On Collaboration
I’ve been busy the last couple of weeks talking with colleagues of mine about some possible projects on which we may be collaborating. For small firms and independent PR practitioners, I believe that forging alliances and collaborating with one another is not only good for the client, but good for everyone on the team. As a PR jack-of-all-trades, I can most of the things that clients are looking for. But we’re in a day and age where more and more of us are specializing and owning certain areas within the PR spectrum, and in some cases, it’s better for the project to have those people on board, giving the knowledge that comes from giving more focus and attention to a particular area.
More importantly, good ideas and innovations are born out of conversations. Even if I don’t end up collaborating with colleagues on certain projects, the discussions allow me to think and engage in new ways. I not only get insights and energy germane to the project in question; I sometimes also get insights and energy that helps fuel projects I’m currently working on.
I also learn from my colleagues — which is important given the quickly-shifting ground we’re finding ourselves on these days. One of the reasons I do PR in the first place comes from a desire to learn and pass on knowledge. And I’m not alone in that — I’m lucky to have colleagues that are willing to share their knowledge as well as pass along the knowledge you’re willing to share. The more we continue learning, the more we can continue to help our clients. And in collaborations, those discussions and that learning becomes absolutely vital to the campaign.
