There’re one evolutionary reason why you can read these lines: You’re part of humanity – a highly developed species, which successfully adjusted to changing environments for thousands of years. How did we do this? Through collaboration. Let’s explore how it worked in the stone age and which role human interactions play in the modern world. The ExperienceZone way: Short and actionable.

You’re designed to engage

If we reflect upon human history, we always gathered together in groups. Clans and big families were the most prevalent type of community. They moved as nomads through ancient Africa in order to survive. Through the division of labor, we took care of food, clothing and shelter. Women often formed groups of gatherers and men went on the hunt. Both teams wouldn’t have been successful if they wouldn’t have collaborated. It ensured women to find the best spots for gathering fruit and men to make a prey. As we fast-forward through the history of inventions, such as fire, the wheel and thus first vehicles as well as agriculture, ideas of many got mashed into something, which represented a quantum leap for humanity.

Together we’re legion. This still applies to our modern world, in which everybody still wants to make a living. Covering basic needs is still priority one. In addition, we identified higher means (think Maslow’s pyramid), which we want to accomplish. How do we do this? By reaching out. You want to go places? Great! Then you need a host to let you crunch on her couch. You want to make the next career step? Way to go! Then you need your boss to step up for you in the steal-cage-death-match meeting. You want to change the world? Wow! Then you better reach out to do-gooder communities to get your ideas shaped and implemented.

How do you collaborate effectively?

Take ExperienceZone: It’s a social network. One of the most complex endavours one can launch nowadays. Without my development folks and my brother overlooking the technical stuff, we wouldn’t be able to come this far. Whatever you’re up to, you need the support of others:

  1. Make up your mind. What do you want to accomplish? On individual level, this falls back to your mission and aims in life. Once you gained clarity about your goals, you need to come up with a plan.
  2. Brainstorm resources. For each action in your plan, assign others who help you to follow through. This might be your partner remembering you to stick to your low-carb diet. This might be your peers supporting you in delivering the project in time and quality.
  3. Reach out. Once you know whom you can leverage, fill them in. Let folks know what you want to do, have or be by when. Let alone spreading the word brings you closer to achieving your objectives. Bear in mind, that people are more willing to support you if you give before you take, i.e. offer your support in achieving their mission and aims in life.