5 Tips to Collaborate Successfully

If you plan to be successful in your career you will need to effectively collaborate with others. Rarely are projects undertaken by one individual.

Some collaborations are sustainable and last for the long-term (think of the musical collaboration between the members of U2), while others start strong and burst into flames (think of the brothers in Oasis).

In order to make your collaboration a success pick partners with the following qualities (and be sure to exemplify the traits yourself): 

Open to new ideas. Close-minded individuals who already have all the answers seldom make good collaborators and likely never scored highly on “plays well with others” ratings on their report card. Curiosity for new ideas and new ways of thinking is imperative, along with the humility to recognize that you don’t have all the answers and can learn from others.

Good listener. Someone who is open to new ideas will strive to effectively listen to others and gain a new perspective and view on a situation. Practice active listening in order to fully understand the other person and the solution they propose.

Disagree effectively. One can disagree without being disagreeable. Successful collaborations need the freedom to differ without resorting to rude behavior or shouting. It is often through disagreement that real breakthroughs and solutions can be developed. Don’t be afraid of conflict but manage it constructively.

Reliable. Can you rely on the individuals you are collaborating with? Will they fulfill their responsibilities? Are they hard-working or will they leave work undone? These are questions you need answers to when it comes to selecting those you collaborate with.

Honesty and Respect. These are the basic traits you want in a collaborative partner and they should underlie who you are and how you interact with others. By developing honest and respectful collaborations you make it more likely your team will find effective solutions to the problems you encounter and create a successful and impactful project, product, or event.

Do These 3 Things Before Abruptly Quitting Your Job

Many of us have a moment in our career when we'd love to head into our boss's office and shout, "take this job and shove it."

Fortunately, we usually avoid making a scene when this urge hits us. But just because we're tactful doesn't mean we make the right decision about our career. There are times, of course, when leaving a job is the best thing for us. However, it's good to exercise some caution before abruptly firing that email off to your boss or the HR department announcing that you're quitting.

When you have the urge to get up and leave do these three things first.

Wait 24 hours. In most situations things will look a little different the next morning and we might be more appreciative of our job or the people we work with once we've had a chance to get away from the office. Everyone experiences times of struggle and these are usually the times in our lives and careers when we learn the most. Sometimes a desire to quit is a desire to avoid doing something difficult but necessary for our career.

Discuss with your family, a mentor, or a trusted friend. Sit down with those closest to you and ask for advice. Often, those who love you and know you best will see some part of the situation that you haven't considered yet. Use this time to listen well.

Meet with your boss. You likely won't feel good about leaving your job without laying all your cards on the table with your supervisor. Well, almost all your cards. Avoid anything that seems to blame others or appears to avoid taking responsibility. But if you don't feel like your work is recognized, think you're overdue for a promotion, or want more responsibility, a clear and honest conversation with your boss might just bring you what you want.

If not, you'll probably have earned your supervisor's respect, will feel good that you addressed the issues head-on, and can leave knowing that you didn't run from a tough situation.