Readers’ Reviews of Leading The Collaborative Way: Overcoming the Seven Most Common Pitfalls

We adopted The Collaborative Way at Allan Myers in 1995, and we have been constantly working to improve our practice ever since. Even with all my years of practicing and leading the practice of The Collaborative Way, this book opened my eyes. After I read an early draft of it, I wouldn’t give it back. It is the handbook for putting The Collaborative Way into practice. This book is a powerful tool that I will use to support leaders in our company in their leadership of The Collaborative Way.

A. Ross Myers
Chairman, CEO
Allan Myers

I have been a student of the Collaborative Way since 2007 at my company. In this short time, I have seen individuals and departments reach a higher level of efficiency and effectiveness through increase in collaboration, cohesion, and respect. This book provides the essential tools in elevating the collaboration of your company, team, or department. It provides guidance on how to cultivate and nourish the ethics, values, and morale throughout your company at all levels by illustrating the Collaborative Way principles in action. Leading the Collaborative Way serves as a valuable reference and support for me when promoting and leading the Collaborative Way in my workplace. Its structure lends to quick reference and specific suggestions to overcome challenges and obstacles. I carry this guide with me from my desk, to my home and back again as I find myself enamored with the helpful tips and tools.

Autumn Sutherland
Accountant
Farm Credit Services Southwest

What was really impactful for me from reading, Leading The Collaborative Way: Overcoming the Seven Most Common Pitfalls was the great hands-on relevance, insight and tools provided throughout the book. The chapter on Confronting Difficult Issues (Chapter 3) is honest and upfront in how we can fall into the trap of using CW as a crutch, justification or excuse instead of driving to unearth, and confront, the more difficult organizational issues. The self-study at the end of the book is a great resource to continually assess and take inventory of your CW skill set long after you have completed reading the book. The practical treatment and common sense tone throughout, Leading The Collaborative Way: Overcoming the Seven Most Common Pitfalls allows for you, the reader, to bring to application the Collaborative Way practices both professionally and personally with your team as well as your client relationships.

Sean Leonard
Benefits Consultant
Collaborative Way Facilitator for 4 years
Northwestern Benefit Corporation of Georgia

It is easy for businesses to flow when circumstances are ideal. However, with his book “Leading the Collaborative Way,” Lloyd Fickett teaches, with a definitive and thought provoking approach, how an organization can surmount obstacles during tenuous times. It provides practical solutions that transforms division into unity, transcending all levels of a corporation and easily translatable from the boardroom to the living room. As a member of a company that operates from a Collaborative Way foundation, I see Fickett’s principles become reality throughout the workday. Our training in the Collaborative Way reaffirms Farm Credit Services Southwest’s philosophy of working from a place of communication, curiosity, and dignity where the intent is to promote the best in each individual. Additionally, the survey in the back of the book is an invaluable self-assessment tool; well worth periodic personal tune-ups.

Carla Christensen
Administrative Assistant
Farm Credit Services Southwest

Leading the Collaborative Way provides me with a realistic approach on how to deliberately practice the Collaborative Way (CW) in my daily life. Our organization is deeply committed to the CW. I appreciate that this tool will help me to build on the foundation of CW orientation and to practice and apply key elements. I agree with the authors that success in the CW takes a conscious daily effort. This book provides helpful tips, suggested reading for additional learning, detailed practice activities and a sample assessment survey. The contributions of industry leaders in their approach to practicing the CW provided me with challenges I can relate to, but also suggestions on how to move forward. One tip I am instituting immediately is from the “Leading Up” section, suggesting informal Employee Feedback breakfasts!

Camry Blaising
Director of Sales and Consulting
Northwest Benefit Corporation of Georgia

As one who has been practicing the commitments of The Collaborative Way for 5 years and who has been privileged to facilitate a number of TCW orientations, I have seen and experienced its tremendous power. Resulting directly from our immersion in The Collaborative Way, my own organization became much more pleasurable to steer and manage. Frankly, though I knew our practice was not perfect, I felt that I (and our organization) had it down pat! After all, we were happy and growing, with our heightened level of success largely attributable to our newly Collaborative Way of relating to one another. But then I received and read “Leading The Collaborative Way”. What a challenging WAKE UP call!

Lloyd and Jason Fickett and their coauthors made three wonderful things happen for me; They forcefully and rationally eliminated any feelings of complacency that had developed around my leadership of the Practice by helping me to identify and self diagnose areas of personal and organizational deficiency and they made me see clearly that we had just scratched the surface of the opportunities that could be provided by a more energetic and pervasive commitment to The Collaborative Way. But, thankfully, they didn’t stop there. The book’s 8 chapters provide page upon page of new strategies and viewpoints that can only make our business and relationships even stronger. I have come to realize that “getting there” has become unimaginable because the practice of The Collaborative Way is a unique and unending journey, but “Leading The Collaborative Way” provides just the right level of guidance and energy for those who are committed to staying the course and growing. Thanks for sharing.

A+ work!

Bill Preston
Retired President
NGMS of Eastern NC

The Collaborative Way Principles work. I have seen them transform Farm Credit Services-Southwest from a good place to an excellent place to work. The Collaborative Way provides the tools to achieve more effective communication and relationships with those around you. “Leading the Collaborative way” is a practical learning guide for those just getting started or for those who are actively seeking to improve their practice of the Collaborative Way. If you take to heart the principles laid out in this handbook and lead with these practices in mind, you will help set the stage for more effective relationships with those around you.

Tom Schorr
Appraisal Program Manager
Farm Credit Services-SW