Collaboration Key to Mutual Success...

Collaboration Key to Mutual Success

 Overcoming Hierarchical and Organizational Lines

             Collaboration across Boundaries

   They help each other survive.  A most unusual collaboration exists in the animal world:  Coyotes and badgers help each other find and trap food. As a matter of fact, it is more likely that coyotes hunt for food alongside badgers than with other coyotes! The pairs track down small, burrowing animals and if they’re above ground, the coyote will chase them down and the badger takes over the hunt if they go underground. And not only do they find food together, but coyotes also have more success in this partnership than if they go it alone:  Coyotes with badger cohorts catch an estimated one-third more ground squirrels than solo coyotes.

   This animal kingdom collaboration isn't to imply that the two animals are friends—they're essentially competing for the same meal. Instead, it all boils down to efficiency and practicality: They catch more, faster and survive longer when working together.  Each animal takes advantage of the other's hunting skills and adaptations. Coyotes have keener eyesight for spotting prey than badgers. On the other hand, badgers can sniff out prey underground.

   The lesson for us is that individuals, teams and organizations all have unique skills and adaptations—things they have learned to do because of experience.  When we collaborate with others—both inside and outside the company—we are taking the best from all and combining to achieve more. 

   LaserShip essentially works as a collaborative organization.  Throughout out our 25 year history, individuals and offices have shared customers, coordinated activities, offered experience based advice and knowledge, provided assistance and support:  We have survived and grown because of collaborative behaviors. 

   We believe that our organizational and hierarchical lines do not exist to prevent our reaching out to request or give assistance, to offer or receive advice, or to accept or provide feedback that contributes to our mutual success.

  In our 25^th year we have identified specific behaviors that can be taken to make sure we continue to collaborate across all boundaries, including:

 

v     I actively solicit input from sources regardless of position, title or level

v     I strive to build collaborative relationships within customer organizations; I ask questions of and listen to customers in order to learn how to better serve their needs.

v     I share information; I offer what I have learned to members of my team(s) and with others throughout the company

v     I actively interact with my team(s) and customers to bridge barriers or to breakdown walls, opening up opportunities for me to hear and understand different perspectives and to improve relationships that allow me to better learn, teach, motivate or direct