I would have never guessed that a life-changing collaboration could grow from medical turmoil, yet that’s how Debbie Exner and I found one another. The year was 2003 and I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Through an Internet search, I met Debbie, whose family had also been touched by this illness and we even both were professional coaches.
Getting Started
We have filled the past six years growing our friendship, sharing leadership of a cancer support network, co-facilitating workshops, and observing the fascinating ins and outs of our collaboration. Although living in different states with different time zones, we set aside regular times to meet by phone, serving as sounding boards for one another and hatching joint projects. In 2009, a book that had been incubating in each of us cracked open, asking for our joint attention. The dream of a co-authored book began to take shape.
This blog is growing out of the research, interviews, reading and conversations we are enjoying as we work on our book—our book about collaboration. Here we create a place to ask the important questions and to strengthen the collaborative muscle in each of us, and inspire the communities where we live and work. We will ask provocative questions. We hope you will join the conversation.
How did you get started collaborating?
Maddie
Collaboration Pays Off 