January 2011

Four Principles for Collaborative Conversations

Submitted by DRutley on Thu, 01/20/2011 - 10:28pm
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We have conversations all the time. But being a part of a conversation with multiple stakeholders is much more difficult than having a productive dialogue between two people. To successfully participate in a collaborative large group conversation and help everyone get the most out of the interaction, here are four simple principles you can follow.

1)      Quiet the inner voice in your head

COLLABORATION = CIVILITY, BALANCE, AND CORRECTION

Submitted by Geoff Amidei on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 5:30pm
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I don’t often find myself quoting David Brooks. When it comes to New York Times columnists, I find myself more in line with Paul Krugman and Frank Rich than with Mr. Brooks. But his column today resonated with me on a number of levels. First of all, I find it clear eyed and sensible. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I think he nicely articulates a truth about human enterprise of any sort: most of the time, it works better if you don’t try to go solo.

The Passion of Applied Collaboration

Submitted by Geoff Amidei on Fri, 01/07/2011 - 11:57am
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In a recent post, I asserted that passion is necessary for applied collaboration at its best. Passion is part of the fuel and spirit of good collaboration, one of the reasons that applied collaboration can render such valuable results. Handled correctly, people’s passions—about a new idea, a new direction, or a new way of doing things—can be a positive force, providing energy and momentum, attracting energy and interest, and driving commitment.