Working together opens up doors that you wouldn’t know existed without the eyes and ears of others. The more you focus on yourself and your space, the more you miss. When you connect with others is when your success is positioned to take off.
In this article, we’ll talk about the power of working together and the different ways you can find those group opportunities even if you are a freelancer, small business owner, or budding entrepreneur.
Carnegie is best known for his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. He shares that it’s not the one with the most technical know-how that will make it to the top, but instead, it is those with the best people skills. He realized his gift to help others do more and be more was the path he needed and wanted to take with his life. He continued to find ways to build on his gift with words.
When Dale Carnegie said, “No man will make a great business who wants to do it all himself or to get all the credit of doing it,” he added, “That spirit is fatal, and the sure proof of a small mind.” In other words, we can’t do it on our own and we aren’t supposed to. And when we try to do it on our own and gain all the credit and accolades, we miss the mark.

We are designed to work together because together we are strong and better than anything we could be on our own. You have limited vision on your own. Together, we can see more – more potential, more possibilities, and more storms before they arrive so we can be prepared.
Several years ago, I started meeting with a group of people that were each working on their next step. It was called a Mastermind group, but a rose by any other name would still have given me insight I couldn’t have found any other way.
I had ideas about what I wanted to do. I took steps to do things. I continued to sink, stall, and stray off into the ditch for the most part.
The group took time to listen to what I had done, what I wanted to do, and what I realized I wasn’t getting done. In the sharing, they began sharing back successes I had made that slipped by unnoticed because I was focused more on what I didn’t do. They offered ideas about opportunities I wasn’t considering because I was too focused on what I had planned to see the doors opening outside of that plan. They saw things that I didn’t see because I wasn’t looking.
With the help of the group, I began to step into places I would never have considered on my own. Whether you find a mentor to work with or a social group, together we are stronger!
Why Working Together Works Better
You can’t read your own label. Image standing in a jar and trying to read the label describing the ingredients in the jar or the purpose of the contents. Even if the ink faded a little through the label, you still wouldn’t be able to get the whole picture.
It takes someone from the outside to help us fully understand the inside.
Other people have a perspective you can’t have.
Because we are all on our unique paths, we see things from those paths.
My husband and I looked out at the day. I saw the bright blue sky. He noticed the wind in the trees. It was the same view seen from two different perspectives. Neither was wrong. Each was unique to the needs, experience, and focus of the person who saw it.
Other people have experiences different from yours.
Because we are all on unique journeys, our experiences will never be the same as others. They can be similar and even have the same elements, but the experience will be unique to the person.
Other people have information outside yours.
You can’t know it all – no matter how much of a know-it-all you might be. You can know a lot about a little or a little about a lot, but others will have information outside of what you have gathered.
My friend’s daughter recently had her first child. My friend has four children, but her daughter explained to her that she had all the information she needed to make sure things went smoothly. “I’ve done the research, Mom.”
When the time arrived, the daughter quickly realized that the information her mother had gained through experience was more correct than the information she had researched.
Don’t discount the information of others
Other people have different understandings.
Just like we all have unique perspectives, we all understand the information in different ways that involve our perspectives and personalities.
My husband and I attended the same high school and had many of the same teachers. I came out of school with the encouragement to continue to learn and gain experience so that those elements could help me find and live my best life.
My husband came out of the same classes with the idea that he needed to get a degree so he could get a job so he could retire.
We had the same input but came out with completely different outputs.
Other people have educational backgrounds that are different from yours.
Depending on your school of choice, your major of choice, or even your course study choices within a major, your education will be different from others. You get more from the educations of others when you open your mind to what they have learned.
In other words, other people are different from you so they have ideas and knowledge that is unique for their journey. When you take the time to learn from what they have then you expand your understanding for your own journey.
“Everyone one of us needs someone outside our jar to read our label.”

What Is The Importance Of Working Together?
My son joined a rowing team when he was younger (and smaller). Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t pull the full length because his legs and arms weren’t long enough yet. He still tried and with the additional effort of the others, the boat moved across the lake with relative ease.
I can only imagine how frustrated he would have become if he had been alone in the boat. Even with his best effort, he would have made almost no progress. He would have ended the day exhausted and without results.
When we go it alone, that’s where we end up – exhausted and without results. When you are building your business, that’s the last place you want to end up at the end of the day.
Finding Places for Working Together
When it comes to finding the right people for working together with, you may be surprised to discover how many opportunities already exist. We’ve talking about how 30 day challenges bring you together with others that are pursuing similar goals. But challenges are only one of many opportunities out there where you can find your team that will be working together with you to reach your success.
1. Meetups
According to the Meetup website, this platform provides you with ways to meet people that can become friends or provide the support you need to grow your business. If there isn’t a group already meeting that matches your needs, you can start up one. The website is free to join, but starting a group does require a nominal fee.
2. Mastermind Groups
Join a paid mastermind group that is led by a coach or a free mastermind group that focuses on group participation. Search your area or your industry for mastermind groups or check out Meetups to see what you can find. As always, you have the option of inviting together a group of like-focused people to meet up regularly (online or in-person) to launch your own mastermind group.
3. WordCamps
WordCamps are conferences that focus on everything WordPress – from content to business to WordPress fundamentals. Attending is great but the real working together power comes from joining in on the organization for your local WordCamp.
4. Community Centers
Local community groups offer many opportunities to learn from others in your field or those in related fields. You can check and see about offering a group meeting if one isn’t available that matches your needs. Many community centers offer free classes or low-cost options.
5. iThemes Training
The iThemes Training community is the perfect place to connect with other people who are running a web design business. From free weekly training webinars to monthly premium training events, our iThemes Training community makes it easy to learn, grow, and share. Just check out some of our awesome customer spotlights of iThemes Training community members.
Wrapping Up
Remember, the key isn’t to find people that think just like you. Instead, you are looking for people that are like-focused. People that are looking to reach goals, build success, or grow their small business are ideal for building the relationships that will allow you to work together.
The more you invest in working with other people the more you will discover that your journey is full of possibilities you wouldn’t have found alone.
Are you looking for more opportunities for working together? Join iThemes Training to be involved with weekly online training webinars, live chats, and other engaging participation.
Get the bonus content: Community Building Tips for Website Owners and Online Businesses


Kathryn Lang believes it is simple, and as an award-winning author and natural-born hopesmith, she shares tips on how to find your why, pursue your purpose, and live a bold, intentional life – always with a dash of twisted encouragement.
nttntttt