Collaboration presents a unique opportunity for professionals in every industry. I am a firm believer in the concept of knowledge sharing for the collective good. And collaborating – specifically supporting others by imparting your experience and asking them to support you in the same way – is one of the best ways to share what you know and benefit from the knowledge of others.

If you give collaboration a chance, you might be surprised how you benefit. Here are some of the perks you can experience:

You may learn something. You can share what you know. It can lead to new opportunities. You can inspire someone. You can find inspiration. You can collectively offer clients what you can’t provide alone. It can be good PR. It let’s you stretch your “team” muscles. It can be a good way to work socializing into your day. You can meet new people. It’s a nice break from working alone. You can help clients find what they need, even if it’s not directly from you. You can put your years of experience and know-how to good use. You can benefit from the lessons learned by a colleague. You can team up to support a cause that’s important to you. You can find a solution to a problem you’ve been grappling with. You can double your marketing efforts. It gives you an opportunity to help someone else. You can improve your listening skills. It’s a good way to demonstrate your leadership skills. It’s an opportunity for you to be a follower. You can find new motivation. You can gain a new level of confidence. You can learn new and better ways to do things in your business. It can provide an opportunity to work with like-minded professionals. It can provide an opportunity to work with people who are nothing like you. It saves time. You can be empowered to do something you’ve been considering for a while. You can benefit from someone else’s expertise. It’s fun and makes the impossible seem possible.

When successful, a collaborative relationship can not only open the door to new opportunities, but it can make you a more well-rounded person, a better team player and more successful. Even in a competitive business environment, there is room to collaborate. And the best part is, you can create your own opportunities for collaboration. My next post will provide specific steps for initiating a collaboration.

Do you feel the same about the benefits of collaboration, or do you think you’re better suited to going solo?

Image credit: FaceMePLS