Several years ago, Robert Fulghum wrote a book entitled All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. There is a lot of truth in that. One of the biggest things you learn in kindergarten is how to work with others – or at least, that is the intended goal.

Some of us, if graded today, may get a “does not work well with others” comment on our report cards. The problem is that we are each different. The people we live with, work with, and encounter on a daily basis are not exactly like us, so there will be inevitable differences. Now while this may sound like a bad thing, it is actually a wonderful opportunity for each of us to bring our unique strengths to the table and accomplish as a group what any one of us alone could not accomplish.

This is because we are looking at the same issue or opportunity from different perspectives. We D/I wired folks are looking at the big, new idea just waiting for us to take immediate action…which we would do if not for the temperance of our S/C wired counterparts. These folks are looking at the idea from a very detailed, planning perspective. Where we may see one great idea, they see one hundred steps to get there.

Very often, this is the place where progress stalls, with the extroverts holding the line on one side and introverts holding the line on the other.  With this stalwart method, nothing gets done.

But if these two sides come together, each bringing their strengths to the table, the goal will be accomplished, and the result will be high quality.

This…is collaboration. Simple right?  And yet so few of us do it.

What are some of the reasons that block collaboration?