Hi Reader!
Do you ever avoid clear language because you want to keep things friendly? Sadly, skipping this up front is exactly what makes things tense later.
I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Where collaborations start with everyone trying to be nice, friendly, and avoid being the one to “make it formal”.
And six months later, all the little things added up, and they felt burned or upset with the collaboration.
Because clarity is not about making things legal or formal. It’s a gift you are giving to the person you are working with.
Getting clear about your assumptions and expectations for the relationship shows that you are the kind, thoughtful human you are.
Because when you aren’t explicit:
- you are both working from different assumptions
- silence gets filled with expectations (or more assumptions)
- misunderstandings won’t feel intentional, but they will feel personal
Which is why getting clear and explicit early can be one of the most generous things you do for the person you are working with.
Think of a past collaboration that felt heavier than it needed to.
If you could go back to the beginning, what is one sentence you wish you had said out loud?
Want a jumping-off point? Here’s what I’ve heard more than once:
- “Let’s define what’s in scope and what’s not before we start.”
- “If this starts to feel like more than we expected, let’s pause and reevaluate.”
- “We should decide who owns what before we create anything.”
- “We should decide how anything we bring to the collaboration can be used afterward.”
👉 Your action item
What’s one line that would have made that collaboration easier? This line doesn’t need to be perfect (or written in legalese). Just something you can use as a conversation starter before your next collaboration.
If you only have 20 minutes this week, the task above is the most important thing to do. But if you have a little more time, keep reading.
Chat soon,
P.S. This week, I accomplished one of my winter goals: becoming a credentialed pickleball referee! My progress had stalled, but a few weeks ago, I connected with a woman who got things back on track. If you are feeling stuck with one of your goals right now, keep putting in the work, making connections, and taking whatever baby steps you can. I’m here to help in any way I can, even if it’s just cheering you on or giving you a virtual high five for resiliently slogging on.
The clause to notice
One small section of a contract that can have an outsized impact later.
This week’s clause: Intellectual property
One of the biggest unstated assumptions in collaborations is how the work created during a collaboration can be used outside of the collaboration or after the collaboration ends.
A common red flag: If you are bringing a previously created work to the collaboration, you’ll want to be crystal clear about how your collaborator can use your work outside of the collaboration (and what credit must be given to you).
Because this is one of the most common places where misunderstandings and disagreements happen in collaborations, I break it down in the Contract Decoder.
LATEST VIDEO
What to say when you start a collaboration (exact scripts)
Opening a collaboration conversation does not need to be awkward. These three short scripts help you start the collaboration, keep things moving forward, or regroup when the scope starts to shift. Use them in DMs, calls, or emails.
