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- Wise Words -
Collaboration.
A Win/Win Career Growth Strategy

by martin leuw

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As an ambitious young professional, I was keen to progress up the ladder, was naturally competitive, prepared to work hard and to be perfectly honest, the office environment at the time felt like a catalyst for “dog eat dog” competition. The rat race really did feel like a race and I wanted to win!​

It wasn’t until I started to manage other people and understand better what motivates different personalities that I started to learn the importance and value of collaboration and teamwork to get things done. What is more, there is no doubt in my mind that the quality of creative collaboration massively enhances not only productivity but overall performance.

I was also fortunate enough to spend a couple of weeks on a business school executive program in my late 20s and was put into situations where we had to work with very diverse teams to solve complex issues. It was eye opening for me. I saw that, while I may have had a viable approach to solving a business problem, listening to others who had a different professional background and approach to solving the same problem actually resulted in something better. (For more on the importance of engaging with diverse viewpoints, “Six Thinking Hats” by Edward de Bono is a great read).

In the event that collaboration is not something that you think is a path to success, I want to try to convince you of its benefits in this column.

Cross-sector and cross-functional collaboration 
The sheer speed at which the medical community pulled together during Covid-19 and broke down silos to share scientific knowledge to create vaccines, update analogue processes and embrace technology (including telemedicine) highlights how much we can all achieve when we focus on . Too often, organisations create unnecessary barriers to collaboration without even realising it and it’s essential to break these down fast and be prepared to learn from other functions and sectors.

Although I’ve spent most of my career so far running tech companies, I came from a non-technical background and am perhaps more inclined to question the established norms and take a contrarian approach where I feel it will work better – for example we started selling subscription software before any of us had heard of Software as a Service (SaaS). In the early days of the internet, the big technology companies were much more closed and proprietary. This restricted the commercial potential and it’s interesting to see that it has been replaced by “open source” and an array of platforms. Intense competition is crucial to free markets but it can be intense and healthy.

The willingness to collaborate and join diverse teams is a career mindset which I think will be more appropriate than ever. So I’d always recommend looking out for opportunities in your organisation and externally to stretch yourself outside your comfort zone and find ways to learn new approaches and get things done differently. I did it early in my career moving across a number of sectors and it has become my modus operandi.

The network effect of collaboration 
I often get asked about networking – why, how, where and when? As a kid I just loved the film “The Godfather” and while I wasn’t considering a career in the mafia I did admire Don Corleone’s willingness to help others on the basis that he might need help from them at some point. It doesn’t have to be anywhere near as transactional as that but I have found that a willingness to collaborate to help others can bring extraordinary serendipity. 

Virtually every role I have had since my first job has come as a result of the network effect, often quite randomly. More recently, as I have extended this into coaching the next generation of business leaders I find it is a phenomenal two-way exchange where I can challenge hard, be challenged and share experiences but also learn so much in the process. I would advise everybody to experience being both mentor and mentee.

The office as a collaborative hub
So what is the future of the office and how will it impact us? I know from chatting to many colleagues and business associates that whilst working from home has many benefits, it has like working solely from the office, many drawbacks too. 
​

Funnily enough I think remote working has in many cases improved communication and a better understanding of the needs and feelings of others. However, so many of us thrive on social interaction, making friends through work and it is so much harder to manage others, learn from each other and collaborate creatively when we are remote. That’s where the office really comes into its own, suggesting a hybrid approach will probably be best for most office based organisations. Career-wise that will require agility to adapt and thrive from change. 

Collaboration as the essence of a “virtuous circle”
There is much to be said for more partnering to create prosperity. In particular there is so much untapped potential for the smaller businesses (the "David"s) with their entrepreneurial drive and creativity to complement the resources and distribution channels of the large businesses (the "Goliath’s"') to create growth and employment. One of the first businesses I ran was a health-tech corporate venture and interestingly the pharma sector understands collaboration well as it was a vital pathway into biotech. 
I hope that I have shown you how to find the opportunity in collaboration and where we can truly collaborate. My business career has been built on understanding and meeting the needs of all key stakeholders – Customers; Employees; Investors; Supply chain; Society; Environment. It is an approach that not just delivered for me, but also appears to be building real momentum now as we create a movement to “build back better”. It’s what I call “Growth4Good”.

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Related Content: "Be a Giver", "Reputations Travel" and "Networking as a Relationship" 


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Martin Leuw is Founder of Growth4Good, which invests in high growth purpose led businesses in the digital technology sector, principally in social and environmental change.
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He is also Chairman of Leathwaite, an international human capital specialist and Ground Control a leading environmental maintenance services provider. Earlier in his career, Martin was CEO of IRIS Software and grew it from small beginnings to become a market leader in each of its sectors and one of the UK’s largest private B2B (SAAS) software houses, with £50m EBITDA pa, exiting in 2007 at $1bn EV.


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More Wise Words...

Achieve: Focus on Results
​
Achieve: Leading from the Start
Achieve: Small is BIG
Achieve: Take Action
Career Management: Annual Review. A "How To"
Career Management: Annual Review. As Career Plan
Career Management: Choosing a Mentor
Career Management: Careers Happen
Career Management: Career Journey
Career Management: Mentorship Explained
​
Career Management: Post Graduate Degrees
Career Management: Promotion Frustration 
Career Management: Moving up by moving out
Career Management: Selecting Your Company
Career Management: Understand Yourself
Finances: Retirement Saving (1)
Finances: Retirement Saving (2)
Hindsight: Balance the short- with the long-term
​Hindsight: Embrace learning and your manager
Hindsight: Focus at Work
Hindsight: Millennial Reflections
Hindsight: Regrets: Time, Money & Pride
​Hindsight: Take Advice Sparingly
Hindsight: Take a Career Mulligan
​
Hindsight: Transition from College
Hindsight: Winning Nicely
Hindsight: Work hard, network, be honest. Have fun too!
Managing Up: Manage Up to Move Up
Managing Up: Manager As Partner
Managing Up: New Manager
Managing Up: Questions for your manager
Managing Up: Secret Skills for Managing Up
​
People & Teamwork: Be A Giver
​
People & Teamwork: LinkedIn As Networking
People & Teamwork: Networking Hacks
People & Teamwork: Networking as a Relationship
People & Teamwork: Networking Simplified
People & Teamwork: Teamwork As Leadership
Speedbumps: Chutes & Ladders
​
Speedbumps: Laid Off? Take A Breath
Speedbumps: Layoffs. The Afterlife
Speedbumps: Owning Mistakes
Work Life: Work Culture. America vs. UK
Work Life: Ask Why
Work Life: Be Yourself. Be Genuine
​
Work Life: Browned Out?
Work Life: Business Travel Guide
Work Life: Calendar Management
Work Life: Difficult Situations
Work Life: Focus on Fiyah!
​Work Life: Ghosting
​
Work Life: Help the Early Stage Professionals
Work Life: International Remote Working
Work Life: Pre-Vacation Checklist
Work Life: Smartphones & The Office
​Work Life: Start-Up Glamor
Work Life: Stress Management
Work Life: Take a Walk
​
Work Life: They Quit
Work Life: Unlimited Vacation
Work Life: Welcome the Newbies
Work Life: "Work" from Home

Crushing It @ Work

What Time Should I Start? 
What If I am Running Late? 
Taking Vacation
Sick Days 
Working Outside Office Hours
​
How to prepare for One/Ones
Making Meetings on Time 
Business Presentations 
Social Media, Personal Email and Hanging Out on the Web
Give it Six to Nine Months to Feel @Home
Be Your-professional-self
Staying Positive

Money Talk

The Basics
Retirement Savings Guide

Job Search Must Do's

Resume
The Application Letter 
​
The Free Conundrum: Should You Take an Unpaid Internship?
Informational Interviews 
Taking a Shortcut: Using Your Network 
Dealing with a Low GPA
​Responding to Recruiters
The Job Interview
Interview Questions
Questions You Should Ask
Simulations 
Interviews with Other Applicants
Dealing with References
Negotiating Your Salary
How to Resign (if you already have a job)
​
The First Week
You Don't Get the Job: Getting Feedback
​Keeping Motivated Through the Search

USA Today Columns by Fergus Mellon

How to get started on LinkedIn: Do this, not that
Warning: Avoid smartphone shame at work.  Keep them out of sight
To succeed, be a Giver in the workplace, not a Taker
4 ghoulish personality pitfalls to steer clear of at the office
​
How to coach today's not so entitled Millennials as they join the rat race

Crushing IT

Money

Library

WISE WORDS

Bureaucracy

Copyright © 2016 - 2020
  • Home
  • Getting a job
    • Must Do's - Resume
    • Must Do's - Application Letter
    • Must Do's - Internships
    • Groundwork - Informational Interviews
    • Groundwork - Your Network
    • Groundwork - GPA Issues
    • Groundwork - Recruiters
    • Dealing with Rejection - Feedback
    • Dealing with Rejection - Keeping Motivated
    • Closing the Deal - The Interview
    • Closing the Deal - Interview Q's
    • Closing the Deal - Your Questions
    • Closing the Deal - Simulations
    • Closing the Deal - Group Interviews
    • Closing the Deal - References
    • Signing On - Salary Negotiation
    • Signing On - How to Resign
    • Signing On - First Week
  • Crushing It
    • The Hours - What Time Should I Start
    • The Hours - What If I Am Running Late?
    • The Hours - Taking Vacation
    • The Hours - Sick Days
    • The Hours - Working Outside Office Hours
    • Professional Skills - One/Ones
    • Professional Skills- Making Meetings on Time
    • Professional Skills - Business Presentations
    • Professional Skills - Social Media, Personal Email
    • A Level Head - Feeling @ Home
    • A Level Head - Be YourProfessionalSelf
    • A Level Head- Staying Positive
  • Wise Words
    • Achieve - Focus on the Results
    • Achieve - Leading from the Start
    • Achieve - Showcase Your Work
    • Achieve - Small is BIG
    • Achieve - Take Action
    • Achieve - Your New Job. A Plan
    • Career Management - Annual Review
    • Career Management - Annual Review Feedback Meeting
    • Career Management - Annual Review: How to Guide
    • Career Management - Career Contentment
    • Career Management - Careers Happen
    • Career Management - Career Journey
    • Career Management - Choosing a Mentor
    • Career Management - Development Planning
    • Career Management - Discomfort Is Good
    • Career Management - Freelancing and Employment Gaps
    • Career Management - Mentally Healthy Choices
    • Career Management - Mentorship Explained
    • Career Management - Post Graduate Degrees
    • Career Management - Promotion Frustration
    • Career Management - Promotions. Move out to move up
    • Career Management - Selecting Your Company
    • Career Management - Understand Yourself
    • Finances - Preparing for a Downturn
    • Finances - Retirement Saving (1)
    • Finances - Retirement Saving (2)
    • Finances - Workplace Benefits
    • Hindsight - Balance the Short- with Long -term
    • Hindsight - Embrace Learning & Your Manager
    • Hindsight - Focus at Work
    • Hindsight - Millennial Reflections
    • Hindsight - Regrets: Time, Money & Pride
    • Hindsight - Take a Career Mulligan
    • Hindsight - Take Advice Sparingly
    • Hindsight - Transition from College
    • Hindsight - Winning Nicely
    • Hindsight - Work Hard. Be Honest. Have Fun
    • Managing Up - Manager as Partner
    • Managing Up - Manage Up to Move Up
    • Managing Up - Mastering Your Manager
    • Managing Up - New Manager
    • Managing Up - Questions For Your Manager
    • Managing Up - Secret Skills of Managing Up
    • Managing Up - Yes Power
    • People & Teamwork - Be a Giver
    • People & Teamwork - Collaboration is Power
    • People & Teamwork - First Time Manager
    • People & Teamwork - LinkedIn as Networking
    • People & Teamwork - Networking Hacks
    • People & Teamwork - Networking as Relationship
    • People & Teamwork - Networking Simplified
    • People & Teamwork - Reputations Travel
    • People & Teamwork - Teamwork as Leadership
    • Sliding Doors - Decision Paths
    • Sliding Doors - Success Requires Luck
    • Speed Bumps - Chutes & Ladders
    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs & Survivors Guilt
    • Speed Bumps - Laid Off? Take a Breath
    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs. The After Life
    • Speed Bumps - Owning Mistakes
    • Work Life - American Work Culture
    • Work Life - Ask Why
    • Work Life - Be Yourself. Be Genuine
    • Work Life - Browned Out?
    • Work Life - Business Travel Guide
    • Work Life - Calendar Management
    • Work Life - Change is Certain
    • Work Life - Difficult Situations
    • Worklife - Focus on Fiyah
    • Work Life - Ghosting
    • Work Life - Help the Early Stage Professionals
    • Work Life- International Remote Working
    • Work Life - In the Zoom
    • Work Life - Mom Skills
    • Work Life - Office As A Stage
    • Work Life - Office Ghouls
    • Work Life - Pre Vacation Checklist
    • Work Life - Returning to Work
    • Work Life - Smartphones & The Office
    • Work Life - Speak Up
    • Work Life - Stage Fright
    • Work Life - Startup Glamour
    • Work Life - Stress Management
    • Work Life - Take A Walk
    • Work Life - Tasks We Hate
    • Work Life - They Quit
    • Work Life - Unlimited Vacation
    • Worklife - Vacation Overview
    • Work Life - Welcome the Newbies
    • Work Life - "Work" From Home
  • Money
    • Money - The Basics
    • Money - Saving for Retirement
    • Money - Retirement Saving
  • Library
    • Book Reviews
    • Webinar Hub
    • USA Today Columns
    • Buy Early Stage Professional
    • Bureaucracy
  • Help Center
    • Annual Reviews
    • Career Speed Bumps
    • Managing Up
    • Promotions & Career Planning
    • Stress Management