Stop! Collaborate and listen...

FA.NK
Feb 18, 2017
3 min read

Dhar-lings today we are sharing...

Fabulous sang it ...."I'm a movement by myself but I'm a force when we're together." Yes dhar-lings there is power in numbers! The more the merrier...two is greater than one. At corporate law it’s called STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP... In business it's called SYNERGY.

So here’s how we found each other and how we have kept it moving:

About Faith

Intelligent

Honest

Passionate

Dedicated

People driven

Fashionista/Stylist

Encouraging

Motivated

Catholic

Respectful

Kind

Generous

About Noreen

Intelligent

Creative (in more ways than just fashion and style)

Hard working

Visionary

Dreamer

Risk taker

Kind

Mentor/leader/motivator

Daring

Catholic

Yes note that we only list our good qualities, because we stay on a positive tip .Positivity will get you everywhere!! But that's not to say you shouldn't know your limitations... Ndezvekujegana. Know where you need to support and assist each other.

So, we technically did not find each other: circumstances, interests and events found us. When we founded 4CBC in 2015 it had such a slow start. Most of its membership was half committed which made it impossible to get community work done .We started off with a project in Mount Hampden; the logistics were a nightmare. Eventually people started fading off and there we had it, our first SIGN: we were the last men standing.

So we kept it moving!

We completed the branding ...made uniforms and kept the ball rolling. In a bid to find our niche in community engagement we spread our wings and engaged in several different projects. Well here were are, 3 years later and still at it! Just to be clear on the immense work we have done over the past two years.... we have worked with orphaned children, widows and youths. We have realised that our strength lies in empowering others to be the best they can be by sharing basic and practical life experiences.

So what has the last 3 years taught us?

People like people who are like them. And people believe and trust people they like. Try to discover attitudes, likes, dislikes, family backgrounds, experiences, virtues or values or even quirks that you have in common with others and then exploit those commonalities. People reason that you’re like them in some ways, you’re probably like them in other ways too .Therefore they begin to transfer trust as from a friend to a friend.

"To thine own self be true"- From Shakespeare's Hamlet. Collaboration can only work if you know what you want to achieve, what and whom you need to get there and your goals and vision. We have two very different businesses but we have learnt how and why they lend to each other. Chenesai brand goes with the motto "Dare to be different"; Faith's Avenues is about "Custom made smiles" but together we say “Let's keep it moving!” And from our commonality we birthed other entities... 4CBC and Sungano. And these 4 entities are richer because they work together. We share ideas, working space and share costs which in this economy, dhar-lings, just makes sense!!!!

Communication is key. Say what you need to say, even without words. Gerard Nierenberg coined the term “meta-message” to describe those messages that come through between the lines, they come from the context, the relationship, timing, the purpose and the person speaking. When you are working in a team its always important to hear what’s not being said...active listening. The more you spend time together and work together the easier it becomes and the more profitable you become, whether financially, emotionally or spiritually.

This is not to say we never disagree either! We do. So often, but because we are more interested in progress, we respect each other's opinion and we take everything with a pinch of salt and we keep it moving. Progress not perfection!

Another thing is we have each other's back. Don't air your dirty laundry in public if you are a team. Even when your partner/friend/sister/spouse is wrong in a public arena... don't be their enemy and shoot them down girl! There will always be a time and a place. Wait, smile and be supportive. Then come back to it. Because when you collaborate... you win, we win and if you lose, we lose. Protect your merged brand!

Finally, define your parameters and stay on course. You need to know what it is you're doing, how you are doing it and what the ultimate goal is. Define whether you are in a cost and/or profit sharing, keep good records of finances, meetings etc, discuss projects beforehand so you know what each one is to contribute and whether they can or want to commit.