Collaboration is more important than ever

With so many corporations downsizing, an interesting trend is taking place. The employees that are still at those large corporations are more hands-on than in ever. They're doing more of the work that their suppliers would have done in the recent past.

These employees are becoming more entrepreneurial, which I think is good. They see their hands-on approach as a form of job security. This changes a supplier's relationship with them, too.

Today, it's crucial that a supplier collaborate with the client. More than just "take on a project," the supplier needs to allow the client to carve out a portion of the project that they want to do themselves and not just deal with it--embrace it.

The traditional model of an agency is to be artistic, to want to do it their way. This used to play well with clients. Now, that agency has to sit right next to the client and work hand in hand--much more humbling, less freedom, but today, much more effective.

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
http://www.labov.com/