I am in conversations with a few colleagues to collaborate with them, they provide their expertise, and I’ll freely offer mine.

I do not know any other way to improve a budding relationship with another pro than to offer to work on a project with them.

It can be co-authoring an article, co-sponsoring an online seminar, opining on a panel discussion, or asking for their guest blog post.

They are complimented and so am I, as we rub elbows and enhance each other’s networks.

This is not rocket science, of course, but I am often astonished at how infrequently smart colleagues work together, rather than the individual going it alone. Is it a control-freak issue? Is it fear of the other person turning you down? Or is it  purely being lackadaisical?

The additive effect of ideas being interchanged, the planning of the event, and its ultimate execution, and the debriefing afterwards, makes for a lively and enriching learning experience every time. And you learn with whom you want to reprise that session at a later date, building upon what you experienced  working with them.

With the new year nigh upon us, I suggest you identify a colleague you want to collaborate with, ask them to explore the idea, and go for it! Try it, just once, You may really like it!