External Collaboration

Background:

Two firms in the design/construction industry were simultaneously working on the same project, but not currently communicating with each other about the ultimate project objectives. They were exhibiting common symptoms of minimal external collaboration:

• Thinking no one else can help
• Waiting for someone else to set up the meeting
• Limiting external collaboration within the market segment
• Thinking everyone else within the industry already knows what you do and how well you do it

Although the two groups had met face to face in the past, their talks had never resulted in true communication about each of their firms’ specialized capabilities or a composite path forward. To both their advantages, and for the success of the project, collaboration between both teams was to be vital.

How we helped:

WOA facilitated several collaborative sessions to get both groups to exchange client insights they had gathered and devise a mutually feasible strategy. During these sessions, WOA guided each company on how to showcase their most prized capabilities to both each other and the client. This more accurate understanding of each service deliverable, coupled with knowledge of the client’s objectives and the challenges they face, resulted in a faster and more effective approach. After a few WOA-facilitated meetings, the two firms felt competent enough to begin meeting on their own. They had learned how to effectively collaborate around a common objective and how to initiate similar outreach independently.

How we did it:

Shaping the path for these firms to see the advantages of collaboration with outside companies, and how they can help each other win. The groups were simply stuck from taking on the project by themselves; our WOA facilitated sessions showed them how effective and advantageous it is to work with others to achieve the end goal.

Client benefit:

Each of the clients now has a better understanding of how they can leverage each other. They also discovered other projects they each were pursuing and have since joined together in those initiatives as well.