Why collaboration is a good thing

Over the last week or so there have been a few occasions where I’ve felt like I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall regarding some project or other I’ve been working on. And on each occasion I’ve ended up getting past the brick wall following advice/information from someone else, and on some occasions actually learning something I would never have learned otherwise.

I think the lessons to be learned are as follows:

  • Everyone knows something useful.
  • Someone knows the thing that will eventually make your life easier and allow you to succeed.
  • Talking to people who don’t know the technical intricacies of a project can sometimes help you regain focus.
  • You will never know what you can contribute until you know what needs to be contributed.
  • Sometimes the simple act of being thanked means a whole world more than monetary reward.

I’d also probably add that I like being busy, but that I can live without finding out at what point my capacity to achieve is affected by the length of my to-do list.