Business collaboration is like a basketball game. Whether it’s NBA level (enterprise) or a pickup game in the park (small business), there’s no question it’s a team game. With all due respect to Lakers fans, even Kobe Bryant couldn’t win if he took on five able players by himself… and I’ve seen him try. Every player contributes for a team to win the game.
One key to great teamwork is great passing.
Each player gets ownership of the ball for a few seconds, doing their part to help get the team into shooting position. You dribble and run a few steps, make a couple of moves and advance the ball up the court before passing the ball again. But without speed, accuracy and good communication with your teammates, you’ll lose the ball to the other team every time.
It’s not so different in business.
How do you advance ideas in today’s fast-moving, interconnected world? It’s not about knowing everything, or bringing an idea to life all by yourself. It’s about building a team, a network of trustworthy people, who will help you advance the ball up the court before your competition can mount a defense. These people may be officially on your local team, outside your company or even outside your continent.
You need an edge.
That’s the great thing about having today’s collaboration technology at your fingertips. Tools like WebEx give you an edge, empowering you to form an effective team from anywhere on the planet and virtually pass the ball with speed, accuracy and good communication. You can even bring on extra players from the bench at any time, get their contribution and send them back to the showers before the referee has time to notice. (See how Grote Industries beats their competition to market with WebEx. View / Listen.)
It’s a global game.
You've got the ball and the championship is on the line. If you are equipped with the right tools and the ability to pass the ball perfectly, you’ll wear out the competition before halftime.
Try WebEx and see how your passing improves.
David Goad is a senior marketing manager with the Cisco Collaboration Software Group.
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