b'PEOPLE-POWERED LEADERSHIPBuild BiggerTogetherWHEN I COMPAREhow collaboration happens inat their laptop, concentrating on answering emails, not North America versus Europe, the contrast is stark. making eye contact with people passing by. In Europe, collaboration is almost limitless.If you dont put yourself out thereif you dont Competitorseven the fiercestwill sit across fromlet people know what you wantdont be surprised one another, roll up their sleeves, and find a way towhen you dont get it.work together if theres mutual benefit. That mindset doesnt seem to be embedded in North American business cultureat least not to the same degree. For a while it seemed we were starting to open up BY SHAWN BROOKto that way of thinking, but lately it feels like weve hit President of Seedthe brakes. Collaboration has become more cautious. getting half of something big is better than World Group. again, more selective, more siloed.And I keep asking myselfwhy? getting all of something small. I see collaboration as a multiplier. Its not about Shawn Brookgiving something up. Its about gaining something bigger than you could ever have built alone.My grandmother had a saying that stuck with me: getting half of something big is better than getting all of something small. Thats whats at stake here. Too often, people shy away from collaboration becauseStep two: know what makes a good partner.theyre afraid to split the winor they worry theyllLook for people who share your values. That have to share the credit. I believe the truth is: if youredoesnt mean you have to love thembut you do choosing the right partners, youll absolutely WANT tohave to trust that your foundations align. For me, one split the win and chare the credit. of the clearest markers is whether someone is willing to In other words, clear, purposeful collaboration canmove toward clarity. If their instinct is to say, Lets just create something so much bigger than any one organi- get the ball rolling and well figure out the details later, zation could on its own. So how do we get better at it? I start getting wary. That kind of ambiguity is a red flag. Step one: self-awareness. The people I work best with are the ones who want to If you cant clearly identify what you need to bebuild a clear structure, even when its hard.successful, how can you ever expect someone else toFinally, remember this: if youre not being clear help? The best collaborators I know are the ones whowith yourself and others about what you want from a are brutally clearwith themselves and with otherspartnership, how will you ever know when youve trulyabout what theyre looking for. That kind of clarityfound the right pairing?invites the right partners to raise their hands and say, ICollaboration is not a handout. Its not charity. And can help with that. its not something you should keep in your back pocket Without it, collaboration becomes a guessing game. as a last resort. Its a deliberate, strategic moveand it I see an example of this at trade shows. Whenevercan be a powerful force for innovation if we let it.someone books booth space at a trade show and thenLets stop sitting behind the proverbial table, eyes tells me I didnt make the connections I was hopingdown, answering emails. Lets get out there, get clear, for, its usually for a simple reason: when peopleand find the people who want to build something walked by their booth, they saw a company rep sittingbiggertogether.SW56/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2025'