A core tenant of the investment of my time and money into WDANZ was that by working with others in the industry, we can achieve more than by going it alone.
Collaboration does not necessarily need to result in the loss of our own identity. One large web development company who has yet to join WDANZ considers us to be a threat to their own “patch” – because we both conduct Seminars nationwide.Their role in the industry will always be “just another web development company trying to sell their wares” no matter how big or successful they get. People tell me that they attend their events and realise that of course they are being sold to, but there never seems to be much goodwill.
However, our members who attend and participate with other WDANZ members in WDANZ events will always be seen as the thought leaders, the guys that can be trusted, the ones to call on first, the good guys – because they are seen to be collaborating with others.
Another web development company that also runs seminars works with and alongside WDANZ and other WDANZ members. They gain great goodwill through their desire to collaborate with others, and the customers know it. The difference is the old-school closed mindset of “Me, me, me, Mine, mine, mine” and the more effective mindset that it’s “We, we, we, Ours, ours, ours”. It takes a brave man to open his business up and work with others, but these people are the winners in my mind – no matter who has the bigger market share or made the most money in the last financial year.
New Zealand is a land of contrasts – from the beach to the snow; the sporting to the creative: the nature to commerce; and the generous to the possessive. Our homes, shools, businesses and communities are brim-full of talent, creativity, ideas and potential.
But we’ve got a real problem . . .
Our Kiwi culture honours individualism and independence, largely to the detriment of collaboration and co-operation.
We demonstrate to our children that mediocrity is the norm – by either knocking success or envisaging that success is “up there on a pedestal” and therefore only in reach of the lucky few.
The cost to this is that our creative genius can become introverted and our insecurity can cripple us – individually, corporately, and as a nation.
I’m an indendent, self-centred, and insecure guy who has chosen to step out and try to help others. Yes at times there are knocks as people don’t, won’t or can’t share the vision to work with others. Thinking and working collaboratively is also hard work and needs perseverance, resolve, time and effort, but the rewards are there for those who do find ways to work with others.
On the first meeting of the first day of the first WDANZ roadshow, I met with three web developers in Napier (of all places!). They all sat in the same room, having never met each other before, and I introduced myself to them all, and them to each other. The first guy, introduced himself as a very junior developer, but with an interest and expertise in graphics. The third guy introduced himself, representing the largest and established web development house in town, who by the way, was always looking for good graphics designers!
This same scenario has played itself out throughout the country and still does today as people get out of their own little worlds and embrace working with others to mutual benefit. Just as two oxen evenly yoked can pull many times more than the sum of each individual animal, so too can businesses who find ways to collaborate.
While collaboration, co-operation, co-opetition or whatever you want to call it doesn’t come naturally to the typical Kiwi businessman, it is an increasing necessity in today’s business environment. Let’s kill the egos, get creative, and find ways to work together.
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