Trusted Partner and Collaborator

Leadership, at its core, is a relationship that engages enthusiasm to take action in the service of a noble goal. Oftentimes those actions and goals cross boundaries and call for the involvement of people across an organization and across a community. An effective leader, then, is an individual who hones and refines the skills and abilities to build bonds and work collaboratively with peers, more senior leaders and other contributors for mutual benefit and common interests.

Collaboration relies on personal interaction among individuals. More precisely, it relies on an exchange of ideas the aim of which is to arrive at alignment around common interests and a means to further those common interests. With this in mind, we start this seminar with an exploration of dialogue — an exchange of ideas using a set of dynamics among individuals and parties that allow for meaningful results and unique workable solutions. This is very different from “debate” which at its roots means to “beat down or battle”. Dialogue honors the belief that all parties, working together for mutual benefit, can and do create and align on new and unanticipated possibilities.

Our examination of dialogue is a necessary pre-requisite for the rest of the seminar — learning and applying a practical framework for collaboration.

The elements of the framework demand first that you get firmly grounded before you approach a potential collaboration partner. After all, any potential partner will be asking: Who are you? What are your motivations? How will my interests be served? Do I trust you? Have you made the effort to understand my world?

To that end, we pose a series of questions to help you get clear on your intent, the potential benefits and the common interests that will be served by the collaboration; we explore the extent to which you honor your partners by both allowing them to know you, and striving to know them and their current world; and, we ask you to be truthful about your beliefs about your potential partners. The answers to all of these questions, whether you are clearly aware of them or not, will influence your speech and behaviors, and ultimately serve to strengthen or sabotage the relationships you have with your partners.

The second part of the framework for collaboration offers a logical progression of questions to prompt and guide your dialogue with your potential partner that culminates in mutual commitments to action.

At all points during this seminar, we will ask you to consider the individuals and groups with whom you need to work and collaborate in the service of shared goals. You will walk away with more finely honed skills to build or strengthen relationships with them.

Outcomes of Trusted Partner and Collaborator

You, as a participant, will learn a practical framework to help you enhance your ability to collaborate with other individuals within your group, and across your community.