Guest Column: Imbalance, End Game, and Escape
Imbalance, End Game, and Escape
What to do when Collaborations Don’t Work
by Kelli Richards
As a coach, consultant and high-level connector in the tech, music/entertainment and digital arenas, some of the most important questions I get asked often center around the subject of collaboration – something near and dear to my heart. Here are some of the largest pitfalls of being involved in collaborations that just don’t work – and what you can do to fix or get out of them.
1. Imbalance. One of the greatest pitfalls of any collaboration is that it is simply not reciprocal. There’s no win / win – just hard work for one party and limited rewards for the other. The truth is that any collaboration can only succeed if all the parties involved are givers and takers. If any one party involved has nothing to offer, they’re simply a drain on the whole. Be sure that all parties invited into any project are clear about their role and expected deliverables – even if it’s just to bring a creative edge to the process – and that nobody is “dead weight” in the group, just along for the ride.
2. End Game. Another pitfall to successfully working with mentors, creatives or business alliances is that we are simply not all cut from the same cloth. We don’t all have the same work ethic or goals. Before any collaboration goes wrong, in fact, before it even gets started, you have to be very honest with everyone involved. Before you set out on any journey you must know that what is obvious to you may look like murky waters to the people you’re working with. In addition to making sure you have the right team (number one, above), be sure to take the time to discuss the goals and endgame of the project.
3. What to do when it goes wrong? No matter how great the team, sometimes things start out fine but go way off course along the way. Before you jump overboard, assess what has gone wrong, step back and measure what you can do to salvage your part – to bring the best you can to the project. It might not be great, but it’s possible that showing up for your part of the work – to preserve your future relationship with the other artists or parties involved – might be the best solution (or at least a step in the right direction).
Collaborations are definitely NOT easy, but they can be worth it. The bottom line is that no matter what we’re buying, selling or creating – we are all in the people business. Tapping into the most important resource – the human resource – is an important part of any joint venture or affiliation or product launch. So DO collaborate when it makes sense. Take the risk. But no matter how “big” the names and other parties are, be sure to keep it simple, keep your goals & expectations clear and have defined accountability for every collaborator, every step of the way. If you do, the rewards can be well worth it.
Kelli Richards
CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
www.allaccessgroup.com
