Ad hoc collaboration is the best business model of the new economy. I’m convinced of it. I see us becoming a nation of solo entrepreneurs and independents, cutting costs by shifting away from old, inflexible business models.
One lesson I’ve learned as a Collaboration Junkie is that you shouldn’t dance with every suitor. I’ve made that mistake. In the best cases, I emerged slightly off-track, but wiser. In the worst cases, I nearly torpedoed my career.
5 Lessons for Choosing Project Partners and Collaborators
Here are some lessons I’ve learned about finding a dance partner:
1. Find a collaborator who complements your skills, not someone who mirrors them.
Social networking is a heckuva way to meet others in the same professional boat as you. But kinship through a shared vocation doesn’t mean you’ll make a good team; it just makes you redundant. Who will fill the talent gaps? You need someone whose strong suits dovetail with yours while also filling a void.
2. Choose partners whose values (business and personal) are similar to yours.
Having divergent views can be exciting at first. It can even spark creativity. As time goes on, though, and the grind of completing a project bears down, what once was a catalyst will degrade into irritation, conflict and dissatisfaction. Choose project partners with whom you share common priorities and philosophical ground.
3. Find the right balance of Idea People, Leaders, Doers, Role Players and Commentators.
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re probably part idea person, part leader, and part doer. You know you need each piece to make it work. You need the same when you team up with others. A team comprised solely of leaders collapses in an ego heap. A flock of Idea People brainstorms all day long and goes nowhere. Build project teams that are balanced.
There’s no magical formula, but here’s a ballpark of my collaborative mix:
Idea People – 10%
Leaders – 25%
Doers – 50%
Role Players – 14%
Commentators – 1%
I’ll elaborate in a future post about why I use this mix.
4. Align with successful people, not people who want to be successful
If you learn early to distinguish between successful people and people who want to be successful, you’ll save a fortune. The world is full of self-starters — find the finishers. Nobody gets paid to wish for success. Delivering is where the money is.
5. Take your partners for a test drive
Before you become long-term business partners, try working on a project or two together. Collaborate before you co-habitate. You need to get a vibe for each other’s style, work habits, performance, and demeanor under pressure. You’ll save yourself from a world of hurt if you biz-date before you biz-marry.
6. Assess what you bring to the team
Take a brutally honest look in the mirror. How do you stack up against tips 1-5? Do you complement the skills of other team members? Are you a good fit? Are you already successful, or are you desperately trying to piggyback on someone else’s success? If you don’t bring enough to the team, the collaboration will be unbalanced. That rarely ends well. If you’re not an asset, consider patching a few of your holes before asking someone to sail with you.
Let’s Pick a Project and Work Together
Want to team up? Leave a comment. Find me on Twitter. Contact me and let’s get started. I’m always looking for creative, hard-working, proven successful people to work with. What challenge can we solve together?