Leadership Lessons: Collaboration Risks
Some of the most challenging professional requests often arrive as collaboration opportunities. They may come wrapped in flattery, concern or a shared history, making it harder to see that what is being asked is not really partnership at all, but extraction.
Particularly for those new to leadership roles, as your career continues to advance, you may begin to hear from more people you have a shared history with. It is important to filter those requests to protect your time, boundaries and reputation.
Remember, true collaboration is a two-way street. It thrives on mutual respect, clear roles, and shared ownership of outcomes. False collaboration, by contrast, often hinges on one person creating the ideas and implementing them, while others seek to borrow credibility, visibility, or expertise. Left unchecked, it can compromise your reputation as much as your time.
The first step to protecting yourself is learning to recognize the signs. Leaders should watch for a few common red flags:
Vague project terms. Details stay just out of reach no matter how many times you ask.
Shifting respect for boundaries. Initial enthusiasm turns to pressure when you say no to approach, methodology, etc.
Unilateral role assignment. Your role is defined for you rather than with you. This can also be a bait-and-switch from the initial pitch of co-creation. As your conversations continue there may be a sudden shift.
Flattery in place of clarity. Heavy praise may mask intent, ask as many pertinent questions about the collaboration and then step back, do some research and speak with a trusted advisor.
One-sided workload. The bulk of the implementation responsibility starts to be assigned to you as the collaboration develops.
Protecting your credibility means being able to hold firm to your boundaries, to say no and be willing to walk away if you are not being respected. Being more cautious and setting boundaries not only protects your credibility in the long-term it is necessary in a competitive market, where reputation is, increasingly, your currency.