Reviewed by Natalia Infante Caylor, PhD
Multicultural Researcher
Hola Insights
Huntsville, Alabama
natalia@holainsights.com
“Unseen is unsold. When more people see your company, they recognize you as experts, which increases your influence and your sales—and effective collaboration provides greater visibility.”
Collaboration is the New Competition is a new book written by the one and only Priscilla McKinney, the queen of networking and collaboration. This book is not your typical business guide; it is a witty, eye-opening journey that will challenge your preconceptions about working on teams with others, as well as networking, and leave you wondering why you didn’t read it sooner. It will also leave you wanting to apply all her suggestions right away, whether personally or professionally.
This book is written for those determined to change their mindset about how to do business the right way or, better yet, how to connect with people the right way. Whether you are looking for innovative ways to collaborate or ways to transform and shift your mindset, this book will give you a fresh perspective on how to network more strategically and in ways you might not have thought about before.
While some readers might be accustomed to networking, they might not have realized until reading this book that they may be doing it the wrong way. Collaboration is the New Competition provides a framework on how to collaborate in creative ways without limiting ourselves.
McKinney points out that in order to grow our network, we need to seek the right people with the right skills, thus leveraging our time and ways we connect with others most efficiently. In addition, she reminds us that we don’t sell to our network; rather, we sell through our network, which amplifies once again the power of strategic networking as explained by the author.
Readers will find McKinney’s book full of great ideas. One of my favorites is the Event Cheat Sheet Checklist—a game changer—ensuring readers make the most of any networking opportunity with step-by-step suggestions, starting weeks before the event and following through to after the event. Readers will relate to the actionable suggestions to connect virtually and in person with others, whether on LinkedIn, via email, or a note. I have followed most of McKinney’s suggestions and have been very pleased with the results: a great way to maximize time and productivity.
Readers will also learn how to turn passive collaboration into active collaboration, how to collaborate with what most people would call our “competitors” and changing our mindset about that, and, most importantly, how to collaborate strategically and organically. McKinney advocates for an abundance mindset of always helping, in which it’s good to share our expertise or advice while still being aware that some might take a mile while we would prefer to give an inch. However, we have the option to stay in the networking relationship or not. We all need to create boundaries, and this is even more important in the business world, where we might have a lot more to lose. Therefore, developing a growth mindset with the right framework is crucial. You’ll enjoy McKinney’s examples and anecdotes.
Collaboration is the New Competition is not just about swapping business cards and making small talk, it is about changing our mindset on competition and turning passive collaboration into productive long-term relationships. So, get ready to revolutionize the way you network, collaborate, and grow. Trust me, you will enjoy reading this book!
