Rule #5: Collaborate.

Americans are proud of our "rugged individualism," but seriously - it's almost impossible to go it entirely alone.  (Especially if you're in a non-profit organzation that isn't supported by your own massive independent wealth.)  If you haven't yet realized that everything in life is about relationships, now is your chance.  

I have the phrase "We're all in this together" posted on the wall of my office as a constant reminder that everything we do is a team effort.  This doesn't mean that we have a lot of meetings (I'm working on a separate post addressing my philosophy on that); but it does mean that everyone in our office has an "open door policy" so that people can quickly gather, discuss the issue, and then move on with their day.  For our organization, this applies across disciplines - physicians, pharmacists, case managers, therapists, intake workers, support staff and peer mentors all can quickly and easily access one another in help meet clients' needs.

It's often easy to collaborate with the people physically present in your office space, but what about friends and colleagues at other organizations in town?  Being "all in this together" should include them, too - perhaps especially so.  To accomplish this, we hold a monthly "Interagency Meeting" with the other groups that serve the HIV/AIDS popluation, including case management organizations, outreach & prevention organizations, housing programs, Legal Aid, American Red Cross, and representatives from state agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Corrections, and Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.  Everyone is able to quickly share information related to funding & schedule availability, upcoming events, program expansions (or retractions), etc.  Sometimes we have group gripe sessions, sometimes we all bring food and have a party.  No matter the format, these meetings give all the agencies a chance to sit at the same table and truly participate.

Learning what other organizations do (and even helping them do it) allows you both to better focus on what you each do best. When you collaborate you eliminate duplication of work and thereby free up time to do the things you actually want to do.