk.
Engage.
And, most importantly, find a way to stop being all about ‘me, me, me’ and looking inward for answers that simply aren’t there. Find a way to turn with confidence and openness from Me to We, to working collaboratively.
The barriers between genders, between generations, between cultures, between the inventors and the investors, between the change-makers, the visionaries and those that make it happen – these all have to be broken down. This is all a part of the evolution of Me to We. This is all a part of collaborative business.
To collaborate is to lead. To lead with inspiration, and gusto, and innovation and heart.
This book is essentially about why a new operating system is needed, and how to move from Me to We and collaborate commercially. It will break down the nine essential steps to enable you to answer ‘What do we need to do?’ and then examine and explain the seven ReConnect Principles leaders and businesses will need to adopt to collaboratively reconnect and do what they do best: survive, thrive and future-proof their success. The ReConnect Principles are:
1. Be brave
2. Build a diverse network
3. Full disclosure
4. Disrupt
5. Exchange value
6. Think bigger
7. Sponsor others.
We need to develop and disseminate an entirely new paradigm and practice of collaboration that supersedes the traditional silos that have divided governments, philanthropists and private enterprises for decades and replace it with networks of partnerships working together to create a globally prosperous society.
Part I
When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change so I shortened my sights and decided to change only my country. But it too seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing my family – those closest to me – but alas they would have none of it. And now as I lie on my deathbed I suddenly realise if I had only changed myself first then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement I would have been able to better my country and who knows I may have even changed the world.
chapter 1
There’s an evolution going on
