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8 BENEFITS OF COLLABORATION

“COMPETITION MAKES US FASTER.
COLLABORATION MAKES US BETTER.”

BY BRANDIN WILKINSON, GENERAL MANAGER AT ACURA CENTRE OF SASKATOON

I always assumed that collaboration and a major shift that I had in my life because boss had treated you as an equal when you
teamwork were the same thing. What I I was one who easily looked up to oth- first started your career? Would your level
came to realize is that while they are com- ers without realizing I was putting myself of commitment be enhanced? What would
mon in the fact that they both involve a down. I no longer believe that those who this have meant to your performance? If
group of people working together to com- we deem “successful” were born with in- you’re striving to have an empowering en-
plete a shared goal, they differ in one key nate talent, but rather put in the deliberate vironment that’s fueled by respect, it starts
way; teamwork typically requires a level of practice, effort, and developed the mental here. There are many other benefits to col-
authority, i.e. a manager, whereas collabo- strength that it took for them to get where laboration, let’s dive into what they are.
ration is when the team works collectively they are. This truth was incredibly liber-
on equal levels to come up with ideas or ating, exciting and a bit scary at the same 8 BENEFITS OF
make decisions together to complete a goal. time because it meant that any one of us has
the ability to achieve what we truly desire COLLABORATION:
While studying NLP (Neurolinguistic Pro- in life.
gramming), one of the realizations was that
when we look up to people, we put our- When, as leaders, we look at everyone as 1. PEER TO PEER
selves down and when we look down on equal, we become more approachable and ACCOUNTABILITY
others, we mistakenly put ourselves above create a feeling of safety amongst our peers. Perhaps one of the most essential but dif-
them. The goal then should be to look at Imagine how much better we can serve ficult components of successful collabora-
everyone as equal regardless of their title, by removing ego and treating everyone as tion is peer to peer accountability. In my ex-
background, or accomplishments. This was equal. How would you have felt if your perience, I’ve found that the key here is for

10 | THE VIRGINIA INDEPENDENT NEWS | Q1 2021