Why Collaboration Is the ‘New’ Competition 

Business is getting back to normal. Or is it? 

I feel bombarded daily with evidence of our nation’s inability to solve escalating problems like access to healthcare, proper ways to address mental health or even education or affordable housing. But I also see hope and potential solutions arising from the collective impact that we are having as we rebuild and create a “new normal.” 

The most promising opportunity, in my opinion, lies in shifting how we think about doing business. Operating in the proverbial silos, even with the best individual effort, does not stack up against today’s complex and interconnected problems. 

I remember the first time I heard the famous quote from Albert Einstein: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Even though I was only in high school at the time, I held onto that quote and used it on multiple occasions in my life to shift my circumstances. The quote echoes in my mind strongly today because I believe that the pandemic has given us a much-needed reset from which we can embrace a new mindset and return to business with a new approach. 

I believe it’s time for small and mid-sized businesses to formally organize and embrace collaborative efforts. The concept is not a foreign one and is already gaining traction in the “big business” world. When I first read that a large U.S.-based ride-sharing company planned to publicly share research data on driverless cars with the academic community and even its competitors, I wondered how they would protect their IP. But their rationale was a beautiful example of embracing this new mindset. In a statement about the decision, the company said data sharing would “help level the playing field” for all those interested in such technology. The truth is that advancement in an industry accelerates growth for all. Working together identifies challenges faster and thus brings solutions to solve them. 

I chose “Collaboration is the New Competition” as my theme for the upcoming year. I think women have always excelled in bringing this concept to life. When encouraged, collaboration transforms business landscapes and industry ecosystems. Worrying about competition is a small-minded and fear-based approach and it will not solve our big-world problems. When we shift our mindset to view collaboration as the solution, together we can rise to the occasion and solve the challenges that impact our communities. 

I plan to ensure that our NAWBO chapter collaborates with other networking groups and business associations here in Arizona, connects industries and advocates locally and nationally on behalf of our members. When our members collaborate with each other, we all win — and our communities win. 

Doesn’t this sound like something you’d like to try? My challenge to you is as follows: 

1. Identify a key issue that is impacting your industry. 
2. Think of your three competitors. 
3. Reach out to them to discuss their approach to solutions. 
4. Document your ideas and share them with not just the competitors but with your entire industry. 

A candle loses nothing by lighting another. Let’s set the new ways of working together ablaze! 

Ania Kubicki is president-elect of the NAWBO – Phoenix chapter. She is the owner of ANGLES, a communications agency with a mission to connect ideas and the people behind them to those who benefit from them. Based at the Center for Positive Media, a newly created collaborative think tank inspiring a positive transformation of the media narrative, ANGLES works with visionaries who challenge the status quo and disrupt industries that need change.