“By having the opportunity to work with, and work beside, and learn next to, and learn with people who have a different vantage point on whatever the problem is… when we get to be with that other person, our ability to understand the complexity actually increases, and that’s where we are able to innovate more impressive solutions.” -Deb Mashek The better we are at collaborating, the more likely it is that people will want to work with us. Yet so many of us struggle to work effectively with others. What happens when we sit and ask ourselves what collaboration really means? Are we only happy when we are getting our own way? What does it really feel like and mean to co-create something with other people? These are big questions, but they matter if we are to get to the heart of why it is we need to work with other people. Balance is critical, as is a mutual respect for our skills and the skills of others. If we are able to set effective expectations through a lens of respect, we are far more likely to find success in our collaborations. Deb Mashek, founder of Myco Consulting and author of the new book Collabor(h)ate, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping people recognize different viewpoints and creating the space for understanding to flourish between seemingly disagreeable people. If you struggle to vocalize your opinion, aren’t sure how to speak with someone about viewpoints you disagree with or are finding it difficult to communicate your worth and effort, then this is the episode to take you from CollaborHate to CollaborGreat. :) During this interview, you'll learn... The value of setting healthy expectations How viewpoint diversity can shape your business for the better The importance of building a communal mindset  To find out more about Deb, click here. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn. Buy her new book, Collabor(h)ate at this link. For the 10 kickoff questions mentioned in this episode, visit here. Time Stamps 01:50 - Deb discusses her career journey   04:45 - Understanding viewpoint diversity      06:38 - Getting to the heart of collaboration 09:35 - Collaboration through the lens of small business  16:40 - Keeping ourselves community-minded 22:29 - Communicating more effectively  27:04 - Deb talks about her new book