Facing partnership overload? The good and bad of our collaboration culture

by Lucas Havens
follow me on Twitter: @lhavens 

As nonprofit employees in one of the friendliest states in the nation, we can’t help it—we love collaborating. In most cases, this is a really, really good thing (there’s a reason why “Allied for Action” is the theme of the MCN/MCF conference this year). We solve problems faster and gain unexpected knowledge from the best collaborations. I’m currently part of a multi-organization partnership that is firing on all cylinders, and it’s incredibly motivating.

What makes this collaboration so satisfying?

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Board of Buddies: Making your friends a force in your professional life

by Lucas Havens
follow me on Twitter: @lhavens                 

The best way to strengthen this close network is simple: Commit to seeing each other regularly. That’s it. Take this for example, every Thursday night a group of five friends and I choose a restaurant, show up, and chat. Over time, our conversations have evolved from sports chatter to more meaningful discussion around our newest personal and professional initiatives. As a group, we’ve connected each other to freelance work, helped with salary negotiations, and even launched a tour company. Once we committed to weekly meetings, this small group of friends became one of the more meaningful forces in my professional life.

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