3 Keys to Collaboration

One of the things I learned long ago was not be too cavalier in my thinking when approaching projects with a large scope. It’s very easy to look at a project and think, “Oh I can do that…and that…and that” and you can end up in over your head very quickly. That’s why it’s important to understand the power of collaboration.

Most video production projects have a lot of moving parts. It’s a fluid process and there are a lot of details to manage. Being able to bring others into the fold at key points is what helps maintain great relationships with clients and consistently produce quality work. Sure, you can go it alone and often achieve great results. I was forced to do that earlier in my career. Doing everything yourself leads to sacrifices in flexibility and time, and those are valuable resources to lose when running a business.

I’m going to breakdown the top factors I use to determine when to collaborate with other professionals. In other words, how do I know when it’s something I can do myself or if it’s time to work with other professionals or specialists.

Tight Deadlines

This one might be pretty obvious, but I’ve seen a lot of instances where people have been burned. If Origin Story has a big project, I’ll often have to bring in an additional team member (or several) to complete various parts of the job. Even if it requires spending more of the budget on team members to get the project completed, it’s better to have it done than to miss a deadline. Being able to consistently complete projects on-time is one of the easiest ways to keep a client happy.

Is it a Core Skill?

If there’s part of a project that’s outside the realm of expertise of either myself or Origin Story as a whole, it’s time to find the right person or company for that work. Now, if time allows, and that’s a big if, I’ll sometimes treat that task as professional development and hone those skills. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very often because of deadlines. It comes down to a simple question: What is the value of learning this skill vs. hiring it out?

Know Your Limits

There are only so many hours in the day and you have to use them wisely. Can you really spend an entire day doing creative work or do you find yourself mixing that with emails, client meetings, or admin work? Knowing what you can accomplish over a period of time will really set you apart. You have to be able to say, “I can do this and this, but I can’t do this.” There’s nothing wrong with not being able to do everything. You have to be able to admit what you don’t know and still figure out how to solve the problem. Surrounding yourself with others who know more than you is the key.

Final Thought

Obviously, I haven’t delved into the weeds on all the factors that go into making a successful collaboration, but keeping these few tips in mind will lead to smarter decisions, better creative, and happier clients!