# How to collaborate successfully with others

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/04/30/how-to-collaborate-successfully-with-others/
- Published: 2019-04-30T14:00:08+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**What do Google, The Beatles and aeroplanes all have in common? **

Larry Page and Sergey Brin met as students; they started a company as a way to experiment
with search algorithms later becoming Google.

The Wright Brothers started out fixing bikes; it was their invention of the three-
axis controls that made flying a fixed-wing aircraft possible.

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John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the driving force behind the sound that changed
pop music forever.

The common factor? Simple partnerships, with a mutual passion, sparking ideas that
went on to change the world.

Collaborating with others enables us to share ideas, be inspired and potentially
do some revolutionary work.

Collaboration is by no means a new concept – in fact, for all of us, it’s something
we do on a daily basis, whether it is planning with your friends where to take your
next holiday, preparing a meal with your partner or organising your family for a
day out.

Yet who amongst us hasn’t found some of these tasks at times challenging? We can
all think of instances where things haven’t gone to plan due to disagreements and
different approaches, traffic jams or bad weather.

If collaboration in its basic form presents challenges, how can we deal with the
same when trying to work effectively with colleagues in fundraising, internally 
across the wider organisation and externally with others? What is the value in it
and how do we go about it?

 

## The value of collaboration

![Two women shaking hands in business deal - photo: Pexels.com](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2019/04/business-deal-casual-collaboration-women-pexels-e1556629045436.jpg)

 

Collaboration is a way of being; an approach to how we work that is steeped in values,
beliefs and a desire to achieve the best possible outcome for all involved. The 
benefits can be many and varied, ranging from the financial – be it sharing resources
to increase efficiency or raising more money by leveraging each other’s assets (
think Tesco and its multi-year multi-charity partnership) to the human, such as 
finding ways to develop employee skills and capabilities, increase in job satisfaction
and enhance employee retention – particularly useful if your organisation is one
of those that struggles to keep hold of its fundraising staff.

And of course there are the **physical benefits**, such as collaborating on workspace
to make it affordable – [The Melting Pot](https://www.themeltingpotedinburgh.org.uk/)
or [CAN-Mezzanine](https://can-mezzanine.org.uk/office-desk-space) being prime examples
here – and the **intellectual**, such as working together to utilise a wider pool
of knowledge, skills and expertise.

Brilliant! However, if these are the benefits, why aren’t we all doing it?

There are many reasons, with a key one being that successful collaboration is unlikely
to be easy. Working through the challenges you encounter on the way is fundamental
to the process.

Keith Sawyer in his book [Group Genius: The creative power of collaboration](https://amzn.to/2VESVtq)
says that to create a truly collaborative team requires organisational change, and
it is this that often acts as the barrier for many when striving for success.

 

## 1. Clarity of objectives

First, everyone needs to understand what they want to achieve from the collaboration.
We know there are many benefits to be enjoyed, but what are the motivators driving
the organisations in question, and what’s needed to deliver. Managing expectations
and understanding roles and responsibilities are central to working together effectively.

 

## 2. Shared vision and values

Second, do you have a collective vision and values with your collaborators? This
underpins everything and without this when challenges arise instead of working through
them, it’s likely you will go your separate ways. It is important to articulate 
this shared vision – it is your ‘why’. The challenge of collaboration is worth the
opportunity for more income to enable you help more beneficiaries.

This was the first point of focus in a collaboration between the fundraising team
and care team at [Claire House, Children’s Hospice](https://www.clairehouse.org.uk/).
Its Integrated Care Service Lead, Lesley Fellows recognised that while they all 
had a shared goal ”of wanting the absolute best for the children and families they
worked with”, all too often the teams worked independently rather than together.

Over two years, the charity worked towards instilling collaborative working across
teams at every level. This involved developing relationships, building trust through
to implementing initiatives that enabled a space for conversation across teams. 
The fundraising team began to shadow shifts in the hospice, enabling them to experience
first-hand palliative care, informing how they spoke about the work of the charity
and the impact it has on families.

The impact has been improved morale, enhanced skills, more income – but perhaps 
most importantly of all, the families the charity works for now have a much stronger
voice. Families want to share their experiences; to talk about their child, leave
a legacy and the collaborative approach created a space where this could happen.

Other examples would be Network Rail and Samaritans, or O2 and NSPCC – different
organisations that are coming together to solve a problem.

 

## 3. Make time for conversations

Third, good communication is essential. Conversation is the driver; it generates
innovation and creativity all of which are needed when working collaboratively. 
This means you have to create time and space for conversations to happen. For Claire
House Children’s Hospice this came when they attended a residential training course,
from which other ideas emerged, such as ‘Tea and chatter’ – opportunities for staff
to get together on a Friday afternoon to chat about what they were up to.

Simple but effective.

 

## 4. Buy-in in both organisations

Fourth, buy-in is required across the organisations involved. Successful charity
collaborators reach out to their employees, supporters, directors, suppliers, trustees
and even competitors. By recognising their position within a network, resources 
can

be used more effectively. For example, [NPC’s Impact Network](https://www.thinknpc.org/resource-hub/collaborating-for-impact/)
aims to help funding be allocated in the most effective way, working together to
ensure the best outcomes.

 

## 5. Staying focused

The final key to success is having the right mind-set that will help you get through,
round and over the various roadblocks you might encounter on route. For Lesley Fellows
and her team at Claire House Children’s Hospice it was about staying focused on 
the end goal. Their collaboration required a shift in organisational culture, commitment
over a two-year period and at times, the team found it emotionally demanding. What
kept them going throughout was the absolute belief in knowing that this would be
beneficial to the families and children they worked for.

Thinking back to those day-to-day tasks, where the family trip didn’t go so well
or you argued over how to cook dinner. What happened next? Do you look back and 
laugh? Do you remember the day with fondness? Did you apologise for not hearing 
the other person?

Successful collaboration required the same humility and patience. Work through the
challenges, hold the ‘shared vision and values’ at the centre of everything and 
if it really isn’t working, acknowledge this, learn from it and be prepared to walk
away.

Do this and you could soon be on the revolutionary road to changing the world just
like The Beatles, Google and The Wright Brothers did!

 

_**Helen Denny** is director of [Not9to5](https://www.not9to5.co.uk/). Not9to5 is
working collaboratively with Lucy Gower over at [Lucidity](https://www.lucidity.org.uk/)
to enable leaders, entrepreneurs and freelancers to thrive. Their partnership centres
around a supportive community, practical resources and_

_events to create a space for learning and development. If you want to build a culture
of collaboration, innovation and raise some more money then get in touch!_

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