My good brothers and sisters,

There is a persistent breeze blowing through Delhi this blue-skied spring morning. It is this breeze that swirls within and looses the remaining ties of my soul to this place.

Yesterday marked a cleaning out of desk drawers, today a second-to-last Costa coffee and tomorrow a ‘yard sale’ (give away) to my cleaning lady (whose daughter marries next month), garbage collector, and newspaper recycler.

I expect that all that shall return with me will fill two suitcases, my lone Indian treasure being a beautiful shawl given to me by the team I’ve worked with over these last five years. Otherwise, the riches I bring back are those empty spaces freed up by all the layers of me worn away by India. And an awareness of the layers still to go.

My next adventure is yet to be determined. This breeze must first carry me home. However, as with the initial pull to India (and South Africa before), there is a similar gravity to what may come. Perhaps it will be in the land of Dr. King… though we shall see.

I am eager for my long overdue homecoming and to reconnecting with many of you. I look forward to sharing reflections on the unfolding journey, particularly as they arise within this cusp of transition. I apologize that it’s been a bit quiet over these last few months – I’ve found myself caught up in the whirlwind of bringing this life to a close.

Peace and much love,
Gared

The sixth and final element is creativity and innovation. Creativity is the conception of an idea. Innovation is the manifestation of that idea in some form, such as a product or service. The natural question regarding this element is how are these phenomena related to collaboration? The obvious answer is that we need new ideas and products on a continuing basis to collaborate about! These have to come from the collaborators.

In other words, a culture of collaboration is one that fosters creative products. My most obvious example of this phenomenon is Apple. I think there is little argument that it is a culture where software innovation is a way of life. The most recent to be release in June, 2007 is the iPhone. Creativity can occur both within and outside of the mainstream thinking. This idea is perhaps best captured by the quote of Wynton Marsalis, famous New Orleans-born jazz musician.

Leadership is the ability to influence others. In terms of collaboration, it is enhancing the growth, skills, and performance of others, regardless of status, position, or title. The emphasis is on horizontal structure and operation. Respect, in terms of leadership, is reflected by competence, continuous learning, and performance, not presumed title.

A short time ago, I brought together two of my closest business associates and friends. We met to consider how we might establish a closer business relationship. Everything went fine until we began to discuss money. Then a whole new dynamic set in–scarcity. At first, we didn’t recognize the increased emotion and level of intensity that had set into our conversation. Then someone said, is 20% or 15% that big of a deal compared to what we can create together? What is the issue we are dealing with?

What we concluded is that we were operating as a collection of individuals in a cooperative way. We were still trying to work our way to establishing a “consciousness of collaboration.” The contents of the agreement was NOT the problem. The context of looking for the best interest of each other in terms of the value of each of our contributions was the real life process we were engaged in. It’s a funny thing about collaboration, the more you think about the well-being and value-added of others, the more you get a greater share than what you could bargain for! This is a leap of faith in your willingness to collaborate.

Those of us who are really interested in collaboration will lead by a willingness to risk. After all, collaboration does not come naturally to a strongly individualistic society like the U.S. On the other hand, Eastern societies will be equally challenged by integrating individualistic performance with their natural inclination to collaborate. What I am saying here is that although collaboration will dominate the business landscape, individual performance will still be the intiating force to create, innovate, and produce breakthrough products and services.

Leadership, within this context, is the willingness to influence the transformation of others in creating a “collaborative mentality.” Once this mentality is established, the rest is detail!

Bill

For the individual who is interested in my blog stats let me know your name and email address. I look forward to hearing from you.

I am inviting those of you who benefit from the contents on this site to help me expand the number of visitors to this blog. At present, we get an average of 2000 unique visitors and 4000 visitations per month. Eighty (80) percent of our visitors are from the U.S. and twenty (20) percent are from other countries in the world.

I would like to increase our unique visitors to 4000 and the percentage of non-U.S. visitors to 30% in two months. I invite each of you to ask at least two other people you know to visit our site and see if they gain value. I ask for your support and suggestions.

Thanks,
Bill

Inclusion is transcending (not eliminating) one’s own personal identification to become part of a greater whole; to create a unity of One. I know we all like to identify with a “Tribe.” We are American, Christian, African-American, French, Liberal, Democrat, relationship-oriented, group-oriented, individualistic, and on and on. We have so many forms of identification of who we are it must be confusing just to keep up with them all!

Why not simply be a human being. In every sense of that phrase. Be a “spiritual being having a human experience,” and you’ll probably get along with everybody. You’ll also establish the basis of a relationship to truly collaborate with others–not simply cooperate. Cooperation, again, simply involves trade offs where in the end I am always looking for what’s in my best interest.

I understand that with a survival-based mentality, we are always limited to a small dimension of who we can possibly be–the descriptors above. Thus, we always have the basis for differences prevailing as the major driving force for human interaction. Primarily, the endless process of proving one descriptor is better than the other and ultimately doing whatever is necessary to have one’s way of thinking prevail. This mode of thinking and behaving will not produce collaboration or a unity of One!

To give up one’s sense of personal identification can be challenging or down-right scary. “What will the group think?” “What about my friends?” But the scariest question of all is, “Who will I become?” “Just another human being without distinction from the others?” Well, you’ll have to take a leap of faith in yourself that the defining spiritual character about yourself cannot disappear by the process of becoming a greater dimension of who you can be. But I can guarantee you, you’ll not only like what’s on the other side but you’ll never fit into that limiting form again. The old shoe will no longer fit!

So, inclusion involves dealing with the self-limiting prejudices, biases, ethnocentric attitiudes, and feelings of superiority we all have with respect to others. Give up the endless process of trying to succeed at the expense of others. Give up the “you or me” attitude based on scarcity. Even if you want to be a multimillionaire, you can only eat one hotdog at a time. Think and behave more of supporting the success of others. These are some ideas for adopting a “consciousness of collaboration.”

Wynton Marsalis (jazz guy from New Orleans) said it best,

“The feeling that ‘our way’ is more important than my way.”

By the way, thanks for the recommendations for others to visit the site. The numbers went up from the day before. I will keep you posted of our success.

I am inviting those of you who benefit from the contents on this site to help me expand the number of visitors to this blog. At present, we get an average of 2000 unique visitors and 4000 visitations per month. Eighty (80) percent of our visitors are from the U.S. and twenty (20) percent are from other countries in the world.

I would like to increase our unique visitors to 4000 and the percentage of non-U.S. visitors to 30% in two months. I invite each of you to ask at least two other people you know to visit our site and see if they gain value. I ask for your support and suggestions.

Thanks,
Bill

Trust is the interpersonal glue that creates quality working relationships. Trust means there are no hidden agendas, back-stabbing, or gossip. These are all behaviors that undermine the morale and functioning of an organization.

Trust means to live up one’s agreements, obligations, and responsibilities–both interpersonal and professional. Whatever it takes! For example, in our organization, Innovations International, as a CEO who travels 50% of the time, trust has to exist among us. Sometimes when the ball is dropped, we have heated conversations. That’s infinitely better than passive-aggressive behavior that undermines people and will ultimately extend to customers.

The interesting thing about trust is that you can “feel” it with your metaphysical senses–clairaudience or even telepathy. How many times have you used the expression, “I have a feeling that……” And trusting that feeling you are probably confirmed more often than not. I often use it to make decisions about people who I do business with that claim to embrace collaboration and partnership. Even when the business chips are all aligned, if “gut-trust” is off, it is a no-go!

Trust means that you have surety that your back is covered. If you have someone in your life like that, hold on tight. Fortunately, I have about four people like that in my life, not counting family members. I am very, very fortunate. One of the best tests is if that person is willing to go to the end with you. For example, I find that money is usually one of the best tests for trust–especially when people are hurting.

I have experienced two or three gut-wrenching violations of trust from people I absolutely trusted. In spite of these experiences, I will continue to trust, without the necessity of proof. The number of people I have met of quality far outnumber those who used my back for their own purposes. But I assume that comes with the human experience.

When all is said and done, trusting others is a measure of how much you trust yourself! Trust is probably the most important element that distinguishes collaboration from cooperation. The two are the Grand Canyon apart. If you ain’t got trust in the organization as I have described it here, then forget about a Culture of Collaboration. Be satisfied with cooperation as long as you a have profitable operation.

However, sooner or later (more sooner than later), you will have to “do” collaboration to be successful.