The Quest - Issue 11 Collaboration

The Quest is a BeCollaboration digital publication

Issue Eleven 2019

ANDREW HORDER Spotlight on a key collaborator

NICK HORTON

The theme of this issue is:

COLLABORATION

SANGITA PATEL SIMON WELLSTED GILL TINEY BENN ABDY-COLLINS

Published by BeCollaboration, 21 Victoria Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 4JZ UK Issue 11, first published on 1st August 2019 All rights reserved.

Copyright Š BeCollaboration and Contributors, 2019 While aligned to the vision and values of BeCollaboration, the views expressed here are soley those of the contributors and are not expressions of policy on behalf of the BeCollaboration leadership.

To experience a BeCollaboration Community, be our guest and come to a meeting.

Register at www.becollaboration.com/meetings/

For more details about The Quest and about BeCollaboration, visit our website at www.becollaboration.com.

You can contact the team by writing to team@becollboaration.com, or to one of the contributors whose contact emails can be found at the end of their articles.

The Quest is a publication platform open to members of BeCollaboration to contribute to major debates and issues of concern. Operating within the UK economy, and part of a global economic system, contributors to The Quest hold a big picture. They are personally involved with complex issues that require the skills and intent of many to solve. They are on a passionate, sometimes a life-long search, to secure change in the world and as such hold a great responsibility for benefitting future generations.

BeCollaboration believes in working for a world where every individual has the opportunity to be the best they can be: where we are empowered to recognize and honour our ‘innate genius’, exploit our full potential and make our dreams real. We seek a world where business and work are designed to meet a Human need for respect, to be valued, to achieve and to contribute to others. Most of all we seek a world where everyone has the opportunity to have their voice. heard and make a positive difference to the planet and humanity. www.BeCollaboration.com

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Issue Eleven

C O N T E N T S

About the contributors Editorial Gill Tiney A brief journey in time of Collaboration Nick Horton Collaboration - Humanity at its best Sangita Patel Transforming the fitness, health & wellness industry through Collaboration Simon Wellsted Who needs Collaboration?

Gill Tiney Collaboration is a power-filled option Benn Abdy-Collins Collaborator profile: Andrew Horder

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About our contributors Nick Horton Nick worked and lived in Asia-Pacific in finance change management; has been a professional photographer for 10 years and spent over 7 years on personal self-development. He combines the respective skills of quick-minded abstract reasoning; visual artistry and deep interest in understanding ‘the self’ into a visual strategy for you and your business.

63% of a first impression is visual. A visual strategy allows your target customer to connect with who you really are. Bland visuals lead to bland business relationships and wasted time. Strong visuals equal honest, authentic relationships that connect your ‘Vibe to your Tribe’.

Email : Nick@horton.jp Telephone: 07752 223072 Website: www.Vibe2Tribe.com

Sangita Patel A skilled communicator bringing 25 years of experience, from counsellor to trainer, and from manager to coach, Sangita is not just skilled in being able to communicate new ideas and theories such that anyone could understand, she is also an extraordinary listener. Able to directly and succinctly assist clients identify any issues or blocks that prevent them from performing at exceptionally high standards. With a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Race Relations, she combines her two passions of working and understanding people with creating a world where everyone’s differences and skills are respected, appreciated and maximised.

She has an exceptional track record in leadership, teamwork, empowerment, and management, having reached one of the highest positions in one of the world’s most cutting-edge training and development organizations, Landmark Education. An inspirational leader who combines powerful communication skills with experience of achieving breakthrough results through the ability to empower teams by causing others to take on leadership and responsibility.

Email: spate.business@gmail.com Telephone: 07881 475644

Simon Wellsted A Thought Leader and Master Coach. Simon runs a coaching & mentoring business called The Integrated Fitpro. They are creating The Next Generation of fitness, exercise, movement, physical therapy and manual therapy professionals, who get even better results for their clients and really stand out from their competition, simply by looking at the problems their clients present, through new lenses and also through leveraging the awesome power of truly integrated, inter-discipline, joined-up client solutions, whilst at all times honouring and complementing existing training and skills.

Email : simon@theintegratedfitpro.com Telephone: 07836 348164 Website: www.theintegratedfitpro.com

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Gill Tiney Gill Tiney is the Co-Founder of BeCollaboration and is known for creating networks and communities using her unique style of coaching and communication skills to help people come together to achieve outstanding results. Having been in business for nearly 30 years she has experienced both bust and boom and knows from personal experience that we create our future. Part of her success stems from creating the right team around her, ensuring that anything is possible. As an author and speaker she has travelled the world sharing her philosophies and is passionate about making sure we give our next generation every opportunity to excel and be prepared for the changing world before them.

Email : gill@becollaboration.com Telephone: 07798 601701 Website: www.becollaboration.com

Benn Abdy-Collins Love is the most important component of life. Love empowers change, safety and comfort during times of transition. In his work, Benn empowers you to re-find your feet again during the challenging times you face. In his work as Midlife Transitions Mentor, Medical Herbalist, Funeral Celebrant and Professional Speaker, he blends his professional skills, with life experiences of personal transitions. He knows how it feels to face life challenges, the effects these can have on emotions and sanity. How to arrive on the other side, with clarity and purpose. And, how to rise phoenix-like, because of Love, care and kind.

Email : benn@bennabdy-collins.com Telephone: 07957 658890 Website: bennabdy-collins.com

Andrew Horder Chief En-Courager at Joyful Genius Coaching – finding that sweet spot where your work is completely aligned with who you are at your very best. I also work with teams to help them gain better alignment amongst the members and with the organisations they are working with.

I work mainly with individual business owners who know they have something special to share with the world, they just need a little help to fully discover and articulate it in a way that is going to attract their perfect clients.

Typically they have been almost getting it right for quite some time now, and are starting to get just a little bit frustrated with the repeated false starts and distractions that end up going nowhere. I aim to help them finally achieve the perfect blend of the passion that makes their work meaningful and the pragmatism that means they can make a living at it.

Email: andrew@joyful-genius.com Phone: 07885 963156 Website: www.joyful-genius.com Join the discussion...

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Editorial Gill Tiney

The new buzz word in many organisations today is ‘collaboration’. There is universal acknowledgment that when we collaborate and it is successful, it delivers high impact, transformational results that provide a win/win for all involved. Why then do many people find it next to impossible to collaborate effectively?

Simon Wellsted is exploring this issue within the personal fitness industry. How do you get professionals to collaborate when they are entrenched in working in competition with each other? He considers what might be achieved.

Sangita Patel looks at collaboration from the perspective of gender and race. Whilst we can see the benefits from a local entrepreneurial space, she views collaboration from a global potential for inclusion.

Nick Horton delves into the historical journey of collaboration along with a geographical view and personal experience of living and working in Japan. Does culture play a part in successful collaborations?

Benn Abdy-Collins illustrates the natural elements of collaboration, in as much as we have an innate desire within us to collaborate. He demonstrates how people coalesce to bring about inherent collaboration when situations demand it. It may not be considered a collaboration, but he highlights how, in his industry, a funeral cannot take place without well-oiled and disciplined collaboration.

As we learn from our BeCollaboration community I now understand that true purposeful collaboration is not possible unless the collaborators have a deep understanding of self. We talk about knowing our Being and the pursuit of self-improvement, with an understanding of who you are, your past, your vision for your future and letting go of your ego. This is the starting place for productive, powerful collaboration.

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The articles in this issue of The Quest demonstrate the complexities of collaboration and why on a micro or macro level this goes against what we have been institutionally taught, but once the essence and basics have been grasped it has the power to transform relationships, projects, businesses and indeed the planet.

When the world gathers around the idea of collaboration and we build communities who understand their Being is for the benefit of all, then we know that everything is possible.

About The Quest Team The Quest is produced by the BeCollaboration Digital Team and is made possible by, you. guessed it, collaboration.

For typesetting, layout and art, project management of The Quest, proofing and creation and maintenance of our website, our warmest gratitude and huge thanks to Kay Westrap. kay@mybusinessmum.co.uk and kay@couragetogrow.me.uk www.mybusinessmum.co.uk or www.couragetogrow.me.uk

For her proofreading skills, many thanks to Linda Burns. lifeinsideout8@gmail.com

For proofing the typesetting, design and artwork and generally ensuring that the look and feel are always 100%, our huge respect to Simon Thomas of Toucan Internet LLP. simon@toucanweb.co.uk www.toucanweb.co.uk or www.simonthomas.org.uk For her driving force to bring the project to fruition, proofing and liaising with contributors, writing of editorial and case study and being our Team Dynamo we give huge thanks to Gill Tiney gill@becollaboration.com www.becollaboration.com

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Nick Horton

COLLABORATION A BRIEF JOURNEY IN TIME – FROM GLASGOW TO TOKYO TO HERTFORD

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When I wrote “from Glasgow to Tokyo to Hertford” I grinned to myself as I thought of Trotters Independent Traders van logo. All that seemed to be missing was Peckham. But that is my work-related journey, from small independent traders to senior roles in a Blue Chip S&P 500 company.

The connection to that adventure is multidimensional but I will focus on collaboration.

I believe that collaboration is at the core of humanity and as a species we have been one of its better exponents. Up to now at least.

One was of the great ‘sliding door’ moments of humanity’s history was our decision to bargain collectively and divide labour. We started farming.

Add time, technology and globalisation and we are all experiencing the result of 30 centuries of collaboration. I will argue through my experiences that at the extremes, there are basically two forms of collaboration that exist in the workplace today and all the shades of grey in between.

The first is the command and control (C&C) model, the use of rank or authority to coerce fellow ‘collaborators’ (commonly known as coworkers) into compliance of the contracting entities wishes. The best example of this is the Armed Forces. The second, is working out what the skills sets of the co-workers are and matching them to the needs of the entity and hiring people. Then asking open questions and giving them the problems to solve themselves, with an appropriate level of guidance. The collective model.

My story starts with traditional foundry in Glasgow back in the 1980s. It had been run on C&C model for decades: defined as my idea

and “do as I say, because I have the authority”.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was when nobody within the foundry wanted to take a “leadership” role. The increased benefits were just not sufficient to offset the “hassle” of the job. A new way had to be sought for the company to survive in a declining market, so the company sought the advice of a management consultant whose teachings were based on W. Edwards Deming. Deming is best known for his 14 points for continuous improvement (“Kaizen”) he taught Japanese engineers and leaders during Japan’s post-war reconstruction in the 50s. His concepts are multi-faceted but as a 19-year-old under-graduate, the aspect that stuck with me forever was “take away fear”.

Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself.

It fascinated me to watch the transformation in the company take place to such an extent, that financial results were shared with the whole workforce and they were actively encouraged, and did come up with solutions to quality issues. The company’s culture changed from one of fear to a whole team working together to a common cause.

So now the story moves on to my post graduate traineeship and back to the (C&C) model.

Probably the darkest three years of my career.

The technical training was of the highest quality but wow I was back in C&C. Everything, was evaluated and ranked, my opinions were not valued.

My health suffered. Interestingly, I was transferred to Tokyo within the same company, same values, same system but within the context of a very different Asian culture.

I thought this would be the solution to my problems with the command and control

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“Fear, command and control suddenly stalked every corner of the company.”

model. Japan’s collective culture would surely dilute C&C model? How wrong was I! It amazed me as to how the same values of the entity transcended local customs and values and C&C ruled supreme. In fact, it was probably worse as Japanese attention to detail combined with a merger resulted in bureaucracy gone mad, paralysis by analysis.

I could write a book, let alone an article, on my experiences back in Tokyo but one anecdote stands out.

When faced with staff leaving (as happens during mergers) the response was not to hire more staff. Not to replace them but to manage a burgeoning spreadsheet calculating how to divide less and less staff resources into the unrelenting demands of clients.

I am sure you can guess how the remaining staff resources felt about this and what happened next. C&C gone mad. We were mentally and physically exhausted from overwork and worst of all we really resented the fact that we were never consulted on how to solve the problem.

And yes, I also left.

I returned to the UK and vowed never to get caught in that culture again. I now had gained enough experience to identify company culture ‘tells’. So, when I went for a second interview and the lady at reception greeted me with “Hi Nick, Lovely to see you again” I knew I had found my homeland. There were many other indications but that was the one the clinched it. The little 1%s always add up.

This was a company that seemed full of skindeep paradoxes. A listed company that made

decisions based on long term success, not on quarterly earnings. A company in the financial industry that had no HR based performance rankings. Rewards were shared based on the team’s performance not on individual performance. The founding partners were still running the company and it showed. Wow! I really had found my homeland, my values. All went back to Deming’s philosophy of taking fear out of the equation.

This was an incredibly successful period for the company and me personally. The company grew, exponentially and I revelled in the responsibility and support given to me.

The senior management understood human motivation and how to get the best out of people.

I don’t have time to write here to tell what we achieved but suffice to say it will probably never be replicated again. Not in Tokyo at least. Noone was ever arrogant enough to try and claim it as their success, we all knew we were part of something one-off and special, based on the collective collaborative model.

This is where that particular story ends. I was never really sure on the reason (probably dilution of the original company after 2 mergers) but suddenly HR policy changed and were all ranked with an open policy of replacing the bottom 5% of the company each year.

Back to the worst of financial industry’s ‘rank and yank’. This represented termination of teamwork, everyone was now backstabbing each other to make sure they were not in the bottom 5%.

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Fear, command and control suddenly stalked every corner of the company. I left, I also had personal reasons for leaving but I knew that particular adventure was over.

So, what conclusions do I take from this journey? Collaboration is an art not a science and as we are fond of saying in BeCollaboration ‘context is key’.

So back to the UK again and to Hertford.

The next chapter in my journey was focused exploring collaboration and self-development.

It has been a 5-year journey, with many twist and turns but ending up combining my skill sets of problem solving, business models and visual brain into one place.

So as with any art, conclusions are open to interpretation, my two cents worth I distil down to; Command and control is a form of collaboration that produces short term results and in the current capitalist system many will argue that it produces financially successful results that are numerically undisputable.

It has a high impact, induces temporary compliance but comes with a cost of staff turnover and mental health.

I have started collaborating with 2 partners in a personal branding venture, one partner is a fellow BeCollaboration member. We found the starting point for our Collaboration was common values and understanding our passions. Only after 6 months into our project did we decide to start our first pilot scheme working together. Back to my homeland, the collective model.

I would question the sustainability of humanity (and beyond) within that context.

The collective model also has impact and its impact has greater sustainability but takes time to implement and senior management could argue that pressure from quarterly

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“The one aspect of collaboration I have zero flexibility of opinion on is: it does take more time, thought and skill to implement the collective model. ”

earnings does not allow enough time to implement.

The one aspect of collaboration I have zero flexibility of opinion on is: it does take more time, thought and skill to implement the collective model. It takes time to understand what motivates a team at an individual level and how to blend that into a collective force working to the common aim of the company.

On the other hand, the command and control model is simply ‘my idea’ forced upon those working in a culture of fear. Less time and emotional skill required.

Which is more effective depends on your own personal definition of ‘effective’ and will depend on the context. My views are clear, but as with most aspects of life, collaboration is viewed through personal context.

You can contact Nick at: email : nick@horton.jp Telephone: 07752 223072 Website: www.Vibe2Tribe.com

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Fed up with politics – big P and little p?

Upset with our media, seeing propaganda filled programmes giving biased opinion, social media feeding our misconceptions?

Let down by the education system?

Sickened by the poverty on our own doorstep?

Is this the status quo? Can one person change anything?

It feels impossible that anyone can even make a dent in our real world problems.

And yet…

There is a way for YOU to make a difference.

Discover what Gill Tiney believes is the very beginning of a whole world solution.

No revolution No bloodshed Yet a way to stop the madness Making of a Movement is her story to awakening, the dawning of a realisation that she isn’t looking for a hero to save the world – she is hero enough to make a start. She doesn’t need all of the solutions to the vast dichotomy we find ourselves in, we don’t need to have all of the answers to build a new future. What we need is Collaboration the tool to transform the negative spiral we are currently living in and together build a better future.

This book tells her journey, the lessons learned, the path still to come, the firm belief that this is her reason for being. If you are passionate about what you do and who you are, you will recognise her frustrations as she comes across opposition, and triumphs as new people appear to support the cause. This is a story not merely of success, of making millions, but of hope and certainty that we can all be better, and can all make an impact while we are privileged enough to be here our planet earth.

You can buy a copy of the book here - www.becollaboration.com/making-of-a-movement-book/

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Sangita Patel

COLLABORATION: HUMANITY AT ITS BEST

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BeCollaboration distinguishes its core value, Collaboration, as humanity at its best. For me collaboration itself is not a new concept but viewing it from the framework of ‘humanity at its best’ is.

This idea has been a thread that has run throughout my life and something I have been inquring into deeper since becoming a member of BeCollaboration.

As I started to explore the nature of The dictionary definiton of collaboration is ‘the collaboration, I started to see I have always working together of two or more parties on a thrived in collaboration with others in every joint project or goal’ and also any act where area of my lfe. ‘someone cooperates with an enemy invader’!

I was born in the 60’s as a first generation Before I share how collaboration has been Indian in the UK. I grew up in a house filled with a big part of my life,I want to first distinguish collaboration. collaboration further by looking at what it is not and what it could be confused with as defined We lived in a big double-fronted semi together with my grandmother, my two uncles and their in the general narrative. families. Whenever my parents couldn’t pick Collaboration is not, for me, simply an individual us up from school, my uncles did. When mum or group working with other individuals or was too busy to cook, my aunts did – it seemed groups. It is not, for example, a partnership to work pretty well as everyone pitched in to between two people or two groups which is look after each other. often an unequal coming together of different parties where one may benefit more than the Through my parents, and my father especially, I other. It is also not limited by economics where saw more and more examples of collaboration the collaboration is for monetary gain, such as in action. My father had set up a ‘meeting’ of everyone in the UK who came from his village a joint venture. in India. Every Easter Sunday we would meet to discuss how we could support the people in So then what is Collaboration for me? our village, from building a library to ensuring Collaboration is two or more parties engaging the roads were fixed and there was lighting in the streets. I really did not see the benefits of in a project that benefits everyone, equally. these projects until I visited India in 1990. What What attracted me to BeCollaboration is the I saw was a community working together to idea of people, communities, businesses and ensure they impacted the lives of others less social groups working together. The sum of the fortunate. collaborative whole is bigger than that of the It was one of the most inpsiring endeavours I individual parts. had ever witnessed and overnight my profound respect for my father went throught he roof.

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“...the most powerful imagery for me was a group of young muslim boys wearing traditional dress together with muslim prayer hats doing the haka to commemorate their lost friends in the Christchurch shootings. ” As much as I experienced collaboration growing up, I also experienced the alternative.

My first day at school was pretty terrifying even though I had been looking forward to it all summer. I did not go to the school down the road from me but rather with my sister and two cousins. I was ‘bussed’ to school a few miles away in the next town. The intention of ‘bussing’ was to ‘integrate’ ‘black’ children but all it really accomplised was to segregate these communities and create further division.

I started my masters in Race relations at the University of Bradford and In the first week I was there I encountered the president of the Black student society and he invited me along to a meeting.

It was my first real experience of being different and going from an enviroment of collaboration to segregation and the exclusion was stark.It is not surpising then that as a teenager what interested me was the idea of fairness and equality.

We became the first university to appoint a BEMO which was eventually adopted by the National Union of Students.

The biggest topic of conversation was how to have black students represented in the Student Union. If there was a women’s officer and a disability officer, why not a Black and ethnic minorities officer (BEMO)?

It was a massive victory that was brought about by the collaboration of a diverse group of students and demonstrated to me what My focus became how to have the world be was possible when a group of people came a fairer more equal place. This line of enquiry together to achieve a common goal. took me to the world of feminism and race relations and an interest in understanding (all) At the same time I was engaging in the whole people around these two issues. idea of identity as a black person and as a woman. Feminism had always occurred as As a young adult studying PsychoIogy and the exclusion of men for the empowerment of Sociology at Liverpool Polytechnic I became women – ‘sisters doing it for themselves’. aware of the political aspects of being a person of colour and a woman. I could not define what Race had always been about ending it was at the time. segregation and exclusion of black people. So how as a woman of colour did I fit into these Not until I was at Univeristiy looking more two groups? deeply at the concept of feminisim and race did I see inclusion as the way forward and not It seemed as a woman of colour, I was a what I had experienced so far of exclusion, collaborator working with (the enemy) black segregation and even integration. men in the fight against racism and as a black www.BeCollaboration.com

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person I was a collaborator working with (the enemy) white women in the fight against I started writing this just as the shootings in patriarchy. It was a no win situation.

New Zealand were happening. It was nothing new, it almost seemed normal. However, the As I became more aware of both these issues I response of the people of New Zealand led realised the argument was not only too simple by its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was one but also not inclusive. The idea of equality with of collaboration – of coming together as a the exclusion of men seemed redundant, as community locally, and a country globally, not did the equality of race with the exclusion of only in speaking against the attack but more white people. importantly in the embracing of its Muslim community.

Surely there was a collaboration to be had with men and white women for there to be real The simple act of wearing a headscarf equality in society. provided an ‘image of hope’. But the most powerful imagery for me was a group of The true nature of what was going to have young muslim boys wearing traditional dress ‘humanity at its best’ was collaboration – where together with muslim prayer hats doing the all parties worked together for the benefit of all haka to commemorate their lost friends in the parties.

Christchurch shootings.

The sum of the collaborative whole is bigger This symoblised for me the embracing of two than that of the individual parts. different cultures to show unity and courage. It showed humanity at its best.

We may be different from each other but if we can be inclusive of those differences there is You can contact Sangita at: possibility in those relationships. email : spatel.business@gmail.com It is a pretty big statement to say ‘collaboration’ Telephone: 07881 475644 is humanity at its best, but that is exactly how BeCollaboration defines collaboration in the context of their organisation.

I have been searching and enquring my whole adult life on how to have the idea of inclusion be something grounded in reality, tangible and realistic.

Today, when there seems so much divisivness with the political horizon of Brexit, Trump, terrorism and climate change, to create any form of inclusion and place for collaboration seems the safest of havens.

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www.BeCollaboration.com

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What are the BeCollaboration meetings all about?

We are a community of motivated and passionate people who choose to work closely together so we can make a positive impact on businesses, organisations and the lives of individuals we work with.

People get involved with BeCollaboration for the buzz of being part of something larger than themselves. They want to be able to fulfil their dreams and ambitions with a team of collaborators who are as passionate as they are, and share the same goals.

Collaboration creates empowerment for personal, professional and philanthropic growth. In short, we are up for changing the world. Fancy a bit of that?

You can see a little more about the whole BeCollaboration approach to life and business here: www.becollaboration.com/our-vision

Details of all our meetings are on our website: www.BeCollaboration.com

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Simon Wellsted

TRANSFORMING THE FITNESS, HEALTH & WELLNESS INDUSTRY THROUGH COLLABORATION

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Having spent 30 years as a systems engineer, designer, architect and consultant in the IT industry - a very left-brained, ‘logical’ and ‘process-driven’ job - you may very well ask why on earth I ended up looking to transform the fitness, exercise, movement and manual therapy industry through embracing the power of collaboration and joined-up solutions.

Sometimes I still ask that question of myself!

If I am brutally honest, I was overjoyed to be out of it. I took some money and ran.

I took huge delight in chucking out books and documentation, and then proverbially throwing away the key to that life, as far as I could chuck it, shouting “Good Riddance!”

Anyone identify with this kind of story? Chucking a well-paid ‘corporate’ life for running a small business in a completely different industry, to follow a passion? Funny that now, 5+ years on, I am FINALLY realizing what that previous life gave me – and it’s HUGE. Not only did it give me my practical consulting, coaching and presenting skills.

I now understand that my very structured, linear, analytical, logical, problem-solving left brain from my IT Architecture & Engineering ‘corporate’ life, fused with my imaginative, creative, artistic, holistic & intuition-based right brain have actually melded to create a new, powerful and extremely exciting perspective on the entire health and wellness industry and

how professionals can solve persistent client problems, for which nobody has been able to find a robust answer to date.

I now argue that this powerful collaboration of left-brain and right-brain thinking is crucial, not only in our industry as a whole but also in its professionals.

My journey to understand these complex dynamics has been crucial to getting me to where I am today. And recently finding BeCollaboration along with some amazing people was certainly no coincidence!

So, let’s go back to the beginning. I got trained in soft tissue work and clinical biomechanics whilst I was still earning a good salary from the IT consultancy job.

I ‘found’ (coincidence some might say, but there is no such thing as coincidence!) a group of professionals who questioned everything going on in our industry - something that totally resonated but I didn’t understand just how important this connection was initially.

I started by hiring a room in a private gym, knowing nothing about running a small business or how to really stand out from my competition.

I was also getting increasingly frustrated that

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“A + B DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUAL C.”

despite my excellent technical training and understanding, I wasn’t able to achieve the results for my clients that I really wanted to achieve.

This ‘expectation’ of having to ‘put up’ with returning to see professionals every few weeks or months is ingrained into our industry. It’s considered the norm.

Stepping back a few years, when I played badminton at quite a high level, I was playing a match one evening - really long affairs, starting at 7pm and often running on until gone midnight – and during the first rubber,

How many of you reading this have a back problem, knee problem or similar common and debilitating issue that keeps returning despite going to see exercise or manual therapy professionals regularly?

I pulled something in my back. It was agony, but I somehow managed to keep going for the entire evening, through stretching and other things. We won the match by the way! Trouble was, following that match I didn’t pick up a badminton racket again for over 10 years!

It was THIS that really captured my attention and that I really wanted to understand in more detail, so that I could make a difference.

Let’s return to my “coincidental” connection with a group of people who questioned everything…

I saw practitioner after practitioner, getting some relief, but nobody was able to actually tell me what had happened and why. Every professional I saw had a different ‘take’ on things, had different views and perspectives, but none of them seemed able to actually solve my problem.

I started exploring my frustration with them to get new insights into the challenge. This exploration continues today and 7 years on I am mentored by world-leaders in this field.

I’ve recently written an eBook entitled “A Blueprint For Change” in which I explore these challenges in the fitness, exercise, movement So this was my frustration, in my own clinic. I and manual therapy and what needs to change. was able to provide a partial solution but never actually managed to get to the bottom of what At the heart of these challenges is our was happening, and (most importantly) WHY it training model. Whether we are a Personal was happening.

Trainer, Pilates Instructor, Massage Therapist, Sports therapist, Physiotherapist, Osteopath, This is why people (like me) go from professional Chiropractor or some other professional who to professional, getting some relief for their works with our complex musculoskeletal issue, but return time and time again when system. We ALL get trained in silos, from a things regress a few weeks or months later. certain perspective that is specific to each discipline. Looking through a particular lens if www.BeCollaboration.com

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you like.

apposite for me right now. NO ONE discipline or sector in our industry has all the answers. They Unfortunately, the human body doesn’t use each have a ‘slice’, but they are each missing just one lens! I have learned that the most crucial pieces of the jigsaw. problematic statement used by professionals in our industry is: “I’ve seen that loads of times Moreover, most of the common and frustrating before - I can solve that for you”. Disciplines do problems that cause us to seek out these not solve problems! The human body does not professionals; from tight muscles and fit into a nice straight ‘linear’ equation of “if we movement issues that can impede or stop us see this, and do that, we always get this result” exercising effectively to (e.g.) lose weight or get Our initial and on-going training perpetuates stronger, through to pain and injury issues such ‘closed loop self-justification systems’ that as back, knee or shoulder problems, actually many in our industry simply do not feel able NEED the combined input of several of the or want to question or challenge, often out of above disciplines to: ignorance, fear or reverence. a) Establish what is going on and WHY and A + B DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUAL C. then b) Robustly solving the problem.

The most powerful and insightful statement that we can make when presented with a So, if we have tight muscles (such as our client with a persistent, frustrating problem is hamstrings), just stretching them may provide actually “I don’t know” …“… YET. But my goal is some immediate relief and help (like it did to ascertain WHY this is happening so we can with my back injury), but often the problem work out the best course of action for you”. simply returns. Why is this? If we have a back problem and we are told that “our pelvis is out But how many professionals have a willingness of alignment” and see a professional to rectify and openness to show such vulnerability with this – again, this may provide some welltheir clients? needed immediate relief and help, but often the problem simply returns a few weeks or And this brings me full circle to why I now months later. Why is this? coach ‘The Next Generation’ of fitness, exercise, movement and manual therapy professionals The challenge here is that we in the industry to embrace the power of collaboration and are trained to focus on the SYMPTOM, rather joined-up solutions. And hence why ‘finding’ than what is actually happening inside the BeCollaboration at this particular time, was so human body to DRIVE the problem. This was Join the discussion...

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certainly the case with my back-pain issue brought on by my badminton match. Everyone I consulted had a different ‘take’ on the problem, but nobody took time to establish what was actually driving the weakness in my body that culminated in the injury during the badminton match.

Today, I understand precisely what went on and why. And this defines ‘The Next Generation’ professional. I am now following my passion by helping professionals understand how what they do fits into a much bigger picture, and the vital role they each play. I coach them to always ask “why?” BEFORE acting, which may involve more than one professional discipline.

I coach them to combine analytical, logical, problem solving skills with an imaginative, creative, questioning, vulnerable & intuitionbased approach.

I started to develop my proactive integration models 4 year ago whilst running my clinic at the gym, developing joined-up solutions with the PT’s and Pilates teachers who worked there. And my thought leadership in this groundbreaking arena continues to this day.

My models enable professionals to BE different and really STAND OUT through working TOGETHER, being collaborative to achieve even better results and, consequently, change the way clients consume in the industry through a far better understanding of who can do what for them. What we are delivering is nothing short of a transformation - a joinedup education and service delivery platform for fitness, health & wellness professionals and their clients - with collaboration and joined-up thinking working at its heart.

Now I understand why BeCollaboration “magically” appeared to me when it did!

To BE rather than DO. To not simply follow the divisive, linear “systems” and “patterns” they have been taught in the classroom. Rather how to look at problems through different lenses for each and every client.

Ultimately to create powerful joined-up solutions that robustly solve many of the most frustrating challenges we all face daily.

You can contact Simon at: email : simon@theintegratedfitpro.com Telephone: 07836 348164 Website: www.theintegratedfitpro.com

www.BeCollaboration.com

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Our main aim in BeCollaboration is to bring people together, face to face, in a community where we share values, grow together and are aligned, to create projects and events that will have a lasting impact to improve our world. Logistically it is not possible for everyone to physically get to a meeting (yet) and so we have developed the next best thing.

Being in an online community with all of the same BeCollaboration ethos you can now access the same magic, connect with incredible BeCollaboration members and get the same generous spirit from our online community.

Follow the link Join the Platform to become a member. There you will find articles, videos, discussions and information to help you in your business and your life. Learn from the community, share your knowledge, support and help others, near and far. Plus discover those who are aligned and are nearby to you, where there are events close by – or worth travelling to.

Invite your friends in, no matter where they are in the world. The common denominator?

Being passionate about making a difference to others and working in your genius, your flow, to make it happen. Discover others who share your passion and create something together – Together we are stronger.

What could you achieve if you had others to help you?

Come and find them on the BeCollaboration platform.

If you are a fan of the movie The Matrix you will remember a clip where Morpheus ask Neo if he wants to take the red pill or the blue pill‌.

Take the red pill and discover a new world of love, connection and abundance in BeCollaboration.

See you on the other side.

BeCollaboration Global

www.BeCollaboration.com

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Gill Tiney

I’M ALL RIGHT JACK! WHO NEEDS COLLABORATION?

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has” Margaret Mead

As our nation contemplates Brexit, we and the world appear to be in the throes of massive change and upheaval. Observing the mainstream News, we find our politicians unable to talk productively with each other, preferring instead to hurl accusations and vitriol whilst being unable to counter a positive solution themselves. The National Health Service we can see is at breaking point, our Education system is failing our next generation and the High Street is indicative of our failing economy.

No, not all right Jack, not at all.

It would be easy to put your head down and get on with your own life and carve out a small piece of paradise here on earth and ignore the rest; ignore the people going to a food bank, ignore the homeless person who sleeps in a doorway in your town, not just the cities, ignore the young person who is in a job that will never give her an opportunity to get on the housing ladder. It doesn’t matter to you; you don’t have to care.

What if you couldn’t make ends meet and you had to find the local foodbank?

How does that make you feel? Just imagine for one minute you were the one suffering.

But what can you do that will change anything?

Right? How can one person make a difference to what is happening? Well I agree one person alone usually cannot make much of a difference ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has’ Margaret Mead Imagine the world where the thinking was different. A place where everyone pulled together instead of holding to steadfast ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’ positions. It has happened before, it is happening now, in small pockets across the globe people are creating a new way.

It is argued that our current capitalist system has created the unfair distribution of wealth.

But what if it was your son who was in a dead- BBC News shared Oxfam figures that the top end job?

1% of the world’s population was worth more than the other 99%. In my book that is just plain What if you needed an operation and the NHS wrong. The inequality screams that it is time we waiting list meant you would be suffering for did something differently. months until that bed became available? www.BeCollaboration.com

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There is enough out there in the world for internet now determines that we view our everyone’s need but NOT for everyone’s greed. world from an inclusive, global perspective.

We are all one. We are all connected and as In my eyes, distribution is just one of the the species most dominant on this planet we problems. So too is power and control. Those are currently destroying it, so we need to sit up with the money have the power and in turn and try something different and FAST! control the masses. Again, how can you or I What if we considered an organic way of selfmake a difference? Become politicians? organising?

Who in their right mind would want that job! It won’t take long before you become At BeCollaboration, as a collaborative indoctrinated into the systems of Parliament community we have researched how different – systems that are outdated, ineffective and societies and communities have successfully established themselves for the greater good. drowning in bureaucracy.

We have looked at leadership, hierarchies, not for profit organisations, charities and committee There is another way run establishments, among others.

If you consider the old way of government is wrong, then what might be achieved by Well, shall we dismiss the idea of a society being thinking in a new way, a way that allows the run by a committee straight away? We have power and control to be taken on at the source all experienced the agony of long protracted of the need. Not re-hashing a communist way sessions in committee rooms simply to decide of thinking, or commune living or indoctrinated whether its ginger nuts or custard creams at religious fervour, that is going backwards, the AGM next month!!! Some say if a committee and it didn’t work well the first time! Plus, the designed an animal it would look like the duck Join the discussion...

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“We are fed the falsity that there is not enough to go around, we must be wary of others as they are our competition – to the goal, the cash, the envious lifestyle. Not exactly conducive to a win/win dynamic where we each help our fellow man. ” billed platypus!

impossible. Our current society is predicated on fear scarcity and competition. Media is full What would it look like to self-organise? Based of scare stories and ‘fake news’, no wonder on the work by Clare Graves and Don Beck depression is on the increase.

Spiral Dynamics goes some way to illustrate what might be possible with this emerging We are fed the falsity that there is not enough consciousness into a new way of thinking and to go around, we must be wary of others as being. they are our competition – to the goal, the cash, the envious lifestyle. Not exactly conducive to A brief history of Spiral Dynamics - https:// a win/win dynamic where we each help our fellow man. journal.fi/ar/article/view/67574/27870 We acknowledge that, Imagine a world where the paradigm was ‘you cannot solve a problem with the same transformed to one of love, connection and thinking that created it’ abundance. What would that look like? Where the billionaires were happy to support free Einstein health care maybe? Where governments no Organising people simply with new Rules of longer sell guns to the middle east in power the Game, will not work. With the best will in plays for oil. the world there will be problems. In order to come together and self-organise, there has to What would it look like if for every world be a new way of Being. problem there were a group of people who came together not with self-interest, but for The way we think now is determined, we know, the common good? These places already exist, by our belief system, our influencers and our don’t they? Well, apparently not, because for past history. every issue in the world today from poverty, war, hunger, homelessness there doesn’t What has impacted you as a child will be appear to be a solution. Why not? reflected in your personality, and your ability to deal with others. So much is packed into What is stopping us from finding that solution? our mindset that collaboration is practically If we can imagine a world at peace, a world www.BeCollaboration.com

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where children are cared for, people are nourished, everyone has enough and yes some still have more in which to indulge, I believe that can happen – with collaboration. If we allow ourselves to believe it is impossible, then it will be.

So, let’s accept that whilst our planet has possibly never lived in total harmony, there is actually, no good reason why it can’t. We simply have to see our issues from a new perspective.

We have had a male dominated world for centuries, this isn’t about taking back power into the feminine energy. We have to stop thinking in binary outcomes x or y, good or bad, male or female, right or wrong.

We have an opportunity now, like no other, to celebrate difference, respect each-other’s values that uphold humanity, and reach out across the divide to collaborate to make the world a better place. I know it can be done, because I have seen it in our community.

Collaboration isn’t easy, but when you have a strong culture, aligned values and a mission to solve the unsolvable, you begin to move mountains.

who will be accountable and who will hold the vision.

What we have discovered, is that a group of people coming together for one project, will often arrive at an unexpected and bonus outcome that none of them saw coming.

When you are working in harmony for a collaborative desire for good, the base human level of achievement and satisfaction are exponential. The super-power of LOVE covers the entire project and creates unexpected transformations that impact everyone.

You do not know what you are capable of, until you take action!

So, the answer is simple isn’t it? We all collaborate and the world gets better? Well sadly this isn’t the case. Going all out to collaborate is destined for failure unless you understand yourself.

Good collaborations begin with each person leaving their ego at the door. Understanding their personal triggers, knowing what genius they have within them without lording it over anyone, realising what limiting beliefs they have and recognising brilliance in others,

What does collaboration look like in reality?

It’s scrappy, we are still learning, but when it comes together it feels great. That is one perfect outcome.

When you come together to collaborate you begin by agreeing the Rules of the Game, taking into account how people wish to be treated, what their aspirations are and what their talents are. There are also expectations on what roles will be taken, who will be guiding the project, what will it look like when it is done,

in short, understanding who they are BEING. Recognising their destiny and acting upon it with others for the benefit of others. A selfless act indeed. One that might be rewarded but not always in a monetary form.

What is fair and right becomes better understood when the solution being sought is seen for the greater good, a Systemic Win. That is, a win for everyone AND the planet as described by Paul Baker in his soon to be published book which defines Systemic Win.

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As a society we are only just embracing the power of personal development, mindfulness and good mental health and we still have a way to go, but being in a community like BeCollaboration is a good beginning.

Together we are stronger, can make a difference and leave a good legacy for the next generation.

You can contact Gill at: email : gill@becollaboration.com Telephone: 07798 601701 Website: www.becollaboration.com

www.BeCollaboration.com

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Benn Abdy-Collins

COLLABORATION IS A POWER FILLED OPTION

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Collaboration is one of those co-words that are essential for normal human function and ability to deal with life and society. Co is a Latin prefix that means; together, mutually, in common. Important words here include coworking, collective, co-operation, co-living, co-creation and co-design. Co words are not just for teams – as above – they’re essential in daily life, in one’s own mind, in one’s emotions and kindnesses and considerations. A lack of collaboration leads to much confusion, pain and suffering. And, of course, things not going the way they’re required to go.

Collaboration is a power-filled option that oils the smooth path of a project, an active decision and choice to co-work together, in a harmonious way, for the betterment of all. Cocreation is a beautiful thing, even at times of great sadness, suffering and pain. Just look at how mothers will naturally bond together when they face crisis and disasters involving children, not just their own. Or scenarios where emergency crews will go extra miles to ensure people and extreme circumstances can be managed way beyond any reasonable expectations. However, we need not face crises or extremes to collaborate together.

2019 has completely changed several of my personal and professional viewpoints. In a conversation just now, I found myself sharing about how collaboration is key to both my life and my work. I now understand that I prefer to work alone, and yet I enjoy working within collaborative teams. Each option fulfils my passions for quietude and excitement. Each brings activities and structure. Each enables my preferences for introversion and extroversion.

I get to collaborate with myself and I get to collaborate with others. Truly, these are win/ win/wins!

the funeral industry. In these services, collaboration is essential, when it’s lacking, there is chaos. The difference between the two is the choices, behaviours and attitudes of individuals, whether they’re crew, clients or patients. And the greatest foil to any issues is that wonderful, yet under-appreciated choice to see the funny side. Amid the darkest or trickiest times, humour can always be found.

There’s many a funny story around funerals or the ambulance service.

I am one of those weird folk, that enjoy working in the funeral industry. I enjoy my role as a funeral celebrant. I deal with death, with grief, and create a funeral service that I deliver within a (hopefully) very collaborative team effort.

Collaboration isn’t important in delivering funerals - it’s everything!

Let’s explore the concept of collaboration, and what happens when people do the strangest things, by not collaborating.

For many, funerals are serious, sombre and sad affairs. All is black, all is about misery. Unless of course it isn’t, because they are celebrating life, rather than focusing on death, and/or something unexpected or funny happens. Like the times the coffin doesn’t fit in the grave, people wear unexpected outfits, coffins appear empty, and then there is weird and wonderful characters in the industry. That’s why there is often so much humour around the whole experience.

First, I’ll deconstruct a hypothetical funeral and show the collaboration.

Many funerals are straight-forward; many are slightly complex, others extremely complex and involve a great number of people, services, considerations and personalities that make for the opportunity of eccentricity to rear I’ve worked in two big collaborative teams; their interesting and ugly heads. I’ll show you a non-emergency ambulance service and the constituent parts that slot together into a www.BeCollaboration.com

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“A good service has three parts – the before, during and after – the arranger looks after parts one and three. And the details, sequence of events, and incidentals that make each part work.”

coherent, beautiful smoothly-delivered whole.

A family arrives at the funeral home. They’ve lost their Matriarch, cherished for her love, care and support for her children and grandchildren.

There is great sorrow and sadness. The family are determined to do her proud. In their initial meeting the family stipulate they want a cremation service, a white horse-drawn hearse with a team of four black horses, six limousines to follow. Complications; the family is split by long-running emotional disputes and divided into factions about how things should be done.

Common ground makes much of the service possible; the other requirements require some gentle handling by all involved.

The team to manage the family consists of the funeral arranger and the chosen nondenominational funeral celebrant. Each faction wants to be heard and respected and accepted for their input and views. Care-filled negotiation in separate spaces allows for a working agreement to allow the service to go forward.

For the arranger, it is essential to get all the instructions for each part of the service that the family require and agreed by the executor(s).

Ultimately, it is the executor(s) that must approve the details, they are the ones who pay the bill; they are the customer. A good service has three parts – the before, during and after – the arranger looks after parts one and three.

And the details, sequence of events, and incidentals that make each part work.

One story about details is the John Wayne funeral I worked on. I and the funeral crew were dressed as cowboys and cowgirls. The family dress was to be the same. When the hearse arrived at the family home for pick up, the three ladies walked out, first, in Spurs strip; the crew thought they’d been had! Fortunately, the men were in cowboy shirts and boots.

Arranger details must cover family requirements including the design of the Order of Service booklet. Ensuring there’s enough time for the family to say goodbye – they need a double slot for everyone to speak during the funeral.

Also, newspaper obituaries? Fingerprints to be taken from the deceased for memento jewellery? Do the family wish to view grandma before the service and to have the coffin open for family and friends to say goodbye in person?

Special requests: no flowers, all monies to be donated to charity, via an online donation page and a donation box at the service.

For the celebrant, it is about part two of the funeral that’s essential. Mediating amongst the family factions enables agreement over the important content, rituals, music, hymns, poems, readings and prayers. Gathering the stories, matching the readings and poetry, understanding and developing/representing

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www.BeCollaboration.com

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“On opening the coffin, it was empty!

The little old lady within had slid into the lower end on being carried upstairs!”

grandma’s personality. Ensuring all that needs saying is said and heard. Where there is disagreement, to find solutions of the right way to say and include different versions or words.

It is essential to be true to the person who has died for those there to say goodbye, within reasonable bounds. What’s most important is to get the service script to say what the executor requires written and ready for delivery. Having met the family, the celebrant then creates the running order and advises the arranger of the details ready for the order of service booklets.

There are areas where the details gathered by celebrant and arranger crossover. Who carries the coffin? Family or crew? Which order does everyone enter the chapel (there are several)?

Will anyone else speak, give tribute, play an instrument, other than the celebrant? And, if it’s a crematorium service, do the curtains stay open or closed (this is important)? Which rituals are to be included?

crew carried an American casket to a first-floor church. On opening the coffin, it was empty! The little old lady within had slid into the lower end on being carried upstairs! When we arrived at the grave to inter our deceased, the grave was too short! Someone had used a long coffin for a short person! Fortunately, the family found this funny (at the time.)

Before I leave the funeral industry, a couple more tales for you. One friend of mine, and her twin, witnessed how the Funeral Director dealt with their mother, when their Dad had died. The FD was just like a character out of the Munsters, one look between them and together they both clicked their fingers twice! Another friend shared her experience of choosing a coffin for her Dad’s funeral and how surreal and funny – they got the giggles – it was to wander through the sample caskets in the display room, as though simply shopping for kitchen cabinets.

People are funny and odd, no question. But, Teamwork is essential and this happens when when people work together and have a ‘can the details are both well-communicated and collaborate’ attitude, magic and the remarkable dealt with. And, if anything missed or confused, can happen. dealt with without feathers ever appearing ruffled. Collaborations between family, When we share common values and a arranger and celebrant make funerals work determination to co-create, so much will well. There can be many to-ings and fro-ings, happen in unexpected ways. Teams can do emails and conversations. It requires humility, this, Why not us? Choose. Make magic. a lot of listening and accuracy to ensure what You can contact Benn at: is required is possible. Next is the logistics.

Talking of logistics, one day I was on a funeral email: benn@bennabdy-collins.com when we were sharing funny funeral incidents. Telephone: 07957 658890 One was about the empty coffin service. The Website: bennabdy-collins.com Join the discussion...

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Profile: Taking a look at a key Collaborator in the community.

Andrew Horder

www.BeCollaboration.com

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other people ought to think we ought to be.

What if we could just show up in our innate I’m a coach and consultant, living in Surrey with genius – all of it – and complement each other’s my very patient wife Daniela. She’s my third, strengths? What kind a of a reality would that and definitely final, wife (third time lucky). A big create? Can you imagine the possibilities? part of the success of our 25+ years together, is that we do a lot of things together, but we also That’s what Resonance is all about for me – have our own interests and we don’t require human beings all building on each other’s each other to join in. geniuses to achieve what none of us could make happen on our own. The whole being far We live right next to Gatwick Airport, so over greater – richer, more magnificent – than the the years we have taken quite a lot of fairly sum of the parts. impromptu short breaks around Europe.

Probably the most ridiculous was when Daniela If you could choose one BeCollaboration took me to Bratislava – just for a birthday lunch! value that you identify with what might that be?

I’m a rebel, a dreamer, an idealist and a pragmatist. I don’t expect the world to be That’s a hard one for me, because they all play perfect, but equally, I don’t accept that I have a part in my world. But if I have to pick one, I’m to put up with that. And in my own small way – going to say Brilliance. Elsewhere in the world, and sometimes not so small – I’m out to make it’s considered ‘not cool’ to own up to quite how the world a better place. magnificent you are when you’re truly in flow.

My work is all about helping people to realise What fills you with joy? that they really do have a unique genius, and then giving them the courage to step up to Life! There’s a lot wrong with the world right their potential. And in BeCollaboration, we now, but there’s so much that’s right. I love don’t have to pretend to be less than we truly seeing people having fun, or being kind to are, in fact we don’t get to hide our brilliance each other, or just going about the day-to-day at all. business of earning a living. I love nothing more than coming across someone who is enjoying You have been a member of BeCollaboration their work and doing it with a smile. for a while now, can you remember what/ who first attracted you to the organisation?

What is your reason for BEing? Or in other words what are you passionate about?

I said to Baiju Solanki, who I have known for years, that what I was missing in my life and My big thing is something I call ‘Resonance’ work, was a bunch of like-minded fun people – the human race achieving all it can be. We who I could collaborate with, in making the spend a lot of time pretending to be something world of work more joyful. Based on his we’re not, so we can ‘fit in’ with what we think recommendation, I came up to a meeting in Who is Andrew Horder?

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www.BeCollaboration.com

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Hertford (there was only the Hertford meeting back then) and even before I had got into the room, I had such a warm welcome, I just felt like I had come home. I was surprised when Gill phoned me a couple of days later to ask if I thought I might join – I thought that was obvious!

This issue of The Quest has focused on ‘Collaboration’, how has that made an impact in your life?

When I left the corporate world back in 2003, I made a conscious decision that I didn’t want to get stuck in the constraints of a large organisation again. So ever since then, I’ve worked in collaboration with other people.

Whether that’s been informally in the various networks I’ve been part of growing and nurturing, or more formally on specific projects, I’m always at my best when I can surround myself with people who all have the same objectives. That’s probably why I enjoy being around Collaborators so much.

the subject, and delivering workshops on how to discover what your genius is and create a business that gets you paid for it.

But for me, it really becomes a joy when I get to work with people one-to-one, and especially when I get to do my ‘Core Being’ programme with them – helping them rediscover what makes them brilliant (their ‘Core Process’), why that matters (‘Core Purpose’), and exactly how they bring that to the world (‘Core Practice’).

Are you free to operate within your Genius?

What does that mean for you?

Well, “operate within your genius” sounds like a bit of a limitation to me. My genius (my Core Process of En-couraging Potential) expresses itself in so many different ways, I would hate to have to define it as something I have to stay inside of!

But if that question really means, do I get to show up in the world as the genius Being I truly am, then yes, absolutely! Not all of the time, if How do you share YOUR passion with the I’m honest, but enough of the time to have a world? happy life and to know I’m able to make a real difference to enough people for it to matter.

My passion is about people loving their work and feeling like it’s perfectly OK to bring your What vision do you have for your business whole genius into work each day. I do that at working with the BeCollaboration a superficial level with my Joyful Genius blog community? and my social media posts, challenging people to own up to their genius and to demand to be That’s a good question - in my ideal world, I paid for sharing it. I also love doing talks on would love to have every single Collaborator Join the discussion...

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“By far the biggest difference BeCollaboration has made to me, is that I now know there are other weird people out there who know the world works best based on love, connection and abundance. ” discover their Core Process, to know how to keep themselves and their work fully aligned with their genius every day. As I’ve said, I most love to work one-to-one, so that might take quite a lot of time. So, I guess it means I need to find some people to work with to deliver it in a workshop format or something. I haven’t really thought that out fully yet - all collaboration suggestions welcome!

But seriously, it’s very hard to tell someone what to expect at BeCollaboration, because people get so many different things from it. It’s certainly not your ‘normal’ business networking meeting, but neither is it straight personal development.

Collaborators are there to figure out how to do more, personally, or in their business, and they tend to be open to explore either outcome.

Can you share how the BeCollaboration Which means they can often receive both, of community has supported you and given you course. a vision going forward for your business or indeed your life?

I think I would probably sum it up in the words of a guest who came along to our Surrey By far the biggest difference BeCollaboration meeting: “It’s a whole bunch of people who has made to me, is that I now know there are love each other!” other weird people out there who know the world works best based on love, connection and abundance.

You can contact Andrew at: And that’s given me the courage to speak email : andrew@joyful-genius.com more freely about the more esoteric aspects Telephone: 07885 963156 of my work – which are, frankly, the parts that Website: joyful-genius.com make the biggest impact. So, I now show up in the world with a much greater ease and confidence about who I am and what I can do for the people I work with.

Every BeCollaboration meeting I go to, I am reminded of Angela Makepeace’s words: “It helps me to be the best me I can be”.

If someone is interested in coming along to a BeCollaboration meeting, from your perspective what might they expect when they get there?

“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition” Oh, sorry, wrong programme! www.BeCollaboration.com

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The Quest Invitation to visit.

BeCollaboration believe that true collaboration – as you have witnessed here in The Quest, occurs when people develop and deepen their relationship, building trust through sharing their authentic self. This doesn’t generally happen as a result of online communication. Meeting face to face is the best way to create amazing possibilities where wonderful projects happen. The Quest is just one such project.

We believe that meeting regularly is fundamental to our growth and learning so we have monthly meetings for guests and Collaborators to meet and discuss new ideas, issues and potential solutions.

Each meeting delivers knowledge sharing, business insights, personal development opportunities as well as thought leaders in the making presenting their genius to the room. All of this in an atmosphere where fun and laughter are paramount. At the end of the meeting, we find no one wants to leave so we continue the conversations in a social get together for as long as you want to stay.

If you would like to visit and meet our community you are very welcome. There is no cost to attend, simply bring an open mind and a listening heart.

You can get full meeting information including upcoming dates and venue details here www.becollaboration.com just click on ATTEND A MEETING. We look forward to meeting you soon.

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Dates: 4th September 13th September 19th September 24th September

11th October 17th October 22nd October

15th November 21st November 26th November

London Herts Surrey London

Park Royal Hertford Banstead Canada Water

Herts Surrey London

Hertford Banstead Canada Water

Herts Surrey London

Hertford Banstead Canada Water

What happens at a BeCollaboration meeting.

2pm – 3pm is the Introduction for guests. Learn more about what inspires us to be part of the community, our journey so far and how to make the most of your visit.

3pm – 6pm The Collaborators will join you to share, create, discuss, inspire and learn – plus have fun!

6pm onwards there is always a social vibe to continue the conversation, you are very welcome to stay and we can get to know you more too.

We look forward to welcoming you to a BeCollaboration event soon.

www.BeCollaboration.com

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“You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.�

Jim Stovall

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