I had to ask myself, am I the lone inventor or the collaborator? Organizations need to ask the same question.
The Inventor
I grew up watching my favorite movie of all time, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was created by the original 007 writer, Ian Fleming and his team of filmmakers. So, like 007 it was full of gadgets and great inventions! I wanted to be Caractacus Potts (played by Dick Van Dyke)! He worked alone so diligently for days on end, neglecting his family and friends, but emerging with the most fantastic invention – Chitty! As his daughter exclaims, “She’s the most beautiful thing I ever saw in my life! It’s wonderful!” “Oh Daddy you’re so clever!” adds his son. I have two young boys now and I’d only hope they see me with such adoration.
The Collaborator
This vision I had of being the lone inventor was a wonderful myth for me, but I love working with people and I want to leave the lab. There are those that tinker in their garages, labs, and shops and emerge with the something fantastic, but for me, the greatest joy and the best work truly came to life with my collaborators. This is why I created Open Toy Box. I want to seek out, elevate and build with other collaborators.
Are you a Collaborator too?
I believe leaders and employees also need to leave their labs, they need to break their internal silos, create great cultures, and invent new business models, not only to survive but to thrive in this new era of digital and social business. I believe organizations need to look for inspiration beyond their crumbling barriers to create new markets, customers, and advocates. Inspiration and innovation for change will come by collaborating, but not only with those in your domain, but across domains, departments, industries, and even values.
Here I am with an Open Toy Box, and I’m asking, “who wants to play?”