Blog post 8 Inspire

INSIGHT 7 | COLLABORATION MATTERS

A one-man band instils a vision of playing an orchestra’s worth of instruments.

Sound familiar?

When others bring something to the party, things begin to liven up.

Does everyone get a bit of the spotlight when they work with you?

in⁷ | Collaboration Matters 

Squad selection... Cohesion over cost 

Innovation is a team sport just like any other. Fuelled by enthusiasm it’s easy to be impetuous, even reckless, as you forge ahead flying solo in full action mode.

Your demeanour might be… ‘It’s fine I can build a team along the way; they’ll only slow me down in the early dynamic phases.’ But in all honesty, it’s likely even the most gung-ho innovator, comfortable wearing many hats and being in control, will recognise that there is no such thing as going solo.

Far from it, creating your team should be a priority; you need them in the planning phase just as much as the execution. We’ve already touched on the need to use the latest tech to your advantage and in this instance, you can view AI as your statistician, an administrator extraordinaire.

Even as a sole trader there are all the usual suspects sitting around the virtual boardroom table, accountants and lawyers are both commonplace. When chosen wisely they act as a check and balance on the health of your business, largely passive or reactive but nonetheless vital. However, the importance of having a proactive manufacturing supply chain partner for both standard and bespoke components is largely overlooked.

My advice, build collaborative partnerships. Bring suppliers onto the pitch, don’t leave them warming the bench in support. But before we explore how they can prove instrumental to your success, I’d like to ponder on individuals who’ve come as close as is possible to being a true soloist. The inspiration for this is drawn from the discipline of climbing, far from a mainstream sport but in my view the closest to the accolade of a truly individual pursuit.

A parallel universe or a quantum leap?

Ever heard of the Freerider? Me neither until I was compelled to do some research for this book. If you’re interested in extreme sports, you might well be aware but for those who are not adrenaline junkies, then let me introduce you.

Located in Yosemite National Park is the daunting precipice El Capitan, a 3000-foot (914.4-metre) sheer granite face, and Freerider is a zigzagging assent that few have ever even aspired to conquer. Indeed, to do so would eclipse by far any historical climbing feat ever undertaken. Bar none. Period.

That is, until now infamous American climber Alex Honnold did exactly that, incredulously in less than 4 hours, without a rope or safety equipment of any kind. In doing so he completed the most famous free solo ascent ever attempted. A feat of skill and endurance, which has been referred to as the moon landing of free soloing, and it astonished the climbing world. That ambition and clean execution is something any sports, or businessperson, would aspire to in their own field.

To place his achievement into context the previous benchmark was an 800-foot assent with a lower difficulty rating, so he set an unimaginable benchmark that puts him in clear contention for the title of the greatest of all time (The GOAT).

His tools of the trade; nothing more that climbing shoes and a pouch of chalk, both designed for shore footedness, to provide maximum grip.

On that note there is a section with no grips to anchor yourself. The only means up is to walk, trust in perfect balance and the sticky properties of your high-tech climbing shoes. With absolutely no room for error, not even a whisker, perhaps he should be known more appropriately amongst his peers as the mountain goat!

For the full truly incredible story visit National Geographic then set a movie date to nestle down with a tub of popcorn, to absorb Free Solo the 2018 film directed by Jimmy Chin who shot the footage live.

In truth, I suspect that even Alex would be quick to recognise the team around him and the part they played in preparing him for the climb. Without that network of support its likely the attempt would has stayed no more than a burning desire, an itch to be scratched someday, somehow.

Now Alex was himself inspired by Lynn Hill who made history by becoming the first person, regardless of gender, to free climb an adjacent route, The Nose on El Cap (as it’s affectionally known in climbing circles) That milestone was marked in 1993 and repeated a year later in under 24 hours, previously thought to be impossible.

We will return to this competitive dual between two greats in their field, one founded in mutual respect. There are more lessons to be learnt and few better examples.

And so, it is for anyone who sets themselves a challenge to do something no one has ever achieved before. Someone has to be first right, so why not you? In which case it’s time to select your team, your support network. One that will feed off your drive and guide you to the top.

Building your squad

When it comes to developing products it’s crucial to onboard a manufacturing partner aligned to your vision. Whether you share my belief in local made products or search further afield the role they play is vital to your success.

Being able to produce your product reliably and repeatably boils down to finding the right balance between the user needs and manufacturing constraints. This is where form, function and vision meet materials, processes and tolerances.

So, take a leaf out of Alex’s book and trust in your supply chain. They can’t make the climb for you but they can improve your chances of reaching the summit. Let them guide you but never lose sight of your product vision; if you don’t protect it who will?

Set expectations grounded in realism. Know what works on the production line, challenge your manufacturing partner to create the best product they can confidently deliver, on time every time.

Don’t over complicate the product or set extreme tolerance controls, ultimately this will only add cost and likely lead to quality concerns.

Accept the risks there will always be some. This is a high-wire act and like any other relies on a surefooted approach.

A collaborative supplier helps you anticipate pitfalls, build robustness into the design and adopt the right technologies.

That is why I recommend you opt for building open relationships that lead to cohesive partnerships, in preference to seeking the lowest cost provider.

After all attempting your own version of El Capitan without the equivalent of sticky climbing shoes rarely ends well.