Last October I decided to write a book.  In a sense I had already written it – my idea was to pick out the best 50 or so of my blog posts and put them together into a slim volume.   I envisaged something ‘Ladybird’ book like: text on the left, picture on the facing page, using the images I’d chosen for the blog posts.

Rob Key, my graphic designer, had other ideas.  Much better ideas.  Way better ideas.  Because Rob’s a graphic designer, and I’m not.  We collaborated, and the result is a book I am proud to launch next month.

Similarly, a few years ago, I decided I needed my own software to create and store Customer Experience Processes for my clients.   I’d been working in Powerpoint, so I know how I wanted it to work.

Simon Kiteley, my software developer, had other ideas.  Much better ideas.  Way better ideas.  Because Simon’s a software developer, and I’m not.  We collaborated, and the result is software I’m proud to have my clients use.

This is why we outsource.  So an expert in their field can take our brief (our obligation is to have a decent brief), and collaboratively turn it into something that is way better than we could have imagined, never mind executed, without ever losing the core of what we are trying to achieve.

What if you treated your team like experts?  What if you gave them a decent brief, and then let them work their magic on it?

I think you might be pleasantly surprised.