A Sense of Simple Collaboration

I had a call recently with a respected industry leader and friend about some of the things he was dealing with in his business and with his clients. At that moment, he mentioned a gathering of higher-level philanthropy leaders, coming from different systems, who whom he had recently gathered together just to chat. No formal membership. No fees. A semi-planned agenda. But most importantly, just an opportunity for conversation.

This led me to think about the importance of collaboration.

While I truly believe collaboration can occur on many different levels, in particular from what we've learned post-pandemic, there's something to be said about gathering together, face-to-face, with people who aren't competitors, to talk about the most important issues.  Collaboration, in general, helps lead to innovation, problem-solving, efficiency, and improved overall communication. While I know Zoom can accomplish a lot, I'm not sure there's anything better than sitting across the table from people you respect and having a free and open conversation about similar challenges.

My friend said it was a refreshing day they spent together. Not a big group. Just about 12 leaders. The conversations were free-flowing and vulnerable as people felt comfortable admitting their inability to know the answers when everyone else in their organization was looking to them for brilliance. There was a sense of collegiality and empathy that came from helping someone make their community a better place through healthcare philanthropy as they were not in competition with other members in the room.

I felt some of this when I started re-attending conferences in 2023. Those travel opportunities gather more and more steam in 2024. I look forward to seeing people I can just sit and chat with. I'm not interested in making money or in stealing some idea, but rather just the chance to learn through listening and asking questions. Maybe something they say helps me be better for my clients helping them get to where they need to go.

We live in a world where competition is fierce. And I'm not opposed to that. I think competition makes us stronger and more vigilant in our pursuits. But there are also times when competition doesn't exist, where we make it up, and in doing so hurt relationships and lose out on opportunity to grow. Looking for meaningful and effective collaboration can be a strength when a competitive situation doesn't exist.