Secrets of Successful Collaborations
Combining Individual and Organizational Strengths to Make a Greater Impact
Featuring a museum director, a school administrator, a design instructor, and an electronics innovator, Secrets of Successful Collaboration offered advice about finding the right partners, developing shared project ideas, and cultivating strong collaborations.
Sharing the Vision
The discussion highlighted various types of collaborative relationships ranging from multi-institutional partnerships to collaborations across disciplines and between sectors. Panelists stressed that in order to be successful, collaborators must not only work well together, they must “share the vision” for their project. Each collaborator must understand that they alone could not successfully implement the project. Rather, members of strong collaborative realize that all partners benefit through the collaborative process, and so too does the project. Achieving this kind of relationship requires trust and mutual respect between partners that will enable good ideas to become shared successes.
Effective Communication and Leadership
While successful collaborations require input and compromise from all parties, projects must have a champion to drive the project forward. Project leadership must be clearly understood and partnerships must be formed between people and not simply organizations.
Panelists also described how practical considerations must be taken into account. Respecting multiple points of view, coordinating differing work schedules and review procedures, and managing competing personalities are all part and parcel of collaboration.
Across the board, panelists echoed that the hallmark of all successful collaborative relationships is their ability to make connections, blend interests, and seize opportunities.
