This pandemic continues to highlight global inequality. For the privileged, isolation is possible. For the vast majority of workers, those fortunate to still have jobs, they risk their lives daily, travelling on public transport, sharing water sources, domestic work, factory work, store work and more.

Organisations, multi-sectoral stakeholder groups, crisis committees, sales teams, NGOs and support teams around the world – have been caught with their proverbial pants down.

As a customer, you trust other customers, right? You trust what they say more than what the brands you follow, say. Right? The thinking customer is okay to engage with the brand but demands an energy exchange. The thinking customer knows that he or she is Facebook’s product and that the trust model, has been completely eroded. Facebook is selling YOU! And as a result, an authentic community is not possible on Facebook.

Who do you trust? Do you trust your president, the one you possibly voted for? Do you trust your local mayor to honestly distribute your city’s resources? Do you trust your bank, the media you consume or your social media where you keep sharing personal data? Do you trust your supermarket, your car manufacturer and drug companies who you rely on, to keep whatever affliction at bay?

I’ve written so extensively on the need and benefits of collaboration over the past few years, that I felt unsure about the title of this very simple blog. But the intent is a simple reminder of the ‘why.

The ability to work collaboratively in terms of workplace skills sits right alongside critical thinking and problem-solving.