Collaboration

In September, a team of MBA students from J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University were named winners of the National Black MBA Association’s Case Competition. Their case won over entries from thirty-three other teams. One of the students attributed the team’s success to their ability to effectively 'collaborate' and continuously develop their ideas together. The results of their joint efforts were incorporated into the final presentation.

Last week, I attended an IT conference at Rock Eagle, I participated in sessions with very smart people who came to share lessons learned, best practices and innovative ideas with their peers. The conference epitomized 'collaboration'. One of my former GSU classmates is embarking on a new business venture as I am. While I was at Rock Eagle he attended another SBA event. We both returned with information that would enhance the other's business. We touch base to encourage each other, share business strategies and provide constructive feedback to help in areas that are not our strong suit. Collaboration.

We are all uniquely created and bring diverse perspectives to our work and relationships. It is a good thing. When we listen and accept the creativity and resourcefulness in others we experience the optimum in collaboration. We learn there is no competition among individuals as we each bring distinct views that are invaluable when we cooperate to undertake tasks or an objective. Our educational institutions encourage students to team together and work interdependently to obtain the best possible results. Our 21^st Century businesses require that we inspire more collaboration and sharing of innovative ideas in the workplace. We need the adult graduates to step into their careers with businesses that promote the same behaviors learned in their educational institutions. Are you a conduit for collaboration?

Next Generation of Innovators

This past week was spent preparing my manuscript for a review. After editing and printing and reading repeatedly, I finally had a version that satisfied me. My grandson was on Fall Break which provided an opportunity for him to hang out at my house.

 My grandson is a voracious reader and will often read passages from his books to me.  His love of words will sometimes amaze me. When he was in the third grade, he shared a passage about a young boy from one of his favorite authors. It read, "He had the warmth of a fire, a cold chicken leg and a dog to share it with." I was struck by the beautifully constructed sentence and was stunned that he found it so at such an early age. 

 For this reason, each morning at breakfast I shared with him a few details about my manuscript submission. I needed some help. I asked him if he would lend his masterful reading skills to vet a few pages. The chapter I gave him was about my first encounter with a Texas Instruments calculator in the early '90s. After my final edits, my grandson sat on the hammock and read the pages. He shared his impression of the story, we both found math to be a challenge. Then he inquired, "Why didn't you go to 'You Tube' to obtain instructions for the calculator." This thirteen year-old boy finds instructions for his video games, robotics, repairing his PC and you name it on this video sharing website. I smiled and reminded him that this was the period before Google, TV remote controls and the smart devices that are so prevalent today. "Oh yeah", he says. For an instant he had forgotten. He lives with the expectation that technology is as vital to his being as is water and air.

 I reflected on how much progress the world has made with technology. I was somewhat of a pioneer and collaborated with some pretty smart people on wireless innovations that we can't live without today. I was at a local community college recently and simply awed by the conversations I had with the next generation of innovators in STEM. 

IBM 300PL - 1990's PC