Beware of Collaborative Intent

A lot of people and a lot of companies talk about collaboration.

But, are a lot of them actually doing it?

Beware of Collaborative Intent

I'm an optimist.

If someone says they want to collaborate… Believe them!

But ask them a few questions. Read On!

Side note: Don't get too wrapped up in the governance aspects of the data and the collaboration yet.

Governance is absolutely critical to any collaborative success but don't let it get in the way of the collaborative intent!

We can use Microsoft SharePoint and we can use Box and we can use other ECM solutions. And we can also throw Enterprise Social Networks like Yammer, Slack, Jive (and soon Microsoft’s Skype), and we can use traditional consumer social networks of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and, and, and.

We’ve Heard It All Before

Have you heard the comment …

If we could just be a little more collaborative.

Ask and consider:

• What does that really mean?
• What does it mean to be collaborative?
• What does it mean to be more collaborative?

What can you do about it?

Collaboration requires commitment. There are aspects that need to be considered, but as I mentioned above … if people say they want to collaborate … Believe Them.

Seek to help them understand what they are asking for. Then seek to propose a solution that meets their needs.

Great Collaboration Solutions Start on the Whiteboard
Not the Keyboard

Hard Questions Ahead

Ask these hard questions (and expect answers … dig into their replies)

• Ask, what do they want to do?
• Ask, what do they think they're missing now?
• Ask, what would they expect to be the result of more collaboration?

The Killer Value Question

Now that you know about their Collaborative Intent …

Ask, the killer value question.

If we could accomplish this for you…

What would this be worth to you?

If at least the majority of the people are in agreement that this is indeed and in fact what they want to do then…

Consider asking the next question.

So … What is your collaborative intent?

---

Thank you to Harmon.ie for recognizing me as one of the Top 25 Influencers to the SharePoint Community. I am honored and humbled to accept your award.

As part of my commitment to the community I will continue to seek ways to do more in the SharePoint and Office 365 worlds. Especially as more and more collaboration efforts and more Collaborative Intent is being considered, sought, and executed.

---

image credits: Harmon.ie 

Jeff is business advisor, mentor and community engagement expert. He has spent most of his career in the Enterprise Content Management industry. He brings over 20 years of Channel Sales, Partner Marketing and Alliance expertise to audiences around the world in speaking engagements and via his writing. He has worked for Microsoft, Kodak, and K2.

Tweet him @jshuey or connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google+ He is active in the Microsoft Partner Community and is the co-founder and President of the IAMCP Seattle chapter.

He is a contributing author to Entrepreneur, Elite Daily, Yahoo, US News and to the Personal Branding Blog