"Once the what is decided the how always follows.  We must not make the how an excuse for not facing and accepting the what."

-Pearl S. Buck

 

"Team building exercises come in many forms but they all trace their roots back to the prison system”

-Dilbert
(Scott Adams)

 

"Lack of confidence is not the lack of difficulty; the difficulty comes from lack of confidence.”

-Seneca

 

"A camel is a horse invented by a committee."

-Alec Issigonis

"Trust is essential to all organizations."

-Warren Bennis

Spring 2006- Collaboration

Hello,

This is our first issue in the new quarterly format, so it has been a while since THE LEADERBOARD has come your way.  Hopefully, everyone got the advance note and we are not sitting in SPAM filters all over the world.

A lot has transpired since our last edition of THE LEADERBOARD.  So, while I have kept our promise to not make this a commercial publication, I could not help adding a news section below.  If you visit that page, you will see the case study of one of our clients, published by the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches along with other other news that friends of the organization will want to know.  Aside from that, it is business as usual.

This quarter, we are examining collaboration- a subject with a wide array of definitions and approaches.  Here is a hint: a web search on the term Collaboration returns over 718 million references!

The variance of ideas about collaboration, and the number of ways into the subject itself is pretty daunting.  So, we chose two of the larger doors through which to enter.  Below are links to articles by leading thinkers about collaboration systems (mostly internet based) as well as collaborative relationships and processes among people.  Collaborative Models is co-authored by two firms deeply embedded in the technologies and infrastructure to support collaboration. Creating Powerful Partnerships: Seven Agreements for Accelerating Collaboration from Dave Womeldorff, author of the Power of TED (as David Emerald) centers on the behavioral side of collaboration.  And of course, we have a case study from our coaching files reviewing a challenging collaboration between two departments with very different ideas.

As always, your comments, ideas and responses are welcomed at info@entelechypartners.com.

Cordially,

I. Barry Goldberg
Entelechy Partners

Creating Powerful Partnerships: Seven Agreements for Accelerating Collaboration

Dave Womeldorff
Evolutionary Management

In this synopsis of his next book, David Womeldorff, author of the Power of TED (as David Emerald) examines the key agreements in place among groups that have demonstrated an ability to collaborate on a wide range of projects and processes.

Read the whole story here
 

Models of Collaboration

Timothy Butler, SiteScape
David Coleman, Collaborative Strategies

This article provides a terrific taxonomy for the systems needed to create and support a collaborative environment.  The authors outline 5 models for internet based collaboration systems, and the impact that they have on collaboration.  Even if you are not interested in the technology, this article provides an informative framework for understanding collaborative processes.

Read the whole story here

Coaching Cases:  Sometimes Collaboration Needs a Little Help from Empathy

When a global outsourcing firm needs to develop a blended solution, two departments face off until they learn to see a new point of view.  When a coach turns the tables, empathy lends support to collaboration and the teams find a new way to work together.

Read this month's case here

Entelechy Partners News:  For friends of the organization or those who are interested in our progress, this new page provides information on a recent case study published by The Worldwide Association of Business Coaches, new client engagements and some interesting research from our friends at The Leadership Circle.

Entelechy Partners' services are all about...