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Why collaborate on social responsibility with customers or competitors?
Too frequently, we get stuck in a zero-sum world, thinking competitors are nothing more than potential client stealers, and customers are solely targets for negotiating a higher per-unit price. We may recognize opportunities to jointly lobby government, yet that view misses opportunities for socially responsible collaboration– whose execution can uncover further opportunities.
My kindergarten son, Rayden, knows the value of transforming his environment. Yesterday, Rayden insisted on wearing fuzzy pajamas to school. When he arrived at the classroom, Rayden quickly became king of the room. Teachers fawned over his ‘comfy clothing’. Students from the most shy to extrovert leaders approached Rayden to discuss controlling their own destinies.
Rayden’s class recognized him as a thought-leader even before his self-proclaimed pajama day. However, Rayden’s act of wearing the unexpected garb created openings for new discussions that he feasted on.
Rayden’s victory reminded me of a former client’s experience with social responsibility. The client’s strategy and tools were carefully selected to deliver direct, measurable value for investors and society. The project had almost been scuttled, however, because the initiative required partnering with a horribly transactional customer: my client worried whether an organization that fought over every penny could be counted on to a trusted partner for innovative, collaborative leadership.
Reality exceeded expectations. My client’s measured benefits achieved forecasts. Yet, the biggest win was the blossoming partnership with the previously transactional customer. The social project’s kickoff was like an unscheduled pajama day: participants searched each other out across organizations to discuss ways they could jointly control social destiny. Trust was built and respect grew. Soon after that kickoff, projects followed with this customer to jointly develop new products, develop aligned standards, and co-invest to reduce shared costs. What had been a transactional foe was now also an insightful colleague.
As digital technology drives social change, we are tempted to cower alone in our competitive corners. For example, schools in Delaware view a shrinking student base and only see options to fight tooth and nail for bodies (and corresponding fees). Tiny food profit margins leave related businesses thinking there’s no room to invest in partnership.
Yet, such fear-based reactions are misplaced. Competing schools are also natural allies for strengthening support for early childhood education. Food companies are potential partners in the fight to find innovative ways to profit from healthy foods.
In many areas of the world today, only competitive challenges are seen. Yet collaborating with those challengers to benefit society would uncover further areas of joint interest. And the resulting richer environment of collaboration inter-woven with competition would deliver far greater value to investors and society.
Do you look at some people solely as competitors, when personal introduction might uncover hidden, valuable opportunities to collaborate?
Please share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.